Flytec
Wills Wing

Oz Report

topic: Michael Robertson (28 articles)

High Perspective⁣ always looking for a few good people »

Mon, Mar 21 2016, 6:29:15 am MDT

To work in the Spring

High Perspective|Michael Robertson

Michael Robertson «Michael Robertson» writes:

Looking for good people, experienced and/or apprentices. I’m running an Instructor certification/recertifcation clinic here at High Perspective, June 3-6 and in Lumby BC, May 12-15.

Discuss "High Perspective⁣ always looking for a few good people" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Winch towing in Chile

March 21, 2016, 8:28:13 EST -0400

Winch towing in Chile

The whole package for sale

Michael Robertson|PG

Michael Robertson <info> writes:

Gerardo Rocha, is selling an awesome Hydrostatic winch and everything needed for a hang gliding school (check out http://www.vientodefrente.cl/forsale/hgpg_inabox.html) including Condor, Falcon, Alpha and tandem package. He’s a sweet, sweet guy who, after retiring from flying heavies for Emerites Airlines, took over the family business. He was really doing well then a new government came in and cut his business off at the knees.

He bought the stuff philanthropically, as a gift for the hang gliding community to be able to teach new pilots. He now has to sell everything and nobody local seems interested. It’s really a fantastic hang gliding school in a box with the ability to tow paragliders as well. It would be a great buy for someone who wanted to start a school.

Discuss "Winch towing in Chile" at the Oz Report forum   link»

CN Tower Launch

May 1, 2013, 7:43:09 EDT

CN Tower Launch

Michael Robertson

Michael Robertson|video

http://youtu.be/gVebZISfWrE

Discuss "CN Tower Launch" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Looking for tandem pilots

June 1, 2012, 7:40:08 EDT

Looking for tandem pilots

In Canada

Michael Robertson|photo|scooter tow

http://flyhigh.com/

Michael Robertson <info> writes:

These days, things are mellow as we at High Perspective Inc. head into our 42nd year; the last 15 at our 60 acre groomed grass flight park in North Pickering, ON. I’m reflecting and looking ahead. Having lost our two awesome, regularly returning mainstay instructors / tandem pilots of the last ten years (one to fatherhood in OZ and one to open his own place) we’re looking for replacements again. One of these may have an opportunity to take the place over.

Last year our big ‘Groupon’ style (called WagJag) sale of 1,050 Intro Tandem Discovery flights went very well. We flew about 75 % of them and about 85% upgraded to longer/higher flights and/or photos. Still, we won’t do it again soon. It was our 40th anniversary gift. Maybe at fifty! It will be interesting to see how many repeat, as most said they would, this year. We were so, so busy.

It was a challenge at first as we trained new people but by the summer all was clicking. Good thing because lots of folks waited ‘til near the end (exp date was 31 Oct.) to redeem. We did not extend that date! We were lucky to have one great Swedish professional tandem pilot who flies the off season in New Zealand. He did really well financially. Wish we could get Anders back this year but he’s traveling in India. A couple of others didn’t work out so well.

We’re going to focus more on training beginners this year. If you or someone you know would like to come here for the summer and/or fall; our stationary winch system is definitely the most reliable, easy way to fly tandems and train (well, we use a scooter winch for beginner training). Hydraulics are so environmentally friendly with low fuel consumption and they’re quiet.

Weekdays in July and August we also operate a gorgeous, fun boat-tow launched tandem operation in Muskoka, a playground of the rich and famous two hours north of Toronto.

Charts of Reliability DVD

March 18, 2011, 9:19:40 EDT

Charts of Reliability DVD

A compilation

Michael Robertson|Mike Meier|PG

Michael Robertson <<info>> writes:

We are delighted to announce that after extensive travel, interviews and graphics production, our Risk Management DVD is now available. Students are required to have had ten hours of ground school lectures to receive their Novice rating. This DVD makes it easier for schools and students to do so. It’s companion is the revised fifty five page ‘The Art of Skysailing’ Risk Management Notebook for hang gliding and paragliding”. In the 90’s this Charts of Reliability system was adopted as a required component of Instructor Courses in the U.S. We have been using the system here in Canada since the late 70’s.

After the tragic death of Arjan Ala, a Senior Paraglider Instructor who died following a mid-air in Tucson, Az., his family wanted to do something for safety. This project was selected.

The DVD is nearly four hours long and covers the three core lectures: The Wondrous Wind (Macro/Micrometeorology and Site Selection), The Wing, and The Windividual (Personal Variables) - It also includes almost twenty five minutes of bonus material. This is an excellent resource for students, tool for instructors and good judgment review for all pilots. It is easy to navigate with over eighty chapter points. Everyone who sees it is really impressed with the graphics and the simplicity of the Macro and Micrometeorology sections.

The Charts of Reliability (copyright 1979) break down each of the wind/site and personal considerations into twenty-line charts. Students are then lead to score each line and get an average. This turns a fairly complex qualitative decision (about the reliability of the day for flying) into a quite simple quantitative one. A beginner needs 75% to fly, an intermediate 65%, an expert only 50%. After viewing it, Mike Meier of Wills Wing said he was happy to recommend the DVD/Notebook saying, “Decision making is not part of the game, it’s the whole game!”

At $20 per lecture and $15 for the notebook, that’s a $75 value. The price is $55. Schools may order multiple copies at regular commercial discounts. Try it, you’ll like it. To purchase single copies please go to: http://www.flyhigh.com/reliability.html. For multiple copies please write or call.

Tin Cup - Comparing gliders

March 18, 2011, 9:15:40 EDT

Tin Cup

Scare and I ask for your help with this enterprise

Davis Straub|donations|Michael Robertson|Quest Air


Check out the articles below. I love writing articles where I go into the fine details about gliders. It is hard to be definitive of a class of gliders as I only get to experience individual gliders. But just writing about my actual experience in detail is, I trust, helpful.

The second article is what the Oz Report is all about, a foreign adventure to wake up everyone who is stuck at home at their home site and never gets a chance to experience the wider world for themselves. I hope that you find it inspirational. Check out the site on Google Maps or Earth.

And Michael Robertson with his Charts of Reliability. Where else are you going to find this material?

Please, help us out. Support something that you find useful so that it can continue to be there for you.

You can send $20 or more for a yearly subscription/donation. To pay for your subscription with your credit card or PayPal account:

If you’d rather just send a check for $20 (US Dollars, only please) or more, please feel free to do so. The mail gets forwarded to me wherever I’m at.

