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topic: Paul Voight

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2022 USHPA Election »

Wed, Oct 12 2022, 12:52:28 am GMT

Steve Pearson

Steve Pearson|USHPA Election 2022|Jamie Shelden|Paul Voight|Matthew Taber|Tiki Mashy|Bill Hughes

Vote for veteran BOD members:

Please check your email for the USHPA election ballot. For those of you who might be undecided, please consider those who have contributed so much to our community and association over many years: Jamie Shelden, Paul Voight, Matthew Taber, Tiki Mashy and Bill Hughes. We need your votes!

I guess it all comes down to experience and previous contributions. The work of USHPA evolves from grinding deliberations in committees rather than wholesale proclamations of change (directors only approve the work of committees). It's so easy to break what we have and much harder to restore it. Even the most well-intentioned and executed big ideas, like self-insurance and the governance proposal, have resulted in unforeseen consequences with significant damage. I favor a path of continuous incremental improvement, where we identify and fix specific and well-defined issues with a large consensus of support from all stakeholders rather than strong-arming short-sighted and self-interested policies. Big-new ideas more often fail, as anyone who has been around knows. Understanding and embracing the constraints of our diverse leadership and membership is difficult and frustrating at times. *None of us get what we want*. These 5 individuals are long-term participants and contributors in the committee process and appreciate both the opportunities and limitations of the bureaucracy. I hate politics and bureaucracy and I'm not good at it either. I was blessed with 45 years in a partnership without these dynamics and where it was so much easier to get things done. The best directors are those with a large well of experience in community development, with diverse ideas and passion for implementing them, but also the ability to listen, support others, and compromise. It only takes one disruptive person to suck the oxygen and derail all progress.

If you read my reply to Davis, you would understand that directors don't have any mechanism to advance their ideas except through the committee process. That requires a lot of work, compromise, listening and consensus building. The people that I identified in my initial post are the only ones with committee experience. Beyond that, they *each* have many years of participation on multiple committees and had advanced to the leadership chair position based on the support of their peers, before I even became a director.

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Regarding the Control Frame that Came Detached

Fri, Jun 17 2022, 8:51:18 pm MDT

Other possibility

boat tow|control frame|dolly|Paul Voight|tow

«Paul Voight» writes:

It was suggested to me that another possible cause of possible damage to the control bar apex and keel interface area could be if the glider in question was dolly started many times, or had lots of trips in a truck tow / boat tow situation, etc., where the weight of the glider was resting (and shaking) on the control bar apex for excessive periods of time. Pilots who fly by those methods should inspect more judiciously perhaps.

More discussion is found on the forum here: https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64743

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Control Frame Came Detached

Sun, Jun 12 2022, 7:29:08 pm MDT

Pounded

control frame|landing|Paul Voight|Wills Wing Sport 3

«Paul Voight» writes:

I have a friend who recently had the control frame apex completely detach from the keel after a normal foot landing.

Obviously, it's a miracle (and fortuitous) that it did not fail in the air. Also obviously, the failure was already in progress prior to this last flight, likely due to some previous hard landings that had occurred in the glider's lifetime. The glider happened to be a WW Sport 3, but the issue could probably occur in many designs.

I'd think any pilots who have had some hard landings, particularly landings after high flares where the base tube, or the keel stinger, comes down on the ground hard, would want to inspect the keel/control bar apex connection area of their glider, to see if there is any evidence of damage.

Note that the damage could be hidden, and some bracket loosening (or removal) might be needed to inspect.

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Our 2022 Supporters/Subscribers

Fri, Mar 4 2022, 10:28:26 am MST

We so very much appreciate them

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Previously, I responded to each email about a donation to the Oz Report with a thank you note. I realized that contributors didn't necessarily get recognized when I sent a thank you note, even though they would be listed on the sponsors page. So I thought that from now on I'll recognize them here in the regular Oz Report reports instead.

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Wills Wing News

Fri, Oct 15 2021, 4:56:34 pm MDT

Up and running and taking orders

COVID|Paul Voight|Steven "Steve" Pearson

Paul Voight writes:

On Wednesday night I participated in a video call with the new Wills Wing team and a few larger dealers from all over the planet. The new factory and staff are all set up in Valle De Bravo, Mexico and they are ready to start accepting orders.

There are still some supply chain issues (from Covid-19, basically), so some tubing and cloth options are still not in house yet, but they anticipate that these issues will be resolved in the not too distant future.

Obviously, they will take a while to have all the products in house (parachutes, helmets, wheels, apparel, etc), but eventually, they will be as functional as the previous version of the world class Wills Wing was.

They indicated that the design team (lead by Steve Pearson) will (as always) be looking to continue innovating and improving their product line.

All of this is great news for the sport. Wills Wing is arguably the most innovative, influential and proactive promoter of the crafts and products that have allowed this sport to develop to the point it has today. I, for one, am stoked.

Insurance, so which is it? »

May 28, 2021, 8:35:09 MDT

A little back and forth

Facebook|insurance|Paul Voight|Risk Retention Group|Ryan Voight|USHPA

FB discussion found here.

Luke Waters:

Ryan Voight, the insurance company did not drop USHPA. The commercial policy that only covered a handful of schools was dropped and USHPA leadership at the time convinced it's members those schools were "too big to fail" and that we all needed to self insure to support them. But yes, this was one is the incidents that lead to one of the bigger payouts.

Ryan Voight:

Luke Waters, false. I was on the board when the fiasco took place. It started when the insurance company, providing 3rd party liability, realized there was “professional instruction” taking place and said they will no longer cover USHPA without the addition of a policy for instructors. Hence “mandatory instructor insurance”… one of those we-had-a-choice-but-didn’t-really-have-an-alternative situations.

Couple years later, insurance decides our case history is too variable/unpredictable/expensive… not profitable enough for them to be worth the risk/hassle, they choose not to renew our policy (at any price, just plain won’t do it).

USHPA decides to self-insure because (primarily) without insurance many sites would be lost. Site insurance is simply listing landowners as insured parties within the 3rd party liability insurance. Again though, the landowners wouldn’t be covered during any commercial instruction unless instructors have their own policy too…
So now we have USHPA who provides a good pilot rating system, obtains 3rd party liability insurance for pilots/landowners, and (IMHO) does a mediocre job of training and certifying instructors.

RRRG is a pilot owned/operated insurance provider, providing policies to USHPA, PASA, and large schools directly.
PASA is an organization created to help make sure instructors are following best practices, not taking unnecessary risks and creating stupid insurance liability (because we can’t afford for RRRG to fail).

It’s a mess.

Years ago I tried to point out at a USHPA BOD meeting that the instructor training and certification is well-intentioned but grossly inadequate, and much of the mess is because USHPA “certifies” who’s an instructor and who isn’t. I proposed USHPA stop certifying instructors altogether- shed the liability to survive. It wasn’t a well received idea lol. I know it’s a bit out there and initially sounds horrible- but I still think it makes absolute logical sense and it’s what the organization needs to do!

Luke Waters:

Ryan Voight, I have to disagree. You were a part of the board when the initial addition of the Rogallo membership took place, but your explanation of why USHPA dropped the general polices and self-insured is not completely correct. It's easy to go back and see exactly what happened because it was being talked about a lot and published all over the web when it was happening.

The bottom line is the RRRG now provides a commercial insurance policy to a handful of big tandem operations that replaced the (only) policy that was being canceled by Lloyds of London at the time. It's arguable that there was ever any direct threat to the policies that cover solo pilots or most instructors. It's also arguable that USHPA needed these handful of big tandem operations to survive, since at the time they were issuing something like 40% of novice and beginner ratings. What is not arguable is that the general membership was not getting the full story as to why this was really a crisis, and why we needed to self insure.

Now we have the RRRG and have to make it work. And with the new leadership the future looks bright. But we have to be clear about the history and the facts that got us here in order to understand how to move forward.

Ryan Voight:

Luke Waters I was a USHPA Director, in the Board meeting, when we- as a Board- were told that *all* the USHPA policies were not going to be renewed. We were told the insurance company (after dodging calls for a months if I recall correctly) had confirmed that fear. I, along with the rest of the Board, voted to pursue self-insurance options at that time. We would have loved some other alternatives to choose from! If what you say is true, and the general membership policy was still eligible renewal, that’s news to me, and in direct disagreement with the information the BOD was presented. I guess I can’t fully say if you’re correct or mistaken

After that I stopped being involved- I was on the board to help and better the sport(s)… not to manage bureaucratic management as policies… much more qualified people for that anyway. So I can’t speak to what happened after that… (it was a shit show).

I will say publicly that I do not agree with several things USHPA is doing these days, RRRG and PASA policies, etc. it’s horrible…

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Amazing Grace in the Age of Covid

March 22, 2021, 10:10:36 EDT

Amazing Grace in the Age of Covid

Ron Kittredge

Covid|COVID|Jamie Shelden|John Bilsky|Mike Holl|Paul Allen|Paul Voight|Rob Kells|Ryan Voight|sailplane|triangle

Steve Houser <<shouser>> writes:

For every season there is a purpose under heaven. So it tells us in Ecclesiastes. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Ron Kittredge was not a religious man, though he had no objection to those who are. His spiritual nature, though, was hardly suppressed, manifested as it was in his enthusiastic embrace of nature in any way it could be experienced. Foremost in that expression of passionate energy was his love for hang gliding. He loved also to hike, to ski, to fish, scuba dive, paddle, and motorcycle. He preferred a campfire or a good book (Larry McMurtry or Mark Twain) to a television. Knowing the wildflowers, trees, plants and animals, and how they were interwoven, was important to him. He enjoyed mowing the grass and fields on his property where he had built his second home and raised his two children, Anna and Steen, with his wife Katharine. Chopping wood was a common part of his fitness routine.

But those all frequently had to wait their turn when the wind was blowing out of the northwest. That’s when you would likely find him at Harris Hill in upstate New York, just outside of Elmira. It was his favorite flying site. And it was there, on a hot and L/V day, July 25, 2020, that family, friends, and fellow pilots gathered to honor his memory and to celebrate the gift that his life was to so many of them. On that day, still in mourning, we chose to laugh and to dance.

I started hang gliding in 1974 and I met Ron in 1984 when he first began lessons under local instruction. His progress was smooth and steady…and fast. I spent a lot of time with him in the training days, passing on what knowledge I could. It did not take long for him to absorb all that I and other mentoring pilots had to offer before he became an even more reliable source for mentoring newer pilots than we had ever been. Our regional director, Paul Voight, remembers him this way. “Ron and I were friends for almost 4 decades…albeit we didn’t actually see each other for long lapses sometimes, due to proximity. Ron was a fantastic, enthusiastic pilot, and a really good mentor to newer pilots. He had a trustworthy demeanor and a knowledge base to back it up. I remember him missing flying time on several occasions, paying attention to inquisitive new pilots’ questions and helping them with glider tuning. The pilot community will surely miss him on the hill.” There are at least a dozen pilots in upstate NY who could have penned a similar message about Ron. He had flown nearly every site in the state, from Ellenville westward to Binghamton, Syracuse, Elmira and Rochester. Sites in Pennsylvania and New England were also included in the hundreds of hours of airtime logged by him. Ron emphasized safety in his approach to the sport. None of his fellow pilots could recall a single serious accident or incident in all his years of flying. There was no broken or bent metal in his storage shed.

Ron died on June 18. In February he had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Chemo was attempted but failed. Other treatment modalities were explored but none were viable. He remained relatively active up until the last couple of weeks, taking daily excursions for coffee and exploring the surrounding state forests and parks with his wife Kathy. At his memorial, Kathy commented that in those final days he had taken them on some seriously treacherous mountain roads and trails and in so doing, had even turned “getting coffee” into an extreme sport.

Planning a funeral in the time of covid seemed an unlikely possibility. Funeral homes at the time were limiting services to 8-10 people. Kathy knew that that would not satisfy the large number of family, friends, customers and recreational pals that Ron had amassed over the years. She asked instead for help in having a day of memory at Harris Hill. That hatched the plan, with sensitivity to covid related concerns, that came to fruition on that sunny Saturday. In the meantime, word went out among the flying community about his passing, and the regrets, expressions of sadness and loss, condolences and kindnesses began pouring in. A fund was established to purchase a memorial bench and the contributions quickly mounted to well above what would be needed. It will sit to the side of launch facing the inviting view that every pilot gets to experience when standing in takeoff at Harris Hill.

In some ways we were fortunate. Free Spirit Flight Hang Gliding club owns the 5-acre set up and launch area at Harris. In recent months there have been far too many families and friends nationwide who have not had the opportunity to say farewell to a loved one in a meaningful manner. We were able to create a proper and safe social distancing environment in which to gather and express our thoughts and feelings about a valued husband, father, pilot and friend.

Canopies were set up in the tree shaded western end of the property. Masks, gloves, wipes and hand sanitizer were available at a sanitizing station located between the tables holding a picture board and other mementos of Ron’s life and the table for the guest book commentaries. Attendees respectfully maintained social distancing as they took turns at each of the tables. People brought their own chairs and picnic lunches and parking was no problem at all for the 70 plus who attended, half of whom were active or former hang glider pilots. Harris Hill has hosted a national fly-in and other flying related activities, but this was the largest crowd the site had ever seen.

Club President Jim Kolynich’s assembled WW Falcon was the backdrop to each speaker as stories of the phases of his life were told. His wife, his sister Julie Smith, and his daughter Anna recounted his family life. There was his childhood friend and best man at this wedding. Coworkers and partners from his successful career as a contractor reported on the quality of his work and his concern for his customers and their appreciation for and loyalty to him. I spoke on behalf of the flying community. It was clear from each of the testimonials/eulogies that Ron had left a meaningful impression in every arena of his life. While I was speaking, hang glider/sailplane pilot Jamie McGuire, having towed up from the Harris Hill glider port east of our launch, buzzed overhead, tipping a wing in tribute. His timing couldn’t have been better.

Pilots then stepped into launch and took turns releasing some of his ashes into the gentle updraft as part of their personal goodbyes. His daughter then spread some onto the hillside. All the while a friend of Kathy’s sang Amazing Grace. Not a dry eye in the place.

As if the sky Gods themselves had been waiting patiently for the ceremonies to end, the windsock began to flutter, and light cycles began to drift into launch. And so, to make the day even more perfect, family and friends who had never seen what Ron so loved to do, got treated to over a dozen launches and short soaring flights of hang and para gliders. With that, the mood shifted to one of joy and gratitude, that we could come together and say goodbye and love on one another and be more a part of what Ron loved to do. He would have liked that.

When I left Harris at around 5:30PM, many attendees were staying to visit and catch a glimpse of any further flying that would occur. On the hour-long drive home, my thoughts drifted not only to Ron but to the good fortune we in upstate New York have had in not only the development of some quality flying sites, but to the quality of pilots we have produced. I thought of Ed Jowett, Ron’s near constant flying companion over the past decade and a half. How he will miss his friend! I thought of how much Ed contributed to making Ron’s memorial happen. There are names the flying community will not recognize or remember, the guys who got landowner permission to use their property, that wielded saws and blades to cut out launch slots and maintain them, that discovered early on the hazards of 360’s too close to the treetops. Some have passed on. I thought of Dave Black and of Bob Murphy, and Mike Holl, early pioneers who are no longer with us. I thought of Rob Kells and Dick Reynolds and the energy they infused into the upstate flying community. I thought of Jay Gianforte and his contribution to harness design and improvement, not to mention his flying skills. There is Linda Salamone from the Rochester area, a one-time national women’s champion and competition pilot. I could never forget Paul Allen, now of the Idaho flying community, who also fledged in upstate New York. Dan Walter showed many of us the altitude and cross-country potential of our sites. Still does. Jack Slocum did over 175 miles from Hammondsport to north of Philadelphia. They were also the ones who showed up for the work parties and made sure the sites were maintained and safe for the newcomers and the rest of us.

The loss of instruction over last several years has stalled the growth of the sport in upstate NY, but there is still some new blood to carry on the passion and helpful tradition of pilots like Ron. I think of Ryan Voight out of Ellenville, of Dave Koehn in the Catskills, of John Bilsky in northern Pa. Rochester Area Flyers continues to make efforts to produce new pilots and teaching continues at Susquehanna Flight Park outside of Cooperstown.

So, while the numbers may have dwindled, the passion hasn’t, nor the willingness to help and encourage those who are new to the sport, much as we saw from Ron. Some of us have contributed more than others but we have all shared the spiritual experience of being truly in the moment that hang gliding brings. Ron was the best of us, ever reminding us to be better people, not simply better pilots.

The week after Ron’s memorial, Dave Koehn enjoyed a 52-mile triangle out and return flight from Mt. Utsayantha, an amazing feat in our neck of the woods. Paul Allen once told me he thought a 25 miler in the northeast was like a 50-60 miler out west. He would know. He’s done both. Dave emailed me privately after the flight and said, “on my way [flying] back from Grand Gorge, I thought about Ron, so in a way, it wasn’t just me up there.” How better to honor the best of us.

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Paul's Winter Flying

February 25, 2021, 9:00:19 pm EST

Paul's Winter Flying

Ellenville, NY, USA

Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

We have a (rare) healthy pocket of Hang Gliding going strong here in Ellenville NY with good flying even in the winter off the Rt. 52 scenic over-look ramp (built for us by New York State). The "regular" launch up on the mountain is snowed in.

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Reserve Pin/Bungee Warning

January 18, 2021, 10:34:25 pm EST

Reserve Pin/Bungee Warning

Fat bungees

Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

On two occasions now, during reserve repackings-clinics, one just yesterday, one a couple seasons ago, have encountered the following SERIOUS issue regarding reserve safety pins:

Apparently some pilots (or re-packers) change out the bungees for fatter gauge bungees. This fat stuff is hard to pass through a grommet even when new.

Old bungee hardens and I've had pilots trying to do mock deployments, where the chute handle pins come out of the bungees (just fine), but the bungees make the chute "flap" impossible to open by pulling on the chute handle.

The loop in the bungee is bigger than the grommet holes. The flap is locked shut.

The photo shows on the left an older style but acceptable size Wills Wing version of "correct" size bungee that passes through a grommet no problem. The fat bungee was what I found installed on a harness yesterday.

I'd just caution all pilots to check their bungees, to verify they are of a small enough diameter to pass through the grommets easily when you pull on the reserve handle.

A Message from our USHPA President

January 11, 2021, 5:28:49 pm EST

A Message from our USHPA President

Time for a change

Paul Voight|Risk Retention Group|Rob McKenzie|Sara Weaver|Steven "Steve" Pearson|USHPA

Steven Pearson <director02> writes:

Thanks for that endorsement. I would add that Tiki, Paul Voight, Sara Weaver and Kimberly Phinney also deserve recognition for their support. With the last election, the governance restructuring is now complete—the executive committee is completely dissolved and every director has much more opportunity to participate and contribute to changes on behalf of the membership who they represent.

At the beginning of 2020, shortly after I as elected to the board, I wrote the following to the RRRG (in part) but never received a reply:

................

I supported the insurance initiative and have been unequivocally appreciative of the work that that the RRRG has done to make it work. That said, I think there are some problems with the risk assessment administration and leadership. I am encouraged with some of the proposed changes that are going in the right direction but more needs to be done.

The system is so complicated and nuanced that no member can be reasonably expected to understand it. Just last week (February 2020) I asked some simple questions about ACE events to both Martin and Randy and neither knew the answer. If the Executive Director, an RRRG director and liaison, and a USHPA director can’t answer a simple question, how can we possibly expect the membership to understand and have confidence in our system?

We’re never going to get the engagement and participation we need to make significant advances in safety by telling people what to do. There’s a limit to how much you can effectively push from the top when the change is required at the local level. From my perspective and many others in our community, the USHPA/RRRG often doesn’t listen and respond appropriately to feedback. I see little or no improvement at the sites I’m familiar with as a result of all the new rules and procedures—certainly zero in the two most significant incidents that resulted in a fatality and claim. Safety starts and is sustained in the local community, both in understanding the risks and behavior that are jeopardizing safety and affecting change. No one in the USHPA/RRRG knows better how to improve safety at Crestline, POM, Lookout, Wallaby, and Cowboy UP than locals like Rob McKenzie, Chris Santacroce, Matt Taber, Malcolm, and Tiki.

