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topic: scooter tow

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Constant tension electric winch

Tue, Nov 2 2021, 11:42:49 pm MDT

The Vortex SmartWinch

electric|Instinct Windsports|Mark Dowsett|Nick Jones|Ryan Wood|safety|scooter tow|stationary winch|tandem|tow|Vortex SmartWinch

https://instinct.pro/collections/vortex

We are ready to announce this exciting project we have been working on all this season - we are manufacturing the first commercially-available all-electric hang gliding stationary winch!

We feel it could be quite revolutionary in the industry. The power is there to even tow tandem hang gliders. The intelligence is there to automate the winch operator's job to make it easy for new winch operators to increase your flying communities number of flights.

AND, the foundation is there for us to implement remote-control winch operating - imagine being able to tow yourself up where you want, when you want… all with no need for crew to assist you!

The key feature is the torque-regulated abilities… you just dial in the desired max tow tension and the winch moderates the speed the drum turns to automatically adjust to give the pilot a constant tow pressure, regardless of hitting a wind gust, thermals or sink while on tow.

It is also incredibly portable! There are three components - the motor/drum, the controller box and the battery. All are light enough that they can be taken in and out of an SUV trunk and mounted on your trailer hitch as desired. No storing an entire trailer somewhere - take your winch home and go out to fly where the conditions are prime - rather than relying on a dedicated club site.

We will be taking pre-orders right away with hopes of spring 2022 delivery. We have flight tested the prototype to our satisfaction but are making some alterations for the final configuration. Prices aren't finalized yet but are working on some accurate ball-park figures. As we add features and improve some components, the prices will only go up from what we have listed.

https://instinct.pro/collections/vortex/products/the-vortex-smartwinch

The Vortex is a tension-controlled winch. This is opposed to a speed-controlled (or throttle-controlled) winch.

A speed-controlled winch puts a great amount of responsibility on the winch operator. If they only have speed control, they have some work to do to manage the tension on the tow line throughout the tow.

Some hydraulic winches are smoother but hydro-static winches still require the winch operator to visibly monitor a pressure gauge and adjust their hydraulic flow to attain and maintain a desired tow tension. And the tension can and will change throughout the tow due to glider speed changes, lift/sink, wind gusts and thermals. With a tension-controlled winch, the intelligence of the winch takes care of all that… resulting in a much smoother tow and way more efficient with increased safety.

Scooter winches are notorious for rough tows. All you have is a gas throttle to adjust and most scooter-winches don't have a pressure gauge to monitor. This requires an even more skilled winch operator and often a very rough ride. For this reason, scooter winches are usually only used in low, smooth winds for rather low-tension training tows.

There are also winches based on the LSD (Limited Slip Differential) transmission of a car. These are strictly gas throttle controlled as well and have the same problems as a scooter. They do have the added feature of setting a max tension that the transmission will slip if that max tension is attained to limit the tow from going over the max tension. This adjustment is very hard to set and calibrate as you have to test manually with a gauge and is often set way too high.

Discuss "Constant tension electric winch" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Alpha Scooter Tow

August 12, 2020, 8:02:05 MDT

Alpha Scooter Tow

Put the camera on the student's glider

scooter tow|video

https://youtu.be/ak9xgGKFAOo

Quad Tow Promo Video

October 24, 2019, 9:12:05 MDT

Quad Tow Promo Video

Running after the pilot

PG|scooter tow|video

https://youtu.be/4bYPvx3fg2I

ATV Towing is the use of an ATV used as a non stationary moving vehicle with a static line to tow a hang glider or paraglider into the air. Compared to a scooter tow setup, there are not many changes which have to be made to the ATV.

The tow line is laid out in an open field and runs from the rear of the ATV to a turn-around pulley anchored to the ground a few feet behind the ATV, then past ATV to another turn-around pulley some distance away and back to the glider which sits a certain distance in front of the ATV.

Since the line almost completes a full circle the glider and ATV are placed directly behind one another. If now the tension increases through the pull of the ATV it will increase the tension on the glider which will be pulled forward. From this point on the instructor on the ATV is driving and pulling the glider a set distance in front of him. The easiest way to picture this is a dog chasing his own tail.

Electric Scooter Towing

October 16, 2019, 12:44:11 pm MDT

Electric Scooter Towing

Manfred teaching

Facebook|Manfred Ruhmer|scooter tow|video

https://www.facebook.com/manfred.ruhmer.5/videos/2409858059269457/UzpfSTEyNzQ0MzU0NjA4NDoxMDE1NzczMTc1MTU1NjA4NQ/

Invisible selfie stick

September 6, 2019, 8:34:22 MDT

Invisible selfie stick

A fix for 3D

Mark Dowsett|Robin Hamilton|scooter tow

Mark Dowsett writes:

Thanks to Robin Hamilton for pointing out a simple mod to our hang gliding selfie sticks to make them compatible with the Insta360 ONE X and GoPro Fusion 360 cameras to make our stick invisible.

If you have one of our booms (works only with the carbon ones) and want the mod, let me know. Or new booms can be ordered at instinct.pro/boom

I finally got a chance to test it out last night having a few scooter tows on the WW Alpha.

Cloud Nine For Sale

May 23, 2017, 7:51:31 EST -0400

Cloud Nine For Sale

Downsizing

Facebook|scooter tow|Tracy Tillman

Dr. Tracy Tillman, CFI/AGI, A&P/IA and Dr. Lisa Colletti, CFI/AGI, A&P <<Cloud9SA>> write:

We decided about a month ago that we were going to retire from hang gliding and downsize accordingly. We have placed our home, hangar, and airfield at Cloud 9 West Airport up for sale, and plan to build a new, smaller home at our Cloud 9 East Airport, just a mile east of Cloud 9 West.

Concurrently, we are offering our hang gliding equipment for sale, including turbo tugs, tandem gliders, training gliders, scooter tow system, carts, and other associated equipment. In particular, with the Midwest comp coming up next week, we thought that some pilots or tow operators may be especially interested in our launch carts, for sale at $500 each. We have sold some carts, but still have eight left.

We have some of these items posted for sale on our Cloud 9 For Sale Facebook page, and will be posting many more items for sale on that page. Anyone interested in purchasing any of these items can call us at 517-223-8683 or email us at <cloud9sa>.

We had a blast teaching hang gliding and towing over the past 20 years, and we are especially happy that our focus on safety and thorough training paid off, with no fatalities or serious injuries occurring here over that 20 year period. We simply approached hang gliding safety and training like any other form of aviation should be approached.

Speaking of other forms of aviation, we have purchased a corporate hangar at a nearby public airport, as a base for our GA flight school and airshow military aircraft. On the avionics side, we are dealers of ADS-B equipment, and plan to do installs, too. With the ADS-B 2020 deadline approaching, we will stay plenty busy.

We truly appreciate all the good friends we made and great times we had in hang gliding.

Scooter towing instruction at Blue Sky

September 21, 2016, 9:19:32 MST -0600

Scooter towing instruction at Blue Sky

The overview via video

Blue Sky|scooter tow|video

https://vimeo.com/183247985

Russian Mouth Release »

August 3, 2016, 7:58:43 MST -0600

Russian Mouth Release

Checking it out

cart|scooter tow|video

Burke "Bruno" Schnedl <<rdufokker>> writes:

John Maloney and I were able to test the Russian Mouth Release using a scooter tow. I made several tows and released while on the cart, then made several more towing up to around 20ft and then releasing.

I was able to be in a 20 degree bank on the last one and release. The releases were immediate and very easy. Hands never moved off the base tube. I used a pro tow setup with barrel release on right side.

The release seems to be very well made with durable parts. The mouth bite is not the most comfortable and could use some modification.

The video here.

Excess equipment sale

March 23, 2016, 8:47:07 EST -0400

Excess equipment sale

Cloud Nine also needs to offload scooter towing and more

Dragonfly|Facebook|Risk Retention Group|scooter tow|Tracy Tillman

Dr. Tracy Tillman, <Cloud9SA> writes:

We have a complete scooter tow system for sale, including six gliders, training harnesses, etc. $15000. It includes everything needed to start a scooter tow business/school. We also have a Dragonfly tug engine for sale. See our Cloud 9 For Sale Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Cloud-9-For-Sale-1555704544720675/?ref=hl.

We are just selling the scooter tow system. We have used it in the past to teach foot launch/foot landing, but it really isn't any better for that than the small hill we have on the property. And with this new RRG/PASA insurance system, we will need to pay incremental insurance to insure the scooter tow system if we are planning to use it. We don't use it enough to justify the incremental cost of the insurance, so we are going to sell it. We're like the other major aerotow operations, and don't find scooter towing all that helpful.

With respect to the 912S for sale, we have gone to using exclusively to using 914's (and makes maintenance easier when both tugs are configured in the same way), and we have this 912S that we aren't using, so we are selling that as well.

Scooter tow training at Blue Sky

March 16, 2016, 8:48:49 EST -0400

Scooter tow training at Blue Sky

Kate Griffin, our hard working comrade

Blue Sky|Facebook|scooter tow

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209496603197681&set=pcb.10209496604317709&type=3&theater

March Fund Raising

March 16, 2016, 8:48:09 EST -0400

March Fund Raising

Support the Oz Report

Blue Sky|Davis Straub|Quest Air|scooter tow|video

One of the major efforts that we of made here at the Oz Report is to encourage the development of scooter tow instruction. It is great to see Kate Griffin, who has been working here at Quest Air this winter, working with Steve Wendt, the coach, at Blue Sky to learn how to teach scooter towing later in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

If you'd like to contribute to our expenses click here: paypal.me/davisstraub and send money as a friend.

Or:

How to send money to the Oz Report without a credit card fee: https://youtu.be/gEu-9i-07zQ

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

Or try here: https://www.paypal.com

With PayPal please click the Send Money tab to send the money and eliminate credit card fees by clicking the "I'm sending money to family and friends" if your PayPal account is connected to your bank account and not just to a credit card:

The email address would be davis@davisstraub.com

If you’d rather just send a check for $20 or $30 (US Dollars only, please) or more, please feel free to do so.

Payable to:

Davis Straub (Not to the Oz Report)
6548 Groveland Airport Road
Groveland, FL 34736

If you send a physical check, be sure to send me your email address so that I can register you as a subscriber.

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:

You can also use Dwolla (The best way to move money. No percentages. No hidden fees. Just 25¢ per transaction or free for transactions $10 and less.)

Flugschule Bergsträßler Drachenflieger

January 1, 2016, 7:39:19 EST

Flugschule Bergsträßler Drachenflieger

Scooter towing

Facebook|scooter tow

Flugschule Bergsträßler Drachenflieger

https://www.facebook.com/flugschule.bergstraessler.drachenflieger

Hang Gliding Schools

September 29, 2015, 6:57:50 MST -0600

Hang Gliding Schools

New pilots need to be taught by hang gliding instructors

record|scooter tow|USHPA

Pretty much the only way that the hang gliding community, whether it grows, shrinks or stays the same in numbers, is going to have new hang glider pilots is through pilots learning to hang gliding at hang gliding schools, whatever size they may be. You can find hang gliding schools in the US (and around the world) here, for example: https://www.willswing.com/schools/.

There has always been a tension between the "larger" schools and the individual instructors that may produce one or two new pilots a year. There is also a tension between schools or instructors in out of the way locations and those located near population center. It s often the case that there is no hang gliding school nearby where you can learn so you may have to travel a good distance or take a couple of weeks off to learn to hang glide.

The USHPA wants to encourage and support all instructors. They are held to a minimum standard and provided instruction and certification through the USHPA's program.

What the USHPA does not do, and what might be very helpful to prospective students, is have a rating for schools or instructors. It would be good for potential students to know whether a given school has an excellent safety record or not. Whether a school has a highly rated curriculum or not. Whether a school has an excellent reputation or not. Of course, you can see the potential for conflict in these proposals, and the USHPA would rather avoid this conflict.

There is no agreed upon standard curriculum for hang gliding instruction. Depending on the location different instruction methods are used. In the past I have heavily promoted the scooter tow method as a safe and effective method of quickly getting students up to speed. But only a few instructors apply this method. There is no agreement on whether this is the best way to go or not. And there are different versions of this method.

Students would be greatly served by a certification program that went beyond the basic USHPA certification as it now stands. I'm going to make the assumption that other sport organizations have more advanced certification programs than that offered by the USHPA.

One possible way to have such a certification program is through crowd sourcing. Students who have been through the existing programs could be contacted and asked to discuss their experiences. These could be published on one site. Also a few basic statistics could be gathered, such has the ratings of student two years after their basic instruction. How many students each school produces each year. The school's overall rating from their former students, etc.

Again, lots of potential areas of conflict among the schools. But it is in the interest of hang gliding in general that potential students are given the most information possible when it comes to choosing a school.

Scooter towing with guidelines

June 17, 2014, 7:35:58 MDT

Scooter towing with guidelines

Lines on the tips

scooter tow|video

Hikkaduwa <<alex.brieba>> writes:

Mr. Mitsuya Sakamoto in Kyoto had a good idea and made a system with security lines (steel) on the side of the glider. We have now another system in France but with climbing ropes, it's a fantastic way to discover the real fly feeling.

http://youtu.be/Vz3XbYmNlUQ

www.atlantiquedelta.fr
www.ecoledelta.com

Upcoming ET Landing Clinic and XC/Comp training at Florida Ridge

April 9, 2014, 8:39:19 EDT

Upcoming ET Landing Clinic and XC/Comp training at Florida Ridge

It's like scooter towing

Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|scooter tow|weather

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

Times perfect for pre-season tune-ups and training. I’m heading down to the Florida Ridge for the weekend of May 2-4, 2014 and offering landing training and practice in the mornings and cross country/competition training in the afternoon/evening. I can book about eight for the morning landing clinics, a max of 3-ish (glider/skill compatible) for in air afternoon training and a bunch for evening seminar topics. Email me (<ElektraTow>) or contact the Florida Ridge (http://www.thefloridaridge.com) to sign up and secure a slot. Let’s hope for continued epic spring Florida weather.

Beach at the end of the Rainbow

November 15, 2013, 9:14:58 PST

Beach at the end of the Rainbow

Life's a beach and then you fly

Jamie Shelden|scooter tow

http://naughtylawyertravels.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/rainbow-beach-fun.html

My flying world has been rocked! Yeah, seriously! Last Saturday we arrived in Rainbow Beach along the Sunshine Coast of Australia and we've flown all day, every day since. Over the past 5 days I may have had more take offs and landings than the last 5 years combined - between 15 and 25 every day!

Funny thing is, it all makes me think of Wolfi Siess. The first time I met Wolfi was at the French Nationals in Laragne in maybe 2003 or 2004. Wolfi and a couple of other younger Austrian pilots were being mentored by Gerolf. I was taking heaps of pictures all week and toward the end of the week I started to notice that all the pictures of Wolfi were especially funny. Most were landing shots and not a single one showed Wolfi without a gigantic grin on his face - like he was up to something. I always laughed about it, but I asked him not so long ago if he remembered that. He said "sure, landing is the most fun part of flying!" I thought to myself, "cool for him, I wish I felt that way."

More at the link above.

Scooter towing is also a great way to do repeated landings, safely.

Bad instructor

October 18, 2013, 9:32:36 MDT

Bad instructor

Breaking both arms

scooter tow|Steve Wendt|video

http://mydreamsmypassions.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/warrior-spirit/

The video accompanying the article shows just how bad the instruction was.

http://youtu.be/aIHfVnuNX0Y

Steve Wendt <<blueskyhg>> writes:

What a shame. It breaks my heart to see students going through this type of trauma. Just seeing the trees in the background shaking is all I need to know and see. It was way too windy to scooter tow train. I wouldn't allow students to fly in those conditions. Also, the training environment isn't a safe one if that is even possible. You can't train students with fences and poles anywhere near where a student could possibly go.

I've been watching for years now, and I still can't understand many of the decisions that are made in this sport. Sometimes the best lesson you can teach is not to fly.

We have surpassed 40,000 scooter training tows now with barely an incident. I attribute it to always using a turn around pulley so that each and every launch can be meticulously watched and controlled, teaching in light to no winds only, using large slow gliders, and definitely using good judgment to not fly when conditions are at all questionable. Scooter tow training simply can not be done safely in windy conditions. I also feel that during training a two point bridle should be used, not directly to just the pilot.

Scooter towing at Icare Cup 2013

October 10, 2013, 9:41:36 MDT

Scooter towing at Icare Cup 2013

A completely different system.

Antoine Saraf|scooter tow|video

http://youtu.be/j_iXlVKrE-w

A winch "captive" delta system which allows you to discover the pleasures of flying to non-flight initiated. No need for piloting on the flight. A concept well suited to the promotion of our sport.

Thanks to Antoine Saraf.

Checkout the lines stabilizing the wings.

Mitch's portable dune

September 11, 2013, 8:30:48 MDT

Mitch's portable dune

ET at the TC

Lookout Mountain Flight Park|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|scooter tow|Tennessee Tree Toppers|video|weather

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

Just got back from the 2013 TTT Team Challenge. Great fun and a fantastic learning experience.

One highlight for me came the last day doing pro-bono Elektro Tow (ET) tows in the valley at George Galloway’s 3K foot grass runway. George has graciously let me tow off his property (about as big as Quest!) the last two years. He stopped by with his daughter Valerie as we were packing up the last day and asked if I was doing demo flights. “Of course!” was my answer. Over the next hour we got Valerie seven intro flights. I manned ET and expert Kitty Hawk Kites dune instructors Joe and Jackson handled the instruction on the 225 Condor (crispy new glider courtesy of Lookout Mountain Flight Park’s Matt Taber).

That intro demo was a perfect example of what an ET type of system might best be used for. Using about a football field length of George’s real estate, we re-aligned the system directly into the prevailing wind which had been switching more Easterly. Then in less than an hour we took an excited college student from “I’ve never been near a glider” to “Wow, I flew a hang glider!” Easy. Quick. Quiet. Pictures to share. Family watching and cheering. Essentially a portable KHK dune intro flight where ET was the dune that traveled to them and could align into the prevailing wind. Great fun. Checkout some pics of the training and the video of Valerie’s last flight.

Some might think “It’s just a scooter tow and we have had that for years”. Well as the engineer PhD geek and advanced hang gliding instructor that has worked with this system over the last three years I’d offer it is significantly different than scooter tow. Quiet. Nice for both those being towed and the neighbors. Flip of a switch starting in any weather. Rechargeable for about two bucks of electricity. Inherently linear tow force Vs speed characteristic that provides a self-adjusting tow force without operator action. There is more, but I’ll save other discussion for the forum.

