Soaring Over Texas

Click on image to view more detailed and larger version. Cartographer - Bob Franklin

Google Earth View of the launch sites.

Texas Gliding Events - 2006

Hang Gliders:

The World Record Encampment in Zapata, June 14th through July 27th

The United States Hang Gliding Association National Flyin in Leakey, July 29th through July 30th 

The FAI/CIVL pre-Worlds in Big Spring, August 6th through August 12th

Sailplanes:

World Class Nationals in Marfa, June 20th through 29th

Open Nationals and 18 meter Nationals in Hobbs, New Mexico (on the Texas border, with tasks into Texas), July 19th through 28th

Standard Class Nationals in Uvalde, August 2nd through 11th. Previous articles: here and here.

Texas Gliding Events - 2007

Hang Gliders:

The World Record Encampment in Zapata, June 14th through July 19th

The United States Hang Gliding Association National Flyin in Leakey, July 21st through July 22nd

The US National Championships in Big Spring, July 29th - August 4th

The FAI/CIVL Hang Gliding World Championships in Big Spring, August 8th through 18th.

Texas World Records

HANG GLIDER AND PARAGLIDER RECORDS SET IN TEXAS

Flex wing straight distance : 700.6 km, 435 miles

Date of flight: 17/07/2001
Pilot: Manfred RUHMER (Austria)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Previous flex wing straight distance : 488.2 km, 303 miles

Date of flight: 03/07/1990
Pilot: Larry TUDOR (USA)
Course/place: Hobbs, NM (USA)

Rigid wing straight distance : 655.0 km, 407 miles

Date of flight: 18/07/2001
Pilot: Davis STRAUB (USA)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Paraglider straight distance : 423.4 km, 263 miles

Date of flight: 21/06/2002
Pilot: William GADD (Canada)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Swift straight distance : 689 km, 428 miles

Date of flight: 18/07/2005
Pilot: Robin HAMILTON (UK)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Single Surface straight distance : 287 km, 178 miles

Date of flight: 18/07/2005
Pilot: Bo Hagewood
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Flex wing straight distance to a declared goal : 517.23 km, 321 miles

Date of flight: 20/06/2002
Pilot: Lawrence "Pete" LEHMANN (USA) and Michael BARBER (USA)
Course/place: Zapata - Big Lake, TX (USA)

Previous flex wing straight distance to a declared goal : 503 km, 313 miles

Date of flight: 28/07/2001
Pilot: Carlos Alberto Morganti (Betinho ) SCHMITZ (Brazil)
Course/place: Zapata - Mertzon, TX (USA)

Previous flex wing straight distance to a declared goal : 488.2 km, 303 miles

Date of flight: 03/07/1990
Pilot: Larry TUDOR (USA)
Course/place: Hobbs, NM (USA)

Rigid wing straight distance to a declared goal : 354.6 km, 220 miles

Date of flight: 28/07/2001
Pilot: David GLOVER (USA)
Course/place: Zapata - Rocksprings, TX (USA)

Rigid wing speed over an out-and-return course of 100 km : 51.42 km/h , 40 mph

Date of flight: 02/08/2003
Pilot: Davis STRAUB (USA)
Course/place: Big Spring, TX (USA)

Swift speed over a triangular course of 50 km : 45.46 km/h, 28 mph

Date of flight: 22/09/2002
Pilot: Robin HAMILTON (UK)
Course/place: Hearne, TX (USA)

Swift speed over a triangular course of 100 km : 53.73 km/h, 

Date of flight: 30/08/2002
Pilot: Robin HAMILTON (UK)
Course/place: Hearne, TX (USA)

Swift speed over a triangular course of 150 km : 47 km/h, 33 mph

Date of flight: 15/08/2001
Pilot: Robin HAMILTON (UK)
Course/place: Hearne, TX (USA)

Swift speed over a triangular course of 200 km : 45.50 km/h, 28 mph

Date of flight: 29/09/2002
Pilot: Robin HAMILTON (UK)
Course/place: Hempstead, TX (USA)

Rigid wing speed over a triangular course of 100 km : 34.47 km/h, 21.4 mph

Date of flight: 16/08/2000
Pilot: Davis STRAUB (USA)
Course/place: Hearne, TX (USA)

Paraglider straight distance to a declared goal : 285.2 km, 172 miles

Date of flight: 22/06/2003
Pilot: Josh COHN (USA)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Previous paraglider straight distance to a declared goal : 273.7 km, 170 miles

Date of flight: 03/08/2002
Pilot: Bruce GOLDSMITH (UK)
Course/place: Edinberg, TX (USA)

ULTRALIGHT SAILPLANE RECORDS SET IN TEXAS

Ultralight sailplane straight distance : 978 km, 608 miles

Date of flight: 18/07/2005
Pilot: Gary Osoba (USA)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Straight Distance to a Goal : 560.07 km, 348 miles

Date of flight: 09/07/2004
Pilot: Leonardo R. BENETTI-LONGHINI (USA)
Course/place: Zapata, TX (USA)

Distance over a triangular course : 501.69 km, 318 miles

Date of flight: 05/08/2002
Pilot: William G. OSOBA Jr. (USA)
Course/place: Big Spring, TX (USA)

Speed over a triangular course of 500 km : 79.74 km/h, 49.5 mph

Date of flight: 05/08/2002
Pilot: William G. OSOBA Jr. (USA)
Course/place: Big Spring, TX (USA)

WORLD CLASS SAILPLANE RECORDS SET IN TEXAS

Free Distance : 741.57 km, 461 miles

Date of flight: 22/07/2001
Pilot: William B. SNEAD (USA)
Course/place: Briggs, TX (USA)

Free out-and-return distance : 591.12 km, 367 miles

Date of flight: 30/07/2000
Pilot: William B. SNEAD (USA)
Course/place: Briggs, TX (USA)

Straight Distance to a Goal : 602.26 km, 374 miles

Date of flight: 22/07/2001
Pilot: William B. SNEAD (USA)
Course/place: Seward Road intersection, TX (USA) - Dimmitt Municipal Airport, TX (USA)