perh16840TThe Malvern Hang Gliding Club August 2002 http://malvern-hang.org.uk

 

Lots of Saplings Cleared on the Kettle Sings Take-off !

This went very well with a good turn-out well fortified with Inkberrow cherries, later adjourning to the pub.

September Meeting

Ken Shail will arrange a parachute repack. The likely venue is the new hall in Upton.

Large Airwave Concept for sale!

One of the last very low hours, only £1400! Contact Bill Bell 01727 858698

Flying Reports

Friday 19th July - I was meant to be helping my friend Alex prepare for his wedding, in a village pretty much under the shadow of Firle Beacon in Sussex. As it dawned clear with a reasonable NE wind, I trotted up the hill with my pg, and finally managed to take off as the wind was a bit brisk. Hitting the side of the hill, inadvertantly after ten minutes, I called this a landing. I thought, I could still get up again, so I hauled it back into the air, then noticing that one ear was tangled in the lines. I pumped the brake - what for? I pulled the ear in - the ground accelerated towards me - I let the ear out! And landed still in mess. Still, it was fun. GJA

Safe T-Lines (3)

Reserves

The way that I see it, there are three simple rules about reserves:

  1. Have one and fly with it
  2. The bigger the better
  3. Practice checking and chucking it

Let me expand on these a little bit;

(1) A reserve is like a life insurance policy. You pay your money up-front and reap the benefit later. The difference being that you pray that you never have to use your reserve, whereas you hope that you life insurance policy matures and gives you a nice bit of cash to buy some more flying kit. Also no reserve = no second chance. Do not leave it at home. Have it in your harness.

(2) The bigger the better! The larger the area of the parachute, then the slower the descent rate. 5.5 m/s appears to be the top advisable descent rate, equivalent to jumping off a 5 ft. wall. I would prefer this to a 10 ft. wall. BHPA advised maximum descent rate is 7.5 m/s. A lot is written about speed of opening and if you are low and need to throw your reserve, then the faster that it opens and works, the better. What about steerable reserves? I would imagine that in the situation of having to throw your reserve, this is a luxury that you are unlikely to worry about too much. However if you have the option of avoiding some hazards, then having this facility seems to make sense. It is also claimed that by being able to steer a reserve, the descent rate decreases, as the parachute is gliding a bit rather than just descending. Practice your PLF’s. If you safely chuck your reserve and then injure yourself on landing through lack of good PLF technique, I imagine that you might be a wee bit cross with yourself.

(3) Practice chucking and checking.

(a) Chucking: In the heat of the moment, when your main wing is thrashing around and you are descending rather rapidly, you want an automatic reflex action to chuck your reserve. This action needs to be sub-cortical. Grab the handle, pull-swing-and throw, and LET GO. Physical and mental rehearsal (visualisation) will help to make this action automatic. Keep practising in your mind.

(b) Checking the reserve – does it open every time? Are you competent to pack it, or do you need help (a small price to pay for a BHPA packer compared to injury)? Does it come out of the harness OK? Does it come out of its container OK? Are the lines snagging on anything? Are the elastic loops weak enough? Is the reserve correctly connected with maillons to the harness? There are lots more points to think about and look at in detail. I commend the "Big Fat Repack" articles, which list some of the faults encountered.

 

AIRTOPIA HOLIDAY NEWS

 

Due to appalling British summer we will be running extra trips away in an effort to help all those frustrated pilots to get some airtime in….

We will be organising one-week trips to Spain on the following dates:

28th September-5th of October &

19th October –26th of October.

See booking form for prices.

 

Also introducing the

‘Have it away weekend’

A long weekend in the Cote D’Azur; fly down to Nice Thursday evening….. On the hill early Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday flying. Depart back to lovely Luton in the evening, return to Eastington in the early hours.

This is a full on trip designed to get as much flying in as humanly possible, without wasting your valuable holiday entitlement.

 

Dates as follows;

12th September-16th September

7th November-11th November if there is demand….

Price £195 less flight….approx £95