Great possibilities for bringing new pilots into the sport and I just had to share!

http://ozreport.com/pub/images/Valerie'sPerfectFlight.avi

An alternate wind signal

July 24, 2013, 6:42:31 CDT

An alternate wind signal

In the LZ

Alejandro Isaza|scooter tow

Alejandro Isaza <<alejoisaza>> writes:

As we give hang gliding lessons, we often have the need to signal to each other (being far apart from each other) where the wind is coming from in order to prepare the student for the flight and the scooter operator to begin the tow. So we came up with this signal to easily show wind direction.

When I learned hang gliding I was taught (also in the books) to signal the wind direction to the pilot that is about to land by running with our hands back in the opposite direction of the wind, this is a good signal that I have use many times, but on certain occasions this can't be done because of the terrain itself, roads, barb wires, obstacles, the person on the ground is very busy or other reasons.

This signal we are using is very simple and can be seen by a pilot that is about to land from a good distance, so I want to propose to other pilots to use it and make it a generally accepted signal to signal other pilots the wind direction for landing:

As you see in the picture, one hand points straight up, this only means “I am signaling the wind”, the other hand points to where the wind is coming from, signaling it's direction.

Florida warms up a little

March 29, 2013, 9:01:58 pm EDT

Florida warms up a little

The north winds turn east and ease on Friday

Mark Dowsett|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Quest Air|scooter tow|Steve Bellerby

My task flight here.

Olaf landed early just before I took off and it was good lift all the way to over 5,000' and the cold air. I headed north toward the turnpoint at the Turnpike and just flew through lift almost all the way as I needed to get warmed up again. Plenty of lift every where but got low east of Center Hill and thankfully there was a huge plowed field ready for me when I got there.

Steve Bellerby coming back to Quest at 7 PM.

I got out early while Steve was still on the ground and Mitch Shipley was doing his 15th tandem of the day including a marriage proposal in the air facilitated by a lot of extra work on Quest Air's part.

Then Mark Dowsett showed up with his students and his scooter:

Quest Air was completely packed with dozens of pilots, tandem lessons and aerotow sign off's just behind Mark with Mitch the PIC. Here the student gives the signal on scooter tow:

Tandems at Sonora Wings

February 27, 2013, 7:37:32 EST

Tandems at Sonora Wings

Paul Olson, Scooter Tow Hang Gliding School

Paul Olson|scooter tow|video

Paul Olson <<paul>> sends:

http://youtu.be/DcR9-MS27sE

Tandem pilots: Paul Olson and Bill Holms
Tug pilot: Mark Knight

http://sonorawings.com

Learning to hang glide in Southern Ontario

February 4, 2013, 8:52:10 PST

Learning to hang glide in Southern Ontario

It's not polyester

scooter tow|video

http://youtu.be/7-OmFUcqz2w

The Floating Baron <<non_sleeper>> writes:

Instinct Windsports in Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph and surrounding areas, have a large stationary winch capable of step towing, and at least one if not two scooter winches for training also.

http://instinct.pro/

2012 Team Challenge fully paid up

Tue, Sep 11 2012, 8:03:52 am MDT

2012 Team Challenge fully paid up

Register and fill out the sruvey

Jim Rooney|Lucas Ridley|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Ollie Gregory|scooter tow|Tennessee Tree Toppers|Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge 2012|video

Ollie Gregory «Ollie Gregory» writes:

The Team Challenge is full with everyone paid up! We need everyone coming to go to the website, register and fill out the survey http://www.tennesseetreetoppers.org/TeamChallenge12.html.

All the drivers, guests, volunteers, launch and landing clinic participants, Team Challenge pilots and family members should register so we can get a good head count. We need this for meal plan and launch and landing clinic planning.

Jim Rooney and Mitch Shipley are coming to help people learn about scooter tow with ET and improve their landing and launch techniques. This will be a great clinic for anyone wishing to improve technique. Hang 2s may fly from Henson Gap and participate in this clinic or work with Mitch and ET. Come learn more in a week than you can in a year of free flying! Don't miss out! We encourage all who would like to volunteer to come and help out. We will need some team drivers too!

Camping is free for TTT members and guests. All TTT members are welcome to come to the seminars. If you want to fly in the clinics, eat with us, or both please register and do the survey!

We are canceling the ham radio testing due to lack of interest.

Here's a link to my friend Lucas Ridley's video of some cool Henson Gap flying with Tipper! Our radial ramp is the best! Check it out!

http://youtu.be/cykHENutlkI

Discuss "2012 Team Challenge fully paid up" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Dog Cam

July 30, 2012, 8:59:51 CDT

Dog Cam

Chasing the pilot scooter towing on a Condor

Mark Dowsett|scooter tow|video

Mark Dowsett <<mark>> sends:

This is how we motivate our students to stay on tow for the entire low-and-slow scooter-tow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFX8JzwGp7k

Towing at Geneseo

July 3, 2012, 6:42:32 CDT

Towing at Geneseo

Rochester Area Flyers

cart|Jim Rooney|scooter tow|video

Jim Rooney <<jim>> writes:

I'm in the Buffalo area visiting family. My brother John, a local here, flies as well, so we've been spending a fair bit of time with the Rochester Area Flyers. http://Rochesterareaflyers.com.

Linda Salimone and Mark Frutiger have been instrumental in plugging us into the local scene (thanks guys!)

This Saturday  before last was pretty awesome. We'd decided to join the budding new aerotowing operation out at Geneseo airport. Geneseo is home of the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum. http://www.1941hag.org.

The crown jewel of the 1941HAG is one of the two B17s from the movie the Memphis Belle. It's out on tour at the moment.

The RAF's only just started towing at Geneseo and the Museum owner and staff could not have been more welcoming. We're looking forward to a wonderful relationship. They're certainly off to the right start.

The airfield is absolutely massive. The only question is how much of the grass to cut and which bits, because there's no way to cut it all! Right now, we're using the access paths and taxiway paths for aerotowing and the cut field grass near the C119 Flying Boxcar for scooter towing. I tell yah, it's quite something to watch operations out of the hatch of a WWII aircraft with gliders landing next to a C47.

This is I believe day 3 at the airport, this is all brand new. Mark's has just now gotten the aerotow side legal and running and I helped them get the scooter tow back out and operational (it's only been used twice before).

Well, how's this for timing? A former student had just showed up to check things out as we were finishing testing the scooter tow. So he signed back up with the club (his USPHA was already current) and we got him back into the air (several times). I love scooter towing. Just in time too as the club training hill is now closed for the season due to crops (corn).

All in all it was a fantastic weekend. I can't wait to get out with this crew again anytime I'm up visiting my brother. (They've got some sweet mountain sites as well, but that's a story for an other day)

Slide show here.

A couple notes. On the cart is our fearless leader Linda and Mark's in the tug. The big plane outside of course is the C119 Flying Boxcar. The close up scooter tow pictures are Ron and Rick testing things out in the taller grass before we moved to the nice mowed stuff by the 119. The Museum is a non-profit organization of extremely nice volunteers.

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

July 2, 2012, 8:08:57 CDT

Mitch and the ET for landing practice

Why not have landing clinics at competitions as well as flight parks

Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Rooney|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Mitch Shipley|Paul Voight|Ryan Voight|scooter tow|video|weather

Mitch Shipley held a landing clinic during the East Coast Championship. It was well attended.

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> writes:

There have been nice recent Oz Report threads and articles on how to successfully land a hang glider! I particularly find Jim Rooney's stuff right on and enlightening, mostly because he is thorough and does not present it as "one size fits all".

So how about those landings? It's something we have to do every single time we fly and we often struggle mightily with it. Considering how we pilots usually learn and then practice how to land, it's little wonder why. Please excuse me as I pontificate!

Typically we start our landing experiences on a training hill, trudging up and down never getting high enough to learn and execute the elements of a successful landing. Then off to the mountain, where we get one landing a day. If we learn at an aerotow park, we start tandem with wheels or landing gear that we roll in on. After we solo, our focus is much more on the fun part - flying and soaring - than on the landing. Scooter towing schools do a bit better early on with getting us high enough, often enough, to execute a good approach and landing, but quickly our focus and aim shifts to flying high.

We spend hours in the air practicing and refining our thermaling techniques, soaring the ridge and getting to the top of the stack. Not unexpectedly, all those hours of practice pay off. We fly in the air pretty darn well and we love it! When we are good and tired (or just as bad, done scratching really low trying to get up) we go in for the inevitable landing with predictable and sometimes painful results.

Even when the initial instruction on landing is good, we weren't experienced enough to internalize and execute it well before we are off to soar high and get one landing a day. Then we listen to all the armchair quarterbacks in the LZ provide pearls of wisdom on how not to pound in. Every year we lose good students, top competitors and all sorts of pilots in between due to poor landings. We can do better. There are ways to make landing practice easier to do and more effective in result.

To do anything complex well requires "practice, practice, practice". And yes, landing a hang glider is very complex and if anyone tells you it is not, they are a moron! There is no simple, one size fits all, cook book answer for how to land your particular hang glider, on your particular weather condition day, in your particular LZ. Don't get me wrong, there are absolutely principals to be followed, physics that don't change and techniques that work well and ones that don't. That said, a correct mix of all of these needs to be applied to the particulars of each landing/glider/pilot system and it is very much a complex and dynamic thing!

So why don't we practice landing after we become soaring sky gods? Well, because it's a pain in the ass and it's more fun to fly! Go back to the training hill? Crank out pattern tows? While everyone else is skying out? Never! I'll keep pounding in and take it like man! After all, soaring a hang glider is the "aiming point", the thing that captures our full attention and brings us peace.

OK, so what's a reasonable alternative and what are the required elements to learn how to land a hang glider without being such a pain in the ass? With full acknowledgement on how self-serving it is, I'll offer up for discussion the landing clinic run at Highland Aerosports during the recent East Coast Championship meet as a decent model.

Eight pilots signed up for the clinic which included three parts: 1) I start off with one hour of video based ground school on how to successfully land a glider. 2) Three mornings (0800-1000 hours) of Elektra Tows (ET) for landing practice (about ten tows each) that were all videoed in HD (Thanks to Rich Cizauskas!). 3) Detailed video reviews of each pilots landings, critiquing the good, bad and uglies of the landing. All three elements are required for success. You have to know how you are supposed to land, you have to try to land and you have to objectively see how you did - and then repeat!

While cranking out ten or so landings in a few hours is cool and a required step in the learning process, it is not sufficient. From the pilot feedback from fifteen or so of these landing clinics over the last year it is clear that the other two elements of the clinic bring tremendous value to the process. The most highly regarded element is the HD video review of each pilot's landings. It is the biggest eye-opener and help to the learning experience for many pilots.

A close second was the start up video review based ground school that shed light and understanding on many elements of correctly landing a hang glider that the pilots hadn't fully appreciated before seeing them frame-by-frame.

Now the techniques and elements for successful landings have been around for a while. I use Paul and Ryan Voight's list of Landing Clinic Ingredients as published here on the Oz Report forum. Seeing a video of those elements being properly executed (or not!), and then comparing it to your own landing videos takes the training effectiveness of the list to a much higher level. We are visual creatures.

Let me throw in one particular landing concept presented in my ground school that pilots have liked - "Flying the flare". No single cookie cutter flare approach fits all landing conditions, gliders or pilots. Paul, Jim and others have said as much, but the point is worth making again and demonstrating in some videos.

How a glider should be flared (or better yet flown) for landings depends on many things - how the glider is trimmed, VG setting, and wind conditions being some of the biggies. In a 10 MPH wind, a no flare approach works well. Just moon walk the glider out at trim until it settles.

For lighter wind conditions that require flying the classic flare (ending with full arm extension, glider aggressively stalled and keel near vertical) generally three "flying the flare" flight profiles covers the landscape of what pilots get presented with - early, on time, and late. After all the correct preparation has been completed (carrying good speed margin into ground effect, body upright, hands well placed, and the all important "feeling for trim") begin to "fly the flare" by pushing out/up on downtubes.

If the glider starts to climb (early flare), pause at that arm extension and then finish strong when the glider starts to settle back down. If the glider continues at the same height as you fly the flare (on time) finish in a nice crescendo flare and be smiling. If the glider starts sinking as you flare (late), hit it with all you have and be ready to run.

The point is we all have experienced changing wind conditions (lull, gust, gradient etc.) that alter what's required both in timing and technique on a moment to moment basis. What was perfect timing/technique yesterday in smooth air is late today in an abrupt, thermal induced lull/gust. It's also important to remember that during the whole rounding out, bleeding off speed in ground effect and "flying the flare" process, roll inputs to keep the wings level and the glider heading in the desired direction can and should be made! It ain't over till it's over, so don't be passive and "go along for the ride" anytime during your landings. The videos from the ECC landing clinic published in the next few articles demonstrate many of the elements everyone has been talking about here on the Oz Report and Oz Report forum.

Regarding Blue Sky

June 19, 2012, 5:35:31 pm CDT

Regarding Blue Sky

Inspired by Steve Wendt

Blue Sky|Mark Dowsett|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|Wills Wing

Mark Dowsett <<mark>> writes:

I was hoping you could give a public shout-out to Steve Wendt. I attended his scooter clinic in spring of '09 and went home inspired and started my own hang gliding school.

Our situation sounds like Steve's, almost too busy and we scramble every weekend to get enough students scootering in the mornings and evenings and then all high tows in the afternoon with our static winch.

Last week alone we did more tows in that week as I did in all of 2009, approximately 300. And this is a part time job as my business partner, Ryan Wood, and I both have full-time day-jobs.

Thanks again to Blue Sky and to Wills Wing for sponsoring that scooter-tow clinic at Wallaby Demo Days. I wish they would put it on again.

Jim Rooney on landings

June 19, 2012, 8:48:19 CDT

Jim Rooney on landings

The training hill is a horrible place to learn to land

Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Rooney|scooter tow

This third in a series of articles is taken from here: http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26379

Jim Rooney <<jim>> writes:

One of the biggest problems I see is that training hills are horrible places to learn to land. At your typical training hill, you can't pull in for landing speed as you'll contact the earth. It's also bloody hard work to get any sort of repetition in.

This is where scooter towing becomes so valuable. I've not seen, nor can I think of a better landing instruction tool.

As for student progression, most I've seen are taught to approach the earth at trim, then when it gets close to flare. They're at the level where they can just barely not smash into the earth anyway, so filling their minds with more things to do doesn't really work out all that well.

When they do progress to the point where they can mentally handle more, then yeah, the "ballooning up" problem arises. It's a hard one because once they encounter it, they become more timid, which is exactly the opposite to what they need to do to not balloon up. The cycle gets worse and worse till they just give up and go back to what they know, which is approaching the earth at trim and running it out. It's not perfect to them, but it sure beats smashing into the earth.

Holding the flare if you balloon up is critical. It's also intimidating as hell.

The full "show stopper" flare (as I call it) is a hell of a big step to ask a student to take. Some make it. Most do not.

Most students btw, are not taught to make the glider climb. Students do not have a middle switch, things are "ON" or "OFF," subtlety comes later. So you'll be hard pressed to find an instructor that's comfortable telling a student to do something that can worsen their situation. When you tell a student "Climb a little", what actually makes it across is "Climb". Not good.

Most students are taught to "feel the glider kick back". Keep a loose grip and when it bucks, flare.

Holy god is this a horrible way. That "buck" is the nose stalling. Now, you have to have good body position and a strong flare to make it work. This is why everyone is so focused on body position for flaring. And it's just how to fix a late flare. The better way is to not flare late.

But that's easier said then done. Remember, students are not subtle. And they don't process subtle either. They've also not got a "feel" for anything yet. They're barely flying, let alone noticing subtleties like glider "energy".

You need a timing cue the size of a building.

That's technique #2 Trim+1

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.

Bi-directional scooter tow

May 8, 2012, 1:04:04 pm EDT

In the alpha stage

Mark Dowsett|scooter tow|video

Mark Dowsett <<mark>> writes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXsZjjVpjs

A fun project we've been working on for the past year.

It's still a 'concept' since it hasn't been successful to low-and-slow towing yet. We are hoping by this last weekend to have the 150cc driving it and that should change the status. Right now it just looks like an unfinished/failed project.

We want it implemented as we find our low-and-slow scootering bottle-neck is now getting the line back enough for the next student. With this there is no line retrieve (not even a rewind motor). A leader line (100' or more) will be spliced in the paying-out-side rope that the glider will be attached to.

Begging and Bribing

March 26, 2012, 8:35:31 EDT

Tin Cup

Innovation in the field

Adam Elchin|Davis Straub|PG|photo|Quest Air|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

He's looking for your help, as are we.

Today we bring you an article about innovation in the hang gliding community. It is a story of a man having fun with his own hobby project after looking at what Steve Wendt and then Adam Elchin did for scooter towing, building his own version and then incrementally improving it. It is the kind of story that you won't get any where else in the hang gliding press. It is an on the spot report with lots and lots of detailed photos and enough detail to wet your appetite.

Can this type of innovation be sparked else where? I hope so. Hang gliding is in need of a complete revamp of its instruction methods and this in one idea that can help.

We have a boat load of premiums to encourage you to support Scare and I as we keep the Oz Report delivering the latest hang gliding news. See all the premiums available to you here: http://ozreport.com/premiums.php. Given that we are providing all these premiums, it would be great if subscribers went a little bit beyond the minimum $20 donation/subscription, as many of you have, and we are very grateful for that.

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What is the point of hang gliding instruction?

March 7, 2012, 8:57:20 PST

What is the point of hang gliding instruction?

It is not about teaching you how to fly

Blue Sky|scooter tow

The point of hang gliding instruction is to keep you from hurting yourself launching and landing. It is about teaching the skills of launching and landing, because it is near the ground that you are most likely to hurt yourself. If you can learn those skills you have the most chance of progressing and staying in the sport.

To learn these skills you must have plenty of practice launching and landing correctly. You are teaching your brain (rewiring it) to automatically perform the functions that you won't have time to consciously perform when you are launching and landing. You'll start off being way too slow to do the right thing. You'll start off forgetting (because you don't have the mental space and time) to do what your teacher told you to do, so you'll be put in a situation where it is safe and doesn't matter so much that you are clumsy and inexperienced.

Your instructor will hold you back and make you work on what you haven't mastered. You will need to continually practice the correct procedures in order to rewire your brain to get it to automatically perform them. This is where scooter towing (low and slow) is a huge benefit. You get a lot of practice, time after time, both launch and landing. Getting the glider set to the correct angle for launch, flaring when the glider comes to trim, holding the control frame in to come into ground effect with sufficient speed, etc. It is the over and over again practice that no other method allows that makes scooter towing vastly superior as a training method.

And this is where our current instruction is so dismally lacking. You only have to look at the landing techniques exhibited by most competition pilots to understand that they (all of us) zipped through instruction without nearly enough practice landing. The pilots come in too slow, their hands are too high on the down tubes, they transition way too high, they nose their gliders in because they have the wrong technique.

Of course, scooter towing isn't a perfect instrument for teaching how to launch off a hill side, because the correct angle of the glider for launching on a hill side will be the same but now with respect to the slope as opposed to the flat ground. So there is some adjustment to be made and students benefit a lot from launching repeatedly from small hills to learn the correct procedures.

