FOOTLAUNCH
The Club Christmas Meal this year is again at 'The Plume of
Feathers' on
Site Problems: Marcle Ridge
Following a rather successful days' outing to the Foxhalls farm site on Saturday (2hrs soaring), I then went to pay my £2 dues only to be met with complaints from the farmer that a number of flyers are not paying their site fees. He threatened to place
a notice at the top of the hill stating "no longer available for flying". He said
about 3 or 4 weeks ago there were 4 gliders on the hill who had a great time in the
air but none of them subsequently paid their dues (he has a mental note of the wings should they appear again).
I think we need some PR from the sites officer here (perhaps a visit and a bottle) before any action is taken, else we may lose the site. If anyone in the club forgot
to pay the farmer 3 or 4 weeks ago, I suggest they make a return visit soon and put
the books right. If these flyers aren't members of the Malvern club (most likely)
they may not know of the site rules. Perhaps someone knows them and can pass on this
message? I also suggest a notice is placed in Skywings. I have also negotiated a
paramotor launch field, earlier in the year with the farmer (away from the hill
site), which may also be lost if site fees aren't paid.
If the club sites officer needs anymore info, I can be contacted on 07798 906158 Cheers,Richard
Dynamic Gliding
Last
winter I watched a Windsurfer not far off shore as force eight breakers slammed
into the steep shingle beach. He was a master of this outrageous environment. I
stood transfixed as man soared and climbed on wave and air; lost from sight one
moment in the grey Atlantic swell, but in the next thrown upwards, hovering, soon screaming off, crosswind.
A
man can do all this – Stunning.
I
realised then that we do this too, not with water, but just with air, and when
I fly I feel compelled to push what man can do between earth and air.
And
so it is that I am drawn in on so many soaring days, to the coast. For there
the air is smooth and consistent lift charges upwards in a relentless provider
of aerial freedom and four dimensional form.
While
others climb cloudward inland, drawn in by the
confines of the thermal, I break out and no air confines me.
Nick Collins 2001.
The
essence of this kind of flight is speed. The first lesson is speed. To pull in
the bar and keep it in. Feel the pull out; learn your glider’s energy curves.
Do this first at a distance of the hill, but progressively work in . Even at
the coast there are rougher days. Look out for these—increase your margin, but
some days the air is so smooth it is as if a vacuum.
Frontal
dives at the cusp of the hill come next. Fast in, cutting deep into the lift,
then curving up and out. Choose your hill edge well. Too sharp and the air may
roughen, too rounded and the potential point of contact is more diffuse, the
wind gradient dangerous and tips may
touch.
Movement
is the key and this comes with speed. At all times keep moving, repeated
sequences; linked together are the outcome. Keep the movement within a confined
space relative to the ground; dance with the hill.
Next
comes the terrain; analyse ever angle, every bush, see the slope, see the windflow; feel direction change, watch the sea.
Few
days blow the same all day, What you did one hour becomes impossible or
dangerous the next, but new possibilities emerge as strength increases and
directions veer. The static hill becomes many as its four dimensional form is
contorted by the windflow. Read the changes, see the
effects.
Empty
your imagination . Exploit every niche of the air-terrain interface. Swoop in
every hollow, spin on every spine. Keep searching, dive almost underground,
follow the contour, fall like a stone, pop up on an edge, land on a tiny
outcrop. Launch in another world.
In
time you will realise that here is a direction left behind. Spurned because
flying at the hill is ‘irresponsible’, because cross-country has numbers and
can be measured.
Maybe
this is a direction you should return to, maybe our sport has missed a vital
piece, maybe our lack of recruitment of the young is because we have lost the
visual excitement, the elements of movement, of art?
Freestyle?
Isn’t
this just freestyle?
Mention
freestyle to most hang glider pilots and
loops, 130 degree wingovers and an elite
set of ‘madmen’ come to mind and that’s the problem. For most recreational
pilots that’s just too extreme, too close to the edge. Dynamic Gliding does not have to be as extreme as that. It
would be wrong to think that the point is to push the extreme, towards the
danger zone. The point is art. An artform for the
pilot and the spectator alike. It’s not a sport, there is no need for a competitive element,
that will simply push pilots to the extreme; the closer 360, the loop by the
hill that’s no way forward.
The
nearest might be ballet, and like ballet precision in form can evolve. Linked
movement; sequencing , fluidity, use of space, imaginative use of air and hill.
These are the keys.
History—Future
There
is nothing new about this form of flight. Pilots were swooping at the hill in
the very early days of Hang Gliding, even before pilots started to fly any
significant cross country. But it never seems to have been recognised as an activirty worth pursuing for its own sake. Only a few
individuals, those who specifically fly at the coast, have continued to push
themselves.
With
the advent of Speed Gliding and the enthusiasm for its visual impact, may be
this is the time to popularise Dynamic Gliding. My point is that I think others
should try this form of flight more for their own satisfaction, if it were to
develop into some kind of sporting event so be it.
