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topic: Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard (12 articles)

Special purpose flags for flight parks

Tue, Nov 16 2021, 11:28:20 am MST

They have evolved

Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|wind indicator

Glider Dude writes:

There is much more involved making these windsocks than meets the eye. This is how you get a nice 'gather' to the curved leading-edge If you zoom in, you can see the pins/clips/basting stitch that forms/reinforces the radius.

The reinforced 'pocket' that she fashions in the top/end of the curve where the carbon-fiber-staff ends is also a critical aspect that she has masterfully designed/engineered/incorporated so that the end of the staff will not wear-through and allow the long feather-tail to stream properly in light air. Gretchen does a professional job.

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More Wind Indicators for Wilotree Park

Wed, Nov 10 2021, 8:56:01 am MST

Located every where

Paradise Air Sports|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|Wilotree Park|wind indicator

Glider Dude writes:

Today I am delivering four more 'logo' windsocks to Paradise Air Sports, so, their order of five is now complete and they are ready for the flying season. Everyone loves these because, bang-for-the-buck, they are the best wind-direction indicators / most visible.

I have experimented with lesser expensive Tyvek and made numerous changes/tweaks to the flag/components to make them more effective/efficient and available. In addition, I have been highly successful adding logos to the material that is easy / not expensive and long-lasting. Attached is my personal windsock and it will accompany me at Paradise Air Sports soon.

I will have 4-7 white windsocks (and all necessary installation components) available for sale during the up-coming comps if anyone is interested. I will be helping Paradise Air Sports in the comps and pilots can approach me there/then. They will NOT have any logos so that individuals can fashion their own.

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Tyvek Flags

Mon, Jul 12 2021, 1:32:44 pm MDT

Bob Maloney's

Bob Maloney|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard

«Glider Dude» has been working on them also.

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Diver Bob

Wed, May 26 2021, 3:31:29 pm GMT

In Recovery

"Diver" Bob Maloney|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard

Scott Leonard writes:

Today, I spent ~5 hours with Diver-Bob’s two sisters at his home in Polk City and ~3.5 hours visiting with/(listening to Bob) in room 224 @ Bartow Regional Hospital today. I also got a chance to speak directly with/to his nurses/doctors… It was a LONG Long long day… I never thought I’d ever hear Bob say, “I am out of stories to tell you” ;+)… I am JUST getting back home now…

Bob specifically asked/told me to pass on his regards/progress to ALL his well-wishers… I can/will tell you more about his situation/condition/issues/prognosis later. Today we secured him a very coveted space in the Presbyterian Rehab Center in Lakeland, FL and expect he will be moved there later this week (ironically, Bob was raised by a Roman-Catholic father/Presbyterian mother). One of his sisters is heading back home to Delaware tomorrow and the other (just arriving from Ohio) will remain for ‘a while’ in order to help Bob with his affairs/recovery. His son was here and initially got Bob into the hospital but has returned to his home/family/job in San Francisco, CA. I have a key to Bob’s home, and as a close family-friend I am in regular communication with his reining neighbors/family/friends/doctors/Et al… If I can help YOU relay info/sentiments I will be more than happy to do so.

Bob has a generally positive attitude/will but he is obviously/expressively ‘tired/compromised’ and it is affecting his speech/communication to a significant degree, so be aware. His recent quotes to me include; “I want to be an over achieving rehab patient”, “I am Ok with my life and the fact that I cannot ‘fly/ski/jump’ any longer”, “Ok, let’s call it rehab, not nursing home”, “I intend to sew windsocks/bridles again”, and I could go on-on-on for hours/days about his recollections of episodic-family/friends…). Bob comes from a VERY interesting/famous family-background, has a VERY high IQ and even in his current ‘compromised’ state, he is articulate enough to be fascinating. Bob has generously contributed a LOT to our sport(s) and he is nationally renowned for it. He is a (near)-genius and both of his sisters’ professional mathematicians who are accomplished/renown in their VERY Very very prestigious fields.

In the meantime, again, Bob is going to be extremely busy concentrating on taking care of himself for many weeks/perhaps months and we/Wallaby Ranch/hang-gliding community need to manage windsocks/tow-bridles immediately/100% on our own. If you are interested in more details, you are welcome to call me anytime…

BTW, Bob’s 76th birthday is 3 June… He has been a VERY generous contributor/active participant of water-skiing/sky-diving/hang-gliding sports for nearly a century.

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Wind animation

March 29, 2019, 8:10:10 EDT

Wind animation

The weather viewed

Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|weather

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=30.8;-83.4;5&l=wind-10m

Thanks to Scott Leonard.