Payable to:

Davis Straub (Not to the Oz Report)
PMB 1889 PO Box 2430
Pensacola, FL 32513

These are our supporters (if you are not on the list and have donated to the Oz Report, email me and I'll make sure that you are recognized): http://ozreport.com/supporters.php. Some of you who I've missed in the past did write to me and made sure I knew just how important the Oz Report was to them. If I've missed you, please do tell me.

Come over to the Oz Report support web page and sign up to support us: http://ozreport.com/support.php. Or click here:

Groupon (like) strikes once again »

March 17, 2011, 8:39:12 EDT

Groupon strikes once again

At High Perspective

Groupon|Michael Robertson|photo

Michael Robertson <<info>> writes:

Two weeks before Christmas we finally succumbed to doing a ‘Group-on’ style promotion. We invented an “up to 500’ introductory tandem discovery flight” and valued it at $100 so WagJag (http://www.wagjag.com/) could offer it for $49. I figured we’ve been in business for 40 years and everyone who comes loves it; why not see if people are interested. I looked at it as a combo of Christmas gift and advertising (wagjag is run by the Metroland Newspaper chain so there was print advertising as well.)

I figured maybe we’d get a hundred or two in the week it ran. In three days we were over 300! I called to have it stopped and by the time the guy called me back it was over 800. We stopped it after five days and by the time all those in the system were processed they had sold 1030! Additionally we sold a bunch more at much higher prices directly to those who had just missed the promo.

The flight is good weekdays only and most will probably upgrade to weekends, longer/higher flights at least go for photos and/or lessons. If not we can fly this flight in under five minutes as a tease. Great advertising and response - could this be the long-overdue wave of popularity we've been expecting? We'll be busy for sure.

We need a couple more people. We’re going to be really busy. Maybe there are instructor/tandem aspirants (we can train them) or current professionals that would like to spend the season in Canada; maybe from down under?

Discuss "Groupon strikes once again" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Risk Management Course Video Lectures

January 27, 2011, 8:57:07 AEDT

Risk Management Course Video Lectures

Developing modern course material

John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Mike Meier|Paul Voight|PG|USHPA|video

John Matylonek <<john>> writes:

The Risk Management Course at OHGS Online has been extensively updated with professionally produced video lectures from Toronto-based veteran hang gliding instructor, Michael Robertson, inventor of the Robertson Charts of Reliability (RBR) risk management system. Included are articles on the physiology of error by advanced instructor John Matylonek of Oregon Hang Gliding School; analysis of the probability of error by Mike Meier of Wills Wing, Inc; USHPA professionally produced preflight videos narrated by Paul Voight of Fly High Hang Gliding and club-based preflight and checklist systems, a video on paragliding accident analysis. A comprehensive quiz follows the material allowing life long learner rated pilots to test themselves and to assist USHPA certified instructors in testing their students in these vital topics.

Http://www.oregonhanggliding.com/tutorials

Choose the "login as guest" button and when asked for a password type "guest" no quotes

This risk management course will modularize with the expansion of material and be closely related to the Meteorology course as both develop.

Winch tow instructor certification - Canada

Tue, May 25 2010, 9:15:46 am CDT

Well, it's almost scooter towing

HPAC|instructor certification|Michael Robertson|Randy Rauck|scooter tow|USHPA

Randy Rauck «Randy Rauck» writes:

Raven Aviation Ltd will be hosting an HPAC and USHPA Hang Gliding Instructor Certification Course here at The Freedom Flight Park in Lumby for pilots that would like to be certified instructors June 4th to June 7th 2010.

We are pleased to announce that one of Canada's original hang gliding pioneers, Master rated, Senior HPAC instructor and USHPA Instructor Michael Robertson from High Perspective, www.FlyHigh.com, will be teaching this four day complete training course. HPAC Flight Instructor Randy Rauck will assist.

The cost is $400.00 with a $200.00 deposit required. Very Limited spaces available so register here.

Deposits in will have first priority.

Michael will also teach a USHPA certified stationary winch course for pilots wanting to be able to use this winch system safely June 8th and 9th. The cost is $200.00 with a $100.00 deposit to hold a space. Limited spaces available.

Register now here.

Discuss "Winch tow instructor certification - Canada" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Not so bad after all »

August 28, 2009, 7:07:33 MDT

Not so bad after all

What is a broken arm between friends?

Michael Robertson

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/685717

http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/134038

http://www.680news.com/news/headlines/more.jsp?content=20090824_130620_10172

Michael Robertson at High Perspective Pickering <<info>> writes:

I'm pleased to report that typically sensationalist and inaccurate reports of a serious accident here a couple of days ago were wrong. A visiting pilot from Ottawa made a couple of mistakes on take-off and when the flight was immediately aborted he landed a tad hard and broke his arm.

I just wanted the community to know it was mostly emergency services (911) over-reacting to what they guessed might be an aviation disaster. Having sent al the choppers (air ambulance and news) I suppose they felt they had to justify the expense. We are trying to get them to retract/correct the story and some have but the worst offenders don't care for god news.

Discuss "Not so bad after all" at the Oz Report forum   link»

The News from Toronto

October 16, 2008, 12:06:45 pm PDT

The News from Toronto

Lots of students

Michael Robertson|video

Michael Robertson at High Perspective Inc «highperspective» writes:

We're entering our 40th year teaching and have had an excellent year. Here new students are not rare, thankfully:) I'm always looking for footage for teaching ridge soaring 'cuz we're so bereft here in the flat lands.

I happened to look at the YouTube opening today's Oz Report http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VhH1CHgfaVM

The footage has many great (and some dangerous) teaching points.

The colours here are at their peak and yesterday's tandems were spectacular! So great that one of our passengers decided to come back in an hour and fly his entire family of four more, three kids and mom, as an early Xmas present.

We have a tree farm slightly down the road and the range of colours of the different species go row on row from brilliant red thru' orange to yellow and even still some green. Add to that a fog bank, bright-white and top-lit over Lake Ontario 10 miles south with some smoke stacks on the shore and the CN Tower (from which I flew in '88) in Toronto rising out of nothing and you had a DAY!

I had the good fortune to fly the last four and landed in a narrow, short slot cut out of a corn field which was like landing in a tunnel. Sweet stuff, great fun.

Discuss The News from Toronto at the Oz Report forum   link»

Tandems to Save the Earth

June 28, 2007, 11:47:24 pm EDT

Tandems

A party is planned for the 7th

Michael Robertson|video

http://www.flyhigh.com/index.php

Michael Robertson «info» writes:

I've always believed hang gliding has the potential to help save the planet from commercialism and unsustainable development.

