Surprisingly, there are only fifteen pilots in the meet, and none
of the Austrian top pilots are here. The rumor is that they know the weather is
going to be bad the next few days so they haven't bothered. Still, some good
flex wing pilots are here, and some good rigid pilots as well.
Day 1 (Saturday)
Crazy weather. Got to 3693 meters. Climb rate maximum was 9.2 m/s and sink was
-10.3 m/s. Scary.
I was really afraid sometimes thinking that I was not fit for the sport anymore.
After landing, I went over to some experienced pilots and asked them how they
felt. I wanted to know if it was me becoming a coward after the accident I had
or if it was the extreme weather. They all were scared.
One guy (Kevin Carter) nearly spun twice. Once I experienced sink for a minute
and a half and lost 800 meters. Luckily, I found that sink when I was at 3250
meters.
The final glide was 54 km on a 106 km task. I arrived 800 meter above goal and
couldn't get down, no matter what I did, even pulling out the drogue chute.
Eventually I flew 5 km further on to land and won the day.
(editor's note: No more word from Amir since Saturday night, so I
assume that the weather is bad.)
"Exploring the Monster," by Robert Whelen, is about a group of
courageous pilots who studied the Sierra Wave during the 50's. Its an incredible
adventure.
Aeros DISCUS -148, Short pack 6 feet Hang glider- First
Impressions "Have a good wing, will travel" - Mahesh Iyer, Hang glider pilot,
Southern Oregon.
For a long time, I was looking for a portable hang glider wing that would help
me backpack it to fly the beautiful sites in the Indian Himalayas. I was
for a long time eyeing the Aeros Discus. After seeing GW's film "Pura Vida", I
was totaled hooked. I got my short pack Discus and took my first flight off of
Woodrat Mountain in Southern Oregon. I wanted to share my first impressions with
all of you.
Construction:
Aeros has built the glider structurally and mechanically strong. The sail work
is impeccable and meticulously done. The leading edge is secured by button
springs which compress for sliding the tubes inside each other. The sail is
tensioned on the leading edge and that further helps to maintain tension on the
whole assembly. There are three positions provided on the keel for fast, medium
and slow trim, that could be moved based on trim speed requirements. It has tip
wands to support curved tips and wing struts have been provided. It comes with a
hang strap that has a spreader bar. It has access zippers at points that need
inspection. It comes with spring tipped battens.
Handling:
I am a recreational pilot moving from an intermediate glider to a Discus and
hook in at around 200 pounds, which is right on the center of the 148's weight
range. At first one might feel slack in the side wires, but with little wind,
standing on take off, it balances extremely well. At around 12-15 MPH, it's
highly stable on the shoulders.
With a total weight of 66-68 pounds, I found it very comfortable to handle. I
found it to be very stable in flight. It rolls easy and does not tire you out in
a thermal. Pitch control is very good and has a good flare authority. Discus
being a high performance king posted wing, has a very long glide, so landing
approaches should be well thought out. It comes with a very effective VG system,
so as you pull in the VG, the glider tightens up nice and clean.
Portability:
For portability during traveling, it short packs neatly into a 7.5 or 8 feet
surfboard bag (Dakine world traveler bags with wheels are real good), but it
does take an hour or two to assemble/disassemble. One can pack all the gear
required (Harness, Helmet, Vario, Gloves, Clothing, first aid kit and anything
else that would be needed) neatly into this bag. The glider comes very well
packed from the factory and overall I was very happy with the customer service I
got from GW and Aeros!.
Good innovation by Aeros to come up with a portable wing that will help solve
the problem of airline transport to domestic and international destinations!
Randy Leggett, the USHGA president, called a executive committee
conference call meeting for Monday night to discuss whether there would be a
poll/vote on the USHGA (no) name change or whether the USHGA would go directly
to the vote on the names in January. No word yet.
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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.