Once students can launch and land with sufficient skill, learning to set up an approach (which involves turning and therefore flying) is the next skill set that needs to be practiced. Fortunately this will also provide additional practice with launching and landing. Learning these skills is great fun because frankly launching and landing (and setting up an approach) are the most thrilling (exciting) aspects of hang gliding. Once students have experienced the thrill of getting off the ground, just a little bit, the core thrill of flying, it is these experiences that really bring the rewards and make training such an enjoyable experience. It's not like school, it's like learning to walk, and instructors should approach it that way.

You'll notice that instruction tapers off or stops altogether once students get their first couple of high flights, at least in most locations, and after that they are essentially thrown to the wolves (their fellow, more advanced, pilots). Maybe there is some mentoring going on. Or, if they are flying at Blue Sky, the coach will be there to help them transition to more flying than launching and landing.

As we think about instruction and how to improve and expand it in the future we should think about what it is we are actually teaching and what are the most effective methods of providing that instruction.

Mantis Simulator

Tue, Feb 7 2012, 1:24:00 pm MST

Build this for your school

Michael "Spike" Coetzee|video|scooter tow

Michael Coetzee «Michael Coetzee» writes:

At the beginning of January my video of one of students doing a hang gliding course in nine days this included aero-towing was published by the Oz Report. Since then many pilots and instructors have contacted me regarding the Mantis Hang Gliding Simulator I developed and built last year.

I have a link to a video for the Mantis Simulator. I would like to share this with the rest of the world as I feel every instructor out there should have one of these beauties.

I will be putting building plans on my website: www.hanggliding.co.za Link to Video: Mantis Hang Gliding Simulator http://youtu.be/qZzQ9nWNkyw

There is also a thread going on currently on the Oz report, https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=105172#105172

I have also included the building plans to the Simulator.

https://OzReport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26382&start=10

Discuss "Mantis Simulator" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Training course in South Africa

Thu, Jan 19 2012, 7:13:08 am AEDT

Nine days

Michael "Spike" Coetzee|scooter tow|video

Mike Spike «Mike Spike» writes:

I trained a student to fly hang gliders and Aerotow in 9 days. The video: http://youtu.be/SMjNf9nhiyA

I used a simulator to train muscle memory, the scooter to pull him up and high speed scooter dolly tows once he could fly prone to simulate aerotowing.

hanggliding.co.za

Discuss "Training course in South Africa" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Learning to fly at Quest Air with Mark and Mitch

November 25, 2011, 10:02:31 PST

Learning to fly at Quest Air with Mark and Mitch

Lots of instruction

Blue Sky|Dragonfly|Quest Air|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=24033

To give you a little background on my flying experience, I received my Hang 2 in June of this year after completing my primary training at Blue Sky with Steve Wendt. The foundation of Steve’s training program is scooter towing and nobody does it better than Steve IMHO. Steve starts out with his 50cc scooter that works amazingly well. This scooter will give you your first flights up to 200’. Once you are ready, Steve will graduate you to the mega winch (a scooter tow set-up built with a 4-wheeler), this rig will give you flights from 400-600’. When the conditions are right, you will be on the truck towing from 900-1200’. For those of you who have never truck towed, it is a great way to get in the air (I can only speak for towing with Blue Sky). Basically once you are given the signal to release from the truck, you will activate the release from the truck with your finger and you are off. For the first 100’ or so you will fly with a little extra speed, beyond that, you will slow to a little faster than trim. During the first 2/3rds of the tow, the winch pressure will be lighter and paying out line. Around the last third of the tow, you will feel the winch pressure tighten up. At this point I fly faster and listen to the vario really sing. Just before the truck gets to the end of the road, you pull in a little speed and release from the tow line. When towing mid-day behind the truck, you will get bounced around as you would expect, but it is really a pretty easy process. If the wind is cross such that it pushes you to the downwind side of the truck, you simply keep the glider pointed at the truck for the duration of the tow. I find truck towing to be fun and a great way to log lots of approach and landing practice on light days.

I think it is also worth noting that I did do some tandems at Wallaby early in my training, while on vacation in Florida.

After getting my H2, I picked up my foot launch rating in Ellenville after demonstrating strong competent foot launches for a morning on the training hill. This wasn’t my first foot launching experience, as my first foot launches were actually in the KHK HG Spectacular, all strong and uneventful. Regardless of what anyone has to say on the subject, correctly taught scooter launches are foot launches. All I had to do when I got to the hill and then the mountains was to adjust my AoA. At most, you shouldn’t need more than a day of instruction on the training hill to make the transition from ST to FL. If you disagree with this, let’s debate it in another thread. At Blue Sky (my home site basically) we also have a Dragonfly and do some Ating. Having logged around 70 truck tows since getting my H2, I have been excited to get my AT rating and open the door to additional flying opportunities. After surveying my options of places to train, I figured it would be fun to escape the rapidly cooling air of northern Virginia and do my AT training at Quest Air in Groveland, Florida. I decided the trip to Florida would also be a great time to spend a little quality time with my 13 year old son.

Read more: http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=24033

Analysis of a scooter tow accident

August 12, 2011, 8:35:42 CDT

Analysis of a scooter tow accident

A lot of things went wrong

scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWM0yIh3_mw

1. The pilot in the video appears to be a "new" or "beginner" student. I have no direct knowledge of how much experience the student has. But I make this observation based on the following:

A. The pilot doesn't hold up the glider on the outside of the shoulders, but rather on their neck. I would expect that a more experienced pilot would have been taught how to hold the glider.

B. The pilot is being towed in the instructor's version of a training situation, i.e. they are not towed up to get a soaring flight.

If I am correct then this is a student that needs to be carefully handled by the scooter tow operator to be sure that the student is safe, no matter what mistakes the student is likely to make.

2. The student is pulled too high. He should not be more than five feet off the ground (measured from his feet). He appears to be at times twenty to thirty feet off the ground. He is high enough to cause real damage to himself when things go wrong. And that is exactly what happens.

3. It is apparently the case that the student is required to release from the tow line (see comments from student in the video). The student should not be required to release. The tow operator is in charge and they should put the student on the ground long before they are required to release. Students should not be concerned with releasing at all until they have had plenty of practice towing.

4. The tow operator should always put the student on the ground by at least three quarters of the way to the turn around pulley. When the student is three to five feet off the ground this is quite easy to do. When the student is twenty to thirty feet off the ground it is more problematic. The tow operator should never pull the student to the turn around pulley as was apparently true in this case. Comments on the video indicate that the scooter motor was running as the student made a 180 degree turn near the turn around pulley.

5. The student is off the ground for approximately eight five seconds. Assuming twenty mph air speed (near stall) this means that the turn around pulley was approximately 2,500' away from the scooter tow operator. It would be quite difficult for the tow operator to see what was going on with the student pilot 2,000+ feet away from him. He would not be able to see that the student wasn't able to release, if that was the case. It appears as though the turn around pulley is set too far away for a safe low and slow student instruction scooter tow operation.

6. At about the thirty ninth second into the video it is possible to see that the tow is taking place in windy conditions. Students should not be towed in windy conditions.

Teaching hang gliding in France

May 13, 2011, 8:43:20 EDT

Teaching hang gliding in France

Near Bordeaux

scooter tow|video

Alex <<alex.brieba>> writes:

Our flight simulator http://www.youtube.com/user/elagueur33#p/a/u/0/FN2p2-hDJMM. We use it for people who want to discover hang gliding and for our pupils at the moment they are able to pilot from stand up to prone position. We use a scooter tow and it's very quick. This is a video of a young pilot after four sessions with the scooter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC57lmyuslo.

http://atlantiquedelta.fr

Scooter Towing in South Florida

Thu, May 12 2011, 8:08:14 am EDT

It exists

scooter tow|Scott Trueblood|video

Scot Trueblood «Scot Trueblood» writes:

Other than the ET system at Quest, I believe we are the only school in Florida utilizing scooter towing. I have endured some pretty harsh criticism lately from certain flight park owners and their instructors for using scooter towing. Probably because they don't have a scooter system themselves, and they make more money by making every single flight an aerotow operation.

Contrary to the scuttlebutt, we use the scooter system only as one component of our training program. We have found that when basic skills are learned on the Low Tow system, the effectiveness of tandem flight instruction is greatly increased. In addition, they learn early on to be comfortable with foot launches and landings. The system is easy and inexpensive to run and maintain, and we use it on a number of small fields here in the area close to home.

Here is a link to our newest video: http://youtu.be/iCykW6fptVQ

Groupon⁣ and Lookout Mountain Flight Park »

Thu, Mar 31 2011, 2:29:51 pm EDT

It works for Matt and he's done it twice

Dustin Martin|Groupon|Lookout Mountain Flight Park|scooter tow

I spoke with Matt Taber at the Wills Wing Demo Days last week. I had thought that Matt's school was one that didn't need additional marketing, as he already had a billboard on interstate 75 near Atlanta. But he told me that he used Groupon twice and that he was making good money from the training hill and tandem package that he sold at a "discount" on Groupon. He said that he has done it in various cities around Lookout and had to withdraw it from Atlanta as he was getting too many folks signed up. He'll be going back to do it again to keep the number of students up at his school.

You maybe remember that Matt requires that new students go through the ground school and hill lessons first before they ever get a tandem aerotow. He knows very well that this provides him with by far the greater percentage of people taking the lesson package. Those schools that can't provide a scooter tow or training hill lesson before aerotowing tandems operate at a significant disadvantage. Of course, Matt has the instruction resources that can handle the additional student teaching responsibilities. He actually wants to train new pilots and increase the size of the local hang gliding community. Of course, this greatly benefits his full service business.

I also spoke with Dustin Martin. He and Mark Knight were about to let out a Groupon ad in Phoenix when the motor on Mark's plane blew itself out. Dustin said that they reached a very good deal with Groupon where they got $100 for each tandem aerotow (they are just giving rides essentially). He feels that Groupon and others like Groupon are very interested in hang gliding lesson coupons because they are so high profile, so much fun, so directed at their demographic, and when he rejected the original deal, Groupon came back desperate to have him.

Notice to hang gliding schools, you have a lot of power in these negotiations. Get what you want and need.

2011 Colombian National Hang Gliding Championships - day 3

Tue, Mar 8 2011, 5:43:59 pm EST

2011 Colombian National Hang Gliding Championships

A little rain and a wall of rain on course, so the day in cancelled

cart|Colombian Nationals 2011|Daniel Vé|Daniel Vélez Bravo|Daniel Vélez Bravo|scooter tow

Results here: http://danielvelezbravo.wordpress.com/

We're up and about at 6:30 AM, with a high overcast sky, completely gray. Still there are cu's under the overcast as there are every day here (so far) no matter what the sky looks like up high.

Raul says let's fix my glider and we take it into the pedestrian street in front of the hotel. We cart it out of the atrium of the hotel and go about putting on the new downtubes next to the gate entrance to the Museum del Rayo (which isn't open this early in the morning). The street is half a lane wide.

Mitch comes out and volunteers to lend a hand and soon the commander is taking charge (which we appreciate). Claudia has some sail tape for me so Mitch and I tape up the sail with him on the inside and me pressing against his hand on the outside. It seems to work. We do a complete inspection and things look flyable.

We're going up the mountain range again at 8:20 AM as the prospects for the day do not look so great. We're early, although not the earliest, but we still have spots right next to the launch corridor marked in lime. The cloud base is below launch (as it has been every day).

I set up the glider again and it still looks good. I'm ready to launch if the conditions are favorable (it is blowing up the launch). Otherwise I'm not excited about it.

Given all the grayness the task committee calls a very short task of 41 kilometers. The cloud base is very slowly rising until the day before. There is rain to the west on the other side of the range (and we are very near the top).

I go to the side of the launch area to watch a few pilots launch. Their technique is no better than mine from the day before. The only difference appears to be that the breeze is coming in (a good direction) at 2 mph (very light). They run, but they do not put the nose down. They run all the way to the bottom of the mowed area.

As they run down they fall back a bit and their arms extend even though the glider doesn't change its angle with respect to the ground. They are not pushing the glider (although a naive viewer would think so), rather they are rotating down and running down and the glider is flying a bit in front of them.

At about 11:45 (the first start time is 12:15) Daniel Velez announces that it is time to launch as the rain is coming. We can feel a drop every now and then and see that it is much closer to our west. The winds have been light on launch and often none, but every once in a while a 2 mph wind comes up the face, with the banana leaves flopping a little to the east of launch.

Daniel gets off and then the rain gets a bit thicker. David gets to launch followed by Raul and Mike and half a dozen other pilots. Now the rain is really here. You can see it full on down the course line and Daniel did not get up near launch but flew way to the north to near the rain before he found good lift.

I decide that it isn't worth the risk after the day before and break down my glider. I'm the only one to do so. The rain is coming down and David, Raul, and Mike launch with other behind them soon launching. The launch corridor clears out and no one is ready to join the pioneers. Finally we hear on the radio that Mike has canceled the task as there is a wall of rain all along the course line starting to the north about five kilometers. We can see it from launch so it was pretty obvious that the day was likely to be called.

I'm broken down. It is raining and I want to get off the hill before the dirt track turns to mud. I share a laugh with all the pilots (twenty to thirty still on launch) who now realize that they are going to be breaking down in the rain or waiting out the showers to see if it gets launchable later.

Mike, Raul, and David go out into the valley away from the rain and there is lift every where under the developing clouds. A number of pilots, including Mitch and Daniel head for the grass ultralight air strip just east of Roldanillo and land there. Our guys are headed north.

I accompany Jose, the driver, and after dropping off stuff at the hotel, we head north about forty kilometers to find that they have all landed in the same field as the first day.

A few tidbits. The driver is being paid 5,000 pesos per pilot per day. That's $2.50 (one tenth of what we pay in the US). Before we went out and chased the pilots, I bought him a bowl of fruit salad. It costs 3,500 pesos. The driver is a family man with at least two children. He lives in town not far from the hotel.

The hotel room costs 20,000 pesos a day. On the way back from retrieving the pilots we stopped at a hotel that costs 180,000 pesos a day. It wasn't all that great. Mike's house is much nicer. The hot water here at out hotel is iffy.

There are scooters every where here. Apparently the Chinese imported scooters are very inexpensive, perfect for South America. They cost about as much as a bus ride to purchase (per day).

The scooter riders here in Roldanillo wear what look to be black baseball batter's hats, instead of helmets. In Cali they wear helmets with the license plate number of the motorcycle or scooter on the back of the helmet. This is the help identify them. It comes from the days when rebels would come up on motorcycles and shoot your car full of holes.

There are small businesses every where in town which seem to have very low productivity. US productivity increased 4% last year and the US is producing about as much output as it did before the Great Recession with twelve million fewer workers. That says something about the future.

I have intermittent internet access now and thanks to Daniel and his phone I have some at all. I won't be able to be on top of everything, so please be patient.

Discuss "2011 Colombian National Hang Gliding Championships - day 3" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Able Pilot »

February 16, 2011, 8:29:36 MST

Able Pilot

Passing all the tests.

Foundation for Free Flight|PG|scooter tow|USHPA|video

Mark Gaskill <<airutah>> writes:

We are already well into 2011 and have a number of exciting plans for ABLE Pilot this Spring and Summer. But first, here’s a brief 2010 recap.

The Phoenix I prototype was completed via a University of Utah/ABLE Pilot collaboration. This was no small feat. Dr. Blowswick and his team of talented engineering students certainly rose to the occasion with the resultant being the best designed, built and performing adaptive paragliding equipment in the world! I feel very confident making this statement after hitting the road this past summer with the Phoenix I for some demanding field trials. Several pilots flew the Phoenix in its tandem and single pilot configuration. We have significant video and pictures of these first flights and will be studying them closely; however, I’m happy to report that all test flights were successful. The launches were easier than expected, even under challenging conditions, and all landings were surprisingly smooth. We intentionally made several landings that were downright ugly and others in rough terrain. The Phoenix I absorbed the landing shock and terrain well. Several of the test pilots commented that they felt more secure landing in the Phoenix I than they would have on their own feet in some of these test flights. The Phoenix I was test flown by able-bodied pilots as well as people with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions. It passed all tests and is nearing the point where it can be introduced to the paragliding instructional community.

ABLE Pilot also worked out some of the kinks in our instructional protocol this past year. We determined that early instruction for students with a spinal cord injury and paralysis is greatly enhanced through measured scooter towing – simulating what happens on the training hill but under controlled conditions. Through the introduction of measured scooter towing ABLE Pilot is able to provide a completely individualized training plan - tailored for the specific strengths and needs of each student. We are hoping our revised training protocol will help us accommodate a greater number of student pilots in 2011.

Our work did not go unnoticed. The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association named ABLE Pilot USHPA 2010 Chapter of the Year! We are looking forward to carrying this momentum into 2011.

If you have a few minutes scroll through a video of a Phoenix I test flight . The pilot is tandem Zen master Walter Neser. The conditions were very windy on launch. The landing was dead air. His passenger/student (Aaron Priester) has very little motor control – he can smile and move his head and can provide direction to his tandem instructor. This video was prepared for and has been shown many times to his envious classmates at school. His mother had no idea her son could fly, that’s apparent by her reaction upon his landing.

http://vimeo.com/14631072

2011 ABLE Pilot Goals Although 2010 was successful by many measures, we need to get more people with spinal cord injuries and paralysis under instruction and flying on their own or with the least amount of input from others as possible. Our 2011 goals make this a priority while continuing to develop the equipment and infrastructure to keep the program going long into the future. Here’s a summary of how we intend to make this a reality in 2011:

· So far ABLE Pilot is supported by sweat equity, donations and grants (thanks Foundation for Free Flight, Dr. Don Bloswick, and Neuroworx!!!). We are hoping that our recent accomplishments will strengthen the grant applications we have already, and will continue to, submit for funding critical to our R&D and program services. We have already submitted two grant applications in 2011 – one to the Paralyzed Veterans of America and one to the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation. These grants seek funding for two intensive paragliding camps for veterans with spinal cord injuries and paralysis. If these grants are funded the camps will be offered through the Sun Valley Adaptive Sports Program and Higher Ground www.hgvets.org. In addition, we have been talking to a New York Times reporter who wants to do a story on ABLE Pilot and the students under instruction. If this happens we anticipate getting much needed national exposure – keep your fingers crossed.

· We hope the Phoenix II will emerge from the lab in 2011. It looks like Bryon Densley may be taking what we learned by designing, building and testing the Phoenix I and improving upon it while pursuing his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah! Seems as if the University of Utah is emerging as a center of excellence in adaptive paragliding. We are hoping to have a simpler lighter airframe, one that will ultimately be less expensive to manufacture and easier to get into the hands of instructors nationwide. We are also looking to improve the Phoenix’s stability on the ground while reducing its dimensions slightly. We also have a few exciting improvements in store for the Phoenix project that are still secret.