This year we seem to be helping many more people get heir heads in the clouds than in recent memory. We'll be at three hundred tandems by the end of the weekend and we're over twenty students (five of which signed up after doing hydrostatic towed tandems and only two after doing Low and Slow sessions).

Also here are a couple of interesting things we can all follow up to help our Earth Mother. It's a big step up from Inconvenient Truth, seen by millions to 'Live Earth" - 7/7/07 SOS (save our selves) 24 hour celebration http://www.avaaz.org/en/live_earth/lf.php supposedly reaching two billion bodies worldwide. If any of you Youtubers out there were to film a hang glider flight with an SOS on the glider I bet it might be aired to the two billion watchers. We're hosting a party at High Perspective.

Then on 7/17/07 around the world at 11:11 Greenwich time (7:11 local ) is the Fire the Grid worldwide 'heal the earth' meditation. www.firethegrid.com

Discuss Tandems at the Oz Report forum     Digg This  Reddit  DelIcioUsdel.icio.us

Steve Wendt's Scooter Tow Clinic

March 7, 2006, 9:02:00 EST

Scooter

How did the participants feel about Steve Wendt's clinic and what did they learn?

Dave Broyles|John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHGA|weather

John Matylonek «john» responds to the questionnaire from Dave Broyles, the USHGA Chairman for the Safety and Training Committee:

Did this program show you how to run a profitable small hang gliding business?

Since the point of the scooter tow clinic was primarily the optimum mix of technology and instructional methodology of Steve Wendt, I did not expect much formal presentation of business methods. However, various business tips and spontaneous presentations were offered regarding instruction, sales and service as a sidelight. It turned out that the participants were as much a part of the show as Steve Wendt. So, in that regard, in turned into conference - not a sage on a stage. That is why it was so successful.

I went away with many ideas regarding effectiveness of instruction, marketing, and how can I steer students to purchase equipment and remain in the program and also how to improve the quality of the business. Pat Denevan and Matt Taber in particular, are the masters at the business side of hang gliding. Both Pat and Matt know it is critical to not only provide efficient and effective, consistent and regular instruction but to also sell the equipment that will keep an operation afloat. I found the instructional discussions with Michael Robertson regarding visualizations, timing of new challenges, and new research on how brains learn very stimulating. For me, the blend of practical, theoretical and economic aspects of hang gliding instruction was perfect.

What new marketing ideas for hang gliding did you get?

The technology and this particular instructional method together opens up any field near population centers and even near major roads to view hang gliding first hand. As long as you remain low and slow, we can have hang gliding schools everywhere. Also, we need to stop calling it scooter tow. Call it "tow assisted" hang gliding, otherwise people will have visions of being pulled by a scooter!

What conclusions did you come to about equipment?

Less is more. A 90 CC tow engine is enough. Simple and inexpensive enough for any instructor with caution and common sense to operate it easily and effectively. It also is extremely reliable and simple as any winch system can be.

What conclusions did you come to about training with scooter tow?

The low and slow and incremental USHGA method of foot launch still applies with tow assisted instruction. I still believe that this method is best utilized in conjunction with a training hill, just because the kinaesthetic differences, complexities of airflow around terrain, and environmental cues (starting from low to higher) are great enough to be not transferable to mountain launches. But, if the pilot will be primarily a tow pilot than this can method can stand only too as many winch operators have shown. Hill launching than becomes a "special skill" for tow-trained pilots.

However, if one lowers the sights about the ultimate aim of tow assisted flight

- that it fills gaps and provides consistency and regularity in a comprehensive training program - than this method will be powerful way of speeding progress in instruction at all sites around the country. This will make instructors and schools more efficient at providing instruction to groups. As long as it is kept and low & slow - the complexity and potential dangers are minimized so that even instructional assistants can operate the equipment.

The main fault of all new instructors is the inability to control incremental steps in the program of instruction. In part, this is because of inability to control site conditions and the effort of physically assisting those beginning ground skims. Impatience and wishing to see results (on both the students and instructors part) leads to the tendency skip necessary fundamental steps. When they start to have accidents, bending aluminum and incurring expense and seeing how frustrated their students get, they intelligently quit. An impatient tow operator can still be tempted to solve control technique problems by adding power, so training is necessary in constitutes incremental steps. That's what I was paying attention to mostly. But this knowledge is minimal compared to using high power hydrostatic line retrieval winch system and doing high tows.

What Steve showed is that by under powering the system the tendency to rush the student in the air before gaining fundamental skills can be avoided. This particular use of the technology can help create the ideal situations so that students can improve in an incremental way, just like an ideal training hill that has all wind directions. But, it also is less work and frustration for the student since their legs are not being used in acceleration and carrying themselves and/or glider back the hill. This method allows some of the physical effort to be minimized so that students can concentrate on body movement and control (tiring enough for most students). This does not mean the student will not experience frustration and/or hang gliding will be open to all. After all, as instructors we are still setting up ideal, assisted and supervised learning situations. The trick is still getting people to take instruction well into their hang two stage in the mountains. The main reason people drop out of the sport now is they don't get enough support at this stage.

What did you like best about the clinic?

This has been the first clinic where high quality ACTIVE and Successful instructors shared their knowledge, wisdom, problems, and frustrations. It was one in which we all showed and DEMONSTRATED what we knew - as opposed to only sitting in a room talking about what we knew. It was truly more like a instructors professional conference, where we made spontaneous presentations of what works, what doesn't, and possible reasons why. The spirit was that of sharing and helping one another other become more successful.

I especially liked the personal discussions regarding instructor's relationships with manufacturers of equipment and other instructors. We have come to the point in hang gliding where cooperation not competition will keep the industry alive. Even my paragliding instructor buddies see the advantage of sending students to each other (from hang gliding to paragliding and vice versa) and/or using our specialized skills to assist each other in instruction and promotion.

What did you like least about the clinic?

That not everyone got the same immersion that I did and the weather interfered with first one. Since I participated in all four clinics I was able to see most of the situations in which the tow technology and instructional methods could be used to fill in most gaps in instruction - use of the 90 CC, 125 CC and even 225 CC (the one available to me) winched could be used appropriately. Also, not everyone got the benefit to hear Pat Denevan, Matt Taber and Michael Robertson talk about measuring quality, effectiveness and efficiency of instruction and marketing solutions.

