Oz Report

Flying the Moyes Litespeed S4

(This topic is in: Feb.17 Jan.3 )

How can a rigid wing pilot jump over to the flex wing side?

My first flight in Australia this season was the first day of the Australian Nationals.  I had to quickly relearn how to fly a flex wing hang glider within the first hour of the task, before the start window opened.

Fortunately, I was able in time to retrain my body and go from just shifting the control frame to shifting myself.  Sure it wasn't all that pretty at first, but it got better as the competitions continued.  After a while it is back to being second nature.

Two things really helped.  The first is the fact that I was flying a properly sized glider.  Last year I flew a S4.5, which I found overpowered me.  This was never true this year.

Second, Aleve.  Non steroidal anti-inflammatory.  Two in the morning and two in the evening.  But no taping extra Ibuprofens to the base tube as Mikey Barber does, so that he can have a few in flight.

So I suggest carefully thinking about just what size glider makes sense for you. Sure there are manufacturer recommended hook-in weights, but  check things out for yourself.

The S4.5 and the S4 flying side by side here: http://ozreport.com/9.007#5.  Check here: http://ozreport.com/9.003#1 also.

 Discuss flex wings at the Oz Report forum

Spinnaker Shackles

The problems.

Pascal Legrand <legrand.pascal> writes:

Http://www.birrendesign.com/rhgpa_home.html.  Regrettable to find these pages which are no longer state of the art.  The spinnaker shackle, particularly the one photographed here, is not to be advised as it doesn't release without tension.  The Koch equipment has never failed as far as I know.  The other systems are less reliable (again tension problems).

Bjørn Hammer < bjorn.hammer> writes:

Two different types of tow releases.  One of the quick release type Robin used (but here as part of the Moyes V-line system), and one more home made release: http://foto.vg.no/show_album.php?aid=610393

Peter Birren <peterb> writes:

We were able to make the spinnaker shackle hang up with relative ease.  All it took was a twist or two in the weaklink line while putting it on the shackle.  We also got the Linknife to hang up.  It took a particular figure-8 wrap with the pull string stuck under the O-ring to do it.  Something that would be highly unlikely to happen, at least with a modicum of due diligence by the pilot.

This is my closed aerotow V-bridle with Linknife on weaklink at the bridle/towline junction:

Stuart Caruk <stucaruk> writes:

www.TowMeUp.com

I'm pretty sure that we build one of the few sewn hang glider bridles.  It was designed specifically for those who choose to foot launch hang gliders from the beach or shoreline.  Most of these pilots used the aluminum block dual trigger style release and didn't want the hunk of metal on their chest.  Almost all of these pilots choose to tow from the hips, with an attachment on either side of the harness that runs up through the hang loop.

I kept trying to find pictures of the standard glider tow release we used to use years ago when I towed aerial advertising banners.  I did find a line art drawing of it though. 



Essentially the towline went through the space in the L shaped bracket.  This bracket was held closed by tension on the pin created by the semi pyramid shaped rubber pyramid at the bottom above the pivot pin.  A release cable was connected to the top, and when pulled, the L shaped arm flew back releasing the towline.

It wouldn't take much to whip out a few of these in a lightweight alloy if the demand existed.  I'm not a fan of the spinnaker releases.

(editor's note: More on this type of release in the next issue.)

Paul Voight at Fly High <flyhigh> writes:

I have to admit on one occasion a few years ago the weak link got snagged on the little lip on a typical (Florida style) wishard release at the end of my tow (after opening/releasing the release).  It took more that a few moments to process the information ("that's odd....  I'm still being towed! Why??").  (Tug pilot must think I'm an idiot.  :-)

I physically shook the bridal, but that didn't un-snag it.  I located my hook knife with my hand, but then just decided to wang hard to break away, which worked fine.  I can see how this situation would really suck, just out of the cart, or anywhere near the ground.

Since (and before) then, I've had many, many uneventful tows with those releases, but I concur that a ring would reduce the chances of release failure significantly.

Rohan Holtkamp at Dynamic Flight <dynamic> writes:

No matter what type of weaklink material you use on this type of release (spinnaker shackle), it is only a function of twisting and tension to make the material become tight enough to not slide off the leg.  Try it on yours. Scary?

In my opinion, the only part that should be in contact with this type of release must be something that cannot get tight.  Use a metal ring, one that is large enough to come out every time, or use a different release.

(editor's note: Much more coming in the next issue on this.)

Discuss shackles at the Oz Report forum

WPRS - the Europeans

(This topic is in: Feb.17 Jan.22 Nov.24'03 Nov.20'03 --> )

How the European Championship counts.