The alternative to expecting compliance with a long list of rules is to incentivize the behavior and outcomes we want. And we should celebrate and reward/award individuals and communities who have made contributions to safety. The USHPA Safe Pilot Award was a start but surely we can do more. Everyone should aspire to be a safe pilot.

I also don’t understanding how exclusions and riders for events like fly-ins and chute packing clinics are helping. Two big claims are associated with incidents that are explicitly excluded by the waiver and we’re piling on requirement for events that have no loss history and foster safety in our community. We should be incentivizing these activities rather than changing for them. Charging and regulating activities that have a huge benefit to our communities with very little cost (risk) to us is a mistake. The administrative cost alone for some low risk events exceeds the insurance cost.

......................

I am hoping that we can make progress on these issues and more with strong consensus and support from the board. I would add that it’s not helpful to vilify anyone in the RRRG leadership. I trust and believe that they’ve worked long and hard to preserve the sites and schools in our community.

The bottom line is that we need both growth and safety but these two objectives are naturally oppositional. If you constrain every activity associated with risk then growth will be a casualty. There is risk associated with everything in our lives but no one should participate in HG/PG without understanding and acknowledging the increased risk associated with these activities. We need to find a way to include community supporting events like chute-packing clinics and fly-ins without additional administrative burden and expense, and to more fairly assess the cost of insuring competition.

Finally, I’m appealing to every member to contribute. Ten directors cannot solve these problems alone—we are only here to facilitate and support the will of the community. Please do you part to support safety and growth on social media, in your local club and at the flying site. One of our biggest problems and opportunities is attrition--reach out to members who have drifted away or are new to your area. Also, please recognize and support your local schools and instructors who are the foundation of everything we do and the source of all new members.

Supporting the Oz Report »

March 5, 2020, 8:09:06 EST

Supporting the Oz Report

Once again thanking those who have been especially generous

Ben Dunn|Glen Volk|Oz Report|Paul Voight|Scott Weiner

Ben Dunn|Glen Volk|Oz Report|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Scott Weiner

Thanks to these special contributors: Paul Voight, Michael Duffy, Robin Hamilton, Luis Fernando Arias Restrepo, Glen Volk, Scott Weiner, Gregory Angsten, Koos De Keijzer, Ben Dunn, and Mick Howard.

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Seems simple enough.  Like most content on the internet, you get to read the Oz Report for free.  The trouble for us, not you, is that there are not enough hang glider pilots in this world to make advertising pay for our web hosting costs.

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Results of the USHPA Election

October 30, 2019, 4:29:37 pm PDT

Results of the USHPA Election

Tiki out

Jugdeep Aggarwal|Paul Voight|Sara Weaver|Steven "Steve" Pearson|USHPA

https://www.ushpa.org/page/director-election-results

The election closed on October 28 at 5 pm MT. Thank you to everyone who voted in the board of directors election to fulfill the 10% quorum requirement. In total, 18% of members voted and the results are posted here. These directors will take office January 1, 2020, and serve through the end of 2021.

2019 Election Results

Jugdeep Aggarwal
Steve Pearson
Kimberly Phinney
Sara Weaver

Congratulations to our new directors, and thank you to all the candidates that ran for the board! We'd also like to sincerely thank our outgoing directors for all their time and work on the board. We encourage anyone interested in working with USHPA to volunteer on committees and to run for the board again.

The full 2020 board will consist of the following directors, plus an additional 2 directors that will be appointed by the new board per the bylaws at their first meeting in January:

Jugdeep Aggarwal
Ken Andrews
Alan Crouse
Mark Forbes
Kate Griffin
Mike Holmes
Doyle Johnson
Daniel Lukaszewicz
Steven Pearson
Kimberly Phinney
Randall Shane
Paul Voight
Sara Weaver

Results from the 2019 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular

May 20, 2019, 8:38:37 MDT

Results from the 2019 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular

A few days at the dunes

Kenny Brown|Paul Voight

Paul Voight writes:

2019 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular winners, right to left: Billy Vaughn 3<sup>rd</sup>, Kenny Brown 2<sup>nd</sup>, and Paul Mazzoni 1st

Right to left: Billy Vaughn 3rd, Kenny Brown 2nd, and Paul Mazzoni 1st.

2019 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular winner of the Novice division: Doug Frank

The winner of the Novice division was Doug Frank.

The KHK Spectacular Comp came to an end Sunday, after everyone flew 3 more scoring flights each. 58 registered pilots flew in the contest and 7 rounds were flown in total. As always it was a blast playing on the dune with a lot of great people and enjoying simple, fun, (yet incredibly challenging) grass roots hang gliding.

Discuss "Results from the 2019 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Breakfast of Champions

May 17, 2019, 9:24:26 pm MDT

Breakfast of Champions

More old guys rule

Kenny Brown|Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

On Thursday, Kitty Hawk Kites hosted a one day invitational tournament titled "The Tournament of Champions". Winners from the 46 annual "Spectacular Competitions" were invited to fly and compete with each-other on Jockey's Ridge... 8 rounds were flown, and the winners were: Bruce Weaver 1st place, Kevin Coltrane 2nd place, and Kenny Brown in 3rd place.

Click this picture to see the high resolution version.

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2019 Spectacular

May 17, 2019, 11:23:15 MDT

2019 Spectacular

The old guys first

Facebook|Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular 2019|Paul Voight

https://www.facebook.com/paul.voight.3/posts/10219635271850570

Support for instructors

May 3, 2019, 7:47:40 pm EDT

Support for instructors

What are the burdens that have been placed on instructors?

Foundation for Free Flight|Paul Voight|PG|Risk Retention Group|Rob Kells|Steven "Steve" Pearson|USHGA|USHPA

D. Randy Leggett, RRRG Customer Service Officer, <<randy.leggett>> writes:

I had been unaware of your railing against the work we have been doing to keep everyone interested insured and drive down the number of accident/incident events.

Your Oz Report comments that we have done nothing to help the small instructors is misleading at best and just a plain lie at worst.

Just what I personally have been involved with (and I am certainly not the only one involved):

1) Developed and implemented a Foundation For Free Flight Grant system for a $500 award for anyone successfully completing PASA certification to offset initial costs.

2) Reduced the cost of SBSF PASA dues 18% between 2016 and 2017.

3) Increased the number of flight schools with risk and safety management plans and commercial liability insurance operating in the US from (9) 2014 to 66 in 2018.

4) Kept open approximately 250 hang gliding sites nationwide that would have closed without landowners insurance.

5) Developed a one on one outreach to every instructor nationwide who wanted to continue teaching to guide them through the insurance program.

Virtually every school we insure has experienced steady growth over the last three years except for two of the largest hang gliding operations. Many small hang gliding operations have experienced year over year increases.

Striving to improve professionalism, safety and long term viability has been the concerted effort of all three (USHPA, Foundation for Free Flight, RRRG).

Railing that Risk Management is at the epicenter of hang gliding's decline and that the volunteers and staff aren’t doing enough is a sad excuse, counterproductive and just plain wrong.

The small hang gliding schools that you lost refused to do 10 hours of homework and invest less than $1000 to continue to grow in a professional environment. Instead they quit. And that’s our fault? While none of them accept responsibility for injuries and fatalities that precipitated the loss of their25+ year run of virtually free liability insurance.

Wills Wing should have championed our efforts and set an example by partnering with us to improve the programs and the sport. Helping each and every small hang gliding school develop. Instead you rail against our efforts.

Steven Pearson <<Steve>> responds:

I’m sorry you feel that way, but it’s clear from your tone that you’ve entirely mis-characterized my comments.

1) Unconditionally great

2) Unconditionally great

3) I’ve seen nothing but a sharp decline in the number of hang gliding instructors and new hang gliding students since the new programs. I would have no complaints if the number are up. I’d appreciate if you can share the data that supports your contention that these programs and administration are consistent with supporting and growing our community.

4) Great, but keeping sites open is totally independent of increased costs, bureaucracy and overbearing administration. I don’t seen any increase in safety as a result of these policies and in fact I can point out several example of how excessive focus on risk mitigation has compromised safety. A glaring example is the accident reporting system that was discontinued for years and is now neutered. Very few programs rise to the level of advancing safety in aviation communities as effectively as accident reporting. This was a fundamental program at the USHGA for years initially administered by RV Wills, an attorney and father of Chris and Bobby.

Ironically, the biggest threat to our local flying site was an aerobatic event promoted by the USHPA over our strong objections that resulted in a fatality and almost setting the National Forest on fire. I still remember the shock in the face of a mother after watching someone die in front of her—meanwhile the next round continued. I’ve got lots of other examples but I don’t want to belabor the point.

5)Your contributions have been very helpful and I’ve used your volunteer efforts as an example of the best intentions of efforts of USHPA staff and volunteers.

You said, “Virtually every school we insure has experienced steady growth over the last 3 years except for two of the largest hang gliding operations. Many small hang gliding operations have experienced year over year increases.”. I’m hard pressed to think of more than one or two hang gliding flights schools whose business is up since the new insurance was implemented. What am I missing? Where is your information coming from? If I have to distill it down to 2 points (1) hang gliding is participation is sharply down since the new insurance rules (2) safety is not up.

You said, ”Instead you rail against our efforts.” Please read all of what I wrote before you rush to judgment. While I appreciate and respect your position, I think it’s fair to say that the overwhelming response to my comments has been positive with you, Steve and Alan dissenting.

I’m not trying to pick a fight. I somewhat reluctantly shared an email that I sent to Bruce (to be shared with the USHPA) with Davis. This followed several other emails, a trip to CO where we listened to the USPA executive director share how they turned around our sister sport skydiving from the same magnitude of crisis, several phone calls with you, a meeting with Alan, and many-many conversation with dealers about their common concerns—all acknowledging problems but without any corrective action. Almost none of this is addressed by your comments.

I’ve been flying hang gliding for 46 years and working 3000 hours or more per year at WW for 42 years so I’m looking at this from a comprehensive outside perspective—not to say I’m right, only that what I’m saying represents many in our community and deserves an audience.

How many at the USHPA who as contributed as much WW in terms of USHPA meetings attended, USHPA programs authored, trips to DC for ARAC on behalf of the USHPA, promoting and facilitating the merger of the APA and USHGA, conducting the first (and free) paraglider SIV course in the US, free dealer seminars, parachute repacking clinics, instructor clinics, administration of the HGMA, numerous magazine articles like “how do we get a handle on this safety thing”, and countless other community support activities. I think we deserve a little slack for our contributions.

Maybe you’re not aware that the roots of PASA at KHK is from Rob Kells, John Harris and others working to develop a professional dealer association. Finally, I’ve identified the failures of manufacturers (me - Wills Wing) as more at fault for the long-term decline of hang gliding by failing to address the fundamental issues of hang gliding than the USHPA. I don’t expect you to fix hang gliding. I don’t expect the USHPA and PASA solve safety issue. I do hope for an objective accounting of the impact on the insurance program in hang gliding activities and growth. In my dreams, I would hope that the USHPA would invest and incentivize growth as we do with product development at WW.

Two of the examples I shared were Paul Voight and Zac. Paul, as you know is probably the most experienced pilot and instructor on the board aside from Matt. Why is it so out of bounds for me to suggest that the head of safety and training and the tandem committee should be able to conduct am instructor clinic at our local site?

I know all the work-arounds, like having Andy hire Zac, the only west-coast tandem administrator, for a weekend so he can participate in a clinic to train other instructors. How is this advancing safety?

How are the event fees that are now applicable whenever we want to designate a day for a barbeque and fly-in helping? How about the vague restrictions about me conducting a free clinic to improve pilot skills and safety without an event fee?

My email to you yesterday was to help address and diffuse a high degree of anger from a local instructor who said that Tim required him to pay for an additional site (3 in total) to use our local landing area. As I said to you, there are at least 6 take-offs that I routinely use at Crestline and it’s crazy that would require me designating 4 addition sites as a small school application.

I can retire and walk away, and that’s what I’ll do if your comments represent the consensus of our community and USHPA leadership. If so, I truly hope you are right.

An example of how some USHPA rules hurt us

April 12, 2019, 8:56:17 EDT

An example of how some USHPA rules hurt us

Because they don't make any sense.

Paul Voight|Steven "Steve" Pearson|USHPA

Steven Pearson <<Steve>> writes:

We didn’t have a local admin to run an instructor clinic here at Andy Jackson Flight Park in San Bernardino, California so a group of local pilots paid Paul Voight to fly out. Despite Paul’s experience and credentials (let's us just say that they are vast), he wasn’t allowed to conduct the clinic at Crestline. Same story for Zac, who until recently was the only west coast tandem administrator, but wasn’t allowed to give clinics at any USHPA sites. The USHPA should have paid all these expenses, and clinic administrators should have blanket coverage at all sites.

The USHPA is being managed by Martin, Tim and the leadership from a narrow perspective of minimizing liability at all cost, and the practical and effective result of that policy is reducing the number of instructors, schools and pilots. No pilots, no exposure. I would also note that this policy is distinct and not entirely consistent with advancing safe practice. So many opportunities for improving safety are ignored while bureaucratic initiatives are advanced. I don’t even understand why Martin and Tim have any authority to advance their agenda when they are neither elected nor have any significant experience with the programs and policies they are administering. A smaller and less experienced board is only going to compound the problems as they will increasingly defer these decisions to administration.

Here are two of the most advanced and experienced instructors and pilots within the USHPA. They are prevented from providing their expertise to the hang gliding community by rules that do not make any sense what-so-ever. These rules tie instructors to specific sites and do not allow for instructors who do not have a specific site or who visit other sites. This certainly is a disincentive for obtaining USHPA site insurance.

USHPA Governance proposal vote by region

February 26, 2019, 7:55:20 EST

USHPA Governance proposal vote by region

New regions

Paul Voight|USHPA

Thanks to Paul Voight:

Election Results for Membership Referendum on the  — Regional Results

RegionYesNoTotal cast
1287100387
2246164410
3231111342
4238136374
510234136
6514091
76050110
810070170
972158230
10138168306
11336295
126583148

The new regions:

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Matt Taber addresses the USHPA voters

January 7, 2019, 8:26:03 EST

Matt Taber addresses the USHPA voters

The governance proposal

Mike Meier|Paul Voight|Risk Retention Group|Russ Locke|Tiki Mashy|USHGA|USHPA

Matt Taber <<matt>> writes:

USHPA Voters

The time is now for voting on the new Governance proposal. If you want all the details please use the link on the USHPA website https://www.ushpa.org/.

Please vote on this proposal. It would be a real shame to have this proposal pass with 5% of the membership voting. Our goal should be at least 25% membership voter participation. This is an important issue that will have a great effect on all pilots and the sports as they are."

I will be voting no on the governance proposal. There is way too much risk.

There are a lot of assumptions on how this will work and before I get into these assumptions I'll share what RD Paul Voight said "My main objection is that I don't think the old system is broken. I saw it work great for many, many years." I agree with Paul on this.

I also agree with Russ Locke, a highly regarded former USHGA president of 6 years and a board member for almost two decades. "The Planning Committee has obviously done a lot of work putting this proposal together and their efforts should be applauded. While I don't agree with the concept of replacing the Regional Director structure with a smaller Board, there are a number of good suggestions on ways to communicate better between our members, committees, Board and employees. Some of those suggestions should be acted on whether or not we restructure the existing Board and its meeting schedules. It's true that some of the membership views the Board of Directors negatively. That has always been a piece of the puzzle. Taking away our members' ability to send a locally elected representative to our national meetings will most surely make this situation worse. I believe the USHPA will be considered a complete success when a significant majority of our members belong to the Association because they want too, not because they have to. In other words, the Association isn't viewed as a necessary evil. That may be setting the bar a bit high, but we should all be working towards that goal. The core of the existing system is the Regional Directors. These volunteers bridge the gap between the membership and its national governing body."

The assumption regarding the diversity formula is flawed. USHPA needs diverse skill sets, not diversity by age, by PG pilots, HG pilots and gender. Many directors and pilots have spoken out on this. Like others I believe that the membership will not react well when they learn that the person that is most qualified and who received the most votes did not get elected because of the voting formula. Tiki Mashy Region 9 & 11 Director "If a Member gets the most national votes but does not fit into the "diversity equation" that member will not be selected to the Board. Imagine that…the person the membership deemed will do the best job is counted out because of the "diversity equation." Conversely a Member who may only get a small number of votes has a better chance of being elected if they have the needed diversity make up."

The smaller board will limit the talent and diversity in skill sets with the Board of Directors. If you have an opportunity to have 26 volunteers for free wouldn't that be preferable to 10? Maybe all 26 are not the strongest; at least you have a strong group. What happens if you get weak directors and have only 10?

The assumption that the proposed 5 regions are better than our current regions is also flawed. I believe members need to be able to get in touch with a director who can help out with an issue in the region they represent. That director works for the USHPA member to resolve the issue. Will this even be possible with such large regions? Will you know who to vote for? All members are to vote for all directors.

I believe this will provide minimal regional representation to support flying communities in rural geographic areas. Is this what you want? Quoted from a director "This proposal will tend to have a bias towards the populated pilot areas regardless IMO." One of the best membership services that you pay for with your membership dues are the directors in your region that you elect. How do you feel about having 8 directors in the whole country voted in by the whole membership? Will your interest be represented? Secondly, there is a built in checks and balance that the size of the board facilitates that helps minimizes problems for members, schools and instructors. We will lose this if this proposal passes.

What about the assumption that the work will be done by volunteers from the membership base? This has happened in the past but at a very low level. Will there be the volunteers - will they have staying power? As RD Paul Voight said in his statement, "I don't believe committee work will happen as they hope it will, outside of this small board. Why would it ?" I agree with Paul.

I say, why take the risk? Prove it first and if member volunteers are a reliable way to move forward doing the necessary work then you can entertain an alternative number of directors.

Another assumption is that the smaller board will fix communication issues. This is already being fixed with the hiring of communications director Erica Klein.

This was said by Mike Meier from Wills Wing, "I think that all of the big changes that we've made over the years, the waiver, the RRG, PASA, Board reorganization would have and will go over a lot better and a lot easier if we do the hard work of getting the members to believe that we are really on their side first." I feel this is so true! Also from Mike Meier and also true, "I mean, if the USHPA was a product, would anyone buy it? The benefits of membership in parachuting and EAA are self-evident but the only reason most of us belong to USHPA is for site access." Shouldn't this be a priority to address and try and change before we get rid of more than half of the volunteers?

The notion that the insurance problem indicates the need for a smaller board is flawed. The example of the need to act fast using the insurance issue as an example is not a good reason to change - it was because of the size of the board that there was the talent to deal with the issue. I don't mind being asked to step in and help when an issue comes up and I don't mind being excluded if I have limited skills or experience to offer with a particular problem. Some directors did mind being excluded and that's unfortunate but at times I feel this is also unavoidable. When we are out of session, the Executive committee makes the decisions; they keep directors informed and ask for help if needed. We have never had something that needed acting on fast until the insurance issue came up. I feel strongly that a membership organization needs to move slow and carefully weigh solutions to issues. I think the insurance reason is a knee jerk solution to a difficult problem - a small board would have the same problems and anxiety having to make those far reaching immediate decisions.

Another assumption with the proposal is the promise of a cost savings associated with the smaller board. In reality, that is not why there will be a cost savings. There will be an offset of less directors but a promise to pay for committee members. End result will be no cost savings. There definitely will be a cost savings but this will come from having just one, in person, board meeting instead of the two we have now. This can be done now with the current board and have the same savings.

USHPA needs to focus on anything that keeps members and anything that brings in new members, everything else is a distraction. If our USHPA focus doesn't link to keeping or getting new members then it shouldn't be a priority. Fewer directors will give the members less voice and less service. Having no real region and no director voted on from your region will also be a negative for the members. I feel the members will not feel that they are represented.