· We hope to procure a scooter tow in 2011. We have been gracious of the loaners we used in 2010, but we think safety will be improved if we can rely on the continuity and familiarity of our own equipment . We also hope to increase the number of instruction days by increasing our towing capacity.

· When an organization relies upon volunteers to keep the lights on certain important tasks tend to fall through the cracks. Sitting down and solidifying the administrative aspects of ABLE Pilot is one goal we hope to give considerable attention to in 2011. The services of several potential Board of Director members have been solicited to help us achieve this goal. As a result, we hope to see improvements in our administrative structure in 2011. This includes achieving 501(c)3 status for ABLE Pilot.

· Finally, ABLE Pilot is doing good stuff for inspirational people. The ABLE Pilot web site ( www.ABLEPilot.com ) is the best way to communicate what we are doing to our friends. We have been remiss in keeping this web site up to date. We are sitting on pictures, videos and stories that are remarkable to say the least. We want to bring you the stories of our successes and description of our challenges. Finding the time and personnel to show off our inspirational progress will be prioritized in 2011!

What can be learned from this "scooter" towing accident?

Wed, Jan 26 2011, 9:05:31 am AEDT

Weak link at the end of a tow line with a barrel type release?

scooter tow|accident

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=20529

Discuss "What can be learned from this "scooter" towing accident?" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Scooter Towing in France

January 4, 2011, 8:15:20 AEDT

Scooter Towing in France

Nice setup

scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWj9Btyhh1s

www.atlantiquedelta.fr

Turning from golf to hang gliding

December 9, 2010, 10:03:43 PST

Turning from golf to hang gliding

This is how we grow the sport - teach at golfing sites

Mark Dowsett|scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uyt_lFYqNo

Move the slider at the bottom of the picture to the right if you want to skip that part where they are driving to the "indoor" driving range.

Mark Dowsett writes:

Scooter towing with the Condor in a golf dome. It's an air-inflated structure - no obstructions in the middle. The structure itself is 350' long but they have that mezzanine in the middle (2/3rds actually). If it was the full 350', it'd be a ton better.

"Indoor" instruction in Canada during the winter.

Three firsts

December 6, 2010, 7:25:17 PST

Three firsts

In one day

Bob "Skydog" Grant|Mark Bolt|scooter tow

Bob Grant <<caskydog>> sends this story by Trevor Gildersleeve:

There are days in everyone’s life when things happen for the very first time. Some things are simple like learning to whistle or snapping your fingers. Others are bigger like a first kiss, first date, first time driving a car, getting married, kids, etc. As we get older, “firsts” become far less frequent; however, Monday, July 26th, 2010 has added at least three new firsts for me.

The day was forecast to be a great soaring day, so good in fact that I decided to take the day off work. I wasn’t the only one with this plan as I was joined with two of the other 2010 rookie pilots, Tom from Indiana and Greg from Michigan. We all had the same “first” in mind for the day. A fantastic soaring opportunity! We were all there early and eager.

Setup and ready to fly by 11 AM, Greg was the first one up. His goal for this flight wasn’t necessarily a big time soaring flight, but rather his first foot-landing attempt. He had spent the calm early hours of the morning doing some scooter-towing and simulator practice in preparation. His tow up was great and while he was boating around Tom launched next. I had decided to wait a bit longer to let things heat up a bit more, plus I had Chris Bratsis in my head saying “you can still see the moon and you can’t soar under moon thermals”! Anyways, both Greg and Tom came down within fifteen minutes. Greg had a great first foot landing and Tom landed safely as well.

After some lunch and additional thermal cooking time, I launched in the Sonic 165 around 12:30. The tow was great, as I finally worked out my “Pilot Induced Oscillations” or PIO. Frankly, now I don’t know why it was such a problem initially because they’re just gone, which I’m grateful for. Once released, there was lift here and there, but it wasn’t very big, and sink was more readily available than the lift, so I headed back to the field.

While I was about 200 over the southern end of the field, I kept hitting a razor thin 300 up piece of lift that I kept trying to get into. I did get back up to 800 feet, but I couldn’t find it again after that. Thinking back it either bubbled up out of my reach or drifted where I wasn’t searching. Regardless, I setup for a landing and came in just short of the spot. The guys back at launch said they saw me working the low save and thought I was going to pull it out, but that didn’t happen. Mark Bolt expertly pointed out the HUGE (and growing) cumulus cloud over the spot I was working and said, “If you could’ve stuck with it you’d be up there in that right now”. Thanks Mark, a little lemon in the wound doesn’t bother me!

By this time Greg and Tom took another flight as well, but soon all three of us were sitting at the picnic table again watching the veteran pilots (Mark, Dave, Chris, and Floyd) getting setup. Us three rookies decided not to try again until these guys launch! By around 3:00 it was go time and Mark launched, followed by Dave. I was anxious to go and jumped back in line next. The tow was showing a lot of promising lift (read: white knuckle rookie towing), and Tracy waved me off in the center of a great thermal. I went straight up to cloud base at 4,900 feet.

While having the time of my life, and watching Dave quickly work his way up to me, I saw a couple of other pilots launch, and a few sink out and launch again. It was an amazing feeling being the highest one up and watching everyone else down below working diligently to get up as well. I watched Tom work his Falcon for the longest time, and I knew he was having the time of his life.

It was right around this time of euphoria (and cold hands) that I started noticing the fog starting envelope around me, and the vario screaming at me that I was being sucked up into a cloud. This is the first of the aforementioned “firsts”. So I commanded myself, “don’t go in the cloud! You know this. Go DOWN”! My first thought was to pull in and spiral down out of it, which I tried unsuccessfully. I really wrapped it up too, but I was still going up. Now it was really getting harder to see, and I started to get worried briefly.

Lots of thoughts raced through my mind, what if I can’t get out?? How fast is the VNE (velocity never exceed) on this glider, I pulled the most G’s I’ve ever pulled, how many is TOO many? I DO know how to throw a parachute, right? Ok, I know those are some dramatic thoughts, but remember, this is the FIRST time I was ever faced with such a situation and I was covering all the bases! Then, all of a sudden, it dawned on me. Duh, just fly straight and get out now while you can still see. Which of course moments later I was back out in the sunshine at 4,890 feet thinking what an idiot I was. The excitement wasn’t quite over yet, because about a minute later I saw Tom doing the exact same thing I just did, getting sucked up into the powerful lift, only to start struggling to get out of it. It was like watching myself in the 3rd person. We both had a good laugh about that one later.

I was up at cloud base for about an hour, and this was my second “first”! I was foolish not to wear any gloves, and it was about 55 degrees. My hands were cold, but I didn’t care one bit. It was all like a dream, watching everyone beneath me, all circling in the same direction at various altitudes and circumference. It reminded me of a baby’s mobile that hangs over a crib. I suppose it was my version of my own personal mobile. Although with Floyd’s rigid wing Atos, he kinda threw off the symmetry of dance, and was a bit of the odd duck in the group.

At this point, I’m feeling really confident. I’ve been in the same spot, in the same thermal cycle “all day” about two or three miles out from the airfield. I saw Mark about a three quarters of a mile away at a different cloud base further north west. Feeling like I should try something a little different, you know, to get more experience, fly with a pro and overall just change it up a bit. So I headed out on best glide from a nice comfortable altitude of about 4500 feet over to where Mark was skimming the bottom of a huge cumulus.

Now begins the story of my last “first” of the day…

Interesting, I thought to myself, I guess Mark was a little further away than I thought. I was at about 3200 feet by the time I got under the same cloud. Expecting to find lift, but there was none. “Uh-oh” I said to myself. At this point I looked to the airfield due south, and I knew right away it was too far, and even if I was to take a bee-line, if I didn’t make it I’d be stuck in the middle of fields and woods with no roads leading in. Don’t panic, I assured myself, go back to where you were in lift all day. I convinced myself it’s still there, so I spun around and headed back to my “old faithful”.

Once back, and at about 1900 feet or so, I suddenly realized why everyone was always below me, which is because it was really hard to come up from a lower altitude! Needless to say, at this point my worst fears set in, and I knew I was totally screwed. It was like the movie Top Gun, when Maverick was in a dog fight without Goose and feels helplessly lost, only to clutch his pals dog tags and whisper, “Talk to me Goose”. Although my thoughts were, “Talk to me Tracy! Now what the %&$# do I do”!?!

What I settled on was a few basic and obvious facts. Don’t land in a dangerous spot. I quickly ruled out all the woods, ponds, and barbed wire enclosed cattle filled pastures. Next was to try to land near a road. Everything was happening so fast, yet so slow. I was cruising down Bradley road scanning the fields and debating, which one? At about 800 feet, and bumping on a bit of a lift, I chose a bean field that adjoined an alfalfa field. It was somewhat narrower than I would’ve liked but was still the best option around. Totally aware that this was really happening at this point, I focused on where to land, and knowing I could NOT overshoot. I did two s-turns and at about 150 feet turned in on final and burned in over the beans (and one last check to make sure there were no fences ahead of me), I crossed into the alfalfa and flared. The field was on a slight downhill grade, and it made for a bit harder landing that I hoped for, but I didn’t care, I was fine, I was safe, and nothing was broken or in a tree.

My choice of landing place (given the circumstances) couldn’t have been better. It was a short carry (100 feet tops?) to a mowed grassy entrance to the field just off the dirt road. I had my cell phone, and extremely embarrassed, and upset with myself, I had to face the music and call Tracy for help. Relieved, he didn’t sound upset. He said he would come out to get me and to start breaking down the glider.

Right then, a truck pulled up and into the field where I was. Praying it wasn’t an upset land owner, I was relieved to see it was the very same neighbor that the night before stopped on his bike to watch us launch tandem flights. We had chatted a bit that night and he said how he sees the gliders over his farm quite often. I never thought that the very next day I would be in his farm! Regardless, I apologized and offered to pay for any damage if there was any. He asked me, “You didn’t land in my beans did you?” Which I quickly assured him, “No sir, I cleared the beans”! Relived, he offered me a ride back which I was grateful for, but politely declined since I already had someone coming for me. As quickly as he arrived, he was gone and I continued to break down.

Tracy pulled up with Greg a few minutes later and gave me a look of “did you learn something from this?” which I of course did! We finished breaking down the glider and in a bit of nod to my landing choice, he commented that it was a tough landing since it was downhill. I of course attribute the fact that I could pull that off on only my 10th or so solo flight because of the excellent training and rigorous approach and spot landing emphasis.

Once back at the airfield, I took my well deserved ribbing from the guys, and Tracy told me how everyone was calling me the “sky king” because I was doing so great, however; that title was quickly replaced with “field king”. For another Top Gun analogy, it’s like when Jester says to Maverick, “That was some of the best flying I've seen to date - right up to the part where you got killed.” Or thankfully in this case, only landed in a field two miles away.

Real Scooter Towing instruction

December 2, 2010, 8:41:37 PST

Real Scooter Towing instruction

Keeping the scooter as a scooter

scooter tow|video

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22128

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mosHRAl-myQ

Check out the comments at the Oz Report forum (URL above).

Scooter Towing the Wills Wing Condor

November 29, 2010, 10:03:40 PST

Scooter Towing the Wills Wing Condor

Without a turn around pulley?

Facebook|scooter tow|video

Facebook video

Instinct Windsports on Facebook

Aerotowing in North Carolina

November 24, 2010, 9:06:05 PST

Aerotowing in North Carolina

Lenoir, NC

Lookout Mountain Flight Park|scooter tow

http://thermalvalley.net/

Thermal Valley is a service and retail business in its formative stages for powerless flight. The company will be based near Lenoir, NC and have a web presence. It is being organized to capitalize on the lack of hang gliding (aero tow) instructional facilities within a seven hour drive from our base location. Lookout Mountain is seven hours West, Kitty Hawk Kites is eight hours to the East. In the Lenoir, NC area there is 5 mountain sites within a fifty minute drive. The surrounding country side offers many training hill opportunities. One time adventure flights will be the biggest income generator. Initially, hang gliding will be the primary focus offering lessons, mountain launch guide service, aero towing, scooter towing, cross country retrieval, glider and equipment sales, glider and equipment service and storage, camping and room rentals, food sales, and sport apparel. .

Scooter tow instruction in Norway

November 24, 2010, 9:05:47 PST

Scooter tow instruction in Norway

Catching on outside the US also

scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4L8AJIGejo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGTDB0BtWlU

Scooter Towing with Steve Wendt

November 11, 2010, 7:34:09 PST

Scooter Towing with Steve Wendt

The master keeping it safe

Blue Sky|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|video

http://blueskyhg.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIsd9IkjrKs

Electric Scooter Tow at Quest Air, the cart

Fri, Oct 22 2010, 9:48:31 am PDT

A few pictures

cart|electric|Mitchell "Mitch" Shipley|Quest Air|scooter tow

Mitchell Shipley «Mitchell Shipley» sends:

Electric Scooter Tow at Quest Air

October 21, 2010, 10:29:00 MDT

Electric Scooter Tow at Quest Air

Just a video of one pull

Quest Air|scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7atiT1s5xMU

Waiting for much more informative videos.

Scooter Tow Instruction in South Africa

Thu, Sep 2 2010, 6:37:50 pm MDT

Superior instruction

Michael "Spike" Coetzee|scooter tow

http://www.hanggliding.co.za/page2.html

The line from the scooter winch is routed to a pulley that is situated 1000 meters away. The line then goes around the pulley and taken back to the winch, the student will then be attached to the towline. This allows the instructor to chat with the student on the take off and more importantly be right by their side on their first few tows into the air.

Discuss "Scooter Tow Instruction in South Africa" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

GoPro⁣ Remote »

Thu, Sep 2 2010, 6:37:30 pm MDT

Turn it on and off

GoPro|Michael "Spike" Coetzee|video|scooter tow

Michael Coetzee «Michael Coetzee», Free Flying Adventures Hang Gliding School, writes:

After months of flying with my Go-Pro I finally got to the point where I had to do something about starting my recordings from a distance. I am flying with two, sometimes three Go-pro’s at a time and having to edit it afterwards is a real pain.

Check this you tube clip of the remote system I made for my Go-Pro,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoBcS8ZcCqw

Now I can put my camera on my wingtip and start and stop recording as I wish, wonderful!!

Discuss "GoPro⁣ Remote" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Margaritowville at Cloud 9 »

August 3, 2010, 4:00:46 pm GMT+0200

Margaritowville at Cloud 9

It's party time

scooter tow

Tracy and Lisa <Cloud9SA> write:

Come help us celebrate another season of flying with the Dragon Fly Soaring Club in Michigan, at our annual MargariTowville Party on Saturday, August 14, 2010 and weekend JUST FLY! Comp, running Fri-Sun, Aug. 13-15.

Our JUST FLY! Fun comp rules are on the competition page of our web site, at http://www.dfscinc.org/fly-with-us/competition-pilots. The entry fee is only $5 per flight. 100% of entry fees collected will be paid back to the winners, along with t-shirt awards. The comp starts on Friday, but you can also JUST FLY! And enter your flights to compete on Saturday and/or Sunday.

Our annual MargariTowville BBQ picnic and party will be held on Saturday evening, along with our free JUST FLY NAKED! Scooter Tow contest. (Just think of it as the 2nd Naked Hang Gliding World Championships.) If things get too hot, you can cool off at our Flying Bikini Tiki Bar in the club house.

Sat: MargariTowville 2010 party and JUST FLY NAKED! Scooter tow contest.

Fri-Sun: JUST FLY! Fun comp. XC, Out & Back, Alt., Time Aloft, Spot Landing.

Where: Cloud 9 Field, 11088 W. Coon Lake Road, Webberville, MI

Cost: Picnic and Party is $10 donation. Normal club aerotow fees apply. $5 per flight Just Fly! Fun comp entry fee. Free Saturday evening contest scooter tows. The daily “Gas and Grass” tax will be waived on Saturday for pilots wearing parrot head (beach, tropical island) style attire.

We’ll ask the crowd to select the best parrot head costume and scooter tow winners.

The Saturday evening picnic/party will be held rain or shine. To help us plan for the BBQ, please RSVP at 517-223-8683 or <cloud9sa>.

Quest Air to go scooter towing

Wed, Jul 14 2010, 6:55:47 pm EDT

A low cost entry point for new students

Blue Sky|Quest Air|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

They also get to learn how to foot launch and land. Paul, Mitch and Lauren are going up to Steve Wendt's at Blue Sky to learn how to teach scooter towing, the low and slow method.

Discuss "Quest Air to go scooter towing" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

The 2010 Boy Scout Jamboree (near Blue Sky)

June 21, 2010, 8:53:55 CDT

The 2010 Boy Scout Jamboree (near Blue Sky)

We don't need no stinkin' badges

Blue Sky|Boy Scout Jamboree 2010|David Glover|Lisa Tate|PG|Santa Cruz Flats Race 2009|scooter tow|USHPA

On Sunday May 18th, 2008 at 11:28 AM (more than two years ago) I sent the following email message to Lisa Tate and Paul Montville at the USHPA:

Subject: Helping Boy Scouts get their aviation badges

The 2010 Boy Scout Jamboree

http://www.circle10.org/site/c.owL1KgN4LxH/b.4041229/

http://www.aphill.army.mil/sites/mwr/boysscout.asp

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fort+A.P.+Hill,+VA&ie=UTF8&ll=38.095322,-77.26691&spn=0.011871,0.017788&t=h&z=16

Right up the road from BlueSky: http://www.blueskyhg.com/

How about setting up ten scooter tows and getting 40,000 boy scouts their aviation merit badges?

Lisa wrote back:

Thank you Davis. I will forward this on to our Marketing Work Group.

I never heard another word from the USHPA about this again. Then a few days ago I got this email forwarded to me from David Glover. It was sent to the USHPA asking for $600 by a member of the Arizona Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (a long ways from Virginia):

Mark Knight <mark> here, you will remember me from the 2009 Santa Cruz Flats Race. We spoke about the Boy Scout National Jamboree July 26 - Aug 4, at Ft. AP Hill, Virginia and getting Hang Gliders into the exhibits. Well last Saturday I finally got confirmation that I was going. Talk about waiting to the last minute.

I will once again be helping with the Aviation Merit badge at the Boy scout National Jamboree this summer at AP Hill Virginia. It will be bigger than usual because this is the 100th year of Boy Scouts. President Obama will be visiting and speaking to over 45,000 Scouts and another 300,000 people visit the exhibits during the week. Five years ago we gave out over 700 Aviation Merit Badges to the scouts that attended our exhibit, lectures and passed their test.

I petitioned the Leaders to include weight shift this time because of the new Weight Shift Private Pilots license. The leaders are all retired Air force and, of course, have their own agenda. One of the big deals at the Jamboree is acquiring special patches. The Air force guys always make their own patch and give one out to the scouts that pass their test. Sporty's Pilot shop made the donation to make those patches. We are estimating between 800 to 1000 Scouts will take the test this year.