Rank	Pilot	Country	Euro	Oz	US/Flytec
1	Bondarchuk Oleg	Ukraine	*	*	*
2	Alonzi Mario	France	*	*	*
3	Hazlett Brett	Canada		*	*
4	Coomber Kraig	Australia		*	*
5	Durand Jon Jnr	Australia		*
5	Heinrichs Gerolf	Austria	*	*
7	Bertok Attila	Hungary	*	*
8	Boisselier Antoine	France	*		*
9	Barthelmes Oliver	Germany	*	*
10	Moyes Steve	Australia		*
11	Ploner Alessandro	Italy	*
12	Holtkamp Rohan	Australia		*
13	Reisinger Robert	Austria	*	*
14	Caux Raymond	France	*	*	*
15	Gerard Jean Francois	France	*	*	*
16	Guillen Bruno	France	*	*	*
16	Seib David	Australia		*
18	Carter Kevin	USA		*
19	Bader Lukas	Germany	*	*
20	Warren Curt	USA		*	*

The table above gives the top twenty ranked pilots after three major CIVL sanctioned competitions in Australia including the Worlds.  The pilots are ranked using their best finishes in their best top four meets.  All the European pilots have the Category I European Championship as one of their top flights.  No top twenty pilots outside Europe have points from the European Championships counting for their ranking.

This chart shows that non European pilots have a chance to rank high when the Worlds is held outside of Europe.  The Europeans have their chances with the European Championships and don't need to have the Worlds in Europe.

Discuss WPRS at the Oz Report forum

Google Search at the Oz Report

I've moved back to Google as the Oz Report search engine.

The Google search engine indexes over 5000 Oz Report pages now and is only a couple of days behind the latest issues.  It is great to have all the power of Google behind the Oz Report.

You can search through the Oz Report here http://OzReport.com/ or any Oz Report issue on line.

Discuss Oz Report search at the Oz Report forum

Blogging at the CIVL Plenary

Wired but no wireless

Stewart Midwinter <stewart.midwinter> writes:

Looks like they will have wired internet access here at the Plenary, but no wireless.  So, I'll be taking some unofficial notes during the meeting, and will post them to my blog at http://midtoad.homelinux.org/wp/, in the 'flying' category.

The Bureau meeting is on right now; that's where they lay out the broad lines of what they want to get accomplished during the Plenary.

Discuss CIVL at the Oz Report forum

Cross Country Magazine

(This topic is in: <- May 2 Mar.29 Feb.17 3.062 -> )

New editor and new ezine

Hugh Miller <hugh_kw> at Cross Country Magazine
http://www.xcshop.com writes from Quest Air where he is, as he reports, converting to rigids:

Bob Drury is the new editor of Cross Country Magazine. 

We're stoked that he'll be playing a bigger creative role within the magazine in the coming months.  And as a former World Cup competitor and current rigid hang glider and paramotor pilot, we are sure his deeply-rooted passion for all aspects of free flight will translate into an ever more exciting magazine.

Cross Country will be launching a separate new Digital Edition.

The Digital Edition will be available to download, and will include video clips, audio interviews and interactive advertising to make Cross Country come to life even more.

Our quality printed edition continues completely unaffected, but we hope the Digital Edition will make Cross Country's dynamic content even more widely and readily available.  More details soon

Discuss XC Mag at the Oz Report forum

Oz Report web site resources

How to support the Oz Report

You can send $10 or $20 for a yearly donation/subscription.

To send a donation from your CREDIT CARD or PayPal account connected to your CREDIT CARD click this button:



To send a donation from your PayPal account connected to your bank account (NOT TO YOUR CREDIT CARD) click this button:

(NO CREDIT CARDS)

If you’d rather just send a check for $10 or $20, please feel free to do so.  The mail gets forwarded to wherever I’m at.

Payable to:

Davis Straub
PMB 1889 PO Box 2430
Pensacola, FL 32513

Thanks for helping support the Oz Report.

Oz Report Hang Gliding Discussion group

Want to discuss hang gliding?  You can join the Oz Report hang gliding forum. Click Oz Report Hang Gliding Discussion Group.

Subscribing and Unsubscribing

You are in charge of your e-mail subscription to the Oz Report.  If you wish to unsubscribe or subscribe, click: Subscribe.

Credits

Gerry makes the Oz Report portal much smarter.  He is a web consultant and a PHP expert.
John Corry designed the Oz Report portal site and designs web sites for a living.

To view the Oz Report on the web click Oz Report.

If you want to send in an article to be published in the Oz Report, send it to me at < davis>.

Davis Straub
<davis>
Oz Report