In closing, I totally agree with RD Tiki Mashy when she says, "This Governance Proposal isn't going to help get more members; we need to leave it and begin the real work. Again we need promotion from within and that comes from the local level, with just some basic support from USHPA in the form of insurance, rating programs, representation with the FAA, a magazine, etc. USHPA as a membership facilitator. Passing this Governance Proposal with its diversity agenda, supersized regions and fewer member representation is a recipe for disaster. We don't need a smaller Board, we need to fix what we have, focus on surviving this downturn and growing the membership. A smaller board is not a recipe for growth."

Please understand what this vote is about and vote your voice for your USHPA because you will have to live with the results.

Matt Taber, region 10 director

Paul Voight on the USHPA BOD reform vote

December 5, 2018, 6:40:14 CST

Paul Voight on the USHPA BOD reform vote

He's against it

Paul Voight|Risk Retention Group|USHPA

Paul writes:

Well...even with the newest "improved" governance proposal... I'm not a fan. I recommend the members need to vote against this proposal. You do not want it to pass. Here are some of my arguments on the matter:

My MAIN objection... is that I don't think the old system is broken. I saw it evolve and work great for many, many years.

The decline in our Sports is what has folks frustrated... and they think changing the BOD structure is going to fix the Sports. Not going to happen. When the insurance crisis happened, yes... the mechanics of the "large" BOD were problematic in a time crunch situation... and also frustrated these same people.

The decline in the Sports won't be fixed (more easily) (or at all) by a smaller BOD. Creating a small board... so it can function "effectively"... like the RRRG group did.... (Making a BOD & Bylaws that allow this to be "proper" procedure) is not in the USHPA membership's best interest, (IMO).

A great analogy for this proposal is: "The ship is sinking fast… and this "restructuring the board idea" is just changing out the motor… rather than dealing with the huge hole in the side of the ship" (Losing instructors… not generating new members…. Basically withering away to nothing…)

We have wasted the last 12-18 months discussing this already…. And plan to waste the next 3-5 months even if it doesn't pass the membership vote. THEN… we will have to expend time & resources to address glitches in the roll out…if it passes over (I predict) the next 3-5 years or more. (while still addressing RRRG fires).

In 5 years… new board members will inherit this nightmare, as the board changes personnel, and they will have one mess on their hands. (and very few instructors and pilot members)

The 5 Regions idea in the proposal is very hokey. It's just a "fix" (to the original proposal that had no regions) to appease the folks who were not in favor of the original proposal.

I don't think the membership will have enough Intel or enthusiasm to vote for people from all over the country for this "new board". I'm not convinced vote minimums will be met.

I believe self interest groups could get a person (or more) on to this new board with enough lobbying amongst the conspirators. LOL

I don't believe committee work will happen as they hope it will.... outside of this small board. Why would it? ;-)

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New Rotor harness replacement boot

May 24, 2018, 7:42:14 MDT

New Rotor harness replacement boot

Sitting in Paul Voight's office

Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

$25 bucks (+ shipping)

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Test flying the Wills Wing Sport 3 - 155

April 6, 2018, 8:29:43 EDT

Test flying the Wills Wing Sport 3 - 155

A late evening flight

Paul Voight|Quest Air|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Wills Wing Sport 3

I had an opportunity to fly the Wills Wing Sport 3 at the Wills Wing Demo Days at Wallaby Ranch on Thursday. It was late in the afternoon almost evening and the sky was still covered with thick high clouds that substantially reduced lift all day. The winds were light out of the northeast.

I pro-towed the glider and there was no bar pressure. The tug pilot later said that he was flying at 25 mph. Steve Pearson had told me earlier that the bar pressure was very light. There is no need for a three point tow bridle setup with this glider.

I could "feel" that I was flying a "bigger" wing than the Wills Wing T2C 144. That did not appear to affect the handing, which was very light. I would just give a slight bump to the left or right and the glider would respond right away. Pulling didn't require much effort.

The VG line was an easy pull. I didn't have a way to see if it changed anything other than the bar position. Steve said than unlike the Sport 2 you can comfortably thermal with the VG on say half way or more. I did have a chance to thermal it in very light lift and it was responsive and easy to fly.

Steve tells me that you can fly it at the top end 7 mph faster than the Sport 2. I didn't have a chance to pull the bar in all the way. I was mostly floating around and seeing how it penetrated at mid-range speeds. It seemed to have no issues with getting back to Wallaby.

I came in for a landing and despite having all my muscle memory tuned for the T2C it was easy to do the approach. Actually landing it was vastly easier than the T2C and basically the same as a Falcon. It stopped instantly when I flared in very light winds.

I think that David Aldrich will have one here at Quest next week as he gets ready for the 2018 Quest Air Nationals. I'll attempt to give it a longer test flight and report on that.

Steve Pearson said that there is too little competition in the hang glider market place. He had wanted to produce the Sport 3 for quite a while now and only when the Moyes Gecko came along was he motivated enough to go ahead and go through the pain of development and production.

Paul Voight at the Wills Wing Demo Day at Wallaby Ranch flies the "race" version of the Sport 3 that I flew.

Oz Report supporters for 2018

April 2, 2018, 8:38:09 EDT

Oz Report supporters for 2018

Tell me if I missed you.

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Kitty Hawk 45th annual "Spectacular Dune Competition"

Sun, May 28 2017, 3:12:58 am GMT

The results

Paul Voight

Paul Voight writes:

Novice Division (h-1-H2): 1st Place Rebecca Tellar, 2nd place Jacks Mineus, 3rd place Will Freund.

In the Advanced division (h-3-h-5): 1st Place Billy Vaughn, 2nd place George Reeves, and 3rd place, Paul Voight

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The Perfect Circle

April 14, 2017, 9:12:51 EST -0400

The Perfect Circle

Aerobatics

Ryan Voight|video

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

https://youtu.be/Qt9xllBQTx8

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Wills Wing Demo Days »

January 31, 2017, 8:19:07 EST

Wills Wing Demo Days

The upcoming calendar

calendar|Paul Voight|Rob McKenzie|Steven "Steve" Pearson

https://www.willswing.com/calendar/

Cowboy Up Demo Days 2017 – April 8th and 9th

We’ll be returning for a weekend at Cowboy Up on the way to Wallaby with the full demo fleet. Can you think of a better way to kick of the season than with a little Texas flying?

Wallaby Demo Days 2017 – April 12th through 15th

21st consecutive fly-in and party to celebrate our 45th year in business

Wills Wing Wallaby 2017 Demo Days and Fly-In will be held Wednesday, April 12th through Saturday, April 15th, with our traditional party and dinner on Saturday night. The Wills Wing demo trailer will be stocked with a full fleet of the new laminate Falcon 4s, Sport 2s, U2s and T2s. Come on out, fly and check out the latest gliders, see some old friends and help us mark the occasion!

Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge and Demo Days 2017 – April 16th through 22nd

We’re excited to be returning to the Tennessee Tree Toppers 2017 Team Challenge event on April 16th through 22nd immediately following Wallaby 2017. Don’t miss this opportunity to get some coaching and advice on transitioning to higher performance wings.

Crestline Demo Days 2017 – to be determined (most likely April 28-29 or May 6-7)

Join us for a fun weekend at our home site, supported by the Crestline Soaring Society, the adjacent Cross Country Ranch and Rob McKenzie’s High Adventure flight school.

Kitty Hawk Kites 45th Annual Spectacular – May 19th through 22nd

It’s hard to beat the Spectacular for a fun weekend getaway on the dunes and beaches of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. We’ll have a selection of demos for Dune flying and a more gliders for aero-towing at Currituck. Steve Pearson and Paul Voight will be supporting the event.

Lookout Demo Days 2017 – July 1st through 4th

We’ll have the full fleet of demos available for our annual Lookout 4th of July bash. This is a great opportunity to check our our demos at Lookout’s great training hills, with their aerotow fleet or off the ramp on to the great ridge.

Little parachute bungees

September 1, 2016, 8:47:55 MST -0600

Little parachute bungees

Hardened

Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

I did a reserve repack for a pilot a couple days ago. The pilot had flown over 10 years without repacking. Before every repack either the customer or I pull the reserve via the handle to see how hard the Velcro has seated. I'm always curious. I always learn stuff.

In this the grommets that accommodate the little bungees that retain the curved pins on the reserve handle were a tad smaller diameter than most. Just a tad.

The little bungees had turned hard as a rock. No matter how hard I pulled the handle, the rock hard hoops in the bungees would not pass through the grommets, so the reserve was trapped, even though the curved pins had been released. I had to cheat and use my hands to pull up on the container flap hard to defeat the bungees. Maybe an adrenaline amped pilot might have affected a deployment, but I'm skeptical.

I'm adding bungee hardness awareness to my list of things to keep an eye on for my customers and there's another reason for more frequent repacks and perhaps bungee replacement every so often.

Discuss "Little parachute bungees" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Risk Management

May 5, 2016, 7:40:53 EST -0400

Risk Management

Healthcare

Paul Voight

Thanks to Paul Voight

Discuss "Risk Management" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Paul Voight was at Best Buy

March 8, 2016, 8:27:40 EST

Paul Voight was at Best Buy

I don't think he bought this phone

Paul Voight

Discuss "Paul Voight was at Best Buy" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Flying at Quest Air this winter

January 21, 2016, 11:46:12 EST

Flying at Quest Air this winter

Even on the cold days it is soarable

Facebook|Paul Voight|Quest Air

Paul Voight writes:

Today I had a sweet little 40 minute flight here in Florida, at Quest Air Flight Park! Thanks Jim Prahl for the great tow! Conditions were super light. I had to work hard for every minute. And it was like 65 degrees! (which beats the 20 degrees at home!)

Discuss "Flying at Quest Air this winter" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Why RRG Will Succeed Where Past Insurance Failed

January 19, 2016, 9:12:33 EST

Why RRG Will Succeed Where Past Insurance Failed

Ryan Voight explains the difference between our money and the insurance investor's money

Risk Retention Group|Ryan Voight|USHPA

Paul Voight|Risk Retention Group|Ryan Voight|USHPA

http://airthug.com/why-rrg-will-succeed-where-past-insurance-failed/

The full story is found at the link above. Here are some bits:

In the case of our insurance, claims and law suits can take time- often many years- to litigate. To an investor or their “broker”, litigating is equivalent to not having a read on how the investment is doing. In order to keep their investor’s balance sheets tidy, the broker (our insurance company) has been very keen to settle just about everything that has come up. Taking a case all the way to trial is costly and time consuming, and there’s always that chance- no matter how small- of losing in court. Settling is quick and definitive.

A Risk Retention Group is not the same as an insurance company. Money grubbing vulture lawyers know this. Filing a suit against USHPA (or a USHPA insured pilot, land owner, or instructor) is to go after OUR money. We- the people of USHPA- have worked hard to earn that money, and have chosen to put it toward the RRG because the future of free flight is very important to us. We will NOT be handing this money out. You want what’s ours? Prepare to fight. No, prepare to BATTLE. You come after us, we go to war.

Discuss "Why RRG Will Succeed Where Past Insurance Failed" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Pictures from the 2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race

September 22, 2015, 7:15:27 MST -0600

Pictures from the 2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race

Jeez, we had fun

Dustin Martin|Paul Voight

Dustin's photo (we don't always have cu's like this in Casa Grande):

Paul Voight's photo:

Happy pilots.

Discuss "Pictures from the 2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race" at the Oz Report forum   link»

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 7 »

September 19, 2015, 10:42:30 pm MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 7

Pedro doesn't make goal

Chris Zimmerman|competition|David Gibson|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Fred Kaemerer|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/2015scfr/results

Task 7 (those at goal):

  Name Glider Time Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 02:27:52 1000
2 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 02:29:23 960
3 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 02:29:23 959
4 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 02:33:59 882
5 Josh Woods Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 02:47:12 858
6 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 03:03:15 803

Final:

# Name Glider Total
1 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 5765
2 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 5692
3 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 5599
4 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 4985
5 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 4908
6 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 4780
7 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 4597
8 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 4562
9 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 4508
10 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 4097

In a surprise victory Jonny Durand won the competition after Pedro led it all week. Pedro was three kilometers short.

Fred Kaemerer won the day and overall in the ATOS class.

Floyd Fronius won the Goat/Superfloater class overall.

In a surprise victory Chris Zimmerman won the day in the Swift class and overall (by 17 points out of 5847), and is the Swift Class National Champion. For the first time in like forever the class was very competitive.

John Maloney won the last day which was worth almost nothing. Zachary Hazen is the overall winner in sport class.

Zac Majors is the Class 1 open national champion.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 6 »

September 18, 2015, 10:33:50 pm MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 6

Guess who got the most leading points for the day.

competition|David Gibson|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/2015scfr/results

Task 6 (those at goal):

# Name Glider SS ES Time Dist.
Pts
Lead.
Pts
Time
Pts
Arr.
Pos.
Pts
Total
1 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 14:30:00 16:52:29 02:22:29 656.3 45.9 240.6 43.0 986
2 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 14:30:00 16:52:34 02:22:34 656.3 45.2 238.3 29.5 969
3 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 14:30:00 16:52:54 02:22:54 656.3 41.4 234.0 20.2 952
4 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 14:30:00 16:53:22 02:23:22 656.3 47.2 229.8 14.2 948
5 Tony Armstrong Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 14:15:00 16:56:32 02:41:32 656.3 56.9 156.7 10.8 881
6 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144 14:15:00 17:00:27 02:45:27 656.3 60.1 145.5 9.1 871

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 5022
2 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 4805
3 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 4780
4 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 4717
5 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 3953
6 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 3934
7 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 3908
8 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 3821
9 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 3705
10 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 3686

Fred made goal in the ATOS class and flew with the finishing class 1 pilots. He leads over all.

Floyd was the only pilot to fly in the Goat/Super floater class today.

Chris and Bruce made goal in the Swift class. So that means that the overall in Swift is very tight. Brian hasn't reported yet but should still be in the lead.

No one made goal in the sport class. Zach was the furthest out. He leads the class.

Boise state played four quarterbacks today as they won 52 to 0.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 5 »

September 17, 2015, 9:52:53 pm MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 5

The results

Brian Porter|Chris Zimmerman|competition|David Gibson|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/2015scfr/results

Task 5:

  Name Glider Time Total
1 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 02:26:25 942
2 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 02:35:15 917
3 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 02:36:14 899
4 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 02:46:04 817
5 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 02:46:11 813
6 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 02:52:01 786
7 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 02:51:27 784
8 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 03:05:32 764
9 JD Guillemette Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 03:10:19 755
10 Jim Weitman Will Wing T2C 144 03:06:52 749

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 4074
2 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 3867
3 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 3816
4 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 3738
5 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 3556
6 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 3548
7 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 3425
8 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 3310
9 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 3306
10 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 3136

Four of five sport class pilots made goal with John Maloney winning the day. Zach Hazen is in first overall.

Chris Zimmerman won in the Swift Class for the first time. Brian Porter is in the lead overall. Only two of the Swifts out of four made it back to goal.

Peter Cairns was the one ATOS to make it back to goal (out of two). Fred Kaemerer leads overall by a few points.

No results from the Goat/Super floater class. I saw them in the start cylinder having trouble climbing.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 5 »

Thu, Sep 17 2015, 8:45:44 pm MDT

Cory's story

Øyvind Ellefsen|Davis Straub|Jeffrey "Jeff" Lawrence Bohl|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Zac Majors

Day 5: Long flight today. I landed after 5 hours in the air. The task was an out and return with an extra turnpoint. I took the early launch and got in the main gaggle…for a little while anyway. We all topped out in the start and went on a long glide upwind to get repositioned before the first start clock but we didn't hit any lift for a long time. I ended up near the bottom of the stack in 200fpm and when the others went on glide I was still too low to feel like chasing them. I ended up taking the second start from around 5000'with Davis Straub and Greg L Dinauer. We glided out over Casa Grande and hit a climb that wasn't too great and Davis left shortly after. I stayed and climbed with JD and Greg. This was slow and it allowed the guys from the 3rd clock to catch up.

I joined a gaggle that had Jeff Bohl and Alfredo Grey in it and we flew together for a long time. I headed for the Casa Grande mountain and was sinking like a stone until I saw Kraig Coomber climbing just ahead of me. That climb eventually got us over 7k. We tagged the first turnpoint and were on our way to the second when we joined another group that included Ryan Voight and Zac Majors (who had taken the 4th start). I kept coming in low after every glide (maybe something to do with my harness lol) So I had to climb as fast as I could and then leave early if I wanted to keep up with the group.

After I tagged the second turnpoint and turned around to come back I saw Jim Weitman and Jonny Durand and went over to join them. Jonny left soon after and Jim and I followed. I don't remember what happened after that but I ended up flying with Jeff and Greg and Oyvind. We tagged the third turnpoint and headed for the Casa Grande mountain but we were low. I spotted Olav climbing before the mountain and was able to get there and climb enough to get to the mountain. I couldn't find a good climb from the mountain and left on glide at 4400'. I glided to the deck and landed 6km short of goal. A very enjoyable flight.

Discuss "2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 5" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 4 »

September 17, 2015, 7:05:28 MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 4

The results

Brian Porter|David Gibson|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Fred Kaemerer|Greg Kendall|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

Task 4:

# Name Glider Time km/h Distance Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 01:51:19 42.7 81.41 986
2 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:51:23 42.7 81.41 969
3 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:51:24 42.6 81.41 960
4 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 01:51:37 42.6 81.41 948
5 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 01:52:33 42.2 81.41 925
6 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 01:53:21 41.9 81.41 912
7 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154 01:53:17 41.9 81.41 911
8 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 01:53:05 42.0 81.41 906
9 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 01:53:28 41.9 81.41 895
10 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144     81.01 622
11 Josh Woods Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5     80.74 604
12 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011)     76.80 578
13 Greg Kendall Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 03:09:48 25.0 81.41 564

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 3175
2 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 3081
3 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 2925
4 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 2899
5 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 2869
6 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 2764
7 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 2711
8 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154 2701
9 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 2614
10 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 2546

Fred Kaemerer leads Peter Cairns in the ATOS class. Brian Porter has the overall lead in the Swift class. Floyd in the Goat leads in the Goat/Super floater class. The Sport class is not fully scored yet.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 3 »

September 15, 2015, 11:01:48 pm MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 3

Results

competition|David Gibson|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jeffrey "Jeff" Lawrence Bohl|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Larry Bunner|Moyes Litespeed RX|Patrick Kruse|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/2015scfr/results

Task 3:

# Name Glider Time km/h Distance Total
1 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 02:05:12 32.7 75.75 889
2 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 03:00:17 22.7 75.75 805
3 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144     71.06 726
4 Patrick Kruse Wills Wing T2C 144     69.84 718
5 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154     58.93 640
6 Larry Bunner Wills Wing T2C 144     55.39 623
7 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144     54.39 616
8 Patrick Pannese Wills Wing T2C 154     54.31 612
9 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144     53.07 596
10 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144     52.51 578

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 2191
2 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 2135
3 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 1993
4 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 1975
5 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1957
6 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1910
7 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 1854
8 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 1817
9 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154 1792
10 Patrick Kruse Wills Wing T2C 144 1747
11 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 1741
12 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144 1718
13 Josh Woods Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1688
14 Robert deGroot Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1660
15 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 1642
16 Patrick Pannese Wills Wing T2C 154 1617
17 Jeffery Bohl Wills Wing T2C 144 1575
18 Tony Armstrong Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1549
19 Steven Pearson Wills Wing T2C 144 1545
20 Larry Bunner Wills Wing T2C 144 1534

Brian won the Swift class and leads overall. The Goat/ Super floater class didn't fly. John Maloney who just got here today made goal in the Sport Class and leads overall.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 2 »

September 15, 2015, 7:19:51 MST

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 2

Results - Steve Pearson wins the day

Bruce Barmakian|competition|David Gibson|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Greg Kendall|Jeffrey "Jeff" Lawrence Bohl|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Larry Bunner|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

https://airtribune.com/2015scfr/results

https://airtribune.com/2015-santa-cruz-flats-and-mark-knight-memorial/results/task1038/day/class-1

Task 2:

# Name Glider Distance Total
1 Steven Pearson Wills Wing T2C 144 50.73 538
2 Larry Bunner Wills Wing T2C 144 48.61 533
3 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 45.54 497
4 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 43.62 480
5 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 38.43 440
6 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 37.96 437
7 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 37.92 436
8 Robert deGroot Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 36.15 418
9 Felix Cantesanu Aeros Combat Carbon 12.7 35.10 405
10 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144 34.50 396

Cumulative:

1 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 1381
2 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 1373
3 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1371
4 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1328
5 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 1274
6 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 1256
7 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed RS 3.5 1235
8 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 1234
9 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154 1141
10 Steven Pearson Wills Wing T2C 144 1127
11 Josh Woods Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1120
12 Robert deGroot Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1119
13 Tony Armstrong Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1118
14 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144 1110
15 JD Guillemette Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1081
16 Greg Kendall Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 1044
17 Kenneth Andrews Wills Wing T2C 144 1031
18 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 1029
19 Jeffery Bohl Wills Wing T2C 144 1021
20 Patrick Pannese Wills Wing T2C 154 996

Steve Pearson and Ryan Voight were by far the last pilots to go out on the course. Larry Bunner was early and almost went down at the second turnpoint but found 1,500 fpm over a power station.

