Flytec
Wills Wing

Oz Report

Volume 20, Number 11
Friday, January 15 2016
Quest Air, Sheets airfield, Groveland, Florida, USA
https://OzReport.com
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

to Table of Contentsto next topic Ehang 184

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 8:18:59 am EST
Another flying vehicle

Brad Gryder

Brad Gryder «foothillsflight» sends:

http://www.ehang.com/ehang184
http://fortune.com/2016/01/07/ehang184-autonomous-human-size-drone/
http://www.ehang.com/ehang184/specs/

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Cosmic Bow Waves

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 8:20:14 am EST
Out in front.

Brad Kushner|space

Brad Kushner «Brad» sends:

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/01/06/Astronomers-use-bow-waves-to-locate-stars-on-the-run/5771452095121/?spt=trc

Bow waves are waves that move out in front of an object moving through gas or liquid.

They're named for the bow, or front, of a ship, which creates V-shaped waves that propagate outward as the vessel moves through the water.  Ducks swimming across a pond make them, too.  So do stars.

Recently, astronomers scanned the Milky Way looking for bow waves in an effort to locate runaway stars.  They found a lot.

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Screwing up in the Dolomites

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 8:20:54 am EST
It's winter there now

PG

Rodolfo Saccani of the FIVL writes:

We keep having serious problems in the Dolomites (expecially in Canazei – Col Rodella – Pordoi – Marmolada).

The Dolomites area is again at risk of being closed to free flight.

I ask you to please help us in informing European pilots and schools by publishing on your websites and magazines the following information (please also send me links to your websites once you published the news so that we can show to the authorities our cooperation in keeping these area safe).

The search and rescue helicopter service in the Dolomites area (Canazei, Col Rodella, Pordoi, Marmolada) is still struggling when hundreds of pilots, from all over Europe, keep flying during rescue operations not allowing the helicopter to properly operate to help fellow free flight pilots that need assistance.

The situation is so bad that the authorities will close the area if we can't manage to solve this problem.  In order to keep everybody safe and in order to keep open to free flight one of the most beautiful flight areas in the world, all pilots flying in the Dolomites area are requested to:

1) Take note: the official phone number in Italy for the rescue service is 118.

2) Starting from this year, we start experimenting with a radio channel reserved to flight safety.  Keep a radio always listening on the safety radio channel that we call "8-16" which is PMR channel 8 with CTSS subtone 16. For the most technical pilots the frequency is 446,09375 Mhz + subtone 114.8 Hz This radio channel will be used to provide instructions during rescue operations and for any other safety-related communication.  Keep the channel free, don't use it for non-safety communications.  PMR radios are cheap and light.  Getting a second radio just for this safety channel is a good choice: it will be your cheapest piece of safety equipment.  Communication during emergencies is very important.

3) When you see the helicopter (red or yellow) fly at least 2Km away from the rescue area.

4) Tell also to your friends, on your usual radio channel, to move 2Km away from the rescue area.

5) If there is no other way to communicate with them, use the "ears" with the paraglider as a way to communicate that they also have to leave the area.

6) Don't stay in front of the helicopter when it's hovering.  Even when you think that the helicopter has reached it's operation place and that it's safe to keep flying, the helicopter is probably waiting for free flight pilots (including yourself) to move away in order to proceed to the rescue area.

7) Every pilot flying in the Dolomites area must have a red and a green smoke bomb.  They can be found at the Col Rodella cablecar.  If you have an accident and need medical help use the red smoke bomb.  If you have an accident and don't need medical assistance use the green smoke bomb and fold the wing.

Rodolfo Saccani | Commissione Sicurezza FIVL

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Flying off Baldy in Idaho

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 8:21:29 am EST
Keeping it open to flying

Christopher Moody|insurance|Risk Retention Group|USHPA

Nate Scales writes:

Jackson Hole Free Flight Club will double your donation!! Please do it now!!

While we are all taking this time to renew our club membership I would like to take a second to please ask all of you to consider making another donation to the USHPA RRG fund.  I think we all know that if we lose our USHPA insurance we will lose Baldy as a site.  I don’t know about you , but that is unacceptable in my world.

Please take a minute and think about how valuable flying off Baldy is to you.  If we were to lose the privilege, wouldn’t you feel foolish for not taking the time to donate $100 when it would have been effective.

I know some people do not agree with USHPA or the way our insurance is run, but not making a donation is not an effective protest on that front.  The only thing that will happen if this fund driving campaign does not go thru is we will lose our flying privilege on Baldy.  If you feel strongly enough to get involved with USHPA please do so, but don’t sit on the sidelines and bitch.

I have also heard some other people say ‘I though free flying was supposed to be free’. WTF!! Is your gear free?  Are the club dues free?  Is a ride up the hill free?  If USHPA loses it’s ability to provide us with insurance all of that will be worthless because we will lose our main local flying site.

