Oz Report

Paragliding - the Wills Wing pilot training manual

(This topic is in: <- Nov.14 Nov.9 Jun.15 -> )

The latest version of this rock solid training manual.

http://www.willswing.com/Accessories/pgtm.asp

It's been around and been improved since 1991, but this Mike Meier written manual is the gem of the sport of  paragliding.  If you want to learn how to paraglide you follow the course laid out in this manual and on the DVD.

Paragliding: A Pilot's Training Manual

Wills Wing has released a brand new edition of its very popular book, Paragliding – A Pilot’s Training Manual.  The newly released edition of the manual includes a Bonus DVD with 80 minutes of narrated video footage covering topics ranging from canopy layout, inflation and launch techniques to soaring, advanced canopy control maneuvers and landing approach theory and practice.

Originally written by Mike Meier, and first published in 1991, the Training Manual has sold more than ten thousand copies and has been a standard reference text for new paraglider pilots.  Master pilot and paragliding instructor Rob McKenzie of High Adventure Hang Gliding and Paragliding has characterized it as “Probably about the simplest layout of the concepts of gliding flight ever written.  A terrific reference book and training supplement for the beginner through intermediate pilot.”

Discuss Paragliding at the Oz Report forum

New pilot web site

Lacking a site for new pilots

Søren Ladegaard <soren> writes:

I'm new to the sport of hang gliding.  When I first got interested in the sport I quickly realised there was a lack of websites aimed at people who'd like to know more about the sport.  The (Danish) websites available are all aimed at people who are already involved in the sport.  The Danish Hang Gliding & Paragliding Associations website is also aimed at experienced pilots and contains no information aimed at beginners.

As I couldn't find the information needed to get into the sport I decided to do a website on my own.  So I purchased the domain www.drageflyvning.dk (The Danish word for 'hang gliding' is 'drageflyvning'.  )

This has resulted in what is probably Denmark's most comprehensive guide to hang gliding for beginners and other people interested in knowing more about the sport.  The site covers the following subjects:

- What is hang gliding?

- How do you fly/launch a hang glider?

- Learn to hang glide

- The history of hang gliding

- Movies about hang gliding (with focus on movies recorded in Denmark)

- Makers of hang gliders

- Books & DVDs about hang gliding

- Magazines about hang gliding

The site is aimed at Danes but Swedes and Norwegians can read the site too as the three languages are very similar.

Discuss New pilots at the Oz Report forum

Still trying to hang glide across the UK

The video

He'd like to see his video on TV

Discuss UK at the Oz Report forum

Wings -flying over Rio

It's a perfect day to lift our feet off the ground.  A hang glider's dream is about to come true... (Rio)

The trailer here.

The beauty of Rio de Janeiro seen from above motivated him in mounting a video camera to his hang-glider.  As the cameras became smaller, these images became more frequent and better.  It was during the recording of adventure television program that Nader met the director Sylvestre Campe.  As they where filming, Nader knew he had found the right person to make his dream come true, a documentary depicting the magic of hang-gliding to the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Discuss Rio at the Oz Report forum

Marshall - the marshmallow

(This topic is in: Nov.9 Apr.16'04 )

Working weak lift late in the afternoon (Andy Jackson Flight Park)

After a quick check of Rob McKenzie's personal forecast (http://www.flytandem.com/OBSERVE.HTM) for Marshall, I gave Diane McKenzie a call and found out that the "shuttle" would be going up a 2 PM.  There was a spot for me.

Rob was involved all day in a filming for the Discovery Channel who were doing an extension of the famous spinning paraglider video from Valle de Bravo.  It had become so famous on the internet (also published earlier in the Oz Report) that the Discovery channel had to bring it to the main stream media.  They contacted Rob to get additional footage to explain what happened, how the pilot got himself in his predicament.

Diane was a little late due to the Discovery channel people, but six pilots (four para and four hangie) piled into the old Suburban and Diane took us on a dizzying ride up the mountain side.  I hung on tight to the front seat (from the back seat where four of us sat) and tried to keep my eyes on the road so I wouldn't get car sick.  She's been up this road a few thousand times, and it shows.

The shuttle is $10/person.  Proving once again that hang glider businesses undervalue their services.  Sure I asked Rob about this later, and sure he had lots of good reasons why it was $10 (was $5 two years ago), but the pattern is replicated almost every where (except at Lookout).  Heck, I've still got to PayPal them the money (or bring it next time).

The turnoff is across a double yellow line, don't try this at home, but Diane was able to find a place to safely weave through the traffic and get us on the really scary part of the road, the dirt track out to launch.  Apparently at the behest of a state agency the club (200 members, $100/year) had to install 800 rail road ties along some of the edges of the road to discourage off road vehicles from just heading out.  What a piece of volunteer work that was.

The launch is shallow, perfect for paragliders, with a little steeper section further down a bit for the hang gliders to launch (except when the wind is right, then they launch up with the paragliders).  I had the Wills Wing Falcon 3 - 1 70 with me, which was of course the perfect glider for Marshall on this day.  I could have tried out the demo Wills Wing T2, but with such a late start, I wanted to get in the air right away, and a quick setup seemed like the go.  Next time I'll bring the T2 to the top of Marshall (that's where Wills Wing does all their test flying).

The air was visible but relatively aesthetically pleasing.  The mountains looked great and the air felt great.  Little smooth thermals at most 1-200 fpm at times to 100' over launch.  All the pilots spent most of their time below launch working weak lift all along the  various ridge lines.  I found 20 fpm to be just poerfect.

I was able to find a nice thermal and climb up 500' through a pilot (no names please) on a Sport 2.  The Falcon just does well in these light, no gliding, small thermal conditions.

After almost an hour it was time (altitude) to land and I went away from the hillside.  With two green grass bull's eyes it was easy to keep my eye on the target.  The landing area at Andy Jackson Flight Park is huge and there is plenty of clear setup area around it to make your approach.  Of course at 4 PM with a light west wind there was no turbulence.

Just a fun little flight late in the afternoon on a week day.  It's always a gas scraping right next to the hill sides when the thermals are weak so you are not going to get lifted and pushed out of shape.  No worries about the winds and mechanical turbulence either.

I'll be back at Marshall over the next two months and report on the Wills Wing T2 144 and other aspects of San Bernardino hang and para culture.

Discuss Marshall at the Oz Report forum

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