Bruce Barmakian won the day in the Swift category. All the Swifts made it into goal with their triangle task. Bruce is in the lead overall.

Most of the Sport Class didn't fly given the launch conditions with nearby virga earlier.

It's not clear what's up with the Goat/Super floater class.

2015 Santa Cruz Flats Race - day 1 »

Mon, Sep 14 2015, 8:57:00 am MDT

Results

Øyvind Ellefsen|David Gibson|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Gerry Pesavento|Greg Dinauer|Greg Kendall|Jeffrey "Jeff" Lawrence Bohl|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Moyes Litespeed RX|Patrick Kruse|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2015|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Tyler Borradaile|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

There is a glitch on the Airtribune server, so the results aren't on-line yet.

Class 1:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Pedro Garcia Wills Wing T2C 154 01:35:40 1000
2 Zac Majors Wills Wing T2C 144 01:40:55 911
3 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 01:41:09 900
4 Olav Opsanger Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:41:36 891
5 Kraig Coomber Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:42:26 873
6 Tony Armstrong Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:42:37 864
7 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2C 144 01:42:34 860
8 Josh Woods Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:43:30 855
9 Jonny Durand Moyes Litespeed Rs 3.5 01:44:48 840
10 Oyvind Ellefsen Moyes Litespeed Rs 4 01:43:44 837
11 Ryan Voight Wills Wing T2C 144 (2011) 01:44:56 832
12 Tyler Borradaile Wills Wing T2C 01:47:37 803
13 Wolfgang Siess Wills Wing T2C 154 01:47:40 799
14 David Gibson Wills Wing T2C 144 01:48:37 795
15 Kenneth Andrews Wills Wing T2C 144 01:53:11 755
16 Jd Guillemette Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 01:56:48 729
17 Patrick Pannese Wills Wing T2C 154 01:58:52 718
18 Patrick Kruse Wills Wing T2C 144 01:56:33 717
19 Davis Straub Wills Wing T2C 144 01:57:48 712
20 Greg Dinauer Aeros Combat 12.7 C 02:01:42 699
21 Grant Emary Wills Wing T2C 02:07:05 668
22 Greg Kendall Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 02:05:40 649
23 Gerry Pesavento Wills Wing T2C 144 02:07:52 646
24 Jeffery Bohl Wills Wing T2C 144 02:07:16 645
25 Steven Pearson Wills Wing T2C 144 02:21:54 587
26 Jim Weitman Will Wing T2C 144 430
27 Cory Barnwell Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 394
28 Robert Degroot Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 388
29 Jay Devorak Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 344
30 Alfredo Grey Wills Wing T2C 329
31 Michael Williams Wills Wing Sport 2 152
32 Mike Jefferson Wills Wing T2 144 21

Scoring issues with Sport class, no Class 4 reports yet, ATOS class not fully reported, some missing from open class.

Dinosaur 2015 »

August 17, 2015, 7:52:40 MDT

Dinosaur 2015

Ryan Voight Clinic

Christian Ciech|Ryan Voight|video

Christian Ciech|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

Terry <<terryreynolds2>> writes:

Initially the reason for organizing Dinosaur 2015 was to promote competition and thereby hang gliding. So far, 17 Sport Class pilots are competing and only a couple of those have been seen this year on the Sport Class circuit.

Jim Zeiset has put up $5,000 - split $3000, $1500, $500 - for Sport Class prize money.

Surprisingly, no one, Open or Sport, has opted to aerotow; that, after we built Dinosaur International!.

Instructor of the Year, Ryan Voight, will hold a foot launch and big air flying clinic, complete with videos to critique. Ryan will be on launch August 28-29 and the clinic is free for paid up competitors.

In Open Class, some of the highest ranked pilots in the world, including the top three, will be there and all can be counted on for friendly advice. For more, please see http://rockymountainglider.com.

Pilot List:

Armstrong Tony Open
Barnwell Cory Open
Cantesanu Felix Open
Ciech Christian Open
Czajkowski Chris Open
DeGroot Rob Open
Dunn Ben Open
Garcia Pedro Open
Gibson Dave Open
Gotes Rudy Open
Lehman Pete Open
Majors Zac Open
Mejla Claudia Open
McFarlane Glen Open
Michelsen Wayne Open
O'brian Jeff Open
Oliveira Eduardo Open
Rinn Aaron Open
Shapiro Jeff Open
Soderquist Bill Open
Tatom Alex Open
Vanis Andrew Open
Voight Ryan Open
Warren Curt Open
Weitman Jim Open
Woods Josh Open
Yocom Jim Open
Adderson Gary Sport
Bagley Robert Sport
Buck Beau Sport
Do Kimly Sport
Froh Thor Sport
Grimes Nathan Sport
Henline Mark Sport
Isabel Scott Sport
J Jaugilas Sport
Lindburg Jon Sport
Michelle Haag Sport
Myrkle Kelly Sport
Sanchez Adrian Sport
Stephens Josiah Sport

Discuss "Dinosaur 2015" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Dinosaur 2015 »

June 25, 2015, 5:15:33 pm MST -0600

Dinosaur 2015

Fees rising

Terry <<terryreynolds2>> writes:

The entry fee for Dinosaur 2015 goes up July 1 to $400.

The comp was conceived last year to boost hang gliding through competition by providing a major foot launch meet in a proven location. (Although designed primarily as a footlaunch event, we built a runway just for this comp for those who prefer to aerotow.) While aerotow contests have evolved and been refined to a fine art, particularly through the work of Davis Straub and Jamie Shelden, large footlaunch comps in the U.S. seem to be a thing of the past.

Dinosaur 2015 aims to:

1) To attract the world’s top pilots - the World Champion and the U.S. Champion are coming;
2) To bring back former regular competitors - “The Jeffs,” among others, are coming;
3) To build on the well thought out efforts to encourage the Sport Class.

Most of the Sport Class pilots signed up thus far have never flown in either class of a major comp. Nothing changes the fact that only the individual pilot can determine what is safe or not for that individual pilot. That said, we are making special efforts to encourage and cater to Sport Class:

1) Ryan Voight, USHPA Instructor of the Year and experienced big air pilot, will teach a free clinic, including video critique of launches, onsite Friday and Saturday before the contest starts Sunday;
2) Sport Class competitors will drop their two low score days - bomb out or choose not to fly and you’re still in the comp!;
3) Jim Zeiset has pledged $5,000 prize money (split $3K, $1500, $500) to the class.

To register, and to see the answers to more questions than you thought to ask, please go to http://rockymountainglider.com.

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Free Advice

June 18, 2015, 9:31:59 MDT

Free Advice

From Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

http://freeflightadvice.com/high-siding-thermal-technique/

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Flying in winter

January 27, 2015, 8:24:14 EST

Flying in winter

As the big storm approaches

Ryan Voight

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight <<airthug84>> sends:

http://airthug.com/the-man-on-the-silver-mountain/

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More discussion on building hang gliding

October 29, 2014, 12:01:57 pm PDT GMT-0700

More discussion on building hang gliding

Hang 2 to hang 3

Ryan Voight

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight <<airthug84>> writes:

https://beta.empeopled.com/p/27793

I was examining the numbers of ratings issued and matching those numbers up with members that are letting their ratings expire and I wanted to specifically focus on where (at what hang level) we are losing hang gliding pilots and again open that specific issue up to brainstorming.

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Building hang gliding back up

October 28, 2014, 8:52:08 PDT

Building hang gliding back up

A discussion

Ryan Voight

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight <<airthug84>> writes:

I’d like to get a brainstorming discussion going about what could be done to revive hang gliding. The current numbers are very, very depressing.

https://beta.empeopled.com/p/27718

I’ve been working with Empeopled.com, a forum that is designed to encourage discussion and dialogue. They also have an interesting set up with designated “experts”, which makes it a really good place for people to ask questions,  and know a little more about if they can trust the answers they receive.

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2015 Team Challenge - new dates

October 24, 2014, 3:56:40 pm PDT

2015 Team Challenge - new dates

A week after the Big Spring Nationals

Ollie Gregory|Paul Voight|Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge 2015

Ollie Gregory <<olliettt1955>> writes:

Paul Voight just notified me that Ellenville New York has the national fly in scheduled for Labor Day weekend. Since the Dinosaur meet and the national fly in meet conflict, I think we should move team challenge one week earlier. We will make it August 16th through the 22nd.

Canada and Mexico now part of the US

September 12, 2014, 7:47:04 MDT

Canada and Mexico now part of the US

They snuck in this provision at the spring USHPA BOD meeting

PG|record|Ryan Voight|Steve Kroop|USHPA

Paul Voight|PG|record|Ryan Voight|Steve Kroop|USHPA

Paragliding and hang gliding meets in Canada and Mexico count the same as US meets. There is a restriction that only two foreign competitions count toward your NTSS score. But Canadian and Mexican meets count not as foreign meets but as US meets. Therefore you can have three or four meets outside the US and have them count as though they were US meets.

David Wheeler <<davidrwheeler>> writes:

It's not very popular with US paragliding competition organizers and a fair number of paragliding pilots, I don't think it's going to last past the next board meeting. Personally I don't think it supports US organizers and was designed to let some people use their vacation days to attend one Mexican ( Winter ) and one European PWC ( Summer ) competition each year and still make the team. Maybe with a single US comp as backup if the PWC doesn't go so well.

It was approved at the Spring 2013 board meeting as part of the significant changes to NTSS.

The Spring 2013 board minutes do not record who proposed the changes and who on the competition committee voted to accept the changes for presentation to the board That information is probably in the competition committee minutes. On the board Steve Kroop made the motion to accept the recommendations and Ryan Voight seconded. Passed unanimously. Steve and Ryan are also on the competition committee and in attendance so presumably they heard the discussions and voted to present the recommendations to the board unchanged.

I was absent from the Spring board meeting and do not recall ever seeing the proposals before they were approved. In the committee I give my opinions but abstain on NTSS voting anyway to maintain impartiality as scorer. Maybe I'm being too politically correct.

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The Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games

May 27, 2014, 8:09:56 EDT

The Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games

A winner

Paul Voight

http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/#!about/cfvg

Paul Voight sends:

Desiree Voight was the 1st place finisher in the novice division at the Kitty hawk Spectacular!

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The Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games

May 21, 2014, 7:26:09 EDT

The Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games

The winners

Paul Voight

http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/#!about/cfvg

Paul Voight sends:

Paul Voight 3rd...200 pts +2 pins.....Billy Vaughn..1st 230 pts..... George Reeves 2nd....200 pts+ 4 pins (out of possible 250 pts in 5 rounds).

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Quad videos

Tue, Feb 4 2014, 3:14:17 pm EST

Ryan's choice

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» sends:

“AF Canyon Aerials”- shooting scenics in American Fork Canyon, UT https://vimeo.com/77310991

“Sleds with Friends”- hang gliding in Ellenville NY https://vimeo.com/79017537

“Wallaby Helicam Footage”- some stuff shot at WW demo days (before I crashed/broke my quad LOL) https://vimeo.com/63527990

“Save Steep Mountain”- documenting the mining at POM https://vimeo.com/65441786

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A classic Christmas

Wed, Dec 25 2013, 2:21:57 pm EST

A classic Christmas

What's under the tree?

Paul Voight

Paul Voight resends this picture:

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A nice relaxed run

November 18, 2013, 6:11:24 PST

A nice relaxed run

Under an Alpha

Facebook|Paul Voight

Paul Voight shows how to launch:

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Moving out of Utah

Tue, Oct 8 2013, 8:30:32 am MDT

Ryan going back East

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Wills Wing

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

As some may have already heard, my wife and I have decided to move our family from Point of the Mountain in Utah, back to New York where we grew up and where our families live. This decision has not been an easy one, and was not taken lightly. However we feel this is what is best for our family, and especially best for our baby girl Scarlett.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped contribute to making Utah such a wonderful place to live, to fly, and most of all for allowing me the honor of serving as the local Wills Wing dealer and hang gliding shop. It is with all of your support that Wings Over Wasatch has grown into what it is today…

Which leads me to this: It seems a shame to close Wings Over Wasatch after putting so much effort into getting it going, getting the brand out there, developing a web site and presence among hang glider pilots around the world. So, is anyone interested in picking up where I am leaving off? I am looking for someone that can represent the business in a professional manor, and can continue to provide knowledgeable support and service to the local flying community. If you want to offer training or clinics or anything of that sort is entirely up to you, but not a requisite of supporting the local pilot community.

If you might consider carrying on the Wings Over Wasatch name, please email me at «Ryan» and we can go over the details.

Again, many thanks for the support and fond memories we are taking with us… and you can be sure we will be back to visit (and fly) as often as possible!

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Job opening

Tue, Apr 30 2013, 7:19:41 am EDT

Flight School Manager

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|USHPA|weather

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

Wings Over Wasatch is exited to announce that we are in search of a Flight School Manager for our hang gliding training operations located at Point of the Mountain, in Draper, Utah; Effective ASAP. We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual that loves to share the sport of hang gliding with others, and whose primary focus is creating new pilots.

Wings Over Wasatch Flight School Manager is responsible for managing and operating all aspects of the flight school, including:

Fielding all Flight School phone calls
Scheduling of Flight School lessons
Organize and track all student paperwork, waivers, student packets, etc
Providing instruction to new and returning Flight School customers
Coordinate the maintenance of school equipment
Provide weekly updates with Wings Over Wasatch management

Candidates MUST:

Be a current USHPA member with a minimum of an Advanced (h4) rating
Possess current USHPA instructor rating
Consistently offer customer-service oriented professional flight instruction
Prioritize “Safety First” at all times
Have a wealth of understanding of weather and micro-meteorology in order to accurately evaluate safe training conditions based on student’s current proficiency
Enjoy working outdoors, and possess requisite physical fitness to provide quality training hill lessons
Be self-motivated and work well independently without direct supervision

Compensation:

Due to the high level of responsibility expected of the Flight School Manager, qualified candidates will be offered generous compensation. Compensation is on a per student basis, as well as commission on equipment sold to Flight School students.

To Apply:

Please send an email with a list of your qualifications and a bit about yourself to «FlightSchool»

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Mitch's landing clinic

April 12, 2013, 8:42:08 EDT

Mitch's landing clinic

Voighter critiques

Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|Quest Air|Ryan Voight|video

Paul Voight <<flyhighpaul>> writes:

I watched your landing video a few times today. Nice footage. I'd be careful with that momentary "let-go of the control frame altogether" when raising your hands higher in ground effect.  It'll bite ya some day.

As an additional comment, when Ryan Voight and I do landing clinics. towing the students high enough to have the student have to make a more complicated approach will illuminate lots of pilot's problems stemming from bad approach technique. Landing after a straight tow with no turns only works on a portion of the "landing skill set".

If all pilots would set up to be straight into the wind from the height of that tow most of their landing issues would be fixed. Low turns  mixed with hand transitions and round-outs, all too late in the landing sequence, are a common thread we see in pilots who have landing issues.

Mitch held a landing clinic last year at the East Coast Championships, where indeed pilots were towed high enough to do an approach. You can find the discussion and then videos starting here: http://ozreport.com/16.131#0.

Mitch Shipley<<elektratow>> writes:

Thanks for taking time to share your perspective! Agree completely about skills needed/learned/exposed during higher approaches.

What I do is tailor the tow height/approach to where the student is skill wise (which is hard to determine with “experienced” pilots I just met based on their view/evaluation/articulation of their own skill level!) Or the real estate available to execute the tow. In this video, Davis jumped in for one tow when I was working with two hang II students, one of which was an aero tow student of mine that had never landed on his feet. He had his hands full just trying to execute the mechanics of a proper foot landing while flying straight.

After low experience pilots can execute a tow and landing flying straight (and the proper climb rate/pin off altitude is definitely part of the skill set that needs to be learned) then higher tows with approaches are added. I learned the “straight flight” lesson after I suggested to one of my landing clinic students that he tow higher and execute a full approach. His lack of proper spatial awareness resulted in him pinning off low, slipping a 360 and making me very nervous. Turned out fine, but I now am more careful on adding in the approach elements.

When towing experienced pilots I usually have them tow high enough and do the full approach, as done at the ECC last year. Even then, however, care must be exercised as some pilot still have weak spatial awareness and pin off too low (pin off early or weak climb) and still try to crank one around. The low pin off is a hazard that comes with using a ground based tow system as opposed to higher foot launch or aerotow. That said, I like the ease and speed with which pilots get multiple practice landings.

In post landing clinic critiques from students ( I always ask them what went well or poorly!) universal good points are 1) the number of practice landings they got (typically 8-12) and 2) the frame by frame, high resolution video review of each landing/approach.

Thanks again for the input. Hope to see you during my travels this spring and summer!

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Save Steep Mountain

Mon, Mar 18 2013, 8:44:48 am EDT

Organizing at the Point of the Mountain

Facebook|Paul Voight|PG|Ryan Voight

http://savesteepmountain.org/

and on Facebook here. Look at both pictures. The pictures here and here.

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

By now many have heard that we are facing possibly the biggest threat to flying the North Side of Point of the Mountain, in Draper UT. I would like to take a moment to share the facts and educate everyone on what is going on, and what we- and you all- can do about it.

I will do my best to keep this brief. As long as people have been flying Point of the Mountain, there have been nearby gravel mining operations. The neighboring gravel company has, for the most part, been a supportive neighbor to free flight. They have allowed us use of their roads and lands when they stood nothing to gain, and they have been very open to working with the state in performing a "land swap" to preserve the South Side flight park (which has worked out well for both parties). I will point out at this time that the SOUTH SIDE in not- at all- in jeopardy in this current threat. This thread affects flying on the North Side only.

We have been aware that the gravel company, Geneva Rock, has ownership of a large parcel of land, which includes a critical part of the Steep Mountain ridge, affectionately known as the "back bench" (the ridge behind the flight park), as well as the tip of that same ridge. In doing research several months ago, we discovered an already-approved (4 years ago) permit to mine "Phase I", which includes the tip of the ridge. And when I say "the tip", I do not mean to demean the size or importance of the area they are taking, it is just not AS major as the other area they own, behind the flight park.

As deconstruction began on the tip of the ridge, we were in contact with Geneva as well as Salt Lake county, exploring the possibility of a land swap to save that area. When our club representatives met with Geneva Rock executives, our hearts dropped when we received the most devastating news imaginable- Geneva WILL NOT cease mining in the Phase I area (the end of the ridge, red in attached image), AND Geneva already has their permits approved for the much larger area of the ridge behind the flight park, or "Phase II" in the Geneva documentation. We've taken to calling it "The Purple Area" based on the included diagram.

THEY OWN IT, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE PERMITS TO MINE IT. So, what can we do?! Well, this is where it is CRITICAL that we maintain a positive relationship with Geneva Rock. This is just business for them, not personal. They have stressed that the material being taken now, from the tip of the ridge, is already sold and they have contracts to fill, therefore they will not stop mining in that area. The good news? Geneva is very interested in a land-swap for the purple area. Due to the slope of the ridge, the shape of the parcel, and the proximity of Salt Lake County Parks property, mining the face of the ridge in particular is a complicated and costly endeavor (but don't think they can't or won't!)