The continued future of future cars

Tue, Aug 11 2015, 7:19:04 am MDT

Flown by computers

Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|video

https://youtu.be/D4uSWtazRCM

Thanks to Glider Dude.

Please identify these soaring Florida birds

Wed, Mar 4 2015, 8:12:27 am EST

Osprey?, Peregrines?

Belinda Boulter|Maureen Grant|photo|Quest Air|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|wildlife

Glider Dude writes:

Maureen Grant took this picture recently of a glider/dude launching. There were some birds on the ground that 'came up'/launched with the glider/dude and we are looking for a positive ID of the birds. Some say juvenile peregrines, others think ospreys, still others think they are gull-like, and we have also heard other possible varieties (terns/kites/kestrel/etc.).

Yes, of course, click on the picture above for the high resolution version.

Belinda says Killdeers. There are plenty of them around here at Quest Air.

With those double throat rings they pretty much have to be killdeers. Hard to find photos of them flying, but these two help. Notice the mask and, in the second photo, the white leading edge marking. Also the shape of the wing in flight.

Although they look like falcons in the photo, I could not find a single raptor (or any other bird) with those neck rings. Also, the fact there is a group, and that they had been on the ground, sounds more like killdeers than any raptor. Killdeers are common at Wallaby and at Quest.

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Using thermals under water

Wed, Mar 12 2008, 4:09:22 pm MDT

Thermal glider

Thermal driven underwater glider

drone|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/whoi-rgn020708.php

Though the thermal glider is not the first autonomous underwater vehicle to traverse great distances or stay at sea for long periods, it is the first to do so with green energy. Most gliders rely on battery-powered motors and mechanical pumps to move ballast water or oil from inside the vehicle’s pressure hull to outside. The idea is to increase or decrease the displacement (volume) of the glider without changing its mass.

The new thermal glider draws its energy for propulsion from the differences in temperature—thermal stratification—between warm surface waters and colder, deeper layers of the ocean. The heat content of the ocean warms wax-filled tubes inside the engine. The expansion of the warming wax converts heat to mechanical energy, which is stored and used to push oil from a bladder inside the vehicle’s hull to one outside, changing its buoyancy. Cooling of the wax at depth completes the cycle.

Thanks to Leonard, Scott R NAE «Scott.R.Leonard».

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Geo Imaging

February 1, 2008, 9:25:35 GMT+1100

Geo Imaging

This camera knows where it is at

Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard

The camera.

The 500SE provides the definitive streamlined process to integrate quality images into mapping software applications. Automatically embeds data GPS coordinates with captured images. Seamless transfer of pictures and data to mapping software.

Thanks to Scott Leonard.

http://www.hiptechblog.com/2006/01/15/worlds-smallest-gps-receiver/

This is cool. Rakon, a 39-year-old New Zealand-based company, has developed the world’s smallest GPS receiver. Claimed to be as tiny as the size of a baby’s fingernail, the GPS receiver chip is small enough to be fitted into devices such as watches and cell phones. As GPS becomes commonplace in our everyday gadgets, we can be sure that things will get a little more interesting.

Brent Robinson, Rakon’s Managing Director, also mentioned that the GPS receiver will have sensitivity good enough to pick up weak signals, perfect for urban environments with high interference. Let’s see how long before this baby gets plugged into every of our favorite portable gadgets.

http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/1363-1.htm

When Freedom Input first emailed me their Press Release about their new Mini Keychain Bluetooth GPS receiver (hereafter I'll just refer to it as the "Mini"), I couldn't believe what I was reading.

Well as compact as those two receivers are, the new Freedom Mini is not only a fraction of their size, but actually out-performs both of them.

The receiver, which weighs about one ounce, and is literally the size of my car's remote "fob", has a mini-USB port on its bottom edge, covered and protected by a hinged rubber door. This little plug keeps the dust and crud out of the tiny charging port, and the rubber hinge keeps it permanently mounted to the receiver's body so you can't lose it.

Marketing 101

Tue, Dec 31 2002, 5:00:03 am GMT

Christopher Ball|Dan Nelson|Dennis Yeomans|PG|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|Scott Trueblood|USHGA|video

Seems like there continues to be a lot of interest in this subject. I’m sure that there are some really good answers as to how to grow the sport, if that’s what we can agree on we want. Hopefully Dan Nelson is listening.