If a clinic like this were not free, what would be a fair price to pay for it?

Making a truly sincere and promising beginning instructor pay for anything about professional development is a bad idea in this stage of hang gliding's decline. We need instructors. Simply deciding to make a go at teaching hang gliding is a sacrifice in itself. But, if a similar conference can be duplicated the way I experienced it - 8 days of high quality immersion in demonstrations, participation and presentation - I would pay $150 to $200 to do it again. You must remember, in part, I created my own experience because of my commitment to attend all the clinics.

The following questionnaire is to find out what exactly was covered in the clinic and what you think should be covered. Please note what was covered with a C, what you would like to have heard about with an L and what you don't care about with an X.

What information were you given about equipment for scooter tow training?

Was there a discussion about what scooters are appropriate?

Small, medium, large? - C

Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) vs. manual shift - C

Centrifugal clutch vs. manual clutch. - X

Was there a discussion about where are they available?

New, used, wrecked? - C

Was there a discussion about scooter tow systems design and building?

Trailer, modular, trailer hitch mount, free standing? - L

Were line tension measurement and methods explained? - L

Was the value or lack of value of line tension measurement discussed? - C

Wheel drum building? - C

Was there a discussion about equipment maintenance? - C

Was the cost of various approaches to setting up a scooter tow operation discussed? - C

Was a type of rope suggested? - C

Were the advantages and disadvantages of various types and sizes of rope discussed? - C

Was splicing or tying knots in tow rope explained or demonstrated? - C

Was a turn-around pulley demonstrated? - C

Were mounting and use of turn-around pulleys discussed or demonstrated? - C

Was any source of turn-around pulleys suggested? - C

Was a tow line parachute discussed or demonstrated? - C

Were size and construction of tow line parachute covered? - C

Was the need for a tow line parachute explained? - C

Were retrieval winches discussed? - C

Were accessory vehicles such as ATV, motorcycle or bicycle discussed? - C

Was rope retrieval discussed? - C

Were glider and student retrieval discussed? - C

Was a stationary winch mentioned and how it compares to scooter tow? - C

Were various gliders for training discussed? - C

Did you get a suggested syllabus for a course of scooter tow training? - C

Was how to teach foot launch with scooter tow discussed? - C

Was active pitch control discussed? - C

Was active roll control discussed? - C

Was PIO discussed? - C

Was active yaw control discussed? - C

Were you shown how to train the student to release? - C

Were stages of learning and accomplishment discussed? - C

Was advancement through stages discussed? - C

Were appropriate wind speeds for training discussed? - C

Were methods for various wind speeds discussed? - C

Was cross-wind launch discussed? - C

Were high tows for training discussed? - C

Did you get a list or discussion of safety precautions for scooter tow training? - L

Were you shown standard tow signals? - C

Were you shown a standard towing procedure? - C

Were check lists mentioned? - C

Was failure to hook in discussed? - C

Were weak links discussed? - C

Did you get a list or a discussion of risks and dangerous practices in scooter tow training? - C

Were lockouts discussed? - C

Were rope or weak link breaks discussed? - C

Were release failures or failure to release discussed? - C

What recommendations were made for tow bridles and releases? - C

Were you shown various ways to rig tow bridles? - C

Were you shown how to prevent release failures? - C

Were you showed how to rig a safety nose line release? - C

Were you trained to operate a scooter tow system? - C

Were you trained about how to use the brake properly? - C

Were you shown how to prevent rope tangles? - C

Were you shown how to undo rope tangles? - C

Were you shown how to judge pilot angle of attack? - C

Were you towed with a scooter tow system? - C

Were there any suggestions about how to incorporate recreational scooter towing in your operation? - L

Were high tows discussed? - C

Was step towing discussed? - C

Were you given any ideas about how to get appropriate land for scooter towing? - L

If any of the above subjects were not discussed, did you get hand outs on the subjects? - L

Scooter Tow Clinic

March 2, 2006, 8:05:35 EST

Scooter Tow

An epidemic?

Michael Robertson|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

Michael Robertson «info» writes:

As you now know I'm a total fan of stationary winch towing. I am convinced that low and slow on a Condor is best method of teaching students to fly safely. It trains students in an unthreatening environment until their skills are automatic and instinctive. Their progression to higher altitudes and other forms of HG is rendered easy and reliable.

I also agree that Steve Wendt is the perfect point man for this movement (hopefully it will become an epidemic:).

Scooter Tow Clinic, part ten

February 27, 2006, 9:02:43 EST

Scooter

Just who came to the clinic?

Allen Sparks|Bob Lane|Bo Hagewood|Jeff Beck|John Matylonek|Lisa Kain|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|Quest Air|Rob Kells|scooter tow|Steve Kroop|Steve Prepost|Steve Wendt|USHGA

Steve Wendt, Michael Robertson, Pat Denevan, Billy Vaughn, Matt Taber, Allen Sparks, Jim Proehl, Bo Hagewood, Mike Brown, Rob Kells, Steve Kroop, Bob Lane, Tracey Tillman, Lisa Colletti, Jeff Beck, James Gardner, John Matylonek, Jeff Nicolay, Steve Prepost, and Aric Paulson.

Rob Kells «Rob» writes:

I have begun promoting the idea to aerotow flight parks that they will likely double their student sign-ups for lesson packages if they do some training hill or scooter tow before going tandem.

Think about this; ten years ago we had about 8500 HG members, and now we have something like 5500. Over that same period, due to aerotow flight parks, I'll bet there were (at least) 20 to 50 times more tandems than in the previous ten years. Could it be that those that seek out HG instruction are being scared away by the very method we all thought would revolutionize instruction. I think the answer is yes!

Michael Robertson «info» writes:

I'm quite sure a series of low powered stationary winch clinics with Condors will help the sport. Especially in helping new instructors get started. I think assistance from the USHGA is good, especially in promoting what we're doing, but I've always felt these things should be self-supporting.

Steve Kroop at Flytec USA «flytec» writes:

I am all for seeing more scooter instruction and I absolutely agree that scooter training has great advantages for aerotow flight parks. I, however, caution against an expectation of doubling the number of students.

I totally get what Rob is saying but I do not believe that we are loosing as many prospective students as suggested. I think that there are pilot types and there are non-pilot types. Scooter towing will help get people to take more than one flight (i.e., hang 1 package) but I think the ones that want to become “pilots” (i.e., proceed to H2 and higher) will do do so regardless of the training method.