I have been given the opportunity to make a patch with a hang glider on it to hand out as well. I had to copy their design and add a hang glider instead of a fighter plane. As you can see I used the Wills Wing T2 in the patch I made.

Here is the pitch. I need to raise about $600.00 to produce the patches (500 patches and they will cost approximately $1.30 each at that quantity). I'm hoping I can interest Wills Wing and the USHPA in making a donation for these patches. We are also looking for T-shirts, hats or any other give a ways to have at the exhibit to give away while I talk to the Scouts and people who sit through the lecture, question and answer session.

I will have a few Wills Wing gliders in the exhibit tent where the speaking is taking place. We will be using the gliders to explain how lift is created and general aerodynamic principals. I'm also trying to acquire a Hang gliding simulator. If you know of one out east let me know. I will be contact Steve Wendt near Richmond Virginia and see if he can help as well. If you are interested in coming to help out or even speak, let me know. I have to get you Military clearance to get you past security.

I'm very excited about this opportunity. Just think how many people will get to see a hang glider for the first time. Over 350,000 people in one week will pass the exhibit. All donating sponsors will get their company logo added to the presentation and a Wills Wing Banner will be hanging at the exhibit as well. I hope I can get a USHPA banner. I will have contact information available for interested people. I will try to guide them to the USHPA for more information on hang gliding. I hope you can assist me in making this a great event. Let me know if you have any question or if you want to see information about the 2010 National Scout Jamboree you can go to http://www.bsajamboree.org/ for more information.

A few days later Mark wrote:

Part of earning the merit badge is to go to an aviation museum, airport or something pertaining to aviation and writing a short report about the experience. Blue Sky could be one of those locations.

In the past many Scouts from around the country come a few days early and experience Washington DC or something historical from the area. Many have gone to the Smithsonian Institution aviation museum. I know Richmond has an aviation museum also. I've seen the SR-71 on display. I don't know why we could not suggest Blue Sky. I have not heard back from Steve yet.

Kitty Hawk Kites will be supplying gliders and a Nintendo hang glider simulator. If someone wants to kite a paraglider that would be fine. Time is the problem. Do to added security this year, everyone attending has to pass a background check.

The Arizona Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association has donated 100 dollars towards the patches. So I only need another 500. I will put together a complete proposal of what we have and what we plan on doing and keep you in the loop of what is going on.

Jeez, wouldn't it be nice that you got a merit badge if you actually flew and not until you actually did? Maybe that is just too much to ask (if you are talking about flying a jet).

Blue Sky »

June 3, 2010, 8:04:14 pm EDT

Blue Sky

Married with students

Blue Sky|Dragonfly|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|weather

http://blueskyhg.com

The big news is that Steve Wendt went and got married (to Tanya). No longer that bachelor life out in his trailer in Manquin (there is no town there) at the Blue Sky Flight Park. Steve has known Tanya for three years. She is from Moldavia. From Moldavia to Manquin, oh boy.

He also says that he has been busy mornings and evenings with hang glider students. It has been his busiest instruction season in three years. Forty three training harnesses sewed over the winter. Single hang glider straps for the Oz Report goodies store. I just picked up twenty four from him.

He built himself a new 50 CC scooter tow setup so now he has four scooter tow rigs. He also thought that he might have to start teaching paragliding (not enough hang glider students) so purchased five paragliders from Aeros. So far he is too busy teaching hang gliding to teach paragliding.

He's always in the market for a Dragonfly pilot. Contact him at <blueskyhg>.

The weather has been poor in general but improving now. Rain in the afternoons (and we went through a huge thunderstorm/cu-nimb driving from Charlottesville to Manquin).

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»  

Training Hill wanted at Torrey Pines

May 20, 2010, 8:48:18 EDT

Training Hill wanted at Torrey Pines

No safe place for training in San Diego

scooter tow

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2010/may/19/hill-please/

Thirty-five-year hang-gliding veteran William Armstrong appeared before the San Diego City Council on May 18 to request that the council consider creating a training hill at the city-owned Glider Port in Torrey Pines.

"We don't have a training hill for hang-gliding safely anywhere in San Diego," said Armstrong. "Years ago, a small hill was constructed and people were able to learn how to fly hang-gliders from that little hill as a ground-school experience. We can no longer do that."

Wouldn't a scooter tow setup be cheaper?

Canadian Aviation Expo

May 3, 2010, 4:15:33 pm EDT

Canadian Aviation Expo

Hang gliding prominent

Facebook|Mark Dowsett|scooter tow|video

Mark Dowsett <<mark>> writes:

We're in the midst of exhibiting at the Canadian Aviation Expo in Hamilton, Ontario. - http://instinct.pro/Instinct_Windsports_Featured_At_Canadas_Largest_Aviation_Tradeshow

We are getting great coverage. Ryan was on CHCH (Global) morning news Friday AM, we were on page A3 of this morning's Hamilton Spectator and also on this great video clip: http://www.thespec.com/videogallery/761177 @ 1:17

It's rewarding to have special mention right in the introduction to the video... and Ryan's interview is shown first.

We've been working hard in the off-season to get prepared for what is shaping up to be a great first full-season for our new school. Our successes are stemming from some high exposure for the support at shows like this, the successful implementation of the BlueSky Scooter towing system, our new InfiniteSky simulator and we're also developing a program to teach people with spinal chord injuries to fly hang gliders.

The simulator is a huge hit - you control the flight simulator with full weight shift controls... and the glider banks and pitches just like the real thing. We've already been approached by a few local aviation shows and museums to include the simulator at the venues.

We've been posting pics from the show right onto our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Instinct-Windsports/111154285580493).

Join our Instinct Windsports page on FaceBook and follow our developments.

Scooter tow instruction or not

February 17, 2010, 11:03:44 PST

Scooter tow instruction or not

Instructors found on the Oz Report web site

record|scooter tow|USHPA

All the hang gliding schools and dealers that we know about.

Only the ones that scooter tow.

Only the ones that don't scooter tow.

If you know of a school or dealer that's not in our list yet, please let us know. We need at least their name and location (country, state, USHPA region or zip code if they're in California, etc.). Other useful information would be their web site address, latitude & longitude coordinates, email address and contact name, whether they scooter tow, aerotow, do tandem flights, etc.

If you want to check on what information we have on record for your school, or see what other types of information we might be able to use, there's a date link at the bottom-right of the list.

Thanks, and email additions to Scare.

Hang Gliding Dealers and Schools

January 27, 2010, 8:41:52 AEDT

Hang Gliding Dealers and Schools

Updated Oz Report web page

scooter tow

Scare <Gerry> writes:

I've done a little reformatting on http://ozreport.com/hgdealers.php. Clicking on a state in the map takes them to the instructor list for that state.

Changed the highlight color for places that scooter tow from red to green, 'cuz the verdict on that method is that it's good, red would imply bad.

Separated out Canada, Mexico / Puerto Rico, and Australia into their own sections.

Made the link underlines lighter, for looks.

How could this accident happen?

Tue, Jan 26 2010, 7:44:01 am AEDT

Hanging by the tow rope?

Martin Apopot|scooter tow|unhooked|accident|injury

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hhpa/

One report:

Martin Apopot, a h2 pilot, fell victim to a scooter tow accident Sunday 17th, 2010 at Hearne, Texas airport at about 5:30 PM. Pilot was not hooked into the hang glider. Tow operator did not do a hang check with pilot, once pilot was in position operator accelerated the scooter tow winch, and pilot ran, but did not gain lift, after pilot ran for a bit longer was lifted to between 100' to 150' when tension was released, pilot was hanging on downtubes, glider crashed nose first.

Airlife was called to airport, pilot, Martin Apopot, refused to be airlifted to hospital and was taken by ambulance. Pilot was wearing an Insider full face helmet, and still suffered lacerations to right eyebrow. Pilot was taken to Saint Joseph Hospital in Bryan, Texas. Where doctors stated that he had a dislocated disc in spinal area and lacerations. Pilot will be released this week.

Another report:

From my perspective, which was between Martin and Scooter tow rig. The wind had crossed so the glider was farther away from the rig, but still facing into the wind. He picked up the glider, motioned for "go, go, go", so I yelled command to Bobb L to Go. Martin made 5-6 good strides with glider lifting off with him straight and level. His speed might have been a little slow and he bounced off the ground on his wheels, then lifted up about 3-4' and then did it again, the continued to climb. His climb out was smooth, straight and level with no apparent issue.

Upon reaching 100-125' he released and at this point he slid down downtubes to the base tube. I said to myself "oh shit, he's not hooked in". He held on to the base tube and glider pitched nose down and he flew it to ground. He hit pretty hard. Bobb Lo got in car and drove to the scene. From what I understand Martin was somewhat coherent, talking and had a cut on his head. Bobb made a quick assessment and called 911 who responded to scene with at least four ambulances, three support vehicles and two law enforcement officials. EMT 's were on scene in less than seven minutes. Helicopter service arrived 3-5 minutes later.

As far as the scooter tow went it was fine. A little slow at first, but quickly assessed and resolved. Mick had made two or three prior without issue. I wasn't sure how Martin could not have been hooked in and not lost it or released after second bounce. It appears that since he was pulled above the bar the towline pressure kept him pulled forward to the bar, but upon release the tension was no longer there to hold him against base tube. Upon release for towline it became real apparent what was happening. I don't fault scooter tow or operation, but question when the pilot did his hang check. He had walked the glider to launch area from the area where platform towing was being done. Martin flew platform towing several times today earlier.

Only he can tell us what happened, but that will be later in an accident report. Luckily his injuries are not worse and it sounds as though recovery will be in the immediate plans.

I have heard of one other accident a few years ago with scooter towing where the scooter tow operator was far away from the student and communicating by radio and the "student" was unhooked and climbed to about 40'.

Because of the cross wind the pilot moved away from the operator. Maybe not a good idea. The operator failed to notice the the pilot wasn't hooked in? The observer on the tow also didn't notice that the pilot wasn't hooked in. Same goes for the pilot. No hang check.

Why didn't the pilot know he was not hooked in after running and especially after bouncing a few times? Was the tow rope connection keeping the glider down (usually the glider just floats right up off your shoulders when you are not hooked in, unless, as I assume was the case here, the bridle is also hooked to the keel)? Was it making him feel that he was hooked in? Did he not know that he wasn't until he released (which appears to be the case)? What exactly is the setup for this bridle and release? Was it easy to reach the release? Would a mouth release be the ticket in this type of situation?

This was obviously not a low and slow training session, but a semi-high altitude tow. What was the purpose of the tow? How experienced was the tow operator? How experienced was the pilot with scooter towing?

I believe that we have something to learn (or relearn from this accident).

Discuss "How could this accident happen?" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Launching unhooked with scooter tow

November 11, 2009, 6:57:45 PST

Launching unhooked with scooter tow

You land in the sand on your stomach

scooter tow

What happens when you try to launch unhooked when scooter towing? Not much. Apparently in this case the tow instructor didn't notice that the student was not hooked in, even though the instructor was using a turn around pulley and was sitting on the scooter next to the student.

The sequence as a Microsoft Power Point slide show.

Scooter Tow instructor clinic

October 21, 2009, 9:06:41 PDT

Scooter Tow instructor clinic

From Gregg Ludwig and Fly Texas

Blue Sky|cart|Dave Broyles|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Jeff Hunt|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHPA

Gregg Ludwig <<GreggLudwig>> writes:

Nov. 7-8, 2009

Location - Thunder Field - private airstrip 15 miles northeast of San Antonio, TX. 3267 Lower Seguin Rd. Marion, TX 78124

Current USHPA Instructor - one day free (you have to pay for the other if you wish to have two days, the second day would be practice). Current USHPA rated pilot - $50/day

Preregistration required.

Contact Gregg Ludwig 281 788 6754 <greggludwig>, Jeff Hunt 512 467 2529 <jeff>

Gregg Ludwig is the facilitator. Jeff Hunt is the host and assistant. This clinic has been approved by USHPA for funding in order to promote this training method.

See equipment list and notice glider to be used (Condor 330) and small tow device for low'n'slow (80cc). Jeff and I are strong believers that the Condor 330 is the only suitable glider for the low'n'slow training method as well as a low power scooter. Instructor participants will have a chance to operate the equipment but any H-0's that participate will only be towed by me as the qualified facilitator.

Scooter Tow Equipment List:
New and used scooters - 5 hp/35 mph (1 80cc, 2 250cc)
Converted rear wheel to drum for line
Trailer and other mounting / transport system line guides and fairleads
Wheel chocks to secure trailer

Tow line and line management:
Tow line - Amsteel 12 Spectron 7/64" hollow braided line
Leader Line with drogue chute / drag device
Weak links
Line retrieval - ATV, Golf Cart and rewind system
Turn around pulley
Auger screw in anchors to secure turn around pulley
Hook knife or other emergency line cutting device

Student equipment:
Harnesses - training type with appropriate tow loops
V-Bridles
Barrel Releases - one for each harness
Helmets - selection of sizes
Eye protection
Knee pads

Glider and glider equipment:
Condor 330
Large basetube wheels
Primary release

Field Management:
Orange marker cones
Wind streamers

The focus of the clinic will be to use the 80cc small scooter system with the Condor for the Low'n'Slow training method. Actually the Condor will only be towed with the small Scooter.

The other more powerful scooters will be used, as time permits, for the full on tows as a side show/fun fly for experienced pilots. New students that may be participating will only fly the Condor low'n'slow.

I asked Gregg were he took his scooter tow training. He had an unfortunate answer:

My formal Scooter Tow training was done with Dave Broyles during an Instructor seminar.

It would have been hard to find a more unfortunate answer. But he continued:

This clinic will use more modern or "state of the art" low'n'slow training methods as well as the best late model equipment including the WW Condor fitted with a BlueSky harness.

Members might be interested to know that because I am a Director and Tow Committee Chair and also facilitator of this USHPA funded event that I have decided not to accept any compensation in the interest to avoid a possible conflict of interest.

I feel that in spite of Gregg's (training) pedigree that this should be a good experience for instructors looking to become acquainted with the Steve Wendt, Blue Sky, scooter tow method of instruction and I encourage you to attend this clinic that is sponsored by the USHPA. Gregg did much to get the USHPA to endorse and support this training method. He has said all the right things about how he is going to instruct, and this is a wonderful opportunity to take instruction from an enthusiastic instructor.

Scooter towing in Ecuador

October 1, 2009, 8:23:04 MST

Scooter towing in Ecuador

ATV's

Raúl Larenas|scooter tow|video

Raul Larenas <<r_larena>> writes:

Training towing with a 150cc automatic four wheeler. 1000 meters of Amsteel rope, 400 meters each way. One Condor Glider, one Falcon, and two Dreams with wheels and releases. One recovery four wheeler with gear to return with the glider and pilot.

The towing area is located in Santo Domingo at 1,800 ft, 2.5 hours from the capital, Quito. The student first runs (with glider on flat land) at 12,000 ft., after that then eight lessons of scooter towing. Then they are ready to take off on the training hill at 12,000 ft again. Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uyd0spDI0w

Girls⁣ at Morningside »

Wed, Sep 30 2009, 8:47:43 am MDT

Tower and towee

April Mackin|Bobby Bailey|Dragonfly|girls|Lookout Mountain Flight Park|PG|scooter tow|Steve Prepost|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTre3V80Z3s

April Mackin «April Mackin» writes:

April Mackin and Fay Holroyd had heard a lot about Morningside, but April had been there only once before, and for Fay it was a place that others talked about. They had become part of the hang gliding community through different routes, and had heard about each other but never met. Thanks to Rhett and Marilyn’s hospitality things were about to change.

Fay had been having fun living at Wallaby Ranch for a few months, getting experience of how the aero towing system worked doing a little flying here and there, and getting to know the community by taking their names for Malcolm’s yellow sheet at the launch point. Offers of places to stay and some good fun to be had tempted her to go off and see the hang gliding world. Morningside was a must, and the words from friends were simple: “you are going to have fun”. An invitation to get checked out towing on Rhett’s Dragonfly sealed the deal.

April, who had developed as an integral part of the Quest crowd, wanted to find a diverse flying community and Morningside was the perfect place. She was able to try her wings at paragliding along with all the other flying she enjoys. Over the years at Quest, April had learned to fly the Dragonfly, and foot launch at Lookout Mountain; she got her private pilot ticket and had learned to tow thanks to Bobby Bailey and the crew at Quest. This summer April found her way to Rhett and Marilyn’s couch.

Morningside in the summer months is definitely the place to be; under Jeff’s genial and good humored stewardship the full spectrum of flying possibilities are available. From the enthusiastic beginnings of first carrying a glider on your shoulders, to the meeting of old friends, who gather down by the runway to set up before a tow and a day of soaring, it is all here and will be delivered to you with a bit of fun, some advice where needed, and probably a frosty beverage at the end of the day after you have worked every puff of lift available to you. Whatever your wing of choice - either with or without aluminum, or your skill level, all are welcome.

Rhett’s green machine is busy all day, continuing a long partnership with Steve Prepost. The tandem glider takes awestruck members of the public up to 2,500 feet, for their first taste of the addiction that we call hang-gliding: bringing a grin to their faces with first views of mountains and trees, the beautiful Connecticut river, and the feel of wind in their hair. In the middle of the day, as the thermals begin to pop, the Dragonfly is in demand by the solo glider pilots. Fay had been having a great August, helping the boys out, getting as much handling practice as possible, and taking up any offers of towing that came her way. Long and sunny days flew by, with lots and lots of learning, sprinkled with great food from Rhett and Marilyn’s garden (yes, we all love your corn, Rhett!) And an education on wine. But the best was yet to come.

And so, on a glorious Wednesday afternoon in August over a bright green picnic table, and surrounded by chickens outside Rhett and Marilyn’s home, the two girls weighed each other up ….. surely one extra cat in the cathouse was enough?!! Polite conversation ensued. Parameters were tested. Rhett and Marilyn were softening the blow with easy hospitality and the ability to put up with almost anything.

Anyway be the end of the day, after plenty of frosty beverages, they found that they got along just fine. So thus began a crazy week of lots of flying, barely repressed laughter, and generally never a dull moment. The days started with “Princess Buttercup” April dishing out the orders for the day from under the duvet on the couch to those who had been up for a few hours already. She then got up at the crack of 9:40 and leapt into action with a para-glider, elegantly falling down the hill until she had got the hang of it. Meanwhile Fay was grabbing any suggested offer of some towing practice with willing volunteers, and getting some scooter rider training, whilst helping out with the tandem towing, also falling over elegantly whilst slipping the scooter on the wet grass. Marilyn and Rhett could not have been more accommodating: putting up with all sorts of chaos and noise, providing endless corn, and coping with a queue for the bathroom.