And that brings me to WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW. Our best chance of getting in front of this is, hands down, a land-swap. Salt Lake County Parks department is all for it, however they don't own anything in the area that they could swap. So we need to go up the chain, and convince Salt Lake County government that enough people care about this area that they get involved to make the land-swap a reality. To this end we have started a petition addressed to the Salt Lake County government. We did have an earlier petition- two actually- but they were not addressed to the proper authorities, and were not entirely ideal in their wording. The NEW petition has been vetted and we need your support, your name and also a couple sentences or short paragraph about WHY this mountain is important to YOU. We'd urge everyone to think bigger than our small free-flight community, this is an iconic and historic land formation, this mining would drastically alter the Draper 'skyline', etc etc. The petition can be found at www.SaveSteepMountain.org/petition.

After signing the petition, what you can do to help us is to educate others, and direct them toward our site (http://SaveSteepMountain.org) and to sign the petition themselves. If there is more that can be done, we will surely be asking for help just as I am now. I would like to respectfully request that people DO NOT take action beyond directing people toward the site/petition. We only get one shot at this, and we need all outward facing information and activities to be spot-on. Once people have heard about "those hang gliders and paragliders are losing their park" we've lost our audience, and we've lost potential allies and support. This is a bigger issue than our little slice of heave (flight park), this is about a landmark, a community, a multi-use outdoor recreational space, and so on.

I would like to thank all for their concern and continued support as we fight to save this unique and world-class site.

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What's the point?

Fri, Mar 8 2013, 8:29:57 pm EST

They are bulldozing at the Point of the Mountain in Utah

Facebook|Paul Voight|PG|Ryan Voight|sailplane

The petition and the other petition.

http://www.facebook.com/SaveThePOTM

http://savethepotm.org/

Geneva Rock owns much of the hill at the North Side along with other significant portions of the Point, and has been incredibly generous in helping to preserve parts of the land they purchased. Unfortunately, Geneva has decided to start removing noticeable portions of the upper slope of the North Side to continue fulfilling the demands of their expanding business producing rock (previous excavations have primarily focused on the lower bench while leaving the upper slope intact). Negotiations take time, and due to the rate at which Geneva is mining, waiting for the negotiations to end may be too late to save this landmark. We have created this website to help raise awareness of the site to residents of Utah, and hopefully create an agreement with Geneva that is mutually beneficial.

A view of what is actually happening here: https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31325&start=4 and here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200849911713580&set=a.1746159897297.2100704.1337779113&type=1&theater.

Ryan Voight writes:

Point of the Mountain has a rich history of soaring flight. Hang gliders, paragliders, and even sailplanes. As early as man could fly, (s)he has been doing it from Point of the Mountain!

The mining at POM is being performed by Geneva Rock. In general they have been good neighbors to us over the years, working with us to preserve the South Side, allowing us access to THEIR property so we could launch students from the top, etc etc.

Geneva Rock is a multi-billion dollar company, an employer and supporter of many Utah workers and their families. We DO NOT want to go toe-to-toe with them, nor would we win if we did.

We are not anti-Geneva here, we are just fighting to protect our flying site (and for many of us, our backyard). They are not taking our launch or our landing area… Or even a part of the mountain we fly over often.

However, the part they are taking is important because it makes it easier for the valley wind flow to go AROUND the mountain, rather than OVER it (creating our epic flying conditions).

We have noticed every year the airflow is more and more cross than the years before. If this piece of hill is removed, it's likely going to have a dramatic and devastating impact on our world-famous soaring conditions.

We are hoping to raise awareness of this issue, and gather support so Geneva can see the severity of this issue; This isn't a dozen upset neighbors, this is a devastating blow to a worldwide community.

More maps here.

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1988 US Nationals »

January 24, 2013, 6:35:12 PST

1988 US Nationals

Kids those days

Paul Voight|US Nationals|US Nationals 1988

Paul Voight sends this photo of the Nationals in Chattanooga:

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USHPA BOD meeting

October 19, 2012, 11:29:50 MDT

USHPA BOD meeting

Ryan Voight reporting

Ryan Voight|USHPA

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|USHPA

https://twitter.com/AIRTHUG84?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=AIRTHUG84&utm_content=259342256190935040m

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2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

September 22, 2012, 7:23:37 pm MST

2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race

The task committee calls a short enough task

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Greg Dinauer|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Greg Dinauer|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Greg Dinauer|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

Belinda Boulter|Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Flytec 6030|Greg Dinauer|Jeff O'Brien|Kraig Coomber|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|weather

http://tinyurl.com/davisspot

http://www.livetrack24.com/tracks/username/davisstraub

SPOT Tracks: http://tinyurl.com/scfr2012

Results here.

Some members of the task committee were not pleased with my comments about them overcalling the tasks in the article above. But I pressed them somewhat harder today to have a task that brings more pilots back to goal. I was shooting for a 70 km triangle, but we compromised on a 79 km triangle.

I think in general that the task committee was calling too long tasks (except the second day) given the length of the day here in September in Casa Grande. We don't start the task until 1:40 PM (or 2 PM or 2:20), which would be 2:40 PM in an state with daylight savings time. The lift dies around 5 PM, so two hour tasks are appropriate here. All the tasks, other than day two have been much longer (in time and distance). Hopefully the next task committee here will remember that they just can't expand the task to meet their idea of what a proper task is, but will confine the tasks to race tasks that last two hours.

I'm just support for the task committee, and the task committee makes its own decisions, but I do have a voice and I'm sorry that I just wasn't pushing harder for shorter tasks.

The weather forecast was pretty similar to what we've seen here every day but the second day, with no cumulus humilis clouds, very light winds (we've had them every day). The lift would again be weak to begin with around noon and get much better around 2 PM. The XCSkies models (NAM and RAP) are completely incorrect when it comes to calculating the lift (1,100' to 1,200 fpm) every day, so I've given up on them and just use the FSL t-skew (RUC2 model) to get a idea of where the lower inversion will be and when it will lessen. I also get the winds from FSL.

When the extra sunlight and heat (104 degrees, five degrees warmer than normal) on the ground we still have pretty decent lift, and it gets a lot better over a little higher ground.

There were cumulus mediocris in the area shading some parts of our course line, but we weren't worrying about the lift.

I took off at 1:15. The first clock was 1:20 and the last one at 2:40 PM. We added a few extra start times to allow for the fact that one of the tugs was down. Obviously I was not going to make the first clock.

I pinned off at 1,100' AGL in light lift with a few pilots around. It was nice to see that there wasn't just one thermal. The lift was weak as normal but it was no hassle to climb to 4,400'. When the lift slowed down I headed east toward four or five pilots turning about 4 kilometers east of the launch area.

The lift was weak there also but I was at the bottom of the thermal with no one to bother me. The wind was 2 MPH, so it was easy to stay inside the start circle, so I just hung in there. The rest of the pilots left except for Matt Barker and we just stayed in the lift by ourselves and in the perfect position to start when ever we wanted.

As we climbed up over 4,500' many of the pilots who were circling well to the west of us came in under us. The lift was pleasant and without any interference I could thermal as tight as I wanted. As 2 PM approached I saw Rich and Nils go for it. I figured I was on top of the thermal with two other pilots out in front of me, so why not take this clock and let the others follow.

We worked some weak lift on the way to the Casa Grande Hills on our way to the first turnpoint at Arizona City. I was thinking of going back, but the others continued so I went with them.

I found 300 fpm at the south end of the hills and Nils and Rich joined me along with Miller in an ATOS. That was the lift that really got us going as it took us to 6,000'. The turnpoint was to the southeast.

It was nice to find 300 fpm right at the turnpoint, very convenient. Rich headed off to the east of the course line, which I couldn't figure out. Nils stayed behind as I glided toward the black rough low hills before the next turnpoint at Baker to the south west. Rich came in under me as I turned in lift before I got to the hills, but he was now much lower.

I glided over to the hot rocks and found 250 fpm from 3,500'. Rich was really low behind me and I think that I saw him land. Nils came in under me, Miller was way behind. I climbed to 4,500' and then pushed further into the hills to get better lift. But what I got was 900 fpm down.

Finally I had to run away from the high ground to get out closer to the flats in case I didn't find anything. Fortunately down to 2,800' there was 250 fpm that got me to 5,400'. Miller came and joined me. I lost track of Nils and Rich.

I raced over to get the 3 kilometer radius turnpoint and came back to the lift. I lost Miller and climbed back to 5,000' before heading to the no mans land back on the hills to the north. I was ready to run back to the landable and roaded areas to the east if I got flushed again, but on the sunny (west ) side I found 400 fpm to 8,100'. This was the last leg and the numbers were positive for goal thirty kilometers to the north back at the Francisco Grande.

There were still some little  black hills ten kilometers further to the north that I wanted to hit before I went on final glide. The lift there was only 200 fpm, but it got me back to 7,700' twenty kilometers from the goal. I was alone and had been for a while.

I went on best glide, not willing to pull in the bar unless I was in sink. The 6030 said I had it by 2,000', but that kept dropping as I continued on. There was no lift worth turning in, so I just kept the glider at best glide continually watching the vario screen.

I came in with 580' and got to swoop over the hotel to the entertainment of the spectators including Belinda. I was second in right after Pedro. It sure was nice to have a day off yesterday.

The sky was filling up with high thin clouds, and more cumulus mediocris. It got darker and darker as pilots from the later clocks started coming in. Zac had landed before the Baker turnpoint. Dustin landed a few kilometers short. Jeff O'Brien made it in as did Robin Hamilton.  Matt Barker, in third place, landed just short, to his annoyance. Nils landed a little after I did.

The last task:

# Name Glider Time Total
1 Chris Zimmerman WW T2C 144 01:37:39 868
2 Pedro Garcia WW T2C 144 01:44:31 857
3 Robin Hamilton Moyes 01:44:19 781
4 Kraig Coomber Moyes RX 3.5 01:44:58 770
5 Davis Straub WW T2C 144 02:08:11 756
6 Michael Bylik WW T2C 02:03:17 707
7 Ryan Voight WW T2C 144 02:03:36 702
8 Bill Soderquist Moyes RS 3.5 02:03:53 697
9 Greg Dinauer Aeros Combat L 13 02:04:56 686
10 Ben Dunn Moyes RS 3.5 02:05:35 679

Total

# Name Glider Total
1 Robin Hamilton Moyes 6023
2 Jeff O'Brien WW T2C 144 5631
3 Ben Dunn Moyes RS 3.5 5275
4 Matt Barker WW T2C 144 5242
5 Pedro Garcia WW T2C 144 5171
6 Filippo Oppici WW T2C 144 5031
7 Greg Dinauer Aeros Combat L 13 4929
8 Bill Soderquist Moyes RS 3.5 4778
9 Ryan Voight WW T2C 144 4753
10 Chris Zimmerman WW T2C 144 4721

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2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

September 22, 2012, 9:23:01 MST

2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race

The morning of day seven, and before task seven, Saturay

Paul Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012

http://tinyurl.com/davisspot

http://www.livetrack24.com/tracks/username/davisstraub

SPOT Tracks: http://tinyurl.com/scfr2012

Results will be here later.

O'Brien captures Voight over the alluvial plane south west of the Cactus turnpoint.

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2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

September 21, 2012, 8:22:20 pm MST

2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race

Ben Dunn and Dangerous Dave make goal, I take a rest day

Ben Dunn|Bill Soderquist|Chris Zimmerman|Dustin Martin|Filippo Oppici|Jeff O'Brien|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Paul Voight|Robin Hamilton|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012|Zac Majors

http://tinyurl.com/davisspot

http://www.livetrack24.com/tracks/username/davisstraub

SPOT Tracks: http://tinyurl.com/scfr2012

Results here.

The forecast was for better conditions than the day before, but still weak until 2 PM, but no mid or high level clouds to reduce the radiation. A five knot wind out of the northwest.

Jonny Thompson towed me right up a little before 1 PM and dropped me in a nice thermal that turned on and allowed us to climb to 4,400' seeing 20 second average rates of over 500 fpm. It looked like the day was going to be much better earlier than forecast.

But than that stopped. I went on a six kilometer glide searching for the next bit of lift before finding 35 fpm. Then 100 fpm which soon turned into 45 fpm to 4,000'.

It was one big ugly gaggle in weak lift. I tried to stay down just to keep away from other pilots. Finally I decided to run away from the stress and head back to the launch area as this thermal was already taking us out of the start cylinder and not getting us very high, and there were way too many pilots in it.

Gliding back I was 2.5 kilometers from the launch area and at 2,700', in 50 fpm. But the best part was that I was by myself. Dangerous Dave followed me, probably not liking the gaggle all that much, but hit a little bump and got a bit higher, so he wasn't bothering me as we had the area to ourselves.

The others were slowly climbing outside the start circle and few if any were in a position to take the 1:40 PM start clock as conditions were still weak. There was a nine mph northwest wind and I was climbing so slowly that I was almost back out at edge of the start cylinder at barely over 3,000'.

I headed back toward the launch area, but now with a thousand feet less than my first attempt to get there. I had been hoping to go back and relaunch. Now I was down to 600 feet AGL, 1.8 km from the launch, and 1.4 km from the area where I needed to get to to relaunch. I found 13 fpm and hung on.

Unfortunately I again drifted away gaining very little and wasn't able to get back for a relaunch, landing short.

Meanwhile the race was on for the stupidly long 124 km task (why the task committee insisted on a long task, in spite of Zac telling them that pilots wanted a shorter task, I do not know). The first turnpoint was 40 kilometers to the southeast to Eds. Pilots would fly over the Casa Grande hills and as forecasted get to 11,000'. This was a great altitude for just nearby small hills.

The second leg was up the mountains further east giving pilots the chance to get up better there. O'Brien said that it was rough 300 fpm and the same gaggle was there as had been the case from the beginning of the flight.

Once pilots got the second turnpoint at Cactus they were to head twelve kilometers to Valley turnpoint in a effort to put them in the dry areas north of Casa Grande for the leg back to the Francisco Grande. By then the short day was getting late. Soon Zac and Filippo were on the ground. Zippy was tweeting.

Dustin, Jeff an a few other pilots shaded to the north of the course line to get over the hills. That strategy didn't work out for them. I assume that Ben and Dave went straight along the course line back.

Jeff landed fifteen minutes before sundown and I was out there to get him having rested in the afternoon.

Task 6:

# Name Glider Time km/h Dist. Total
1 Dangerous Dave WW T2C 144 03:51:31 30,8 123,55 996
2 Ben Dunn Moyes RS 3.5 03:58:50 29,8 123,55 959
3 Olav Opsanger Moyes RX 4     121,65 831
4 Robin Hamilton Moyes     120,99 829
5 Michael Bylik WW T2C     118,81 821
6 Matt Barker WW T2C 144     117,74 810
7 Ryan Voight WW T2C 144     115,46 791
8 Chris Zimmerman WW T2C 144     114,56 783
9 Bill Soderquist Moyes RS 3.5     113,02 766
10 Jeff O'Brien WW T2C 144     112,65 764

Total:

# Name Glider Total
1 Robin Hamilton Moyes 5234
2 Jeff O'Brien WW T2C 144 4949
3 Matt Barker WW T2C 144 4746
4 Ben Dunn Moyes RS 3.5 4594
5 Filippo Oppici WW T2C 144 4529
6 Zac Majors WW T2C 144 4407
7 Pedro Garcia WW T2C 144 4321
8 Dustin Martin WW T2C 144 4160
9 Bill Soderquist Moyes RS 3.5 4074
10 Ryan Voight WW T2C 144 4043

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2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race »

September 15, 2012, 1:34:14 pm MST

2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race

Windy in the morning of the practice day

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2012

Winds ENE 20 mph, gusting to 31 mph in the morning. XCSkies (NAM and RAP) has it quieting down in the afternoon but they both under predicted the morning winds.

Lots of pilots here (including Sugarman from Wallaby Ranch, and Ryan Voight from Point of the Mountain, some of the least expected contestants) on Friday night. Glen from Australia and Pedro from Spain.

http://santacruzflatsrace.blogspot.com/

Don't know yet where you'll find results, but likely at the link above.

UPDATE: The winds died down before noon and it looks like we'll have some practice flights here soon.

Steve Morris at the controls.

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

July 6, 2012, 8:21:32 CDT

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

Carlos' example (he later dislocates his shoulder), a fix from a previous incorrect video

Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|video

Mitch Shipley held a landing clinic during the East Coast Championship. It was well attended.

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

http://youtu.be/dMlHNAdZrpQ

This is an example of a high round out that Paul Voight mentioned, with trouble getting good body/hand position that allows for a good flare. The pilot slows to near trim speed high (gradient or wind lull might not have helped either), gets hands up, but never achieves a good upright position that allows high enough hand placement for a strong flare. A bit of pitch bobbling bleeds off even more energy and a late flare from a weak position results in a belly landing.

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

July 3, 2012, 6:41:49 CDT

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

Carlos' example (he later dislocates his shoulder)

Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|video

Mitch Shipley held a landing clinic during the East Coast Championship. It was well attended.

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

http://youtu.be/dMlHNAdZrpQ

This is an example of a high round out that Paul Voight mentioned, with trouble getting good body/hand position that allows for a good flare. The pilot slows to near trim speed high (gradient or wind lull might not have helped either), gets hands up, but never achieves a good upright position that allows high enough hand placement for a strong flare. A bit of pitch bobbling bleeds off even more energy and a late flare from a weak position results in a belly landing.

http://youtu.be/ahp3UvqAiI8

Here the same pilot gets better body/hand position and flares earlier with good result, but still doesn't really bleed of his speed low enough and in ground effect. Although hands are still a bit low and the body not fully upright (prevents getting the keel vertical in the flare) the timing and flare strength/quickness is enough to get a decent stall of the glider and a nice landing.

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

July 2, 2012, 8:08:57 CDT

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

Why not have landing clinics at competitions as well as flight parks

Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Rooney|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|scooter tow|video|weather

Mitch Shipley held a landing clinic during the East Coast Championship. It was well attended.

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

There have been nice recent Oz Report threads and articles on how to successfully land a hang glider! I particularly find Jim Rooney's stuff right on and enlightening, mostly because he is thorough and does not present it as "one size fits all".

So how about those landings? It's something we have to do every single time we fly and we often struggle mightily with it. Considering how we pilots usually learn and then practice how to land, it's little wonder why. Please excuse me as I pontificate!

Typically we start our landing experiences on a training hill, trudging up and down never getting high enough to learn and execute the elements of a successful landing. Then off to the mountain, where we get one landing a day. If we learn at an aerotow park, we start tandem with wheels or landing gear that we roll in on. After we solo, our focus is much more on the fun part - flying and soaring - than on the landing. Scooter towing schools do a bit better early on with getting us high enough, often enough, to execute a good approach and landing, but quickly our focus and aim shifts to flying high.

We spend hours in the air practicing and refining our thermaling techniques, soaring the ridge and getting to the top of the stack. Not unexpectedly, all those hours of practice pay off. We fly in the air pretty darn well and we love it! When we are good and tired (or just as bad, done scratching really low trying to get up) we go in for the inevitable landing with predictable and sometimes painful results.

Even when the initial instruction on landing is good, we weren't experienced enough to internalize and execute it well before we are off to soar high and get one landing a day. Then we listen to all the armchair quarterbacks in the LZ provide pearls of wisdom on how not to pound in. Every year we lose good students, top competitors and all sorts of pilots in between due to poor landings. We can do better. There are ways to make landing practice easier to do and more effective in result.

To do anything complex well requires "practice, practice, practice". And yes, landing a hang glider is very complex and if anyone tells you it is not, they are a moron! There is no simple, one size fits all, cook book answer for how to land your particular hang glider, on your particular weather condition day, in your particular LZ. Don't get me wrong, there are absolutely principals to be followed, physics that don't change and techniques that work well and ones that don't. That said, a correct mix of all of these needs to be applied to the particulars of each landing/glider/pilot system and it is very much a complex and dynamic thing!

So why don't we practice landing after we become soaring sky gods? Well, because it's a pain in the ass and it's more fun to fly! Go back to the training hill? Crank out pattern tows? While everyone else is skying out? Never! I'll keep pounding in and take it like man! After all, soaring a hang glider is the "aiming point", the thing that captures our full attention and brings us peace.