I do agree that the slower altitude progression of scooter training well help with the altitude timid students. But, look at how many H1s KHK churns out compared to the number that stay with it to the H2/H3 level.

What will make more pilots is broadening our reach - more instructors in areas that lack instruction. Scooter towing can do this.

Lisa Kain at Quest Air «questair» writes:

While I still need to get approval from the Quest owners, I'm on board. Having a virtual training hill would be incredibly beneficial to our students. For the obvious reasons, scooter towing fills in some important gaps for Quest Air. For a variety of reasons many of our seasoned pilots request additional approach and landing instruction, and scooter towing can provide a more efficient and cost-effective solution to AT pattern tows.

Naturally, if scooter towing can double the number of students who want to solo our business will benefit greatly. For us, caution is necessary when pitting the much cheaper intro scooter tow flights against intro aerotow tandems. If we don't see more signups, we may only price ourselves out of the intro AT sales while recruiting the same (hopefully) number of students. I'm sure we'll find a balance between offering scooter tows and minimizing the risk of lost revenues until we get some first-hand results.

From helping with the clinic signups I know that most who didn't sign up could have attended if travel expenses were covered. Just two had time constraint issues. I heard Steve Wendt and Matt Taber suggest requiring a refundable deposit, which I think would have helped with the last-minute cancellations and no-show.

To increase membership I agree that USGHA support is critical, and I believe scooter towing is an incredibly promising part of that effort.

Scooter Tow Clinic, part eight

February 23, 2006, 9:29:04 EST

Scooter Tow

Best thing the USHGA has done for instructors in twenty plus years (maybe the only thing)

Allen Sparks|Bo Hagewood|John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHGA

william vaughn «billyfly» writes:

I'm really optimistic about the future of scooter towing (specifically using the Condor for first day students), and I think that the recent clinic (and hopefully others to follow) is the best thing the national organization has done for instructors in my 20+ years in hang gliding. Thanks for pushing it all in a good direction.

Allen Sparks «allensparks» writes:

The clinic was an extraordinary learning experience for me. In particular, it was a distinct and very memorable privilege to witness the considerable knowledge and instructional talents of Steve Wendt, Pat Denevan, Michael Robertson, John Matylonek and Bo Hagewood.

I agree fanatically with all prior comments on the ''Scooter' (more appropriately called Stationary Winch) tow system, and offer this additional perspective: The stationary winch is an excellent teaching tool, but if operated without appropriate instruction and experience, such a system can be as dangerous as a loaded gun.

During the clinic, we worked with Steve's 50cc system and larger 125cc system and I learned a key concept that: "less is more". I recently purchased a 250cc system and now I realize that Steve's lower-powered systems are much better suited for instruction of inexperienced or less-experienced students.

I urge USHGA/USHGF to consider sponsoring additional clinics, and I strongly urge instructors considering the use of a stationary winch in their program to attend a clinic before they attempt to use a winch.

Scooter Towing - the last day »

February 22, 2006, 11:23:34 EST

Last Day

We get to see the last of the Steve Wendt clinics

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|Quest Air|scooter tow|Scooter Towing|Steve Wendt|USHGA

Belinda and I arrive a little after 6PM at Quest Air and Steve Wendt is training an actual student on the scooter tow operation as the sun nears the horizon. This student has been following our scooter tow clinic announcements around and after not so great experiences in other locations has come here to learn.

It's great to be able to arrive after Steve Wendt has spent fourteen days training instructors and others (up to fifty folks came by to check it out) and hang out with him, Pat Denevan, Michael Robertson, John Matylonek and Bo Hagewood. Both Pat and Michael have long experience training using winch and scooter tow setups and are big advocates for this technology and the business practices that come with it.

Now that the first set of scooter tow instructional clinics are done and the early adopters are going home with great ideas for new business models, we are ready to take the next step, totally improving the way hang gliding instruction is carried out here in the US and eventually around the world. Steve has many folks asking for his time and attention. Matt Tabor is arranging for him to teach all his instructors.

I will be going back to the USHGA for more funding for similar clinics and further steps. The USHGA has a huge task in front of it and it needs a lot more high level instructors like Steve to meet its growth goals.

Scooter Towing Clinic, Part six

February 21, 2006, 9:32:28 CST

Scooter Tow

Even in the cold

Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|Rob Kells|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

Bo (Robert) Hagewood «bokodi» writes:

I think the scooter-tow clinic is going great! The first clinic was literally freezing cold but Coach (Steve Wendt) got out early and knocked the ice off the gliders and made it happen. Early indications are good.

I think Rob Kells went away assured that we weren't going to blow up the big Condor. Matt Tabor is so excited that he is considering selling his training hills and integrating the scooter in to his program. Somebody from Wisconsin just e-mailed the Coach to help them with their system after he leaves here.

Billy Vaughn left happy and with plenty of info to write a great article about the scooter tow experience. Unfortunately he had to leave before Pat Denevan and Michael Robertson arrived. They have added a nice new flavor to the experience. It was kinda neat to watch Michael, Steve and Pat work with a knew student and realize that they had over a 100 years of hang gliding experience between them.

Scooter Towing »

Tue, Nov 15 2005, 5:00:02 am EST

The Ohio experience.

cart|Dave Broyles|John Alden|Michael Robertson|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

John Alden «jalden55» writes:

Scooter towing is in the e-air and working in Ohio. I found teaching on the hills back in the late seventies and early eighties to be very unproductive, and unreliable in spite of the fact that most Ohio pilots back then learned in that manner. Fast fwd to the 21st century.

Working with Michael Robertson convinced me that stationary towing is the best way to learn hang gliding. Articles in this publication about Dave Broyles's scooterzilla and talking with Steve Wendt about his experience with his Yamaha, combined with the generosity of a fantastic aviation promoter and airfield owner Wes Jones, helps get me back in the teaching saddle and Wings to Fly ltd (http://www.aldenaviation.com/) is born.

No need to reinvent the wheel here. I copied Steve's winch the first year and then Dave's winch the 2nd year. My Scootzilla, named by my scooter mechanic never knowing of Dave's, is just as ugly and just as functional.

I try to keep things real simple using barrel type releases and pulling off the shoulders as in aero towing. I don't use a turn around pulley. I just start with the winch close to the students, using radios, and start backing up as they progress, giving them a ride back to the launch area on a golf cart. Not only do the students not have to carry up they don't even need to carry back.