Everyone felt that a girl towing a girl would be a welcome addition to the Morningside atmosphere; with Steve Prepost’s movie camera attached to the back of Marilyn’s Falcon, and with the use of Rhett’s Dragonfly, the two girls enjoyed the evening air with a tow or two up over the beautiful New Hampshire countryside, and local history was made.

A great time was had by all.

Scooter towing in South Africa

September 25, 2009, 7:58:45 MST

Scooter towing in South Africa

A nice looking setup

scooter tow

http://www.hanggliding.co.za/page2.html

The line from the scooter winch is routed to a pulley that is situated 1000 meters away. The line then goes around the pulley and taken back to the winch, the student will then be attached to the towline. This allows the instructor to chat with the student on the take off and more importantly be right by their side on their first few tows into the air.

My response to Matt

September 21, 2009, 8:38:11 MST

My response to Matt

I don't mean to rain on your parade

Dan Zink|Lookout Mountain Flight Park|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

In my article I was highlighting the New York Times article and also responding to what was written there. Let me repeat what the New York Times writer wrote in the opening paragraph:

“LET go, let go.  … Let goooo!” I heard a voice shout from above as I skidded downhill on my stomach over soggy, muddy grass.  As I unhooked myself from the harness of my hang glider, hurrying to make way for the next student’s attempt at flight, a feeling of dread washed over me.

Now, I'll hope that you'll forgive me if I point out that that doesn't sound so great. First, the instructor is yelling at the student. Not the best pedagogical method. Second, the student is out of control, out of control of the instructor. Third, the student could easily hurt themselves doing what they were doing. Fourth, it doesn't look so good in the New York Times, when this is what hang gliding instruction is like at the premier school in the US.

I'm quite certain that you agree with me here.

The next paragraph:

What if I can’t do this? “O.K.,” I said out loud to myself, taking a deep breath. “Relax.” But my command had no effect. “You cannot be the worst person in the class,” I told myself, in hopes of getting my brain and body to get their act together.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement there. Sure, the student was blaming himself, but what about the teaching method? A little later in the article:

Back at ground school, midway up the beginner hill, the instructor, Dan Zink, 42, called over to me. “Did you hear me shouting to let go?”

I nodded.

“You’re holding on way too tight,” he said, smiling. “And where were your eyes looking?”

I said meekly, “At the ground?” I remembered that if you look at the ground instead of a distant target, you’ll stay on the ground.

“These babies want to fly,” he said in an encouraging tone, now speaking to the entire group. “Keep a light grip, eyes on your target, and let it fly.”

Well, at least Dan had an encouraging tone. The writer continues:

I found that even when I ran slowly on flat ground, the hang glider lifted off my shoulders with little effort, which lulled me into thinking that actual flying would be a cinch. What eluded me was what to do with my hands. Holding on for dear life (and pulling the hang glider down) was keeping me grounded.

After more trials, and more embarrassing errors, I was persuaded by Mr. Zink to hold the diagonal poles of the control bar loosely between my thumb and forefinger, and balance the weight of the glider, about 50 pounds, on my shoulders.

After all the trials and tribulations, the writer finally gets the idea and sure enough he flies. (Of course, the rest of the article is very positive.)

So as you can see, I was responding to the New York Times article and the statements made by the writer, statements that I felt put hang gliding instruction in a poor light. Of course, it is easy to blame the idiot student. After all they are clueless. (Which is why they are students.)

My point being, that by using the scooter tow technique the instructor would have had control over the student, and if the student didn't stop holding onto the down tubes, the student would never have gotten off the ground, nor fallen. It is as simple as that. With scooter towing, the instructor is in charge, not the innocent student.

It is my contention (and I believe Steve Wendt's also) that first scooter towing, then hill instruction, after you have taught the student how to control the glider on their own. This makes hill instruction safe and beneficial, where the student does indeed take that step into the air, the magical moment.

Thanks for all your great work bringing new pilots into the sport. The head of instruction at Lookout also responds here. As I point out there:

I can just see all the emails that the writer is now getting from paraglider pilots saying, "Wow, you should have tried paragliding, so much easier to learn, and you would have soloed from up high right away."

Matt Taber on scooter towing or not at Lookout Mountain

September 21, 2009, 8:37:15 MST

Matt Taber on scooter towing or not at Lookout Mountain

Matt Responds to my article about "Learning the Hard Way."

Lookout Mountain Flight Park|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHPA

http://ozreport.com/13.187#6

Matt Taber at Lookout Mtn. Flight Park <<Fly>> writes:

I am glad you mostly liked the NY Times article. The guy was challenged initially but says he will come back and solo. We will see how part two of the NYT article will read. We are hoping for big results.

As you know I built a beautiful scooter tow rig. We used a brand new Honda scooter. Prior to building the scooter I went to several clinics and then built the tow rig and had Steve Wendt come here to work with our whole crew on the ups and downs of using a scooter.

We spent several days with Steve getting proficient and working with Steve was a real pleasure. After he left, we spent a lot of time and effort on our own working to be proficient with scooter towing; doing it the right way. We were and are successful with the scooter.

After all this I can honestly say that I do not think the scooter is a replacement for training hills as nice as ours. It can do the same job, just not to the same level. There are still issues with the scooter, especially in no wind, our main staple here. I still believe in using a scooter tow rig and used correctly it can be a huge benefit over just tandem instruction. Just ask Steve, he still likes a training hill over the scooter under certain circumstances, at least that is what he said to me.

This is what we discovered.

1) The scooter does not produce the same pivotal moment experience that solo foot launch off of the hill does.

2) The scooter will increase the number of days it takes to prepare someone for solo flight by at least one day compared to just the training hills and tandems. Often we do not have the luxury of this extra day and still being able to help the individual achieve their goals in their given timeline. So it's another step.

3) Without a loose grip you will not gently fly utilizing the scooter either.

4) Launching is different using the scooter so you will still have to address this with training.

5) When you have the training hills and the instructors that we have it is hard to beat the possibilities, results, and experience that we offer on the hills. Further I don't think we would do as well with the scooter or we would be using nothing but scooters. We have the land and it would sure save us a lot of dough to not have to lease our hills.

6) Students do not get the same thrill flying the scooter as they do the hills, so it is a bit different experience -- there is more equipment so it is not as free feeling according to some students.

I still like scooter tow. A great training hill is super tough to find and the scooter eliminates this obstacle. However, if you have a great hill, equipment and instructors and you fly the number of flights safely that we do (in the last ten weeks approximately 3,880 flights without injury), I think you will agree our system has it's merits and I would like to see how it could be improved. We are always striving to improve the experience, the safety and results that is why we invested so much in scooter tow.

Currently scooter is not better here and that's a fact. To date in 2009 we have safely soloed over seventy new mountain pilots. That's seventy new USHPA members. We are hoping to meet our five year average of at least one hundred new novice pilots for 2009.

Keep in mind. Scooter tow is not the only way, big condors flying slowly off of the training hills is still a huge rush for people. Big Fun, low risk, great results! Check it out.

Also as a side note our students ride up the hills on trailers pulled by UV's and four wheelers.

Thanks for your work with the Oz Report.

Learning the hard way

September 17, 2009, 5:55:41 pm MDT

Learning the hard way

But it is still that step into the air that gets 'em every time

Lookout Mountain Flight Park|scooter tow

The NY Times goes to Lookout Mountain.

“LET go, let go. … Let goooo!” I heard a voice shout from above as I skidded downhill on my stomach over soggy, muddy grass. As I unhooked myself from the harness of my hang glider, hurrying to make way for the next student’s attempt at flight, a feeling of dread washed over me.

It's great to have a positive (mostly) article about learning to hang glide at Lookout Mountain. It is great to have the author experience that unique thrill that someone gets when they fly off the training hill on their own. I remember it, and it know that that thrill is the key to getting folks into the sport.

But it is still sad to know that even though Matt Taber was very positive about scooter towing, he couldn't get his instructors to go for it at Lookout and they stayed on the hill instructing. It would have been very useful for this student and could easily be combined with hill training.

Stable in Jackson

September 9, 2009, 5:49:59 pm MDT

Stable in Jackson

Claire Vassort shows up with six other hang glider pilots

Christopher Moody|insurance|scooter tow

Yesterday it was cool, high almost 70 degrees, like the switch had been switched and autumn had arrived. For the first time in two weeks it was stable, and has been so today also. For the first time the sky hasn't been filled with cu's or cu-nimbs here in Wilson, in Jackson Hole.

So then Claire and her party showed up at the campground last night, and Bart showed them launch today, (you can find it on our site guide) where they all had sled rides.

It looks like a bunch of hang glider pilots are coming tomorrow and through the weekend to get towed up. It looks like I might become the local scooter (or ATV) tow expert. Bart and Tiki are in the tourist business, but they may be in the flight park business for a few days.

Margaritowville at Cloud 9 »

August 3, 2009, 8:02:43 CDT

Margaritowville at Cloud 9

It's party time

scooter tow|weather

Tracy and Lisa <Cloud9SA> writes:

Come help us celebrate another season of flying with the DFSC in Michigan, at our annual MargariTowville Party and Fly-in on Saturday, August 15, 2009.

This is the best time of the year to fly at Cloud 9. Even Jimmy Buffett is coming--which is a great excuse for us to do another MargariTowville this year! He will be in town on Thursday, August 13--contact us if you are interested in getting tickets and going to the concert with us in a limo, picked up at Cloud 9 (like we did for Aerosmith). Wear parrot head attire!

On Saturday afternoon we'll have a definitely not-serious, fun-flying comp, followed by a BBQ picnic and party in the evening. During the party, we'll be holding our first "Hop, Skip, and Tow Naked" Scooter Tow contest, where less is more! Fly really free--for free, really! (That should be interesting--hopefully, we'll have warm weather and no mosquitoes.) We'll present awards afterward, at our new Flying Bikini Tiki bar in the club house.

What: MargariTowville 2009. Jimmy Buffett concert, fun comp, BBQ Picnic. Sat. evening Hop, Skip, and Tow Naked Party and Contest, Awards.
When: Saturday August 15, 2009. (Jimmy Buffet concert is August 13.)
Where: Cloud 9 Field, 11088 W. Coon Lake Road, Webberville, MI
Cost: Picnic and Party is $10 donation. Normal club aerotow fees apply. Free contest scooter tows. The daily "Gas and Grass" tax will be waived on Saturday for pilots wearing parrot head (beach, tropical island) style attire.

The Saturday evening picnic/party will be held rain or shine. To help us plan for the BBQ, please RSVP at 517.223.8683 or <cloud9sa>.

Making harnesses

May 29, 2009, 8:40:30 EDT

Making harnesses

Steve Wendt manufacturers when he isn't scooter towing

Blue Sky|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

http://www.blueskyhg.com/products.aspx?Prod=3&Manu=8

Steve Wendt gets orders from around the world for his harnesses, and not just from hang gliding schools, like Muller Windsports, in Cochran, Alberta, Canada. Sometimes businesses just want well made harnesses for holding their passengers on their fun rides.

Steve Wendt sewing a harness for Vincene:

A rack of harnesses in inventory:

The USHPA likely to pay for Steve Wendt scooter tow clinic

April 5, 2009, 2:29:28 pm EDT

The USHPA likely to pay for Steve Wendt scooter tow clinic

Mike Meier at Wills Wing had contacted them

Blue Sky|Mike Meier|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHPA

Mike Meier informed me on Saturday that it is likely the case that the USHPA will pay for most if not all of the Steve Wendt/Blue Sky scooter tow clinic at Wallaby Ranch this week. Mike had contacted them after he decided to bring Steve down for the clinic. The USHPA has a great policy of reimbursing scooter tow clinics put on by approved scooter tow clinic instructors if you provide them with enough information after the fact. They want to know how many folks attended the clinic (they are looking for instructors to attend the clinics).

The reimbursement policy is a good idea because it requires that the party putting on the clinic be organized enough to put one on and have the right instructor so that enough instructor-students come to the clinic so that the organizers can get reimbursed. They have to put the money up front to do the clinic, but this just makes it so they have some skin in the game. Successful clinics get rewarded and only successful ones.

This is one of the best aspects of USHPA's direct support for instruction.

Wills Wing Demo Days - the sun comes out »

The winds die down

Wills Wing Demo Days - the sun comes out

April 5, 2009, 2:28:54 pm EDT

scooter tow|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Steve Wendt|weather|Wills Wing Demo Days 2009

On Saturday, the final day of the Wills Wing Fly-In at Wallaby Ranch, finally the weather turned soarable and pleasant with no chance of rain and light winds (even when it blew out of the west later) so that 245 tows were possible (with only four tugs).

The front had come through the day before, so it was blue and the ceiling was low at 3,500'. The towing started in earnest after breakfast (around noon), but the first pilots had difficult times (and of course some pilots had to come down because they were flying demo gliders).

There was one thermal just south of launch (which was taking place in the southwest corner of the Ranch) and that is where all the pilot's huddled in the air. Then as the afternoon progressed the thermal and the thermaling pilots were blown to the east and finally the launch had to be moved to the east.

All day all the pilots hung out together except for a couple that were further east and higher. Top of the lift was around 3,500'. Pilots could stay up although there was one flush cycle just before lunch at 3 PM.

Four pilots flew from Quest and were able to make it down to Wallaby (two landed short). The winds started northeast up there but switched to south west by the time they got to Wallaby. They got there just after everyone landed and found their best lift then. They had been bobbing between 2000' and 3,500'.

Steve Wendt had a morning scooter tow clinic and then an evening one in perfect conditions with no wind. I got to set the big Condor up on its keel, the down tubes resting on my shoulders and have a student instructor pull me up with me not touching the downtubes. I just started running when the rope started pulling me, and the glider rotated up and into the correct angle of attack by itself. It then lifted me up and I just held my hands out like I was flying. I had to hit the bicycle type release to release but the instructor could have just let me down gradually without me every touching the down tubes.

The conditions improved after the 3 PM to 4 PM "lunch" and lots more pilots launched using the demos and all had a great time without incident. Steve Pearson and his daughter Kelsey landed out not able to get back to the field, so she got some cross country experience. 

The party was very well attended as was the whole day Saturday. Nothing like a day of good weather to bring out all the folks. There were pilots from Michigan, California, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and many other spots as well.

Wills Wing Demo Days - a good soaking rain »

The front comes through

Wills Wing Demo Days - a good soaking rain

April 3, 2009, 5:45:29 pm EDT

scooter tow|Wills Wing Demo Days 2009

After 8 AM the rain started. It really poured at Quest and then later at Wallaby.

After the rain it cleared up at Quest for a nice day, but windy. The clouds lingered down at Wallaby:

No flying, at least not before lunch at Wallaby and not at Quest. Looks like it might be flyable and scooter towable on Saturday with light winds and blue skies.

Wills Wing Demo Days blown out

April 2, 2009, 4:52:59 pm EDT

Wills Wing Demo Days blown out

No flying as the wind whips through

scooter tow|Steve Wendt

The sky was again beautiful as seen here:

But the winds were blowing too hard for flying. Jeff and I have been selling National team tee-shirts and speed sleeves to the pilots on the ground.

Steve Wendt couldn't run his scooter tow clinic in the strong winds and postponed it to 5 PM. We left before then as our customers went off to do other things, but it doesn't look like he'll have a chance to run it then. In fact, given the forecast for winds for Friday it doesn't look like it will be flyable until Saturday. It is forecasted to be blue on Saturday.

Wills Wing Demo Days with glorious weather

April 1, 2009, 9:10:02 pm EDT

Wills Wing Demo Days with glorious weather

Steve Wendt gets here and starts the scooter tow clinics

Blue Sky|Dustin Martin|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Mike Meier|Quest Air|scooter tow|Steven "Steve" Pearson|Steve Wendt|USHPA|weather

The weather forecast was for 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms. When I got up the overcast was thick and low. It looked depressing. I didn't even want to go down to Wallaby Ranch from Quest Air.

But around 10 AM it started to lighten up and I headed down to find lots of low levels cu's and threatening clouds but lots of sunshine also. It was sunny up at Quest during the day also and later Dustin did a tandem up here after spending the day with Jeff and I at Wallaby.

Steve Wendt had arrive Tuesday evening and he was ready to start up his scooter tow clinic as I got over to his setup. Mike Meier at Wills Wing said he wanted Steve back for a scooter tow clinic (financed by Wills Wing and offered free of charge to interested instructors) and sure enough lots of folks showed up for it. Peter from Melbourne (http://www.cyclescience.com.au/) was here to learn how to run a scooter tow operation as were six Dutch pilots. Plenty of American instructors also (16 total signed up for the clinic).

Steve said that he had received an order from a Japanese hang gliding instruction business for parts to make up a scooter tow operation there, just before he left for the clinic. So it looks like there continues to be world wide interest in the Blue Sky method of low and slow scooter tow instruction.

It is so gratifying to see Wills Wing's devotion to Steve and to his methods. Both Steve Pearson and Mike Meier attended Steve's introductory lecture and Steve Pearson brought his fourteen year old daughter over for more lessons (she took some from Steve Wendt two years ago, at Wallaby Ranch). She also just got a birthday present of a nice Wills Wing harness with a little heart on the back of the boot.

While USHPA says it supports scooter tow instruction (and I do appreciate Gregg Ludwig's efforts) it is Wills Wing who really supports scooter towing by supporting the premier scooter tow expert in the country (and likely the world) with 20,000 tows, Steve Wendt. When scooter towing gets involved with the USHPA, it becomes a political football, and instructors who do not know what they are doing (and are dangerous to students) get assigned to be administrators of the program.

Steve setup the scooter tow operation in the south west field at Wallaby and we had a great time towing folks on the Condor 330 in spite of the wind (which wasn't that bad). I was amazed how well the big Condor did given the winds. The flights were perfect and the instruction was great. I don't think I would put new students in this situation, but for demonstrating how it worked to experienced pilots (and even experienced fourteen years old girls with an instructor on each wire) it was perfect.

Steve was teaching instructors how to keep students low and safe. How to reduce to power (but not cut it) when pilots go off line to give them a chance to recover. How to put pilots down softly when they weren't doing the right thing. How to keep their feet under them and their hands light on the down tubes.

As Steve was pulling us up all afternoon there was aerotowing going on from the northwest field with lots of dark cu's all around. I only saw one pilot stick, but maybe twenty towed up. It wasn't a great soaring day by any means, but it was a heck of a lot better than the forecast.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves scooter towing so we could have fun "flying" even if the conditions weren't perfect. Unlike yesterday it didn't rain (a couple of drops, maybe) and it was a glorious day all around.

Wallaby has a new big hangar for the Dragonflies and tandem gliders. It is great to see doors on the other hangars, makes the place look a lot neater. Lots of little hootches around the bay head. The concrete floor in the pole barn/kitchen is beautiful.