J. Dennis Yeomans, DDS «jdyeomans» writes:

I think you might have hit on something regarding beach flying and promoting the sport. At first I was unimpressed with your comments then began thinking about my introduction to the sport ca. 1974 on Guam. Another guy and I bought one of Bennett's first production hang gliders and began jumping off anything available that wasn't too high to be scary (at first). I remember what hooked me was that initial rush of lift, especially if a gust hit you, even though the flight might last only a few seconds. Soon, all of our friends were trying it, and then buying their own gliders. A small HG shop sprung up, even though Guam doesn't have a single adequate flying site by modern standards, and no HG flying occurs here now.

This scenario could not happen now because of the advance in equipment and requisite protracted instruction, not to mention legal constraints. There is no way someone can so rapidly experience the rush of individual flight, except by tandem flying, which is great, but I'm sure discourages most because of the height involved. I think a retro glider needs to be designed (Moyes, Wills Wing??) specifically for low altitude, fun, beach type flying, requiring relatively little instruction. There are also many types of tethered flying possibilities that could be incorporated into a quick, easy, cheap, mind-blowing experience of personal flight. Once hooked, a potential pilot would gladly enter and endure the existing instructional system, which is really excellent. A proliferation of flight parks like Wallaby and Quest would complete the ideal safe, fun process of becoming a pilot.

(editor’s note: There are plenty of retro gliders available. The Falcon, Sting, Fun, Sonic, etc. These are perfect for the beach. Even cheaper and lighter gliders can be made for more beach fun.

The point to emphasize is the feeling that you experience with low altitude flight. It is this feeling that makes hang gliding “sticky.” Well, it is part of the stickiness of hang gliding.

It is because we know that hang gliding delivers this feeling that we can be confident that if we can entice enough people to give it a try in the right circumstances (so that their fears don’t overwhelm their excitement) a good percentage will want to come back for more.)

Rudy.Stephen.R «Stephen.Rudy» writes:

Too bad there are not enough gentle training sites like Kitty Hawk and Dockwieller Beach were potential students could get a safe and inexpensive taste of flying before making a big commitment to the sport.

Current training programs are vastly improved from the early days, but they also cost a substantial amount of money. The full time schools/dealers need to make their living from the few students they can attract. But I am sure a lot of potential pilots walk away after getting estimates of spending over $1,000 on lessons, before they even start buying any of the equipment.

(editor’s note: Smoking costs a lot of money also, but no one totals up all the costs when taking the first puff. Seven years off your life, plus all the monetary costs, and yet we have a teenage smoking epidemic.

It appears that under the right circumstances a rational calculus is not the issue.)

Scott Leonard «GliderDude» writes:

Throughout the year and during the annual BOD meetings, USHGA should be receiving proposals from each region regarding all the 'particulars' for purchasing a launch/landing site in each region. The BOD should vote and each year/period, using some of the dues collected from the membership, randomly/fairly purchase what site(s) there is money for and give it to the region to manage. It would be open to all members but managed by the closest/submitting region.

(editor’s note: I wrote earlier about the Canungra Hang Gliding Club that instigated an additional $100 ($56 USD) membership fee to fund future site purchased. Portions of the HGFA membership fees are used for site improvements.)

Christopher Ball and/or Kristie Sills «cbifilms» writes:

One big problem where I live in Nova Scotia is a lack of accessibility to the sport. There is one Paragliding school about 3 hours from me and no HG instructors on the province. Improved access would result in improved numbers here, especially if a school could start up with a winch to broaden launch possibilities.

I know of several people who would get into this if there was a school available here. I'd love to work on an instructor rating, but I wouldn't have the cash to invest in gliders and equipment. In this example, a marketing campaign would make no difference.

I learned to fly at High Perspective in Ontario, which is a great school, does a good job of marketing itself locally and always seems to have a roster of new pilots. It seems to me, it does this, not through widespread TV and magazine ads, but through word of mouth, appearances at shows and local advertising and being a visible sport near a major thoroughfare that keeps very good relations with the neighbours. The small local approach (maybe a coordinated effort amongst all schools) and some way of developing new schools, seems to be a more realistic way of approaching the growth of the sport.

(editor’s note: I don’t think that we have the resources for any “widespread” anything, but then I also don’t believe that was ever suggested. “Word of mouth” is certainly required, but some mouths are worth more than others.

No campaign to entice more people to try hang gliding at the beach is ever going to increase our numbers if we don’t have enough folks at the beach with gliders and schools to help them learn. The best marketing campaign may be just to train and support 100 instructors and let them generate word of mouth.)

Scot Trueblood «Hang4av8r» writes:

Most of us are aware of the tremendous visual appeal of the Red Bull Speedruns, it has even been spoken of favorably in the Oz Report! Ads in magazines may have some effect toward piquing the curiosity of the bored masses, but ads in our own magazine amount to nothing more than preaching to the choir. Let's face it; there is no marketing tool as effective as television. We need hang gliding to go prime-time, and there is no better vehicle to carry the message than something exciting, dangerous, and fun to watch.