Students learn from the bottom up rather than from the top down as in tandem aero towed training. Lots of ground handling and perfecting take offs and landings from the start. In as little as two lessons some students have progressed from ground handling to boxing the field to stand up landings.

Have not had much luck with my big WW 330 Condor as it seems too tail heavy for everyone. But all the Falcons and the Target are great trainers and fun to fly gliders. These gliders, plus the ability to reposition glider and winch to accommodate changing wind direction, have made teaching hang gliding  and paragliding fun and practical. Usually after ten lessons students of scooter tow training are flying prone, working lift, launching off a cart, have a novice rating and are ready for hill soaring and aero towing.

I find scooter towing with a 250 cc Honda Helix based winch like Broyles pioneered to be a simple safe way to teach. It will even pull a tandem. It certainly can't match the quality of tow one can have off a hydrostatic winch but for those with a limited budget it's a close second. But it all comes to having a place to tow from. Thanks to Wes Jones and all the other aviation friendly land owners who let us fly.

Oz Report Radio »

Fri, May 6 2005, 2:00:03 pm EDT

Canadian Pioneer

Michael Robertson

To see a list of and then listen to archived interviews on Oz Report Radio click here.

Michael Robertson

this is an audio post - click to play

Please send suggestions for interview subjects «here».

How to catch our Ozcasts.

Discuss Oz Report Radio at the Oz Report forum

Instructor⁣ Certification »

Tue, Sep 7 2004, 1:00:02 pm EDT

In Canada.

certification

instructor certification|Michael Robertson

Michael Robertson «staff» writes:

www.flyhigh.com

The dates of our Thanksgiving (Canadian variety) hang gliding instructor's course and recertification: October 8-11, 2004.

Discuss "Instructor⁣ Certification" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Harold and Kumar Go Flying

Mon, Aug 2 2004, 5:00:01 pm EDT

The hang gliding sequence at the end.

Christopher Ball|Dragonfly

Armand Acchione|Christopher Ball|Dragonfly

Armand Acchione|Christopher Ball|Dragonfly|Michael Robertson

http://www.haroldandkumar.com/

Christopher Ball «cbifilms» writes:

Harold and Kumar Go to Whitecastle, which is in North American release at the theatres right now, features a Hang Gliding sequence at the end which I shot near Toronto last year. Although the hang gliding sequence sort of stretches the limits of believability, so does the movie. (I didn't write the script, I was only the cameraman.) However, it got "two thumbs up".

We filmed most of the sequence from a Maxair drifter, while towing the HG aloft with a Dragonfly. The hang glider would then release and we would chase it with the Drifter.

Armand Acchione was the tug pilot, Bill Lishman (Operation Migration) was the Drifter pilot, Peter Darian of High Perspective was the flying double, Michael Robertson of High Perspective was the flight coordinator and I was the cameraman.

Discuss the movies at the Oz Report forum

Florida paragliding record

Thu, Apr 11 2002, 3:00:03 am GMT

Dave Prentice|Michael Robertson

Dave Prentice probably set the Florida state paragliding record flying 40 miles on Wednesday. He was the first pilot off in the morning using Michael Robertson’s scooter tow and not getting all that high over the Wallaby Ranch. He headed for the cloud street to the west and got up under it.

He was able to get near Cheryl northwest of Quest Air before the cloud street ended in over development. He wasn’t able to make it to the next cloud street to the west.

I took off right after him and got towing to the cloud street to the east, and it was even stronger and better defined. The conditions were obviously on, even though it looked like over development was in the offing.

Discuss "Florida paragliding record" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Static Winch Towing »

Tue, May 18 1999, 6:00:07 pm EDT

Ed Pitman|Fly High|Michael Robertson|PG|video|weather

Ed Pitman|Fly High|John "Ole" Olson|Michael Robertson|PG|video|weather

(?-i)John "Ole" Olson|Ed Pitman|Fly High|Michael Robertson|PG|video|weather

Ed Pitman|Fly High|John "Ole" Olson|Michael Robertson|PG|video|weather

Kevin Cosley «cosley» sent in this report on his recent winch towing clinic.  If you are interested in having a portable hill that is great for training as well as getting experienced pilots in the air, check it out:

Michael Robertson of Ontario came out to do a tow clinic with us and give us some instruction on the use of stationary winches.  This particular winch has some unique features that were new to him, some of which we explored for the first time while he was here.  (More on that below)

Ed Pitman, the designer and builder of the winch, also came up to take video for use as a sort of video operator's manual.  Prospective operators and pilots can watch this video before hand to get an idea of the process before going out to the field.

Weather was highly variable but we managed to get a lot done in all kinds of weather conditions.  We also had a variety of pilots from a hang-nothing who had never been off the ground before in a hang glider to a hang 5 getting his first stationary winch tows.  All tows were foot launched on this weekend.

With me operating and Michael working as launch director and advisor, we started everyone off with low tows, just as we would with new students.  Using very light tow pressures, we towed them across the field with only a few feet of altitude.  The hang 0 pilot was totally stoked from getting his first air time.

One pilot who had done some aerotowing was trying too hard on his first flight.  He took our advice and relaxed the next time around and it was great fun to see him fly down the field at trim with his hands off the bars completely.  (if you haven't towed from a hydraulic stationary winch before it's very smooth) We moved right along to higher tows in all types of air as rain squalls, hail, sun, calm, and wind from all directions came through sometimes sending us running for cover.

This would be a good point to bring up some unique features of this winch.  The winch has two drums of line and a set of controls for each drum.  It's rather like two winches in one.  The main line is 7/64ths diameter spectra line.  It runs through a universal swiveling pulley system which plugs into the receiver hitch in the back of my truck and drives out to the far end of the field.

This means the towline goes out to the end of the field and back so that the pilots are launching next to the winch.  (Setup is well thought out and doesn't take long) The second drum holds a smaller 700lb test line used for retrieving the towline.  The retrieval line is attached to the towline and a leader line goes from there to the pilot.  During a straight tow the main drum pays in while the retrieval line pays out following the pilot up. When the pilot releases, the pressure to the main drum is dropped and the pressure to the retrieval drum is brought up, pulling the towline back to the next pilot in line in less than 30 seconds.

This retrieval line is also capable of full tension tows however.  When the wind started switching from south to north and back again, we disconnected the two lines from each other and pulled the retrieval line out to south end of the field.  The main towline we left going through the pulley and back to the winch at the north end of the field.  A couple of gliders were taken to the south end.  We now had gliders and towlines at both ends of the field.  We could now launch alternately from the south or north (with the main line or retrieval line) as wind dictated without moving the winch!