So friends, pilots, people PLEASE take some time and make a donation.  Think how valuable flying off baldy is to you.  Give as much as you possibly can.  The continued privilege of flying off Baldy is at least as valuable as a maneuvers clinic or contest entry fee, I think it is at least as valuable as a flying trip, or a piece of new gear.  The fun we have flying off Baldy is way more valuable than a night of dinner and drinks.  Every bit counts!!! Please make your donation today, and then start talking with your friends and make sure they make a donation too.  If this fund driving campaign is unsuccessful I think it is fair to say we will all be screwed.

Donations can be made here: https://ushpa.aero/donation_form-RRG.asp

More info can be found here: http://ushpa.aero/freeflightforever.asp

Finally if this fund drive is not successful you can get your money back.

Thank you for your time, please feel free to forward this to anybody else you think will help.

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Jonny Durand Gecko Challenge

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 8:22:03 am EST
Go further in your Gecko

Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|record|Vicki Cain

Vicki Cain «Vicki» sends:

Moyes is putting the challenge out there to all Gecko owners.  The first Gecko to beat Jonny's record flight and fly a straight line distance of 188km will win a new Moyes custom made harness of their choice!

http://moyes.com.au/gecko-challenge

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Hombres Pájaro Colombia 2016

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 7:44:18 pm EST
Fifth task

Facebook|Jamie Shelden|PG|photo

competition|Facebook|Jamie Shelden|PG|photo

competition|Facebook|Jamie Shelden|PG|photo

https://airtribune.com/hp2016/blog

https://airtribune.com/hp2016/results

https://www.facebook.com/hombrespajarocolombia/?fref=nf

Live tracking (and replay): https://airtribune.com/play/1176/2d

Looks like David and Daniel in goal.  Maybe others not on Live Tracking.

Jamie landing out:

David launching:

Raul writes:

Today task 113 Km , North to Obando . We can see some paragliders come from Roldanillo

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Winter weather

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 7:45:30 pm EST
Hurricane and Tropical storms in January

weather

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-alex-forms-atlantic-ocean-threatening-azores/

A rare January hurricane formed far out in the Atlantic on Thursday, and U.S. officials said it was the first hurricane to form in the month of January since 1938.

Hurricane Alex's maximum sustained winds were near 85 mph.  A hurricane warning was issued for Portugal's mid-Atlantic Azores Islands, where the Civil Protection Service issued a weather red alert, the highest of four warnings that indicates extreme risk, for five of the archipelago's nine islands.  It said residents should expect waves up to 60 feet high and wind gusts up to 100 mph.

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to Table of Contentsto next topic Hombres Pájaro Colombia 2016

Thu, Jan 14 2016, 9:59:21 pm EST
Results

competition|Daniel Vé|Daniel Vélez Bravo|Daniel Vélez Bravo|Dustin Martin|Facebook|Filippo Oppici|photo|Wills Wing T2C

https://airtribune.com/hp2016/results

Dustin Martin writes:

Team Wills Wing with Daniel, Filippo, me, and David all coming in within a couple of minutes.  120 kms in about 3:20. Very nice final glide conditions.

Task 5:

# Name Glider Time Distance Total
1 Daniel Velez Wills Wing T2C 144 02:17:44 112.99 1000
2 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 02:22:31 112.99 929
3 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2Cx 144 02:24:45 112.99 907
4 David Brito Filho Wills Wing T2C 144 02:25:21 112.99 894
5 Shigeto Ishizaka Wills Wing T2 03:17:14 112.99 697
6 Pedro Alejandro Montes Aeros Combat GT 15 03:20:21 112.99 679
7 Juan Arango Wills Wing T2 144 03:17:22 112.99 659
8 Alfredo Tello Moyes Litespeed   100.40 588
9 Alfredo Grey Wills Wing T2C   88.27 502
10 Alejandro Hoyos Wills Wing T2   80.65 498

Cumulative:

# Name Glider Total
1 Daniel Velez Wills Wing T2C 144 3731
2 David Brito Filho Wills Wing T2C 144 3709
3 Dustin Martin Wills Wing T2Cx 144 3528
4 Filippo Oppici Wills Wing T2C 144 3227
5 Alfredo Tello Moyes Litespeed 2924
6 Gustavo Adolfo Jimenez Wills Wing T2 144 2853
7 Rudy Gotes Wills Wing T2C 144 2800
8 Juan Arango Wills Wing T2 144 2288
9 Shigeto Ishizaka Wills Wing T2 2227
10 Carlos Correa Wills Wing Fusion 150 2175

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The Oz Report, a near-daily, world wide hang gliding news ezine, with reports on competitions, pilot rankings, political issues, fly-ins, the latest technology, ultralight sailplanes, reader feedback and anything else from within the global HG community worthy of coverage. Hang gliding, paragliding, hang gliders, paragliders, aerotowing, hang glide, paraglide, platform towing, competitions, fly-ins. Hang gliding and paragliding news from around the world, by Davis Straub.

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