Unlike
Speed Gliding the flying stays in close visual contact with the spectator at
all times and thereby may have even greater appeal. Unfortunately the major
downside is the difficulty with reliability of wind on the suitable hill. This would require a great deal of
flexibility amongst the spectators, but if it were to evolve as a TV coverage
event this may not matter. Personally I don’t mind if it is spectated
or not, but it may helped to encourage more young pilots.
Why?
Because
it’stunning good fun! It’s like taking downhill
skiing and putting it into four dimensions, on slopes that never finish with
jumps that go on forever with chairlifts
that don’t exist but forever lift you up. It’s skydiving with the ground rush
without the impact! And you go up for another go for free!
Safety
By
flying at the coast you have immediately removed the most dangerous aspect of
flight; unpredictability; there is no turbulence, the lift and sink can be
accurately forecast. Of course Dynamic Gliding involves mostly flying in
close vicinity of the ground, but when the pilot is nearest to the ground he/she should also be at their highest speed
which means control and immediate energy conversion in to height if necessary.
Learning to fly fast near to the ground is a progressive learning curve; there
are no sudden hurdles , you can simply push yourself to get closer and closer ,
maintaining the buffer of height you are happy with. Remember it’s not about
who can get closest to the ground , that’s just one element of the overall
flight sequence.
Probably
the most dangerous aspects are downwind elements at the hill, but the learning
curve for this can be entirely progressive and you can practice and practice.
Compared
with landing in a strong wind in a small valley behind a line of trees in a
tiny field completely knackered after a long cross country flight, Dynamic
Gliding is a walk in the park!
Best
Sites
To
my mind Rhossilli on Gower, S.Wales
is largely ideal. It has both sharp cliff and smooth sloping front face
which allows safe flying close in low down. The small frontal cliff
allows you to use the full depth of the air column as you can get really low,
but you can come back in on the cliff rising up to a grand above.
Safety
By
flying at the coast you have immediately removed the most dangerous aspect of
flight; unpredictability; there is no turbulence, the lift and sink can be
accurately forecast. Of course Dynamic Gliding involves mostly flying in
close vicinity of the ground, but when the pilot is nearest to the ground he/she should also be at their highest speed
which means control and immediate energy conversion in to height if necessary.
Learning to fly fast near to the ground is a progressive learning curve; there
are no sudden hurdles , you can simply push yourself to get closer and closer ,
maintaining the buffer of height you are happy with. Remember it’s not about
who can get closest to the ground , that’s just one element of the overall
flight sequence.
Probably
the most dangerous aspects are downwind elements at the hill, but the learning
curve for this can be entirely progressive and you can practice and practice.
Compared
with landing in a strong wind in a small valley behind a line of trees in a
tiny field completely knackered after a long cross country flight, Dynamic
Gliding is a walk in the park!
dynamic (daI’næmIk) adj. Of or concerned with energy or forces that
produce motion, as opposed to static.
dynamic
gliding n. a form of aerial ballet
performed on a hang-glider by flying in close proximity to a hill in rising
air.
Flight
elements
You can think of Dynamic Gliding as been made
up from flight elements. By linking these together you can produce a flight
sequence which is the real point of Dynamic Gliding. The sequence is very much
dependent upon the terrain and aeromorphology (the
interaction of airflow– speed and direction, and hill shape) Here are some that
I have worked out. I’m sure there must be others:
Cat
(catenary) dives These are essentially figure of
eight turns, left then right repeated , but
the pull on of speed from one to the next is exaggerated so that the glider
falls into a curving catenary shaped dive . These
could be described as wing overs, but it is important
to understand the subtleties of the wing
over. If you make the wingover with more of a climb and then the turn there is
a chance that you will misjudge the energy
retention and the glider will drop through and fall until it has gained
sufficient speed for the next pull out. Obviously this is not healthy if you
are near to the ground . It is better to start the turn earlier and then pitch up, thereby
maintaining a high airspeed at all times. These are most fun and most impressive if performed in the strongest
lift right on the front edge of the hill, the energy conversion in the pull up
is stunning—but work up to it! Beware of hill edges with low down turbulence;
bushes, sharp broken edges are not good. And DON’T do it inland.
Freefall On a modern glider with the VG fully home you can
approach the speed (almost! - 80 mph) of
freefall parachutists and you are going head straight down! It is absolutely
outrageous fun. If you’ve tried this inland you may have been put off as the
slightest turbulence hammers you, but at the coast it’s clean and fast. For the
spectator too it is stunning as glider and pilot fall like a stone almost
straight down! Of course compared with conventional freefall you can go
straight back up again and do it all day, no plane required! Why don’t those
guys take up Dynamic Gliding?
Beware
the pull up, if you let the glider have its way there is a good chance you
could enter a loop. Slowly meter it out.