Another way the retrieval line can be used is in step towing.  Normally to do a step tow on a stationary winch, the pilot tows into the wind and then, when pressure is released, flies downwind, pulling line off the drum, then turns into the wind again and tows higher.

The pilot must fly high enough on the first leg to have enough altitude to fly downwind and make the turn back into the wind at a safe altitude.  (Michael recommends at least 500 feet). The pilot must be careful to watch the towline so that he doesn't turn too sharp and get his wing under the line.  Usually a weight of some kind, or heavy rope, is used to help keep the line down making that turn easier.

With the retrieval line hooked up I was able to tow into the wind, turn around, and get towed going the other way too.  The two lines, hooked together, do a good job of holding the towline down away from the wing during the turns.  Also by getting a tow in both directions, there is no need to max out tow pressures in a rush to get high on the first step.  One can coast up using mellow towline pressures on what is already a smooth tow due to the hydraulics, which maintain a steady line tension in varying winds and thermals.

Climbs are generally made at trim or min sink flying speeds.  Releases can be done on your upwind or downwind leg using this winch, without fear of the line making a tangle at the winch.

We are still really in the testing stages of getting to know this winch however and are trying not to go too fast until we have worked out all the details.  Improvements will be added as we come up with them.  Ed Pitman is trying to come up with the most versatile and easy to operate winch possible and I'm interested in helping him.  (as long as our money holds out!)

Some questions that remain: If the retrieval line were somehow to hang up as you were towing up away from the ground things would get interesting FAST, particularly when launching with a line over the bar.  We are working on this problem from several angles, including ideas for an auto release in this situation, but any ideas from your readers would be welcome.

Later, we have solved this problem by using a very long leader line from the junction of the main towline and the retrieval line to the pilot.  With a leader line of 150 feet, if the retrieval line were ever to hang up, the tow tension would stop at the pilot and he can now fly the length of a football field before it becomes a problem giving him lots of time to release.

Also: Step towing with the retrieval line attached probably means you are limited to flying between the winch and the pulley (although not necessarily _directly_ between). In a field big enough so that you are only doing 1 or 2 steps this is no problem but your rate of climb will decrease the more steps you do. Over flying the winch may be possible but the job of the winch operator would become much more complicated.

I have step towed to 3,000 feet of altitude out of a 1,400 foot field without the retrieval line attached, but when stepping in this configuration there is a steady resistance pulling on the pilot that I wish was much less.  We will be working on that also.  Some resistance is needed on this system as free wheeling could cause a tangle at the winch.  We hope to strike a balance.

On Michael's winch, and some others, the operator can put the hydraulics in reverse and turn the drum the other way.  This means the pilot feels no resistance when flying downwind which is nice.  It takes a bit more skill on the part of the operator though and tangles occasionally occur.  Releasing while flying downwind is a "no no" using this type of winch.

I haven't tried doing tandems with this winch yet, but that is part of the plan also.  The system is powered by a A14 Nissan engine which has at least 60 hp. so that part is covered.  The hydraulic motors we have in there are hell for stout but we may end up going with something that can handle more RPMs if we need more line tension for tandems.

This is looking like a very versatile machine.  It's very nomadic and you don't need a tow road.  Any good cow field will work.  A new student can get on and fly for half a mile in ground effect.  An advanced pilot can jump on after him and step tow up to altitude.  A tandem HG or PG can launch after that and land back at launch for ready for the next one.  You can use the pulley retrieval line system or just pull out line and launch from a remote location.  In this configuration all you have to do is park and pull out line.  No real set up required.

You can also do pay out towing with this winch also.  (another thing I haven't had time to do yet). With the retrieval line pulling the tow line back so fast, you can pump a lot of people into the air in a hurry.

So the clinic was a success.  We plan on bringing Michael Robertson back to do IPs and/or other courses in the future.  He's got a lot to offer and I would encourage people in other areas to take advantage of his experience.  He's totally sold on stationary winch towing as an instruction tool and says he would never go back to training on a training hill.  He also mentions that he has done over 30 tandems in a single day (over 700 last year) from his winch.

Ed Pitman and I have been putting this winch together over the last year with whatever funds we could muster.  Ed managed to build a very impressive machine that wins a lot of people over just by driving up to a site.  He's got a lot of ideas and the knowledge to pull them off.  With even more backing he could build a winch that would make James Bond proud (he even offered to build me one where the last pilot could tow himself up) and could take towing a big step into the future.

When Ed gets the video that he took put together, sent up to me, I'll send out some pictures or make a web page, which should help to visualize some of this.  We can also make the video available.  Feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions or comments you may have.

This system is a great new way to step to paragliders.  In normal step towing of PGs, where they fly downwind pulling line off the drum, it's a real problem should the line ever hang up. It wants to stop the pilot while the wing flys over him.  With this system the glider is getting towed from the front on the upwind and downwind legs.  This also means, as I mentioned in the first report, that there is no hurry to get as high as you can on that first step.  You are climbing in both directions and can take the whole tow at whatever tow pressures are most comfortable for you.

Kevin Cosley 425-391-3631 or 425-557-8434 «cosley»

or Ed Pitman 530-359-2392 or 530-945-1860 «epitman»

Discuss "Static Winch Towing" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Seattle area static winch towing clinic

Mon, May 3 1999, 4:00:03 am GMT

Kevin Cosley|Michael Robertson

Kevin Cosley sent in a note about his upcoming static towing clinic:

The clinic will be held in the Seattle area on the weekend of May 8-9th with a ground school and safety talk on Friday the 7th. The cost is $250.00 Interested pilots can call me at 425-391-3631 or e-mail me at <cosley@eskimo.com>.

First of all I want to say that I don't mean to take away support for the Tiger fly-in (This clinic only has room for 10-20 folks) but it's important for me to get Michael Robertson out here and learn as much as we can from him. My goal is to get a core group of towsters off on the right foot. Not to compete with the fly-in. If there are those who want to spend the day at the fly-in but also want to go to the tow clinic, I think they can come out Friday the 7th or Monday the 10th to make up that day.

Also Michael would like to put on a safety talk/seminar in connection with the fly-in if possible (same night? night before?) during which he would cover (among other things) the use and theory behind the Robertson Charts of Reliability. I think this would be very valuable. Any ideas for a good place we could have this?