OK, so what's a reasonable alternative and what are the required elements to learn how to land a hang glider without being such a pain in the ass? With full acknowledgement on how self-serving it is, I'll offer up for discussion the landing clinic run at Highland Aerosports during the recent East Coast Championship meet as a decent model.

Eight pilots signed up for the clinic which included three parts: 1) I start off with one hour of video based ground school on how to successfully land a glider. 2) Three mornings (0800-1000 hours) of Elektra Tows (ET) for landing practice (about ten tows each) that were all videoed in HD (Thanks to Rich Cizauskas!). 3) Detailed video reviews of each pilots landings, critiquing the good, bad and uglies of the landing. All three elements are required for success. You have to know how you are supposed to land, you have to try to land and you have to objectively see how you did - and then repeat!

While cranking out ten or so landings in a few hours is cool and a required step in the learning process, it is not sufficient. From the pilot feedback from fifteen or so of these landing clinics over the last year it is clear that the other two elements of the clinic bring tremendous value to the process. The most highly regarded element is the HD video review of each pilot's landings. It is the biggest eye-opener and help to the learning experience for many pilots.

A close second was the start up video review based ground school that shed light and understanding on many elements of correctly landing a hang glider that the pilots hadn't fully appreciated before seeing them frame-by-frame.

Now the techniques and elements for successful landings have been around for a while. I use Paul and Ryan Voight's list of Landing Clinic Ingredients as published here on the Oz Report forum. Seeing a video of those elements being properly executed (or not!), and then comparing it to your own landing videos takes the training effectiveness of the list to a much higher level. We are visual creatures.

Let me throw in one particular landing concept presented in my ground school that pilots have liked - "Flying the flare". No single cookie cutter flare approach fits all landing conditions, gliders or pilots. Paul, Jim and others have said as much, but the point is worth making again and demonstrating in some videos.

How a glider should be flared (or better yet flown) for landings depends on many things - how the glider is trimmed, VG setting, and wind conditions being some of the biggies. In a 10 MPH wind, a no flare approach works well. Just moon walk the glider out at trim until it settles.

For lighter wind conditions that require flying the classic flare (ending with full arm extension, glider aggressively stalled and keel near vertical) generally three "flying the flare" flight profiles covers the landscape of what pilots get presented with - early, on time, and late. After all the correct preparation has been completed (carrying good speed margin into ground effect, body upright, hands well placed, and the all important "feeling for trim") begin to "fly the flare" by pushing out/up on downtubes.

If the glider starts to climb (early flare), pause at that arm extension and then finish strong when the glider starts to settle back down. If the glider continues at the same height as you fly the flare (on time) finish in a nice crescendo flare and be smiling. If the glider starts sinking as you flare (late), hit it with all you have and be ready to run.

The point is we all have experienced changing wind conditions (lull, gust, gradient etc.) that alter what's required both in timing and technique on a moment to moment basis. What was perfect timing/technique yesterday in smooth air is late today in an abrupt, thermal induced lull/gust. It's also important to remember that during the whole rounding out, bleeding off speed in ground effect and "flying the flare" process, roll inputs to keep the wings level and the glider heading in the desired direction can and should be made! It ain't over till it's over, so don't be passive and "go along for the ride" anytime during your landings. The videos from the ECC landing clinic published in the next few articles demonstrate many of the elements everyone has been talking about here on the Oz Report and Oz Report forum.

Paul Voight on rounding out

June 19, 2012, 8:51:09 CDT

The Voight's on rounding out

Get it really into ground effect

Jim Rooney|Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhigh>> writes:

I agree with Jim Rooney’s commentary on emphasizing that coming into a landing with high speed is a big key to landing success. But one must carry this speed all the way to just off the deck, into actual ground effect. (Jim does say this.) A very common problem is what we (Ryan and I) call high “round-outs”.

Pilots pull in (properly) for speed on approach, but then “round out” (fly parallel to the ground) still 10 or 15 or even 20 feet high. This is not ground effect. At the end of these scenarios, when the glider ‘s retained energy is all bled off, a steep angle descent towards the actual ground occurs, which a flare will not eradicate, except in a strong wind.
You see people who land in wind all the time get away with this style repeatedly, but it is bad technique regardless.

Additionally, there are two other major factors that play a major role in landing success (flaring to a near stop), assuming a good approach is performed. Timing and technique. If you get good at both, landing is effortless.

If your timing is great, then non stellar technique (example: hands low on downtubes), is no issue at all. If your timing is, “not perfect yet,” then optimum technique (hands in higher position and flaring up-not-out-with feet back) is needed to compensate for timing mistakes.

Lastly, remember the following as known contributors to landing problems: low turns, low hand transitions, low airspeed, high round-outs, long leg-loops, and throwing one’s feet out forward/ahead (instead of back, or at least straight under you). Bundle more than one of the above mentioned landing issues into one event, and chances of success are radically reduced.

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Hands not so high

Mon, Jun 18 2012, 8:49:06 am CDT

Don't get those hands up

Dustin Martin|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Steven "Steve" Pearson|video|Zac Majors

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

In hang gliding, and especially in landing, there is much old lore that gets perpetuated by people with little or no understanding of what they're saying. The old "hands up for a better flare" is often one of those things.

I'll elaborate: While moving the hands higher on the uprights can work for some, often it creates more problems than it cures. First, the descriptor "hands high" or "move your hands up" is deliciously bland. How High? How far up? The higher the better? No.

Regardless of harness, hang height or dangle angle, once your hands are about even with your ears (or higher) roll control is severely sacrificed. I find about shoulder height to be the best compromise.

Another strike against the "hands high" methodology is that it does not consider flare direction. You might have heard the old adage "push up" when you flare, and this is equally inaccurate. A flare is a weight shift input, and regardless of whether you envision we move our weight relative to the control frame and glider, or we manipulate the glider, moving it around us, the center of all movement is somewhere around the carabineer or cross bar apex. This means everything moves in a circular motion, never getting closer or further from that central point. So the flare does actually start as a push out, forward, before the necessary curve around the center of rotation. It starts as forward, and curves until you end in a hands-over-your-head position. With hands at ear level or higher, the required initial outward push of the flare is actually quite difficult.

Yet another reason "hands up" is often ineffective is the elbows. If you examine how the human body moves through a flare, much of it comes from the straightening of the elbow. Hanging in an upright position, the hand placement that gives you the most bend in your elbow should also yield the largest control input. This again tends to be about shoulder height. Any higher (or lower) and the elbow begins to straighten, and your potential to flare diminishes.

Where this all gets trickier is in back-plate-slider race harnesses. All of the principles I just describe do not change, however you'll notice all of the hand heights described were relative to the pilot's body, and not the glider. In a slider harness, the slider mechanism by necessity results in a lower hang height in the control frame. Now "shoulder height" is 2, 3, possibly even 4 or more inches lower on the downtubes. That certainly reduces the effective flare authority, but raising your hands does not remedy the issue, it compounds it.

Also, the more prone "upright" position of these harnesses further lowers where "shoulder height" falls on the down tubes. Some (few) are able to maintain an informed connection with the glider while pulling themselves further upright, and thus raising "shoulder height" within the control frame. Most are better served maintaining a loose and relaxed grip to feel for flare timing.

Another note is that, as "shoulder height" becomes lower and lower within the control frame, the control frame widens, resulting in further straightening of the elbow. Again, moving the hands higher doesn't remedy this, it compounds it.

Steve Pearson best demonstrates that, even when "shoulder height" means having your hands very low on the uprights, a well timed and executed flare is still highly effective at stopping forward momentum. Since few of us, including myself, can time and execute every flare as well as Steve, we can really benefit from the increased authority to make up for any error in timing or technique.

https://vimeo.com/36062225

For these reasons (and more), back-plate slider harnesses have been, still are, and will continue to be a challenge to land.

Digressing from "hands high" for a moment, I am shocked at the ever-growing popularity of the back-plate-slider harness market. With the exception of those that are truly gliding at the world-class level, is the sacrifice in landability really worth the improvement in glide? That improvement, by the way, is most noticeable at speeds above best glide, especially on non-topless gliders. The sacrifices of a back-plate-slider harness remain the same regardless of pilot or wing choice, yet the benefit changes drastically. For guys like Zac Majors, Dustin Martin, or the Jeff's, these race harnesses will make a measurable performance impact. For the vast majority of the sport, are the sacrifices really worth the minimal gains?

Back to "hands high," I'd like to encourage people to ask questions when given instruction like "move your hands up". How far? Or, the best question in the world, "Why?"

Just because hang glider pilots have perpetuated this misnomer for thirty years does not in itself mean the instruction is effective. After all, we continue to struggle to land these things even after thirty years.

Also this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6ZcJz0IGmY#t=282s

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Ryan Voight's glider

April 24, 2012, 8:14:18 EDT

Ryan Voight's glider

Click on this picture.

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Steven "Steve" Pearson

The pattern on the penciled in hang glider in the upper left hand corner is one found on a hang glider that belonged to Ryan Voight.

The number 1 thing that the knucklehead wants to do is learn to hang glide. It is actually the only thing that makes any sense. Obviously guys who have no vision or passion or experience made up much of this ad. The car looks like a reasonable vehicle for hauling hang gliders.

Thanks to Steve Pearson.

Paul Voight landing at Ellenville

December 21, 2011, 9:20:52 PST

Paul Voight landing at Ellenville

Learned from his son, no doubt

Paul Voight|video

Years of practice: http://vimeo.com/33912489

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2012 opening: Wings Over Wasatch Flight School Manager

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 9:01:46 am PST

Creating a job

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|USHPA|weather

Ryan Voights writes:

Wings Over Wasatch is exited to announce that we are in search of a Flight School Manager for our hang gliding training operations located at Point of the Mountain, in Draper, Utah; Effective Spring 2012. We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual that loves to share the sport of hang gliding with others, and whose primary focus is creating new pilots. Wings Over Wasatch Flight School Manager is responsible for managing and operating all aspects of the flight school, including:

· Fielding all Flight School phone calls
· Scheduling of Flight School lessons and tandem flights
· Organize and track all flight school paperwork, waivers, student packets, etc
· Providing instruction to new and returning Flight School customers
· Coordinate the maintenance of school equipment
· Provide weekly updates with Wings Over Wasatch management

Candidates MUST:

· Be a current USHPA member with a minimum of an Advanced (h4) rating
· Possess current USHPA instructor rating
· Consistently offer customer-service oriented professional flight instruction
· Prioritize “Safety First” at all times
· Have a wealth of understanding of weather and micro-meteorology in order to accurately evaluate safe training conditions based on student’s current proficiency
· Enjoy working outdoors, and possess requisite physical fitness to provide quality training hill lessons

· Be self-motivated and work well independently without direct supervision

Compensation:

Due to the high level of responsibility expected of the Flight School Manager, qualified candidates will be offered generous compensation. Compensation is an hourly rate during training hill instruction, as well as commission on equipment sold to Flight School students.

To Apply:

Please send an email with a list of your qualifications and a bit about yourself to «Apply».

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2012 Wills Wing Demo Days »

October 26, 2011, 8:31:56 MDT

2012 Wills Wing Demo Days

April 4th to 7th

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video|Wills Wing Demo Days 2012

http://willswing.com/news.asp?newsSeek=773

This year Ryan Voight will again be hosting one of his very highly regarded landing clinics on Thursday and Friday, April 5th and 6th. The clinic will include video and analysis of your landings and is free, other than the cost of your tows.

Morningside Landing Clinic

September 2, 2011, 9:19:57 MDT

Morningside Landing Clinic

We all have to land

Fly High|Ryan Voight|video|weather

Fly High|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video|weather

Ryan Voight <ryan> writes:

Wings Over Wasatch and Fly High Hang Gliding will be holding a LANDING CLINIC Oct 15/16 hosted by Morningside Flight Park.

The clinic will include classroom sessions, and (weather permitting) video analysis of participant landings. Morningside Flight Park is an ideal location for a clinic of this sort, with the opportunity for repeated landings without the need to break down and set up again!

Clinic fee will be $90. (Morningside Flight Park fees are not included) No sign up necessary, but please send an email to either <flyhigh> or <ryan> if you plan to attend (so we have an idea of how many people to expect)

Thanks, and we hope to see lots of you there!

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Huge horrible completely awful natural disaster

August 30, 2011, 9:51:33 MDT

Huge horrible completely awful natural disaster

Run for the hills

Paul Voight

Paul Voight <<flyhigh>> writes:

Ellenville’s LZ under water. The river that divides the valley East/West by running the length of the Valley, went from 50 feet wide to ½ mile wide. The town was impassable because of deep Water. The LZ is smack in the middle of the deepest water in the photo. The Green cone is a man made Training hill.

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Aerobatics Clinic at the POM

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 8:02:43 am CDT

End of the month

Aerobatics Clinic at POM

Aaron Swepston|aerobatics|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

It's getting pretty short notice (end of the month), but as you may or may not know, every year I run an aerobatics clinic here in Utah. It can be anything from an intro-to-aerobatics for h3+ pilots that want to learn safely, to an improvement clinic for people that are already doing aero. More info here: http://www.wingsoverwasatch.com/Clinics/Aerobatics2011.html

But the big news is that Aaron Swepston has agreed to come and help coach us! The catch is that we don't quite have enough people signed up yet. I actually only have ONE signup so far. If we can get four people (so three more), Aaron will come down and we get to have some fun

Clinic is open to anyone with a h3 rating. If you have questions, feel free to PM me. I'm going to have to make a go/no-go call fairly soon, so if it's something you want to do, this is the time to register!

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Upcoming Instructor ITP

Mon, Jun 27 2011, 7:56:37 am CDT

At the Point of the Mountain, Draper, Utah

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

Just a heads up to anyone considering becoming a certified hang gliding instructor, Wings Over Wasatch is holding a clinic here in Utah (Point of the Mountain area) about a month from now, July 22-24.

Clinic fee is $200.

For more info or to register, visit: http://www.wingsoverwasatch.com/Clinics/Instructor2011.html

Late July is a great time to visit the Point, which is why I'm holding the clinic during this time-frame. This is also the weekend after the King Mountain meet, so there's no conflict, and it may be convenient for people attending that meet to zip the four hrs to the Point.

It's no secret more instructors would certainly help the sport grow!

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USHPA iPad App

May 30, 2011, 10:18:36 CDT

USHPA iPad App

Flight safety and training

Paul Voight|PG|USHPA|video

Nick Greece <<nick.greece>> writes:

United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Releases First Ever Hang Gliding Training Mobile App

Colorado Springs, June 1, 2011—The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) recently announced the development of a mobile hang gliding safety iPad app available worldwide through Apple’s App store. The new app focuses on pre-flight safety, skill development and flight techniques for all levels of hang gliding pilots.

USHPA’s Art Director, Greg Gillam, created the app with Paul Voight, a Master rated hang gliding pilot, to provide broad access to the wide body of knowledge that has been collected over the last 30 years around the increasingly popular sport. The first ever hang gliding app is an expanded mobile version of the USHPA film of the same name, Pre-Flight Safety, and will deliver rich, interactive content in a highly useable format.

The new platform’s content and strong visual cues easily guide pilots through the very critical learning process surrounding pre-flight safety. The app includes lectures with full visual support tools, including videos, an interactive glossary of terms, engaging photography and insights from some of the world’s best pilots.

Martin Palmaz, USHPA’s executive director, commented on the organization’s desire to enter into the mobile arena: “The iPad’s incredible growth in tablet computing has created a new channel to provide information for those interested in learning more about hang gliding and paragliding, whether they are existing or aspiring pilots.”

“With the role of mobile and tablet computing shaping how we access information, this new platform provides the ability to obtain information in the field,” he added.

USHPA’s first mobile app on hang gliding pre-flight safety can be purchased at the itunes store—http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hang-gliding/id437293681?mt=8

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Fly Utah Video

Thu, May 12 2011, 8:08:02 am EDT

Promotional film

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

Ryan Voight «Ryan Voight» writes:

Last summer I decided to put together a short promotional film about hang gliding. I wanted something that could be outward-facing, and attract new pilots to the sport. But I also wanted something that could be shown to existing hang glider pilots, to share how amazing the flying in Utah is. While it's not always a good idea to try to appeal to multiple demographics with the same piece. I think this manages it well enough.

I also wanted something short- something that grabs people, pulls them in for a few minutes and leave them wanting more.

Without further ado, I present: FLY UTAH!

Www.vimeo.com/airthug/flyutah

Special thanks to all those who helped me with this project- there's a lot that goes into making something like this, and a lot of people really came together (and put up with a lot from me) to make this happen. Most notably my wife!

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A landing clinic on the cheap

April 12, 2011, 9:26:53 EDT

A landing clinic on the cheap

No need for aerotowing

Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|Quest Air|Ryan Voight|video

Recently Paul and Ryan Voight held a landing clinic. But it required that pilots be aerotowed into the air, an expensive proposition even for just pattern tows. Mitch Shipley is running a Norwegian landing clinic here at Quest Air using his electric towing system. Given this system, you get a lot more repetitions, with a lot less cost. Claudia is at the other end taking videos to show the pilots what areas that they need to work on.

Videos. Repetitions. Proper instruction. The ingredients of a successful landing clinic.

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Landing Clinic Ingredients

April 5, 2011, 8:50:50 EDT

Landing Clinic Ingredients

Held during the Wills Wing Demo Days

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Ryan Voight and Paul Voight at <<flyhigh>> writes:

(The "ingredients list")

500-300 ft:

1) Identify L.Z. , choose target
2) MAKE A PLAN! Decide pattern you intend to utilize
3) Monitor wind direction via multiple indicators
4) Scan for obstacles, hazards, slope, power lines, people, etc
5) Continuously check for other air-traffic
6) Altitude check continuously
7) Check distance from L.Z., Glide, L/D, air quality, (lifty/sinky), etc
8) Deal with zippers, V.G. settings, strings, etc. (Ready for landing?)
9) If towed, check/stow tow bridal

300-100 ft:

10) Formalize PLAN ("Figure 8"/ "S" approach, or Aircraft/Downwind, Base, Final.)?
11) Keep alternate plan (thinking), in case primary plan needs to change
12) Continue monitoring: wind, field, obstructions, AIR-TRAFFIC
13) Free feet from harness

Below 100 ft: (14, 15 can be performed higher if desired)

14) Increase airspeed (if not already increased well above trim)
15) TRANSITION HANDS! (when... how) (higher altitude better than lower)
- AVOID allowing "Pitch bobble", or accidental roll input!
- Hands END UP at shoulder height. (in turbulence, can use one hand up/one on base, or remain on base longer, or too low on D.T.s - to be slid up later)
16) ROUND OUT, INTO GROUND EFFECT, (not too high), recognizing GRADIENT
17) Remain level. Look ahead. Recognize speed loss as you ground effect
18) FLARE! (Timing/when)- (just before glider "settles")... how much?... feet back... (think) push UP not out) - Flaring correctly is a combination of technique and timing.
How much should you Flare in a given situation? (Flare only the amount needed... to stop your forward motion across the ground)

Common denominators in bad landings: Poor planning, Poor alternate planning, Low transitions, Low turns, Low airspeed, High round-outs, Throwing feet forward, Arms extended (elbows not back) prior to when flare is called for (can't flare), Pulling back in after an early flare, Late flare, Wimpy or no flare.

* ANY combination of these denominators GREATLY increases chance of poor landing!!!

Wallaby Demo Days and Landing Clinic reminder

March 17, 2011, 8:40:14 EDT

Wallaby Demo Days and Landing Clinic reminder

It's a party

Mike Meier|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

Mike Meier <<Mike>> writes:

Just a reminder – the Wills Wing Wallaby 2011 Demo Days and Fly-In will be held next week - Wednesday, March 23rd through Sunday March 27th, with our traditional party and dinner on Saturday night March 26th.

As previously announced, this year Ryan Voight will be hosting one of his very highly regarded landing clinics on Thursday and Friday, March 24th and 25th. The clinic will include video and analysis of your landings and is free, other than the cost of your tows. Participants can get a reduced rate on tows during the clinic by pre-registering - just send an email with your name and "Landing Clinic" in the subject line to <mike> . (You should plan to provide your own glider for the landing clinic - availability of demo gliders will be limited.)