It's not that the spectators want to see blood; they just enjoy seeing people laying it on the line, working without a net. The guys who fly in speed gliding & aero contests freely choose to push the limits beyond known safety envelopes and they don't need a bunch of Pollyannas wringing their hands and shouting about the hazards because it makes them uncomfortable. So, everybody in this sport needs to at least accept these permutations and assist them through attendance and grass-roots support.

We need to spend USHGA funds with the goal of getting several prime-time television programs per year which showcase hang gliding. Magazine ads and little chicken shit flyer handouts are going to have very little effect compared to a bunch of kids watching Scott Angel hammering through a low-fly gate at 80mph while they are eating their Cheerios on a Saturday morning, trying to decide if they want to smoke dope or ride skateboards for the rest of their lives.

(editor’s note: I mentioned that I had seen a brief glimpse of the Red Bull Speed Gliding video on Australian Sports TV. I loved it. I have always loved that video. It is a crime that speed gliding has been shut down in Austria. Limp Bizkit rules!

The video really gives the viewer a bit if the excitement of flying. The camera is right there. It is both scary and enticing. I think that it is a great advertisement for a good portion of our target audience.

I tried earlier to start a fire and get 10,000 copies of it made.)

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Better business bureau

Thu, Mar 30 2000, 3:30:06 pm GMT

David "Dave" Glover|HGMA|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|USHGA

Scott Leonard, <Gliderdude@aol.com>, writes:

I strongly recommend that USHGA and HGMA, as 'partners', begin and commit to a 'genuine' customer relations awareness campaign for the hang/para-gliding merchandisers. No establishment should get the 'endorsement' of USHGA/HGMA unless/until they regularly meet certain standards of good business practices and achieve acceptable levels of customer satisfaction that are verified by feedback, contributed by customers in the form of solicited questionnaires. USHGA should publish the results of this customer satisfaction feed back so we can do business with and give our support to the best. USHGA might give incentive awards to the hang/para-glider 'business-of -the-year' based on these published customer prepared evaluation reports.

The full letter can be found at:http://hometown.aol.com/gliderdude/page1.html.

Staff photographer: David Glover

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What we have here is a failure to …

Fri, Dec 24 1999, 11:00:01 pm GMT

Claire Vassort|David "Dave" Glover|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Gunnar Antonsen|Jules Gilpatrick|Scott "Glider Dude" Leonard|USHGA BOD|Wallaby Ranch|Mark Forbes

Dennis Pagen's message to the USHGA BOD excited lots of folks. Here's what they had to say, pretty much in the order I received them:

Mark G. Forbes, <forbesm@peak.org>, wrote:

Dennis-- I saw your comments on the Oz Report, and Davis Straub's 'rabble rousing' emails. While Davis may have a personal agenda, he's pretty open about it. When he made a proposal to require wheels in competitions, it was no big surprise… he'd already stated his argument in favor, and entertained some discussion on the subject.

That's a *lot* more than we've heard from YOU.

Would it really be such a stretch for you to post an occasional commentary on the HG list? You're a capable writer; that much is clear from your books. Your argument that inflection, tone and "true intentions" are impossible to communicate is no more than a lame excuse, if that. Perhaps the real problem is that the way you appear in your comments is as an arrogant, out-of-touch representative who answers only to the BOD. I'd like to believe that it's not true. If it *is* true, we need to get somebody else.

I'm delighted at the change of top management, as David Glover takes the reins. He's a good communicator, and he's stated that things will be different in the future. That's a good thing, and badly needed to restore confidence in the national organization.

You need to do the same as our representative to CIVL; I *expect* regular communication from you as part of that job. There are many avenues available to you to achieve that, of which the magazine is but one. If you have comments on CIVL, competition, Davis' maunderings or USHGA business in general (or even, <gasp!> THERMALS), send 'em out! You really *can* express yourself, even in a text- based medium like email. Even pilots like me who fly on weekends and have never entered a competition still *care* about this stuff, and we want to know what's going on.

Send a response to Davis and tell us all what *you* think. He'll print it in the Oz Report, and we won't be left with just the impression we have at the moment, which isn't all that flattering to you. His email address is <davis@davisstraub.com>.

For example, I'd like to know… WHY was a suggestion to require wheels in competitions voted down unanimously? What were the arguments against the idea? I can certainly see some arguments in favor of it, from a safety standpoint. We encourage people to use safety equipment; helmets and parachutes are already required in competition. Why are wheels viewed with such disdain?