The tow clinic will be a weekend course. There will also be a class on an evening before the weekend. We'll say Friday night, the 7th, although that can be flexible. We'll see if we can get everyone 20 tows at least during the weekend. With everything organized and ready, this winch can get a lot of people in the air. If the weather is a problem, or we run out of time, we'll make the rest of the flights up later. The cost will be $250.

Michael has a lot of knowledge and experience to offer. He's one of the pioneers of hang gliding, and he's been teaching since 74, when he started High Perspective. I'll attach his bio below for those of you who are not familiar with him.

If you want to reserve a spot send me a check for $75.

Kevin Cosley
25124 SE 23rd ST
Issaquah, Wa. 98029

Ph 425-391-3631 or 425-557-8434

Discuss "Seattle area static winch towing clinic" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Scooter towing »

Thu, Apr 1 1999, 5:00:02 am GMT

Bill Bryden|Bob Hannah|Dave Broyles|David "Dave" Kinlan|John Burk|Kevin Cosley|Michael Robertson|scooter tow

A number of folks using scooter tows wrote in to say how happy they were with their setups. Dave Broyles, who is credited by Dennis Page and Bill Bryden in their Towing Aloft book (page 124) with developing scooting towing, wrote:

I thought I might give you a little history on this method. I published an article "Scooter Mania" about my motor scooter based winch in HG Mag in April of '94. I sent a video and plans out to probably 50 people including Bob Hannah, Kevin Cosley and Michael Robertson over the next few years.

When I lectured on towing at the Tacoma Dome in February of 1995, I had been doing solo primary instruction with a scooter tow system for over a year. I became interested in the method after a pilot who had learned to fly on a stationary winch in England told me a little about it. After I got the idea that it could be done, and how to make an inexpensive winch from a motor scooter, I developed my own training method from the USHGA program for hang glider training on a hillside.

You are right about the efficacy of the method. Scooter tow stationary winch based instruction is the most productive training method I have used. I have been teaching both hang glider students and paraglider students this way.

Incidentally, this method of training requires much more technique than hillside training. An instructor using these methods without some understanding of the technique is really likely to get a student in trouble.

If you compare the scooter tow pictures in Towing Aloft with the picture I took of Michael Robertson’s setup, you’ll see that the book gives quite a different impression of scooter towing then the one I got from watching Michael tow up the Ranch folks. The scooter has disappeared from Michael’s trailer and the operator is sitting watching the students fly towards him.

I wasn’t at all impressed with what I’ve heard and seen before about scooter towing and Towing Aloft wasn’t a big booster either.

David Kinlan in Johor Bahru, Mayalsia was pleased to be in contact with folks doing static winches and step towing. He wrote:

My friend Evert Wessels in the Netherlands has been designing and building static winches including hydraulic winches for many years, specifically to step tow. We have been step towing for 8 years. A hydraulic winch is the Holy Grail of winching, costs a fortune to build, but is like towing on rails.

John Burk, another Ontarian like Michael, but in Kitchener, instead of 40 miles outside of Toronto wrote:

Come on up to Teviotdale International and we will hook you up to our scooter winch so you can bob for pasture. Lots of runway and grass for that wide open feeling without the dust devils, but be prepared for some of the most scenic farmland you have ever seen, not to mention landing strips everywhere.

You’ll find John at http://www.soga.on.ca.

You can find Michael Robertson athttp://www.flyhigh.com.

Discuss "Scooter towing" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Michael Robertson’s ICP

Wed, Mar 31 1999, 5:00:01 am GMT

Michael Robertson|Wallaby Ranch

Michael Robertson, of the well known Robertson chart of reliability, has been down at Wallaby Ranch for the last week during the Wills Wing Anniversary party and demo days (see my upcoming article with Rob’s pictures in Hang Gliding Magazine). This week he’s been providing a course that will get the Ranch personnel recertified as hang gliding instructors, that is, if they pass the test.

Here’s a shot of Michael teaching in the pole barn:

Michael invited the rest of the folks on the Ranch to sit in today on his lecture about reliability today and got many of us thinking about his issues.

What really got me excited was watching the Ranch personnel go through what beginning students do when they learn to fly using a static winch tow. Michael brought down his small scooter motor powered slip disk tow trailer as opposed to his heavier hydraulic winch. Here’s a shot of it with Cleber in the drivers seat and Marcio behind him (our basic Brazilian contingent).

The initial step is to give the students just enough of a pull so that they can run with the glider using big steps. Michael sat at the controls and could easily set the rate of wind on the spectra line to just pull the glider and student along.

Next he amped up the wind rate a little bit and just pulled them off the ground about 5 feet. Very easy, very safe, no hard work.

I was very impressed by the ease with which you can create a portable hill and provide a safe and inexpensive training experience. He was towing pilots in a 15 mph wind coming off the trees behind the winch, with no problems at all. Other types of training at the Ranch (tandems and solos by new students) were shut down by the strong winds.

If you have access to a well maintained flat field that is big enough in all directions, then this definitely looks like the way to go for pilot training. In some locations it may also be good for step towing as a method of trolling for thermals, although not nearly as effective as aerotowing.

Michael has been teaching hang gliding near Toronto using this method for the last seven years. He's never had a serious accident with it. A broken arm is the most serious. I just wish that he could stay longer, so that I could get some practice with it. I love to try new hang gliding methods.

Michael knew about the new winch that is going in in the Pacific Northwest. Kevin Cozley, the winch’s owner, sees this as a great training tool, and a way to open up the sport to a lot more people. I know that Michael would love to come out and give a seminar on how to run this type of towing operation.

Discuss "Michael Robertson’s ICP" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Short Takes »

Mon, Mar 29 1999, 5:00:01 am GMT

Alejandro Gonzalez|Michael Robertson|Mike Barber|Patty Cameron

Alejandro Gonzalez writes back again:

Than you should add that I am long, long time Aeros fan and dealer in Spain! J

Wallaby Ranch is back to the regular quiet Monday with maybe twenty pilots at the Ranch. The cues start popping off at 9 AM, there’s a good southeast breeze (that unfortunately quiets down later), and there is an opportunity for Mike Barber, Patty Cameron and I to run a northwest task in prep for the upcoming comps. Four and a half hours later, after lots of air time over the Green Swamp, I get to come back from our triangle and land at the Seminole sailplane port, which is inactive on Monday. It’s got a nice long grass runway.

Michael Robertson is running an ICP here for all the ranch personnel so that they can be recertified. Like he said, as far as proper training practices are concerned, it’s like carrying goals to New Castle.

Discuss "Short Takes" at the Oz Report forum   link»