Scooter Tow Instruction Clinic at Wallaby Ranch Fly In

February 17, 2009, 9:37:27 PST

Scooter Tow Instruction Clinic at Wallaby Ranch Fly In

During the Wills Wing Demo Days

Blue Sky|Mike Meier|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|video

http://willswing.com/news.asp?newsSeek=704

Mike Meier «Mike» writes:

Scooter Tow Clinic - April 1 - 4 2009

Wills Wing has arranged for Steve Wendt to conduct a clinic on the Blue Sky Scooter Towing Method during our Wallaby Ranch Fly In event this year.

The dates for the clinic will be April 1st through April 4th. The location will be:

Wallaby Ranch
1805 Deen Still Rd.
Davenport, FL 33837

http://www.wallaby.com/

Steve Wendt developed the Blue Sky Scooter Towing Method of teaching hang gliding using a low power scooter as a tow winch, and his methods have been widely recognized for their effectiveness and refinement. We strongly recommend this clinic to any pilot or instructor who is interested in learning the methods and practices of Blue Sky Scooter Towing.

Participation in the clinic is free, however you must pre-register to be eligible to participate.

There are limited slots available for participants to register for the clinic. These slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. If you register prior to February 27th, you will receive a confirmation that you have (or don't have) a slot within 24 hours after you register. If you register after February 27th, your confirmation may be delayed by as much as ten days.

The clinic will start at NOON on the first day, April 1st, and then early in the morning on each subsequent day, and it will run all day long, or for as much of the day as wind conditions permit. To be a participant in the clinic you must show up by noon on the first day.

While there is no cost to participate in the clinic, we ask you to consider that registering for a participant slot should be considered a commitment to attend, for the full duration of the clinic, as you will be using up a slot that someone else might have taken.

It will be possible for people who are not registered participants to observe the clinic, but you will not have an opportunity to get hands on experience using the equipment. If you cannot commit to attend as a participant, and choose instead to attend as an observer, you MAY be able to register as a participant at the time of the clinic if there are open slots, but we cannot in any way promise this.

To register, please write to me at «Mike» and include "Scooter Tow Clinic - Wallaby Ranch - April 1 - 4 2009 - Sign Up Now!" in your subject. Copy the registration form below into your reply to this email, and fill in the information.

Before coming to the clinic, either as a participant or as an observer, please read the Scooter Tow Manual and view the video at:

http://www.willswing.com/learn/scooterTow/

REGISTRATION FORM

Name:

Best way to contact you regarding your registration (enter email address, phone number, or other):

Can you commit to attending this clinic on the dates scheduled?

(The following is for our information, these are not requirements) -

Are you presently a hang gliding instructor?

Are you experienced in at least one form of ground based towing?

Have you done some form of scooter towing before?

Tandem over the water in south Florida

December 26, 2008, 6:59:47 PST

Tandem over the water in south Florida

It's warm down there now

photo|scooter tow|Scott Trueblood|video

Scot Trueblood, Estero, FL writes:

The flying has been good here on Florida's Paradise Coast. Last Sunday we took a really fun family of five for tandem flights above the Gulf of Mexico, and they all walked away with big smiles. Teri Bruno brought her flock of two sons and two nieces, meeting us on the beach at New Pass after arriving in their own boat from Ft. Myers Beach. After filling out paperwork and giving them a safety and instructional briefing, we were off the short ride into open water and high adventure.

First up was Willi, who, as we later learned, was pretty nervous about the whole affair. From the first moment of liftoff, his nervousness gave way to exuberance, and he thoroughly enjoyed the flight. Next was Kelly, who was the pretty girl in the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02vu-cpasE4&feature=channel_page

Next up, and not about to be held back, was ten year old Garret. We had to do some fancy adjustments to the excellent High Energy harness, but we got him strapped in securely and blasted off. He really enjoyed being above some of the seagulls which flew underneath us at about 1200' while still on tow. We quickly coined the phrase "Are you braver than a 5th Grader?" He was extremely stoked and well endowed with some serious bragging rights toward all of his 5th grade friends. After him went Danielle, equally pretty as Kelly and Teri, and also very much enjoying the flight.

Next up was Teri, who was heretofore unsure of her intention to carry through with this act of courage. I have always believed that it isn't courage if you are not afraid. So, she stepped up to the platform, wetsuit and all, and we had the best flight of the day. Gentle thermals were rising from the water, and her 100 lb. Frame was barely noticeable to the big Falcon 3. We got a good high tow, and then I hurried back to the lift we had been towing through. At times we actually climbed a little, and the flight got extended by several minutes.

On each flight, I flew to the waiting boat and landed right next to it, and the whole fam damily was waving, shouting, and snapping photos. Splashing down on the pontoons in 65 degree water always gets a good squeal out of the girls, and looks of shock and awe from the guys. We had the video machine running during all of the flights, and the results were great. The raw footage from the little lipstick cam was nearly broadcast quality, and we are in the process of adding a second cam from a different angle. Unfortunately, YouTube really degrades the video quality.

As always, none of this would have been possible without my great crew. Capt. Travis Elms and Mate Q Wilson did a fantastic job of tweaking the tows and doing all of the hard work. The best part is my job; it looks just like somebody else's vacation!

So for all of you aspiring Hang 1-2's up there in the frozen north, let me tell you this: I have not worn long pants or shoes on any of our flying days, every day here is 80 degrees and sunny. Today was so warm that Q was complaining while we were preparing the boat for the day. We also offer an excellent scooter tow lesson package (look for it on the Training page) , taught on the vast expanse of smooth grass at the nearby Immokalee Airport, which dovetails into the boat towing quite nicely for a real learning opportunity.

For more information, please log on to www.paradisehanggliding.com or dial 1-888-WINGS-FL.

Controlled flight

December 5, 2008, 7:14:16 PST

Controlled flight

Give the folks a flight

Alejandro Isaza|scooter tow|video

Alejandro Isaza, «alejandroisaza», «alejoisaza», http://soaringflight1.tripod.com/ writes:

After seeing this photograph of two Guatemalan pilots “flying” the Little girl, it occurred to me that something similar could be done, to allow people to experience what a hang gliding flight is, in a very safe and controlled way.

I have seen videos before of pilots “flying” kids and students, and I guess it could be done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RgyBbPd2LA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5zrsZFbhFc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4AwbBWOtJY&NR=1

So I retouched the photograph to draw and explain this idea.

The idea is to tow a glider (single surface preferably) with a scooter tow, that has two lines each one attached to the wing of the glider at the point where the crossbar joins the leading edge, and this two lines are attached to a cable or rail on the ground moving along with the glider as it is being towed, and preventing the glider from turning to the side, controlling it with the help of the tension of the tow in a straight and very low flight. The pilot will have some pitch control, but this control could be minimal if the tow line is attached both to pilot and hang glider, always pulling with the same angle of attack.

I have never try this system and don't know if it can be done or how safe it is. It is just a idea I want to share with Oz Report readers, but I figure it can be use for learning in the very first flights of the students, and also to allow people (students and other people) experience the flight of a hang glider with little or no risk at all.

Some precautions should be taken in case of strong or changing winds, that to the discretion of the people running it.

It can be use at aerial festivals, schools and tourist areas to introduce people to hang gliders and experience how it flies.

Paradise Hang Gliding

November 5, 2008, 8:33:20 PST

Paradise Hang Gliding

Adding boat towing to scooter towing

scooter tow|Scott Trueblood|video

http://www.paradisehanggliding.com/

Scott Trueblood «Hang4av8r» writes:

We are pleased to announce that Paradise Hang Gliding, Inc. is about to spread its wings over southwest Florida...! After considerable time and effort in the making, owner/operator Scot Trueblood has almost completed preparations on the boat and glider, and is eagerly anticipating initial test flights over the Gulf of Mexico.

Every instructional hang glider flight will also be an educational Eco-Tour, offering each passenger a unique opportunity to enjoy the thrilling experience of a safe tandem flight while learning valuable information about our estuary and near-shore waters. Photo and video services will be offered, as well as souvenir items such as T-shirts and ball caps.

For more information please log onto : www.paradisehanggliding.com or call 1-888-WINGS-FL

Scooter Tow Syllabus

November 4, 2008, 8:05:45 PST

Scooter Tow Syllabus

And the feedback was?

Bill Bryden|Blue Sky|cart|Dave Broyles|Dennis Pagen|Greg Berger|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Lookout Mountain Flight Park|Pat Denevan|Rob Kells|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

Gregg Ludwig «GreggLudwig» sends:

Results of a Benchmarking Study to Identify and Unify Best Practices in Scooter Tow Instruction for Hang Gliding

by

Tracy Tillman and Lisa Colletti (Cloud 9 Sport Aviation) October 2006

Contributors:

Dave Broyles (Kite Enterprises), Greg Berger (Venture Flight Hang Gliding), Pat Denevan (Mission Soaring Center) Rob Kells (Wills Wing), Dennis Pagen and Bill Bryden ("Towing Aloft"), Michael Roberston (High Perspective), Matt Taber (Lookout Mountain Flight Park), Steve Wendt (Blue Sky Hang Gliding), Mark Windscheimer (Airtime Above Hang Gliding), USHPA ("Part 104 Pilot Proficiency System"), and USHPA Committees (Towing, Safety and Training)

Hang 2 General Syllabus (Scooter Tow)

Approx.% Progress -- Skills

Start -- (USHPA Membership Application)

10% -- Setup, preflight, simulator, ground handling, free ground runs, tow ground runs.
20% -- Ground-skim, straight flight on uprights, slight correctional turns, foot landings.

Hang 1 -- (Beginner Written Exam and Rating Application)

30% -- Review of preflight skills, emergency simulation, transition to base tube and somewhat higher tows, foot and wheel landings.
40% -- Progression to much higher tows, speed control, slight turns, very gentle stalls.
50% -- High tows, 30, 45, 90, 180, 360 degree turns on glide.
60% -- High tows, box and s-turn patterns on glide.
70% -- Higher tows, V speeds, and gentle stalls on glide.
80% -- High tows in straight and cross winds.
90% -- High tows, introduction to convective turbulence and soaring techniques.
100% -- Accuracy landings.

Hang 2 -- (Novice Written Exam and Rating Application)

Hang One Training Outline (Scooter Tow) WW Condor 330 or 225 (or other suitable glider) recommended. A large, light, slow flying training glider is recommended. Model and size used depends on conditions and height of tow. Common examples include but are not limited to: WW Condor or Falcon, Northwing EZY, Aeros Target.

A. Pre-flying skills.

1. Set-up and preflight of glider, harness, and equipment.

2. Flight control and tow release simulation on base tube and uprights, hanging in glider or simulator.

3. Ground handling.

4. Free running the glider w/o harness. (proper: AOA, acceleration, wings level, flare to stop)

5. Free running with harness, pulling glider into the air with harness.

6. Pre-launch check of glider and equipment, hang check, etc. (HIERTow checklist--or other)

7. Review of verbal and visual commands. (Ready; Take up Slack; Go, Go, Go; Abort, Abort, Abort-or other)

8. Tow ground runs (slow, short, no-flight "dry run" tows, for practice of commands and good launch and flare technique)

B. Low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position. .

1. Straight, low and slow ground-skim foot launch tows, upright position, with gentle deceleration for slow run-on foot landing, no release.

2. Repeat straight, low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position, with quicker deceleration for quicker flare foot landings, no release.

3. Low and slow longer ground-skim tows, with a very slight turn off-center, then correctional turn back to center, then land, no release. (optional, depending upon site and equipment used)

4. Repeat low and slow ground-skim tows with off-center maneuvers, slowly increasing amount off-center, on each side of center, then back to center, no release. (optionall)

5. Straight, low and slow ground-skim tows, upright position, with release and flare landing.

6. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, with release and flare landing.

7. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, with release and extra speed prior to flare landing.

8. Straight, slightly higher than ground skim tows, upright position, release, very slight turn off-center, then correctional turn back to center, then flare landing. (optional)

C. Pass Hang 1 written exam.

Hang Two Training Outline (Scooter Tow) WW Falcon (or other similar/suitable glider) recommended Training glider suitable for higher tows recommended

A. Transition to base tube and higher tows.

1. Review of pre-flying skills (see Hang 1) and emergency simulation (chute & hook knife use).

2. Transition to base tube while on low and slow ground-skim tow (optional, using Condor)

(a) Straight, low and slow ground-skim foot launch tows, upright position, momentarily moving one hand slightly lower then back up on upright, release and foot land.

(b) Repeat (a), using other hand, release and foot land.

(c) Repeat (a), moving one hand a bit lower on upright then back up, release and foot land.

(d) Repeat (c), using other hand, release and foot land.

(e) Repeat (d), moving one hand to base tube then back to upright, release and foot land.

(f) Repeat (e), using other hand, release and foot land.

(g) Repeat, moving both hands to base tube, then back to uprights, release and foot land.

(h) Repeat, keeping hands on base tube, no release, slow deceleration to belly/wheel land.

(i) Repeat (h), with slightly higher than ground skim tow, release, belly/wheel land.

(j) Repeat (g), with slightly higher than ground skim tow, release and foot land.

3. Normal foot-launched ground-skim tow and landing on uprights without release, to get used to smaller glider.

4. Normal foot-launched slightly higher ground-skim tow on uprights with release to flare land.

5. Some straight tows and flights on uprights, increasing acceleration and height with each tow, with release to foot land.

6. Transition to base tube while on glide.

(a) Higher tow, release, momentarily move one hand slightly lower then back up on upright while on glide, foot land.

(b) Repeat (a), using other hand, foot land.

(c) Repeat (a), moving one hand a bit lower on upright then back up, foot land.

(d) Repeat (c), using other hand, foot land.

(e) Repeat (d), moving one hand to base tube then back to upright, foot land.

(f) Repeat (e), using other hand, foot land.

(g) Repeat, moving both hands to base tube, then back to uprights, foot land.

(h) Repeat, keeping hands on base tube, belly/wheel land.

7. Cart or keel-assist wheel launch on base tube, release, belly/wheel landing on base tube. (optional)

B. High tows, slight turns, speed control, very gentle stalls.

1. Repeated straight tows on uprights, increasing acceleration and height with each tow to eventually achieve near maximum height tow, with release and straight glide to foot land.

2. High tow, release, stay on uprights, slight turn in one direction the other while on glide, foot land.

3. High tow, release, transition to base tube, slight turn and back, transition to uprights, foot land.

4. High tow, release, stay on uprights, increase speed to max glide then reduce to normal, foot land.

5. High tow, release, stay on uprights, decrease speed to min sink then increase to normal, foot land.

6. High tow, release, stay on uprights, decrease speed to very gentle stall, recover to normal speed, foot land.

7. Repeat #5, transition to base tube after release.

8. Repeat #6, transition to base tube after release.

9. Repeat #7, transition to base tube after release.

C. Turns.

1. Foot launch, with sufficient altitude after tow release, on uprights, turn 30 degrees left and right, then straight flight to land.

2. Repeat, with 45 degree turns left and right after release then straight flight to land.

3. Repeat, with 90 degree turns left and right after release then straight flight to land.

4. Repeat, with 180 turn left then right after release, then straight flight to land.

5. Repeat, with 360 turn left or right after release, then straight flight to land.

6. Repeat, with 360 turn left and right after release (if altitude permits), then straight flight to land.

7. Repeat #3-6 with transition to base tube after release, then transition to uprights and land.

D. Pattern tows.

1. High tow, turn crosswind for box pattern left or right, downwind, base, final, land.

2. Repeat box pattern in other direction.

3. High tow, turn crosswind, downwind, s-turns on base to lose altitude, final, land.

E. V Speeds and gentle stalls.

1. High tows for practice to achieve good speed control at various cardinal airspeeds on glide (most likely on downwind leg of box pattern), normal landing.

2. Repeat, with straight flight and very gentle stalls, normal landing.

3. Repeat, with straight flight and slightly more aggressive stalls, normal landing.

4. Repeat, with straight flight and aggressive stalls, normal landing. (optional)

F. Wind, gradient, mechanical turbulence.

1. Straight or pattern tows in smooth and light slightly cross winds.

2. Straight or pattern tows in smooth and somewhat stronger and more cross winds.

G. Introduction to thermal turbulence and soaring.

1. Straight or pattern tows in barely convective straight-in winds.

2. Straight or pattern tows in barely convective and slightly cross winds.

3. Straight or pattern tows in mildly convective straight-in winds. (optional)

4. Straight or pattern tows in mildly convective and somewhat greater cross winds. (optional)

5. Introduction to thermal soaring techniques after release. (optional)

H. Accuracy landing.

1. Three consecutive landings within 100 feet of spot.

I. Pass Hang 2 written exam.

Scooter Towing »

November 4, 2008, 8:05:29 PST

Scooter Towing

The USHPA connection

Blue Sky|Dave Broyles|Greg Berger|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|Pat Denevan|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHPA|video

Gregg Ludwig «GreggLudwig» writes:

The Scooter Tow instructor clinic provider must have an appointment as a Basic or Advance instructor as well as  a Scooter Tow Supervisor or Scooter Tow Administrator and have attended a Scooter Tow clinic or be listed on the USHPA approved short list of providers. Steve Wendt is already an Scooter Administrator.

A funded clinic still has to be approved by the Tow Committee and the Executive Committee. This is the USHPA short list:  Dave Broyles, Greg Berger, Pat Denevan, Steve Wendt, and Mark Windsheimer.

We intend to post the "standard" syllabus developed by Steve and others, however, providers still have the option to submit their own syllabus for approval.

So here we have the man reputed to be the most dangerous and accident prone in hang gliding approved to instruct others in scooter tow techniques (see pictures and videos in the Oz Report, pictures taken by me). That's what you get when you have an organization like the USHPA.

My question here is does the USHPA really have a handle on what should be taught and how it should be taught? The syllabus below doesn't provide much of an answer.

If you want to become a qualified instructor with excellent technique I suggest you forgo this program, contact Steve Wendt directly and work out an instruction program with him.

The 2009 East Coast Championship

October 28, 2008, 7:45:56 PDT

The 2009 East Coast Championship

Fun times coming up in Delaware

Adam Elchin|David Glover|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|scooter tow

http://www.aerosports.net/

One hang gliding competition that got approved without any controversy is the East Coast Championships. I love this meet. It is so much fun and so challenging and so safe. And the conditions are just wonderful. The site is amazing, the people are great. The meet organizers top notch. Everyone should go to this competition. You'll never regret it.

The meet will be held from May 31st to June 6th, Sunday through Saturday. This is the prime cross country season for Delaware. It will costs $400, including aerotowing, for early entrants and $500 who apply late.

David Glover will be the meet director. He will be downloading the flights and I'll be overall in charge of scoring. The format will be race to goal, and with light winds it will be possible to come back to the flight park. Even with goals away from the flight parks, it is easy to get back home quickly.

The flight park is in the middle of rural Delaware with open fields for landings all around. The air conditions are superb with perfectly pleasant thermals.