Gunnar Hellberg, <GUNNAR.HELLBERG.GH1@bayer.se>, writes:

I am one of your keen European readers and want to express my support for your continuous efforts with the excellent Oz Reports, as well as your open-minded and service-minded attitude concerning sharing of information.

Dennis Pagen writes nice books, but he has obviously not understood the basics of tomorrow's society - i.e. open communications. As you mentioned in your latest report, the Internet is currently the best tool. It is amazing that some people still has not understood this. Dennis Pagen's unwillingness to reply would be understandable only if the actual "opponent" would be an obnoxious maniac, but this is clearly not the case here, as all readers of your reports knows very well.

The world of hang gliding should be grateful for the efforts that you make.

Keep up the good work, we appreciate it!

Scott Leonard, <Gliderdude@aol.com>, writes:

First, I want to say that I think Dennis Pagen has been unqualifiedly one of the most important and prolific contributors to the world of hang-gliding in its history. Dennis, (and to a certain degree Claire also), has dedicated nearly his entire life to this sport and we owe him some respect for his accomplishments and all the things that he has shared with us and with me personally.

Davis (and Dennis), please, before this gets out of hand I understand and I agree with what you are saying but remember what he has done and give him and the sport the honor due. I applaud your willingness to speak up, I admired your technical writing and flying skills, and I think of you as one of my heroes in hang-gliding. You also have contributed to my knowledge and experience as a member of the collective group and to me personally many times at Wallaby Ranch.

Dennis lately has not in my opinion been the best interpersonal communicator (I have written to him at least twice with not even an acknowledgement), and I sent a letter to the editor of Hang-Gliding Magazine, published in the November issue, some of which he could/should have responded to and so far has not (see items #1-10 in that article). For whatever reason I/we have not heard from Dennis I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now, but I am not necessarily waiting, holding my breath.

But, Davis, you are right, in my opinion, to push the issue of communication. We must begin sharing ideas, information, data, etc. with selfless goals of resolving political issues, solving technical problems and furthering the enjoyment and safety of our wonderful and very unique sport.

That does not mean that all our endeavors to that end will be 'pleasant or non-controversial'. Nor does it mean that we have to speak in politically correct sugar-coated patronizing dialects, but we should try to do it in a manner that contributes honor, dignity and respect.

Again Davis I want to thank you for your most excellent forum.

Steve Uzochukw, <steveu@which.net>, writes:

I was one of the people who forwarded your comments to Dennis Pagen. The reason I did so was because I didn't think the Oz report was giving him fair treatment.

FWIW, I have been to CIVL and seen the work Dennis does on behalf on the USHGA, I have spoken to him about some of the issues and ground you've covered, I think USHGA has an excellent CIVL rep, who is communicative and does a very good job.

I have had a reply in which it has been explained to me why Dennis doesn't subscribe to the Oz report. If I were in Dennis's shoes I wouldn't subscribe to Oz report because I agree with his reasons. However I'm not Dennis, and read the Oz report as an individual who enjoys it.

I think you have over simplified the relationship between the members, USHGA, the BOD and the CIVL.

Minutes of CIVL meetings may not necessarily be made public, and IIRC the CIVL rep for USHGA isn't there to represent the flying community in general. Also the CIVL rep for each FAI/CIVL member is directly responsible to the governing body or BOD of that organization

Russ, <brownrj@home.com>, writes:

I'd like to send a big "Thank you!" for having the balls to publicly prod the USHGA towards better communication. Without prodding, some lazy people would be content to forever fly flex wings and use snail mail. You are my hero! Keep up the good work!

Jules Gilpatrick, <freeflite@triax.com>, writes:

Big egos have thin skins because their hyperinflation stretches it. Although I have always thoroughly enjoyed Mr. P's writing I was both amazed and amused at how easily he becomes irrationally prickly when criticized.

As amazing (and amusing) was your answer, which I perceived to be a challenge to some sort of literary dick-measuring contest (my books outsell your books…) which, in my judgment, puts the Oz Report somewhere between the Star and The National Inquirer.

If we have to ingest this sort of thing as a price for the really good information the Oz Report is famous for, it would be nice to see your put-downs take on more of the scalpel and leave Mr. P to struggle with the rusty oyster knife that he has demonstrated is his weapon of choice. Its so much more fun to watch an inflated ego walk away seemingly unscathed, only to turn his neck and then watch his head fall off.

Otherwise, thanks for the great work. I really depend on the OZ Report for current and accurate foot-launched flight information.

Anonymous writes:

The bright light of the journalist, so unwanted by a few, loved by many.

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