The clinic will start each day with a pilot’s meeting at 7:30 am, and the launch window will open when the tugs fire up at approximately 8:00 am. We’ll fly until the breakfast bell rings at approximately 10:00 am, then break for breakfast and meet afterwards for video review and classroom analysis of the landings.

We hope to see you at Wallaby in 2011!

The USHPA BOD meeting

March 7, 2011, 8:24:33 pm EST

The USHPA BOD meeting

What came out of it

Andrew Vanis|Lisa Tate|Ryan Voight|Steve Kroop|USHPA

Andrew Vanis|Lisa Tate|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|Steve Kroop|USHPA

Mark Gaskill and Lisa Tate have resigned as USHPA Regional Directors. Ryan Voight and Don Lapinsky were appointed the new Regional Directors to server out their terms. Bill Bellcourt and Andrew Vanis were also nominated in Region four. It is a new era.

Internet voting (a stab at trying to get a little more participation). The USHPA is planning on doing electronic elections for upcoming election for Regional Directors. They currently have 7400 emails addresses for USHPA members in their database. They will send out a  postcard to all members telling them to sign up for internet voting or contact office for ballot.

New reimburse schedule for hotel and travel expenses for Regional Directors. It goes from $400 to $600 per meeting (reimbursal).  A number of directors do not ever use the reimbursement, like Steve Kroop of Flytec. Steve is basically giving a donation back to the association.

$20,000 will be spent on nine markets to advertise in movie theatres for six weeks during movie RIO. It is predicted that the advertising will reap two million impressions. FOX is letting the USHPA use HD footage of the trailer and short clips of hang gliding training on a specific website, probably http://flylikeabird.org (doesn't exist yet).

I would like to see $20,000 spent on supporting whatever hang gliding instructors think that would be useful to them to attracting new students. I doubt that this $20,000 spend on impressions will be particularly successful.

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Risk Management Course Video Lectures

January 27, 2011, 8:57:07 AEDT

Risk Management Course Video Lectures

Developing modern course material

John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Mike Meier|Paul Voight|PG|USHPA|video

John Matylonek <<john>> writes:

The Risk Management Course at OHGS Online has been extensively updated with professionally produced video lectures from Toronto-based veteran hang gliding instructor, Michael Robertson, inventor of the Robertson Charts of Reliability (RBR) risk management system. Included are articles on the physiology of error by advanced instructor John Matylonek of Oregon Hang Gliding School; analysis of the probability of error by Mike Meier of Wills Wing, Inc; USHPA professionally produced preflight videos narrated by Paul Voight of Fly High Hang Gliding and club-based preflight and checklist systems, a video on paragliding accident analysis. A comprehensive quiz follows the material allowing life long learner rated pilots to test themselves and to assist USHPA certified instructors in testing their students in these vital topics.

Http://www.oregonhanggliding.com/tutorials

Choose the "login as guest" button and when asked for a password type "guest" no quotes

This risk management course will modularize with the expansion of material and be closely related to the Meteorology course as both develop.

Wills Wing - thanks for a good year »

November 23, 2010, 4:03:29 pm PST

Wills Wing - thanks for a good year

Demo Days at Wallaby

Mike Meier|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video

Mike Meier writes:

Our Wallaby 2011 Demo Days and Fly-In will be held Wednesday, March 23rd through Sunday March 27th, with our traditional party and dinner on Saturday night March 26th. This year Ryan Voight will be hosting one of his very highly regarded landing clinics on Thursday and Friday, March 24th and 25th. The clinic will include video and analysis of your landings and is free, other than the cost of your tows. Participants can get a reduced rate on tows during the clinic by pre-registering - just send an email with your name and "Landing Clinic" in the subject line to <mike>. (You should plan to provide your own glider for the landing clinic - availability of demo gliders will be limited.)

We hope to see you at Wallaby in 2011!

Our sales in 2010 have returned to pre-recession levels and are up 10% over last year. We have been particularly pleased to see the continued increase in popularity among advanced pilots and competition pilots of the T2 and T2C this year, and the increasing success of the glider in competition events. As we come to the end of a very successful year and prepare for the holiday season, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our dealers and customers. We are reminded every day that our success depends on all of you, and we're very thankful to have your continued support.

Jeff Nicolay dies

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 5:31:46 am GMT

Proprietor of Morningside

Jeff Nicolay

death|Fly High|Gary Trudeau|Jeff Nicolay|Morningside Flight Park|Paul Voight

Paul Voight at Fly High «flyhigh» sends

I just got a call from Gary Trudeau up in New England who sadly reported that Jeff Nicolay passed away last night. Jeff had been having several health issues these past months and unfortunately they became insurmountable.

Jeff was a great friend, instructor, humorist, partier, and a true Hang Gliding icon. Jeff WAS Morningside Flight Park. Over a nearly 40 year Hang Gliding career, Jeff did it all. I’m sure his student count is in the thousands.

A service is being planned for sometime early in October, I’m told and it will be huge.

I’m really going to miss that guy.

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USHPA Fall 2010 BOD meeting

September 10, 2010, 8:56:55 MDT

USHPA Fall 2010 BOD meeting

The schedule

Bill Bolosky|Dave Broyles|David Glover|Dean Funk|Foundation for Free Flight|Leo Bynum|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Paul Voight|Rich Hass|Rod Clark|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

Bill Bolosky|Dave Broyles|David Glover|Dean Funk|Foundation for Free Flight|Jon James|Leo Bynum|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Paul Voight|Rich Hass|Rod Clark|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

Thursday, October 21, 2010

8:00 -12:00 EC Meeting
9:00-12:00 Ad Hoc ED Hiring Committee Meeting (Tracy Tillman)
1:30- 5:30 Director Training (All Directors)


6:00-9:00 Ice Breaker Reception –
McMenamins- Rambler Room-700 N.W. Bond Street 541-330-8567
http://www.mcmenamins.com/537-old-st-francis-school-event-spaces

Friday, October 22, 2010

8:30- 9:45 Committee Meetings

Site Committee Jon James
Elections Mark Forbes
Membership & Development Leo Bynum/ Rod Clark

10:00 -11:30 Committee Meetings

National Coordinating Dick Heckman
Safety and Training Dave Broyles & Dave Wills
Chapter Support Dean Funk
Towing Committee Felipe Amunategui

1:00 -2:45 Committee Meetings

Publications Urs Kellenberger
Insurance / Finance Committee Mark Forbes / Rich Hass
Awards Brad Hall
Tandem Committee Paul Voight

3:00 -5:00 Competition Committee Mike Haley

5:00 – 6:00 Bylaws Dave Wills

Saturday, October 23, 2010

8:30-12:00 General Session

Call to order (Lisa Tate)
Roll Call (Rich Hass)
Approval of minutes (Lisa Tate)
Executive Committee Report (Rich Hass)
President’s Report (Lisa Tate)
Treasurers Report (Mark Forbes)
Old Business

Strategic Planning Group Report (Riss Estes / Lisa Tate)

Report by the Foundation for Free Flight (Bill Bolosky)

Committee Reports:

Site Committee (Jon James)
Elections (Mark Forbes)
Membership & Development (Leo Bynum)
National Coordinating (Dick Heckman)
Safety and Training (Dave Broyles & Dave Wills)
Chapter Support (Dean funk)
Awards (Brad Hall)


1:30-2:45 General Session

Committee Reports:
Publications (Urs Kellenberger)
Insurance (Mark Forbes)
Finance (Rich Hass)
Towing Committee (Felipe Amunategui)
Tandem Committee (Paul Voight)
Competition Committee (Mike Haley)
Bylaws (Dave Wills)

3:00- 6:00 General Session

Location of Fall 2011 BOD Meeting (Lisa Tate to present proposals received)

New Business

1. Torrey Pines Funding Request (Brad Hall)
2. Proposal to eliminate or reduce funding to the Foundation For Free Flight (David Glover)

Elections
Directors At Large
Corporate Officers
Adjourn

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Ellenville, NY - 20th annual “Labor day weekend FUN-FLY-IN” »

Mon, Aug 30 2010, 7:49:16 pm MDT

Make it a long weekend.

Paul Voight|PG|Tony Covelli

Ellenville, NY - 20th annual “Labor day weekend FUN-FLY-IN”

Paul Voight writes:

Ellenville Flight Park (Tony Covelli) and the Southern NY Hang Glider and Paraglider Pilot’s Association will be hosting another fun FLY-In for four days, from Friday Sept 3rd through Monday, Sept 6th (Labor Day)

This years event will be un-scored, free form, “Woodstock-ian,” come camp, fly, party, "go nuts” style.

Saturday night will see a catered BBQ four hour feed with kegs and a great band “The Sailcats”.

There is an awesome Roger Baker T-shirt design being printed and the party will happen, rain or shine.

Some pilots are attending the whole week prior to Labor Day!

For information contact Paul Voight: «flyhigh».

Running a landing clinic

August 12, 2010, 9:03:04 CDT

Running a landing clinic

Working on our worst skill

Fly High|Paul Voight|video|weather

Paul Voight at Fly High <<flyhigh>> sends these remarks about his landing clinic:

The landing clinic was fantastic, I just wish the weather on Sunday had been flyable but Ryan made up for it with a stockpile of landing videos and excellent guided discussion. You have GOT to get into this if the Voights put this together again. The combination of Paul up on launch and Ryan videoing down in the LZ was fantastic; the combined knowledge of these two is just amazing. We actually got a low wind takeoff clinic out of the deal!

Ryan didn't just video our landings and then talk us through them, he was prepared for the discussion portion of the clinic with a large stock of landing videos that emphasized the points he was making. The combination of seeing your own issues on landing and then seeing a similar issue during another landing that didn't work out so well was very powerful, sometimes painfully so!

I got to launch bright and early, figuring I would be the first person there but no! Brian V was all ready to go and camped out under his glider. Soon Ron and Andy then Brian H, Kenny and Ricardo arrived. We set up on a beautiful morning and got a quick briefing from Paul then queued up on the north launch. There were very weak NE cycles but mostly just dead calm morning air. Paul throw a smoke grenade to the lip of the launch and the smoke just accumulated right there with no real noticeable movement. Kenny joked behind me "You wanted a cloud dive Lindsey, there it is!" LOL!

The launch could have been better but that new U2-160 pulled me out-a-there. I thought the landing was one of my better ones, but Ryan showed me the error of my ways. My approach took me too close to the trees and my feet swung forward during the flare emphasizing the impact. I knew I had flown close to the trees, but I had no idea about the feet thing until he showed it to me on video. Then he showed me a landing where the pilot flared way early with feet coming forward bringing the nose down HARD!!!! I'm not sure how I'm going to fix that problem but at least I know about it now.

We all flew, we all talked and I think we all learned a lot. I'm very glad I did it and highly recommend it if it comes along again.

Lindsey Stay AWAY from the TREES! Trees are BAD!


This is something I've been looking for in HG. Lil & I ski more than we HG (she doesn't even tandem any more), but we do take a ski lesson at least once a year. We get older, we get slower, our equipment changes and our technique deteriorates. What's more we don't necessarily know it's happening. Even though we get a lot of informal mentoring from each other and from friends, a real critical look from a professional is well worth the expense. It's keeping us on our goal to ski one day for every year we are old and at least 10,000 vertical feet more each year than the last. By cleaning up our act every year, we're open to new challenges every year.

I've seen lots of HG clinics that offer something new, but this is the first time I've seen a formal HG program to fix/improve old skills and remove developing bad habits. This was a landing clinic. It improved my launch. This was a landing clinic. It included a discussion about adjusting your harness to make your landings better. This was a landing clinic. It included a whole lot about the setup for the landing. And, it was a landing clinic.

With two pros and a room full of pilots analyzing your landing, it's real easy to find things that you're doing that you didn't think you were doing. It's also easy to spot things that you aren't doing or that you're doing at the wrong time. This wasn't one of those restatements of the obvious set-up, aim for your goal, fly there, flare things. It included how to get that done each step of the way, an analysis of how you were doing it relative to the ideal, and what you could do to improve. It also included options to suit your personal preferences or conditions.

My time and money was very well spent.

Jim


I agree… I've spent most of my flying career a few hours south, and except for a one-time seminar by Greg Dewolf, they've got nothing like this. Pin point precision via frame by frame analysis. If this becomes an annual event, expect people from all over to come by: I'll be advertising for it. Brian

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Landing Clinic

July 24, 2010, 6:51:09 pm GMT+0200

Landing Clinic

Your most important flying skill

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|video|weather

Paul Voight <flyhigh> writes:

I recently witnessed a Hang Gliding landing clinic held in Salt Lake by my son, Ryan Voight. The experiment was a total success with 9 pilots attending (willing to shell out funds to learn to be better landers!) Which I find refreshing!

Every participant went away with better landing skills (and the knowledge to improve further!)

I brought the idea back to New York and decided to hold another landing clinic here in Ellenville, hiring in Ryan to run the clinic.

The format involves flying, (weather permitting), video analysis, and class-room discussion.

DATES: Saturday July 31st + Sunday, Aug. 1st - cost $95 per pilot. The clinic can be held rain or shine as stock footage and the lecture material easily support the subject

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USHPA Question and Answer

April 2, 2010, 11:21:59 pm EDT

USHPA Question and Answer

No one showed up to question the USHPA directors

Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Malcolm Jones|Paul Voight|USHPA

I called together Paul Voight, Felipe Amunategui and former Regional Director Gregg Ludwig to answer questions about the USHPA during the Wills Wing Demo Days at Wallaby Ranch on Friday night at 7 PM. We got together and talked about a few USHPA issues. But no one came to talk to us, so we broke up after fifteen minutes. Thanks to Malcolm Jones for letting us have the meeting at Wallaby.

USHPA Governance, part 2 »

February 16, 2010, 7:09:51 pm PST

USHPA Governance, part 2

One on one

Dave Broyles|David Glover|Dennis Pagen|Leo Bynum|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Paul Voight|Rich Hass|Rob Sporrer|Steve Kroop|Tracy Tillman|USHPA|USHPA Governance

I raised the question in the last article on this subject, how can the USHPA BOD expect us to communicate intelligently with our regional directors if we are kept in the dark about what the BOD is considering? I pointed to the fact that the BOD (in the form of all BOD members who are also members of the competition committee) are currently voting on proposals regarding USHPA Competition Sanctioning, but the affected parties, competition pilots, meet organizers, and just regular USHPA members, have no awareness that this is even happening (unless they read about it here in the Oz Report).

I remember something about a well educated population being necessary for the proper functioning of a democracy. I assume that the issues being discussed and voted on have previously been of great interest to the affected parties as they have petitioned the USHPA regarding competition issues and made perfectly clear that they have concerns in this area. So why do they continue to be kept in the dark?

So how about if each Oz Report reader who would like the USHPA BOD to make their emails to each other open to the USHPA members ask their regional directors to share/forward the emails that they receive available to the requesting members of their region? Each regional director would keep a forward email address list and when they received an email addressed to the BOD list, they would forward it to the list? Quick and easy.

If you think that this is a good idea, how about if you email your regional director and ask them to do this and to make this the policy of the BOD? Here are their addresses:

REGION 1 - AK, OR, WA
Rich Hass R 2010 (425) 453-7177 <lowenslo>
Mark Forbes R 2011 (541) 760-3231 bio <mgforbes>
Mike Haley L 2010 (541) 702-2111 <mike_haley>
REGION 2 - North CA, NV
Bill Cuddy R 2011 (775) 378-1707 <billcuddy>
Urs Kellenberger R 2011 (650) 802-9908 <urs>
Dave Wills R 2010 (650) 324-9155 <dave>
REGION 3 - South CA, HI
Rob Sporrer R 2011 (805) 968-0980 <rob>
Bob Kuczewski R 2010 (858) 204-7499 bio <bobkuczewski>
Brad Hall R 2011 (760) 438-7804 bio <brad.reg3>
REGION 4 - AZ, CO, NM, UT
Mark Gaskill R 2010 (801) 949-2803 bio <airutah>
Ken Grubbs R 2011 (970) 879-7770 bio <kengrubbs>
Leo Bynum L 2010 (505) 255-1097 <leo>
REGION 5 - ID, MT, WY
Lisa Tate R 2011 (208) 376-7914 <lisa.tate>
REGION 6 - AR, KS, MO, NE, OK
David Glover R 2011 (405) 830-6420 <davidhglover>
REGION 7 - IL, IN, MI, MN ND, SD, WI, IA
Tracy Tillman R 2010 (517) 223-8683 <cloud9sa>
REGION 8 - NH, CT, ME, MA, RI, VT
Jeff Nicolay R 2010 (603) 542-4416 <morningside>
REGION 9 - DC, DL, KY, MD, OH, PA, VA, WV
Felipe Amunategui R 2010 (216) 751-0347 <felipe.amunategui>
L.E. Herrick R 2011 (304) 704-2331 <le_herrick>
Dennis Pagen L 2010 (814) 422-0589 <pagenbks>
Art Greenfield - NAA X (800) 644-9777 <awgreenfield>
REGION 10 - AL, FL, GA, MS NC, SC, TN, VI, PR
Steve Kroop R 2010 (321) 773-2307 <info>
Matt Taber R 2011 (706) 398-3433 <fly>
Bruce Weaver R 2011 (252) 441-3589 <bruce>
REGION 11 - LA, TX
David Glover R 2011 (405) 830-6420 <davidhglover>
Riss Estes L 2010 (512) 329-0790 bio <parariss>
Dave Broyles L 2010 (972) 727-3588 <broydg>
REGION 12 - NJ, NY
Paul Voight R 2010 (845) 744-3317 bio <flyhigh>
REGION 13 - International
Tracy Tillman 2010 (517) 223-8683 <cloud9sa>

The USHPA BOD might even think of a simpler way to do this, carry out its "secret" business out in the open on a forum in the Members Only section of the USHPA web site.

Am I crazy to ask that the BOD seriously consider such options?

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Eleven year olds

January 26, 2010, 7:48:09 AEDT

Eleven year olds

Fourteen years ago

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

Paul Voight sends:

Ryan Voight at age 11 in 2nd season of training. Now 25 yrs old, owner Wings over Wasatch Hang Gliding school, Utah.

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Moyes-Bailey tug for sale

November 2, 2009, 10:13:16 GMT-0500

Moyes-Bailey tug for sale

At a great price

Fly High|Paul Voight

Paul Voight at Fly High <<flyhigh>> writes:

Our local Bailey tug owner just bought a new 914 turbo engine, then decided to buy a whole new Moyes plane kit after the fact. So, he is looking to sell his current plane which has a new 912S engine with only 400 hrs, is N-numbered and certificated and is all decked out with every amenity for towing, etc.

Apparently it would be a $50,000 plane if you pieced one together (like it) today. He's looking for low $30,000's. Martin Zaunier 718-208-3604

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Response to the email from Lisa Tate, USHPA President

October 12, 2009, 8:11:59 PDT

Response to the email from Lisa Tate, USHPA President

Lisa has sent out an email to all USHPA members

CIVL|Dave Broyles|Dennis Pagen|Foundation for Free Flight|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Leo Bynum|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Ollie Gregory|Paul Voight|PG|Rich Hass|Rob Sporrer|Steve Kroop|Tracy Tillman|USHPA|World Pilot Ranking Scheme

You may have recently received an email from Lisa Tate, USHPA President, regarding proposed changes to the USHPA Competition Program. Lisa states that the Competition Workgroup has recently made some changes to their original proposal. We applaud this change: the separation of the Race-To-Goal type meets from other types of events/competitions. We want to preserve and enhance the existing competition program, not damage it with ill considered changes.

We ask the USHPA BOD to reject the proposed sanctioning and accreditation process found in the Competition Workgroup proposal and instead implement the proposals found here. We ask you to ask your Regional Director (either by email or phoning) to vote with us in rejecting the CWG proposal if it in any way impinges on the Race-To-Goal competition program. Their phone numbers and email addresses can be found below.

Lisa has asked pilots to respond to their Regional Directors regarding a number of concerns that the CWG and the BOD are mulling over. We have provided our answers to those questions below. We ask you to consider our answers, make up your own mind and send in your answers to your Regional Director, along with our request above. Here are their questions along with our answers:

Section 1 – National Championships and Mentoring (Pros/Cons delivered to board week of 9/14):

(1) Should National Champions be crowned based on performance in a single event, as in years past, or by means of a series, as was tested in 2009?