Adam Elchin and Sunny Venesky are our wonderful hosts. Sunny will likely fly in the competition and Adam will be flying one of the Dragonflies.

There will be a sport class, and rigid wings are invited. The Sport Class has been a big success here at Highland Aerosports. In the evenings we can go scooter towing across the ponds on wake boards. Very dangerous.

USHPA and scooter towing, a response

October 17, 2008, 9:16:34 pm PDT

USHPA and scooter towing

The one page in the magazine is our program

Blue Sky|Gregg "Kim" Ludwig|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|Tracy Tillman|USHPA

Gregg Ludwig «GreggLudwig», Tow Committee chairman, writes:

The current edition of the Scooter Tow Clinic Funding program was actually designed and authored by Tracy Tillman. Tracy is of course in contact with Scooter Tow experts and is an expert himself. All of the information concerning the program is included in that one page article you refer to.

Not anyone can put on a clinic, but one of the program goals was to make this teaching method more common and have more "providers" around the country. Clinic approval requires a "credentials check" which is usually just a look at the applicant's member profile. The requirements come from the SOP (USHPA Standard Operating Procedures manual) which include an instructor appointment and tow qualifications. The clinic approval comes from the EC (executive committee).

USHPA is not really "running the clinics" but trying to entice experts to put on more clinics. The providers are permitted a lot of leeway on what they do, but they are required to outline the program. The funding is paid directly to them. They can use it to provide discounts or just make more money. The funding is based on participants rather than a flat fee.

Steve Wendt's photo was not intended to provide an endorsement. I asked Steve for a few photo's that I sent to the USHPA and they picked that one although I don't recall forwarding that particular photo.

Syllabus. The provider is required to submit a syllabus with his clinic approval request. Our lawyer will not permit a standard approved syllabus to be posted on-line because apparently that presents a liability to the USHPA. I assist providers with a syllabus if they need help with meeting this requirement.

Broyles has nothing to do with this program and has not requested a funded clinic.

The original requirement was to submit the syllabus with post clinic paper work but we now ask for the syllabus with the approval request.

I expect this same program to be approved for 2009 as I have already submitted a budget request.

We will probably have a few changes after next weeks BOD meeting. I think the program should specify ONLY WW Condor hang glider, but the BOD has a beef with mandating a particular manufacture. I am going to resolve this by requiring "a glider of 225-330 sq. ft and not weighing over 53 pounds".

Broyles has been influential in BOD general meeting discussions with his opinion that using Falcons are safe equipment for this teaching method and this is where I (and most experts) disagree.

I am open to any ideas you may have that can be included for 2009. One thing that slipped through was that the program does not specify hang gliders. Should paragliders be including in such a program?

I answer Gregg on the Oz Report forum.

USHPA and scooter towing

October 17, 2008, 10:20:49 PDT

USHPA and scooter towing

Have they screwed it up, as usual?

Blue Sky|Dave Broyles|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHPA

Has the USHPA contacted the scooter tow instructors when designing their program? It looks like anyone can put on a scooter tow clinic, is that true? Regardless of their experience?

Has Steve Wendt been brought into the program? The USHPA doesn't have the expertise to run such a program. Who are they relying on, if any one.

I noticed that Steve Wendt's photo was in the USHPA magazine article. Did that imply a connection or an endorsement?

Is there a standard syllabus for scooter towing instruction? Does Dave Broyles have any involvement with this?

Touring in Australia, day five

October 11, 2008, 4:21:20 pm PDT

Touring in Australia

Stuck in Manilla

PG|Raef Mackay|scooter tow|weather

raef mackay «raefon72» writes:

http://goldcoasthgpg.com.au/index_files/Page445.htm

On day five the thunder turned into isolated storms. We checked the weather maps and contacted a few pilots at home. The weather was worsening there and we decided it would be better to stay here then drive into the worsening conditions. I headed straight for the beer. Phil took the scooter for a ride up to Halls Creek. The day was spent playing guitar and reading books.

Day Six was looking better. Heaps of development. Godfrey said it would be ok just head out to the valleys if we get stuck.

We headed up to the west side. A large cell was dropping rain to the north west. I decided to rig up and try for a sunny patch toward Godfrey’s. Just as I hooked in the rain started falling on launch and I was worried I would be stuck. The gust front had started to hit but luckily it wasn’t too strong so I launched easily and flew around the corner.

The ground was fully shaded and there was no obvious points to go to. I hit a little bubble in the back of the hill but it was quite broken so I glided on and landed at Godfrey’s.

Dave packed up on launch and Phil didn’t get his glider out of the bag.

The sky cleared in the afternoon we could have flown again but went to the pub instead. We’ve checked the weather and it is gradually getting worse at Canungra. The paragliding comp has lost a day or two so we are happy to stay another day or so then head off.

Touring in Australia, continued

October 10, 2008, 9:08:12 MDT

Touring in Australia

Stilla in Manilla

Raef Mackay|scooter tow

raef mackay «raefon72» writes:

http://goldcoasthgpg.com.au/index_files/Page445.htm

Having a good time. Day three was ok, a little windy. We waited, but it wouldn’t back off, so we flew for an hour hanging around the western launch until a massive sink cycle came through. Many of us got hammered.

Dave and Matt had a bit of height to stay up and they maintained. Phil and I got caught and we were drilled almost all the way to the bomb-out. At 250 ft agl I finally connected with something going up and managed to climb back up above launch. Phil wasn’t so lucky.

I’m flying a Sonic 190 and am so happy to finally have a glider that loves to climb with me in it. It makes the launches and landings a real treat also. I’ve been out climbing a lot of other pilots since I’ve been flying it and getting up from some pretty low spots. Unfortunately the glide isn’t what I’m used to, but I just have to make an effort to top up at every opportunity.

I landed at Godfrey’s to get the retrieve while Dave and Matt flew back toward town.

On day four the wind backed off and we got a slight easterly flow. I was in a hurry to set up and go as I didn’t want to be doing the Borah shuffle. The guys were pretty good and set up as quickly as possible. Some para’s had launched and climbed out to 5500ft so we knew it was on.

We all got in line and waited on launch it was dead and again I started thinking of the westerly launch, but before I knew it the trees down at the bottom of the hill started to move. Another couple of minutes and we were into it a smooth climb all the way to 5400ft.

I led out. Phil was in the Fun 190 so I tried to mark the next climb for him. Matt and Dave had a bit of trouble finding it but eventually got up. I headed back to town and landed at the caravan park close to the beer, jumped on the scooter and headed back to retrieve. Phil made it half way back, Dave headed for lake Keepit and Matt got hammered landing down from the saddle.

Today’s looking a little stormy. It has been rolling thunder all night so if we don’t fly we’ll use the day to head for Killarney.

Scooter towing in Colima, Mexico

August 5, 2008, 8:51:10 CDT

Scooter towing

The Blue Sky system in Mexico

Blue Sky|Gilles Arfeuille|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|video

Gilles Arfeuille «colimamagic» writes:

I am pleased to let you know that for the few weeks now our scooter tow has been running and running well. We are operating at the old airport of Colima city, capital of Colima State, central western Mexico, and things are running safe and smooth. The scooter is a 90 cc and works to the perfection with the Wills Wing Condor and Steve Wendt System (Blue Sky HG, Virginia).

To apply this great and safe way of teaching, it would not have been possible without the help of the scooter towing clinic that I attended last year at Wallaby Ranch, oragnised by Wills Wing and Blue Sky. I went back this year to visit Steve at Blue Sky, for more details and buy a bunch of gear from him, actually I got there just the day Davis left. Always great to get the gear from the right guy and to get more advises from him. We hope to send pictures soon and possibly a video. Once more, thanks again to Steve Wendt and Wills Wing, and two thumbs up :)

Scooter Tow Winch, premade

Tue, Jul 1 2008, 8:34:15 am MST

Scooter Tow Winch

A package from South Africa

Davis Straub|Michael "Spike" Coetzee|scooter tow

Michael Coetzee «mandm» writes:

Over the past three years I have been swamped with emails regarding the Scooter Towing Winch I manufactured for my hang gliding school. This all came about after I sent out a mail to Davis Straub three years ago and he featured the winch in one of the Oz Reports.

The interest has grown so much that I have decided to start manufacturing them for the global market. I have done almost 6000 tows on my rig without any incident and still using the same dyneema line. The rig has certainly improved my training ability and unless it’s raining or blowing a gale I’m able to train.

For pictures and info on how the system works go and visit http://www.hanggliding.co.za/page2.html

I’m also looking for agents; you can email me on «mandm»

We start with production in September 2008

Discuss "Scooter Tow Winch, premade" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Amtreker at Highland Aerosports on Good Morning America

June 11, 2008, 6:09:59 pm +0200

Surf ECC

The "golf cart" scooter tow does double duty

cart|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Rooney|scooter tow|video

Jim Rooney «jim» at Highland Aerosports taking Brett (Amtreker) for a tandem flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsYG_tZ07qA

Surfing at the East Coast Championships

June 9, 2008, 8:31:07 EDT

Surf ECC

The "golf cart" scooter tow does double duty

cart|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|scooter tow|video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2jOiNqfGT8

While I was here at Highland Aerosports I had an opportunity to get pulled up by their great electric scooter tow with the BlueSky turnaround pulley. But the golf cart got a lot more use as a speed boat for wake boarding, etc, on the lakes that appeared here due to the heavy rains (up to 5 inches on one day). 

This lake appeared in our front yard and it even had a duck floating on it the next morning.

Scooter towing in south Florida

June 5, 2008, 8:40:05 EDT

Scooter towing

The Condor 330 is brilliant, as is the Chinese-built 50cc scooter

Blue Sky|record|scooter tow|Scott Trueblood|Steve Wendt

http://paradisewings.net/

Scot Trueblood «Hang4av8r» writes:

It is comforting to hear that our Oz Report Correspondent, indeed the Rigid Wing World Record Open Distance holder, has resorted to the low and slow method of scooter towing to help strengthen his launch skills. In fact, most of the scooter towing we do here in south Florida is remedial training for flight-park students who have only aero-towed. Most need tutoring in their landings. Because they have been trained to stay prone and land on wheels. The transition to foot landing has proven to be fairly traumatic for some, and when they get scared enough they come to us at Paradise Wings, Inc.

Having learned the scooter tow system directly from the guru, aka Steve Wendt, my business partner Robert Hedden and I decided to set up a scooter tow system which was in lock-step with Steve's methods. At every opportunity, we sought to improve, but not re-invent his systems. The end result has been astonishing, and I cannot restrain myself from commenting on Davis' observations of Steve's system at work.

First, I must comment on the Wills Wing Condor 330. Early in our test flying of our system, we figured out that, with its large size, it could be your best friend, or simply kick your butt. With a straight-in wind of 0-4 mph, a child can hold it and fly it from the basetube while standing on the ground. However, in the same velocity crosswind, it becomes quite difficult to handle. The sheer size of the glider is quite apparent when doing anything adverse with it. In a tailwind, even in light conditions, the thing is nearly impossible to ground handle or launch, and all of these factors are good training stuff.

Another thing about the Condor 330 is that it is a giant ground effect machine. With the slightest provocation (airspeed) it will rise to about 20 feet with almost no propulsion. Another astonishing fact is the huge backwash effect it has. In a zero-wind landing, with a proper flare, upon stopping, you feel this giant whoosh of air coming from behind, propelled by the huge sail moving all that calm air. Add to this the fact that, at low airspeeds, the drag is negligible, but the lift is gigantic. This results in a much better than expected L/D, and the glider just seems to want to coast along forever, which is truly delightful.

The scooter system itself took a lot of work to set up, and I am surprised to hear that any one would use anything larger than a 50cc scooter for beginners.  A 150 or 250 are simply too large. Our Chinese-built 50cc four stroke scooter is awesome. In zero wind, it will easily pull the Condor 330 much higher than you would ever want anybody to fly it. We have towed each other, even with other gliders, to much higher altitudes. The biggest test of the instructor's throttle skill is to keep the altitude within the recommended limits. We have found that, for first-day beginners, the trick is to yank them off the ground quickly, but immediately reduce power and keep them in a near-ground (moonwalk) mode. This is near idle speed, the 50cc is barely doing anything. Even towing a 140 Falcon, we have had no difficulty.

The beauty of the scooter-tow system is that it hands almost total control of the student's altitude to the instructor. If everything is not going as planned, simply reduce power and set them down gently on the wheels or perhaps even their feet.

I found Davis' detailed and technical account of his scooter towing lessons at Blue Sky to be quite informative, and food for much thought. I have read and studied his reports and been absolutely fascinated by his breakdown of the details of launching a hang glider with the scooter system. Although certainly not for beginners, the idea of eliminating the tow point for the glider itself is brilliant.

Even Hang 4's who have flown on our system are quite impressed by the "WHEE" factor. Scooter towing is an awesome tool, anybody interested please contact us at 1-888-WINGS-FL.

Electric "Scooter" towing with Jim Rooney

May 30, 2008, 8:50:55 EDT

Electric Scooter

This is so much fun

Adam Elchin|Blue Sky|cart|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Rooney|scooter tow|video

On Thursday we drove a few hours up the road from Manquin, Virginia, to Ridgely, Maryland and Highland Aerorsports. Jim Rooney knew that I wanted to check out the Highland Aerosports' golf cart "scooter" tow operation that Jim was running. I've published Jim's earlier reports and couldn't wait to try it out.

http://ozreport.com/1191350971

http://ozreport.com/1191444371

This "scooter" golf cart towing system is made up completely from golf cart parts. Adam Elchin just went to the local golf cart dealer and purchased used parts.

After setting up camp I headed out to the air strip at 6:30 PM and with a nice south wind it looked like electric golf cart towing would be a breeze. I borrowed JD's Wills Wing Falcon 3 195 and grabbed a Blue Sky training harness (they are used every where). Jim offered to tow me high, as I wanted to fly back and land where I landed, so I said why not. Here's what it looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC7SChM1F0g

Now Jim has you start running, instead of pulling you with the tow. He keeps up with you keeping the rope out in front of you, but he's not going to start pulling you until you are running fast enough to get the glider off your shoulders and the straps tight.

You've got to keep the attitude of the glider a bit higher (relative to the horizon) than you would if there was an actual slope in front of you. You actually keep it at the same angle relative to the actual slope (none) that you have in front of you that you would have on a hill side.

Jim tensions the rope and you say, "Clear," and start running. Jim has a small lever on the golf cart, and he just moves it a small amount to tension the rope, then just a little more to keep the rope tight as you run.

There are no hiccups or non linear relationship between the throttle position and the pulling power. The control is absolutely smooth. Double the movement of the lever, double the power. This makes it very easy to keep the pilot low to the ground for low and slow instruction. This is the smoothest system I've seen.

After four high tows, I got a chance to run the throttle/lever myself. It was as easy as pie. Just tension the line, then keep the rope tight as the pilot runs, then as the glider comes up, add power and get the pilot off the ground. Go to full power to get them high. Keep it on low power to keep them low.

Jim knew it, but he didn't tell me that the belt on the pulley was wearing out. When I pulled Jim up, he pushed way out and when I went to full power the belt started slipping and coming apart. I backed off on the power and Jim released. Otherwise it was no dramas towing Jim up high.

With the rough belt we were still able to tow JD low and slow. This was his first foot launch in five years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDtH4outg2g

JD loved golf cart towing. He couldn't believe how much nicer it was than learning on the training hill. He had read about scooter towing in the Oz Report, but was blown away by it when he actually tried it. Jim was helping him with his landings.

More pictures of the setup here: http://ozreport.com/images/HighlandAerosportsGolfCarttow/

BlueSky, the accessories, and the training harnesses

Thu, May 29 2008, 8:32:47 am EDT

Accessories from Blue Sky

Barr mitts, glider savers, harnesses and other sewn items

Blue Sky|scooter tow

http://www.blueskyhg.com/

Mitts and savers.

Custom design by Blue Sky wraps around BB with no gaps to let cold air in. Lining is simulated sheepskin or flannel, with an optional neoprene palm. Color combinations available of black, royal, red, white, yellow, green.

Training and cocoon harness, custom sewn at Blue Sky.

New Blue Sky Training Harnesses, usually 5 to 10 in stock at any one time. Comes with scooter tow loops and front pouch, no carabineer. Custom color and sizing available. 8 $175.00

Blue Sky Cocoon Black with Red/White accents, AT loops, TT loops, chute container with glove compartment, boot clip, should fit 5'9" to 6'1 approximately.

Discuss "BlueSky, the accessories, and the training harnesses" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

BlueSky, the four step program

Wed, May 28 2008, 8:53:17 am EDT

Four step program

One step at a time from 50 cc Honda to truck (platform, ATOL) towing

Blue Sky|PG|scooter tow|Steve Wendt

http://www.blueskyhg.com/

Steve Wendt has sold his Honda 125 (https://OzReport.com/10.035#0) to a paraglider instructor in Canada and replaced it with a Honda Elite 250, a scooter that can get you off the ground in a hurray. This is the scooter tow that I used last Thursday when we first got here.

Steve has found that he now has a multi-step program that takes his students in easy increments from brand new students to truck towing pilots. The low and slow Honda 50 (https://OzReport.com/11.083#3) is the first scooter used to get the pilots their first experiences. Here the point is to keep pilot low to the ground, teaching them to launch and land and control the glider from side to side. This scooter is great because it really allows you to walk, trot and then run on your launch.

The low power scooters are great for student training because they allow for such fine throttle and power control at the low end. Scooters with more powerful engines may in fact work fine for this application if you can actually get fine control at the low end of the throttle settings. Some have tried to use little lever arms on the throttle, or increased the radius on the throttle handle by putting foam around it. I don't know if these work as well, but I doubt it.

I found a wide range of speeds at the very low end to be very useful for my purposes and I'm sure that new students and the scooter tow operator find this greater level of control at the low end to be quite useful.

The next step is the Honda Elite 250, which is used to get pilots high enough (200') to do a downwind leg, base leg, and final, over and over again. They have already learned how to launch and land, so that they've surrounded the approach with their first learned skills. The bigger engine can get the more experienced new pilot into the air quickly, but the student is very familiar with the launch sequence, so they can concentrate on learning the landing sequence.

The third step is the 400 cc quad (https://OzReport.com/10.116#0) that will get pilots to 400' or 500' using the same launch methods that they are most familiar with - scooter towing. They get to see what it looks like to get high without having to learn a new launch system. They get to practice all their other skills and do an approach for a landing. Again, repetition is the key to successful skill acquisition.

Finally, Steve teaches them to truck tow (platform tow, ATOL, payout winch towing). This is a new method of launching for them (they don't have to run down the grass runway now), and that's what's new that they have to learn at this step. But they are already familiar with what it is like to be high, so that's not that new to them when they get towed to 800' and above.

Steve has found that this four step method makes it easy to move the pilot up the skill ladder, using one step at a time.

Discuss "BlueSky, the four step program" at the Oz Report forum   link»