Steve Kroop has proposed a Cross Country National Champion chosen from the results of "open distance" type competitions. As well as a Race to Goal National Champion chosen from pilots competing in race to goal type competitions. Two separate tracks (although pilots would be free to fly in either or both kinds of competitions).

I have proposed that the CWG proposal be edited to create this very cross country type competition system. You can find that proposal here: http://ozreport.com/docs/...rkingDraftfirstcopy.pdf. Redline version here: http://ozreport.com/docs/...aftfirstcopyredline.pdf.

I also proposed that the Race to Goal National Champion be the pilot with the highest total NTSS score from two meets out of the five race to goal meets sanctioned by the USHA in a given year (that number can vary). So you don't have to go to all five meets to be the National Champion, two will do, just do well in them. The math to do this is already in our NTSS ranking system.

I also propose that you can do the same thing or something similar with the Cross Country National Championship. Just make sure that your co-ordinate the scoring systems across competitions.

(2) Should National Championship competition events be given 100% “pre-meet” validity?

No, see above. The National Race-To-Goal Champion should be chosen as above from all the Race-To-Goal sanctioned meets.

(3) Is the Meet Director apprentice program contemplated by the 2009 draft
competition and events manual appropriate?

No. This program is poorly thought out and not funded (for the mentor). If the USHPA is willing to fund this (not just expenses of the mentee) paying the meet organizer/meet director(s) to do the mentoring, then this would be a step in the right direction (otherwise competition pilots will be asked to pay for this).

(4) What is the best way to foster mentoring and at which meets should mentoring be required, if any?

Follow the Ollie Gregory proposal for replicating Team Challenge type events. Provide financial support to Meet Organizers for Sport Class and for mentors for the Sport Class Pilots.

Section 2 – Foreign Competitions and Competitors (Pros/Cons to board week of 9/27):

(1) How should the attendance of foreign pilots affect the pre-meet validity of US meets?

Yes. Here is my proposal (originated by the paraglider pilots):

1. Foreign pilots are welcome and allowed in USHPA Sanctioned competitions.

Pilots ranked 1st - 100th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 101st - 200th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 201st - 300th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 301st - 400th: 15 points
Pilots ranked 401st - 500th: 10 points
Pilots ranked 501st - 600th: 5 points

(2) The draft presented to the board last Fall contemplated reducing the number of foreign events a US pilot can count in calculating their NTSS score from 2 down to 1. Should the US system be changed in some way so this doesn’t happen, and how?

The Race-To-Goal foreign competition provisions should be left untouched.

(3) Should all foreign events have FAI certification for them to be considered for use in NTSS?

Don't care, either way. Almost all hang gliding competitions outside the US are CIVL sanctioned.

(4) The draft competition manual contemplates levying a surcharge on competition participants at high level events, which moneys would go into a USHPA fund to pay for the travel expenses of world teams. Is this appropriate?

No, it is not.

If our goal is to have more competitions and more attendance, why are we discouraging attendance by taxing it? Isn't the complaint that the meets already costs too much, and that pilots want to go to competitions like the King meet which are less costly?

The National teams are free to raise money for their expenses. The USHPA contributes ZERO dollars to the US National team. Why should the USHPA collect a tax for a team that it doesn't even support?

Won't putting on a tax hurt the fund raising efforts of the National team? Right now pilots have the possibility of helping fund the team voluntarily through contributions to the Foundation for Free Flight (which goes to pay their entry fees at the Worlds, only). And they can participate in voluntary fund raising efforts by the team. Why undercut those efforts by instituting a tax?

Future Section Topics:

Pilot and Organizer Burden

() Many comp pilots feel strained to attend 3 competitions per year, considering a finite number of vacation days. Does the plan place too heavy of a burden on pilots aspiring to the world team?

No, it does not. Only four meets over a two year period are required. Where did the number three come from?

() Should the number of sanctioned events for each class be managed or restricted in some way to accommodate best estimates of supply and demand or should a hands-off, free market approach be used?

The more meets the better to serve our members. The USHPA must recognize that meet organizers are a limited resource and they must be encouraged to provide this wonderful service to the membership. We do not have a problem with too many meets, but too few.

() Comp pilots have reported they don’t want to be required to attend any low-level events. Does this requirement represent an excess burden on pilots, and is this requirement appropriate?

Yes. How about attracting pilots as opposed to forcing them? How about more carrots and less sticks? Isn't this supposed to be fun?

() What should the sanctioning fees be for accreditation and sanctioning? What changes, if any, should be considered at such time as sponsorship dollars are available?

We already have well over $20,000 spent on us each year at Big Spring. The dollars seem available now to meet organizers willing to do the work.

The sanction fees and bonds should be reduced by a factor of ten at least.

Validity and Scoring

() What is the best pre-meet validity system for the sport (i.e. headcount vs. ranking)

Race-To-Goal - GAP scoring.

The current NTSS system is an appropriate and well balanced validity system. I (through the paraglider pilots) have proposed a slight modification:

1. Each competing pilot in the meet (a competing pilot is one who has duly registered and flown at least one competition day) who is NTSS ranked 80th or higher brings points to the meet in accordance with the following schedule:

Pilots ranked 1st - 15th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 16th - 30th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 31st - 45th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 46th - 60th: 15 points
Pilots ranked 61st - 75th: 10 points
Pilots ranked 76th- 80th: 5 points

Previously it was:

Pilots ranked 1st - 10th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 11th - 20th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 21st - 30th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 31st - 40th: 14 points
Pilots ranked 41st - 50th: 9 points
Pilots ranked 51st - 60th: 6 points
Pilots ranked 61st - 70th: 4 points
Pilots ranked 71st - 80th: 2 points

In addition this change:

1. Foreign pilots are welcome and allowed in USHPA Sanctioned competitions.

Pilots ranked 1st - 100th: 45 points
Pilots ranked 101st - 200th: 30 points
Pilots ranked 201st - 300th: 20 points
Pilots ranked 301st - 400th: 15 points
Pilots ranked 401st - 500th: 10 points
Pilots ranked 501st - 600th: 5 points

Previously it was:

The NTSS ranking is made up only of U.S. pilots. However, the NTSS recognizes, for the purpose of points calculation, an equivalent foreign pilot's ranking according to the most current WPRS ranking with the top 20 places equal to the top 10 U.S. pilots and the WPRS ranking 21 through 40 equal to the NTSS 11 to 20 and so on up to WPRS 140 through 160 equal to NTSS 70 through 80.

() Should the number of total points required to achieve a fully valid meet be reduced (how much)? PG only?

No.

() Should competition tasks be scored using barometric or GPS altitude?

Barometric as it was at the Worlds. But, of course, altitude is not used in scoring unless air space is an issue.

You can ask your regional director to support these changes here:

REGION 1 - AK, OR, WA
Rich Hass R 2010 (425) 453-7177 <lowenslo>
Mark Forbes R 2009 (541) 760-3231 bio <mgforbes>
Mike Haley L 2009 (541) 899-1775 <mike_haley>
 
REGION 2 - North CA, NV
Paul Gazis R 2009 (650) 604-5704 <pgazis>
Urs Kellenberger R 2009 (650) 802-9908 <urs>
Dave Wills R 2010 (650) 324-9155 <dave>
 
REGION 3 - South CA, HI
Rob Sporrer R 2009 (805) 968-0980 <rob>
Bob Kuczewski R 2010 (858) 204-7499 bio <bobk>
Brad Hall R 2009 (760) 438-7804 bio <brad.reg3>
 
REGION 4 - AZ, CO, NM, UT
Mark Gaskill R 2010 (801) 949-2803 bio <airutah>
Ken Grubbs R 2009 (970) 879-7770 bio <kengrubbs>
Leo Bynum L 2009 (505) 255-1097 <leo>
 
REGION 5 - ID, MT, WY
Lisa Tate R 2009 (208) 376-7914 <lisa.tate>
 
REGION 6 - AR, KS, MO, NE, OK
Gregg Ludwig R 2009 (281) 788-6754 <greggludwig>
 
REGION 7 - IL, IN, MI, MN ND, SD, WI, IA
Tracy Tillman R 2010 (517) 223-8683 <cloud9sa>
 
REGION 8 - NH, CT, ME, MA, RI, VT
Jeff Nicolay R 2010 (603) 542-4416 <morningside>
 
REGION 9 - DC, DL, KY, MD, OH, VA, WV
Felipe Amunategui R 2010 (216) 751-0347 <felipe.amunategui>
L.E. Herrick R 2009 (304) 704-2331 <le_herrick>
Dennis Pagen L 2009 (814) 422-0589 <pagenbks>
Art Greenfield - NAA X (800) 644-9777 <awgreenfield>
 
REGION 10 - AL, FL, GA, MS NC, SC, TN, VI, PR
Steve Kroop R 2010 (321) 773-2307 <info>
Matt Taber R 2009 (706) 398-3433 <fly>
Dick Heckman R 2009 (205) 534-1461 <hekdic>
 
REGION 11 - LA, TX
Gregg Ludwig R 2009 (281) 788-6754 <greggludwig>
Riss Estes L 2009 (512) 329-0790 bio <parariss>
Dave Broyles L 2009 (972) 727-3588 <broydg>
 
REGION 12 - NJ, NY
Paul Voight R 2010 (845) 744-3317 bio <flyhigh>
 
REGION 13 - International
Dick Heckman 2009 (205) 534-1461 <hekdic>

What am I proposing to change?

October 5, 2009, 9:12:02 PDT

What am I proposing to change?

Very simply what are the changes I am proposing to the USHPA Competition system?

Dave Broyles|Dennis Pagen|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Leo Bynum|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Paul Voight|Rich Hass|Rob Sporrer|Steve Kroop|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

Here simply is what I want changed:

  1. Let ranked competition pilots bring more points to sanctioned meets, for example, instead of the top ten pilots bringing 45 NTSS points each to the meet, make it the top fifteen and so on. Similarly for the top foreign pilots. This increases the value of competitions.
  2. Divide the USHPA Competition Rulebook into three documents in order to make it more useable by the three different audiences to which the original document was addressed, especially for competition pilots at meets.
  3. Remove outdated restrictions on meet organizers in order to encourage them to organize more and better competitions. Reduce sanction and bond fees by a factor of ten.
  4. Have the competition pilots in both disciplines choose the Competition Committee co-chairman and have these co-chairman choose the competition committee members from among the competition pilots. Have the competition committee meet virtually.
  5. Change the Competition Workgroup proposal to eliminate any conflict with the NTSS competitions and put the revamped proposal in the Membership and Development committee. Let them develop a separate open distance and event based competition system.
  6. Choose a meet validity for the King Mountain co-Nationals that is consistent with the Competition Rulebook in force at the time of the meet.

These proposed changes can be found in detail here.

The full background on these proposals can be found here:
CWGarticles.htm
Kingnats.htm

You can ask your regional director to support these changes here:

REGION 1 - AK, OR, WA
Rich Hass R 2010 (425) 453-7177 <lowenslo>
Mark Forbes R 2009 (541) 760-3231 <mgforbes> bio
Mike Haley L 2009 (541) 899-1775 <mike_haley>
REGION 2 - North CA, NV
Paul Gazis R 2009 (650) 604-5704 <pgazis>
Urs Kellenberger R 2009 (650) 802-9908 <urs>
Dave Wills R 2010 (650) 324-9155 <dave>
REGION 3 - South CA, HI
Rob Sporrer R 2009 (805) 968-0980 <rob>
Bob Kuczewski R 2010 (858) 204-7499 <bobk> bio
Brad Hall R 2009 (760) 438-7804 <brad.reg3> bio
REGION 4 - AZ, CO, NM, UT
Mark Gaskill R 2010 (801) 949-2803 <airutah> bio
Ken Grubbs R 2009 (970) 879-7770 <kengrubbs> bio
Leo Bynum L 2009 (505) 255-1097 <leo>
REGION 5 - ID, MT, WY
Lisa Tate R 2009 (208) 376-7914 <lisa.tate>
REGION 6 - AR, KS, MO, NE, OK
Gregg Ludwig R 2009 (281) 788-6754 <greggludwig>
REGION 7 - IL, IN, MI, MN ND, SD, WI, IA
Tracy Tillman R 2010 (517) 223-8683 <cloud9sa>
REGION 8 - NH, CT, ME, MA, RI, VT
Jeff Nicolay R 2010 (603) 542-4416 <morningside>
REGION 9 - DC, DL, KY, MD, OH, VA, WV
Felipe Amunategui R 2010 (216) 751-0347 <felipe.amunategui>
L.E. Herrick R 2009 (304) 704-2331 <le_herrick>
Dennis Pagen L 2009 (814) 422-0589 <pagenbks>
Art Greenfield - NAA X (800) 644-9777 <awgreenfield>
REGION 10 - AL, FL, GA, MS NC, SC, TN, VI, PR
Steve Kroop R 2010 (321) 773-2307 <info>
Matt Taber R 2009 (706) 398-3433 <fly>
Dick Heckman R 2009 (205) 534-1461 <hekdic>
REGION 11 - LA, TX
Gregg Ludwig R 2009 (281) 788-6754 <greggludwig>
Riss Estes L 2009 (512) 329-0790 <parariss> bio
Dave Broyles L 2009 (972) 727-3588 <broydg>
REGION 12 - NJ, NY
Paul Voight R 2010 (845) 744-3317 <flyhigh> bio
REGION 13 - International
Dick Heckman 2009 (205) 534-1461 <hekdic>

Petitioning the USHPA

September 18, 2009, 8:13:32 MDT

Petitioning the USHPA

Just what kinda petition have you got there, boy?

Dave Broyles|Dennis Pagen|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Lisa Tate|Mike Haley|Paul Voight|Richard Heckman|Rich Hass|Rob Sporrer|Steve Kroop|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

As Oz Report readers know 105 mostly competition pilots have petitioned their regional directors at the USHPA BOD to:

I, the undersigned USHPA member, have lost confidence in the ability of the current USHPA leadership to competently and fairly manage the National Team Selection System (NTSS). I respectfully request that the competition committee chairman resign and the USHPA Board, Executive Committee and president stop moving forward on changes to the competition rulebook and NTSS system without first getting direct and considered input from the pilots, organizers and meet directors who are the most familiar NTSS competition.

I believe the validity of the rankings may have been compromised by recent competition committee actions and the 2009 Hang Gliding King Mountain NTSS point totals should be examined by a group of knowledgeable competition pilots, meet directors and scorekeepers to objectively determine proper validity.

I strongly encourage the USHPA Board to adjust their focus to support and create events outside the NTSS system to achieve and satisfy the important mission and goals of the USHPA.

You'll notice that this petition is not asking for the USHPA to take up a new subject and have a vote on that issue. It is asking Mike to resign and for USHPA BOD members to listen to the pilots on issues that they will already be voting on.

Lisa Tate, USHPA President, has responded to an inquiry from Steve Kroop, Region 10 director, with a statement that there is a procedure for accepting petitions at the USHPA and that it can be found in the USHPA Policy Manual, SOP 2.5. That SOP states:

5. 01 Petition Proposal

A. Any current member may present a petition to the USHPA President for the purpose of initiating a vote upon any issue. The petition must clearly set forth the proposed issue to be voted upon must be presented to the USHPA President not less than 60 days before the submission of the required sponsor signatures discussed below.

Now, first of all these pilots are not presenting a USHPA formal petition to the USHPA. They have signed a petition that has gone to each of their Regional Directors.

Second, the petition does not have the "...purpose of initiating a vote...," but rather is asking the pilots' regional directors to vote in a certain way on already scheduled votes at the CC and BOD meetings. It also asks, once again, for Mike Haley to resign his position as Competition Committee Chairman (this doesn't need a vote).

Forcing the USHPA BOD to vote on a issue by a formal petition is an extremely difficult undertaking, and I would never suggest that anyone try it. (It has been tried in the past.) It is much easier to convince one's regional director to bring up your item in a committee meeting. But, having said that, that regional director has to get the committee chairman to put that item on the agenda (not so easy, as we have seen).

But, having said that, nothing gets discussed, voted on, or passed, unless there are some strong champions on the BOD who actually attend the meetings, voice their opinions, and gather allies to prevail in the votes. 105 competition pilots have petitioned their regional directors to vote a certain way in the upcoming CC and BOD meetings on these issues, and they are perfectly within their rights to do so. I hope that the regional directors take the concerns of their constituent pilots into consideration.

At the last BOD meeting, a petition was sent into the BOD requesting that the BOD not adopt the proposed new NTSS calculations for the 2009 season. That petition when combined with the difficult work provided by Steve Kroop, Rob Sporrer, and others made it so the motion to adopt those procedures was stopped.

There is no need for competition pilots to place themselves in the straight jacket of SOP 2.5. They have a voice that can be heard at the BOD meeting, by contacting their regional director and asking them to vote against the proposal that is messing with the NTSS system. They will find their regional directors here:

Region 1: AK, OR, WA

Mark G. Forbes <<mgforbes>>;
Rich Hass <<lowenslo>>;
Mike Haley <<mphmikehaley>>;

Region 2: North CA, NV

Paul R Gazis <<pgazis>>;
Urs W. Kellenberger <<urs>>
Dave Wills <<dave>>;

Region 3 - South CA, HI

Bob K. <<bobk>>;
Rob Sporrer <<rob>>;
Brad Hall <<brad.reg3>>;

Region 4 - AZ, CO, NM, UT

Mark Gaskill <<airutah>>;
Ken Grubbs <<kengrubbs>>;
Leo Bynnum <<leo>>;

Region 5 - ID, MT, WY

Lisa Tate <<lisa.tate>>;

Region 6 - AR, KS, MO, NE, OK

Gregg Ludwig <<GreggLudwig>>

Region 7 - IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, SD, WI, IA

Tracy Tillman <<Cloud9SA>>;

Region 8 - NH, CT, ME, MA, RI, VT

Jeff Nicolay <<morningside>>;

Region 9 - DC, DL, KY, MD, OH, VA, WV

Luis Felipe Amunategui <<felipe.amunategui>>;
LE Herrick <<le_herrick>>;
Dennis Pagen <<pagenbks>>;

Region 10 - AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VI, PR

Steve Kroop <<info>>;
Matt Taber <<fly>>;
Richard Heckman <<hekdic>>;

Region 11 - LA, TX

Gregg Ludwig <<GreggLudwig>>
Dave Broyles <<broydg>>;
Riss Estes <<parariss>>;

Region 12 - NJ, NY

Paul Voight <<flyhigh>>;

Region 13 - International

Richard Heckman <<hekdic>>;

Tandem Clinic at Quest Air

August 20, 2009, 8:43:02 CDT

Tandem Clinic at Quest Air

A few open spots

Paul Tjaden|Paul Voight|Quest Air

Paul Tjaden writes:

We have had a couple of last minute cancellations for our Tandem/Instructor clinic at Quest Air taking place Sept. 11th through the 14th with Paul Voight. We can keep the costs very reasonable so if you have ever thought it would be fun to fly with your friends, contact me at <info> or call me at 703-727-3423.

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Tandem instructor clinic at Quest Air

July 16, 2009, 7:35:03 CDT

Tandem instructor clinic at Quest Air

Paul Voight is coming south

Paul Tjaden|Paul Voight|Quest Air

Paul Tjaden <Tjadenhors> writes:

We are organizing a tandem / instructor clinic to be held at Quest Air in Florida August 17th thru August 20th. Tandem administrator extraordinaire, Paul Voight will be instructing. Only very qualified pilots will be considered. If you are interested, please contact me.

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Salt Lake hang gliding public relations

Tue, Jun 2 2009, 10:06:52 pm EDT

Going into the movies

Paul Voight|Ryan Voight

http://www.ericbunch.com/ericbunch.com/Documentary/Pages/Hang_Gliding_High_Web.html

Paul Voight writes that the movie seen above will:

So there's a gig in Salt Lake where the movie theaters show "shorts" (news/human interest/local activities) before every movie in all the theaters. Ryan Voight got this one in. It's in every theater for a few months starting last Wednesday, before every movie shown.

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