Boundary
fall This is an unusual technique and somewhat mad! You need a fairly steep front face and an 20 +
wind. You effectively walk the glider off the edge pulled in as far as you can, letting out just
enough to raise your feet clear of the ground. You then skim down the front
face of the hill at an unlikely speed taking advantage of the slow air in the
boundary just 2 to 3 feet above the
ground. If you let it out just a fraction too much you’ll be up into the main
lift band and you’ll never penetrate back down into it. Boundary falls can be a
good start to a flight sequence as you dramatically fall from sight but then
rise up in front of the hill edge in a blazing steep climb out.
Skims
These are high speed low level passes. They can be into wind or
cross wind or any angle in between. For a sustained, safe low level pass the
ground needs to be sloping in the direction of travel to continuously feed you
energy. Beware of low level turbulence and always have at least 30mph airspeed
for rapid energy conversion to height. These are best if the wind speed is 12
to 15 as the ground speed is faster, turbulence less and its safer.
Beware,
some pilots have had some horrible accidents doing these, but its all down to
assessing the level of turbulence. If it’s rough keep them high; trial it
first. In ideal conditions you can be very close.
Dives
In their extreme these can be a
freefall, but if you do them in the lift band at its strongest you won’t be
falling as fast. Judging the dive so that it coincides with the front face,
into wind is interesting, or you can do them cross wind or even downwind!
Pop
ups Below the top and you cut in really close in
the lift band, becoming lifted up and then pop up rapidly in front of the main
hill edge. Speed control, positioning and timing are critical to get the effect
just right.Don’t slow up too much close in for
obvious reasons and try to build up speed just below the edge for conversion in
a dramatic pop-up.
360
Obviously you can change the bank angle to
give different effects. You can side slip part of the 360 and then pitch out to
give a sudden fast rotation and a steep
bank angle. Doing this at the downwind point gives an impressive high bank
angle. You can try to maintain position relative to the hill by straightening
and speeding up on the into wind leg. This is particularly good if it is level
with the hill in a bowl.
I’ve
seen quite enough 360 ‘s into the hillside and it is with much concern that I
am writing any of this. It is essential that you practice and practice and only
in smooth air before you start to bring 360’s in close below the hill top.
Always have excessive speed and be 110% certain that you can spin the glider
back into wind within a second. Do not be tempted to get competitive in
closeness of 360. 30 feet out is probably close enough. Having said that I
often find that thinking of a close 360 as a downwind slipping dive at the hill
as a highly controlled way of making the 360 very close ; the excessive
airspeed pulls you out in a punching turn.
Launch
/ Landing Imagine you’re a
bird. Make the transition as smooth and controlled as a birds. Go straight into
prone, attack the flight immediately, don’t take a minute settling into being
in the air again. Make it seems as if the
transition into flight is entirely natural. The same with the landing. Once the
decision to land has been make the landing a graceful part of the total flight
sequence.
The
Climb out After diving at a hill edge
usually involves an energy conversion into a climb out. This can be a very
steep climb right up to the stall point of the glider; the starting point for
another dive, or with careful timing the glider can return to a stationary
position at min sink– time to wipe the tears from your eyes!
Frontal
cusps These are steep dives at the
front edge of the hill, curving up and out just down from the front edge. If
you bank the glider so that the turn is at a similar angle to the hill slope
you will have minimum risk of touching a wing tip. In strong lift the energy
conversion of airspeed combined with the strength of the lift band is more than
dramatic. If you combine these together you will have a similar pattern to Cat
dives but I tend to make the top of the climb out slower on a frontal cusp.
Full
frontal This involves flying straight
downwind exactly at the same height as the hill top. You need to start this a
few hundred yards out. As you increasingly fly through the lift band continue
to pull on speed to maintain exactly the same height. At the appropriate moment
you can turn the speed into a climbing turn/wingover. Alternatively you could
continue downwind converting the speed into height., but maybe this is too
crazy! If part of the hill projects forward you can do the same approach but
cross wind, then the climb out is still cross wind and seems much more
sensible!
Speed
runs Right on the edge of a smooth
continuous ridge– make sure its really smooth air.
Wingover
Past 100 degree wingovers should be
avoided and should not to my mind be performed close to the hill, the energy
conversion and timing is too critical
Drop
through A wingover that runs out of sufficient energy so that the last
part of the turn is effectively stalled and the glider rotates down into a
plunging dive to regain airspeed. Take care doing these near the ground.
Drift
back. If it’s blowing 20 + you can
take the glider to 17 mph and drift backwards, a good starting point for an
into wind frontal dive.
Terrain.
Vital to Dynamic gliding, but it is
essential to understand and predict how the airflow shape exists at any wind
strength and direction. Don’t get a mindset of the hill shape because it is the
airshape that actually matters. Keep thinking, always
have an open mind; analyse your assumptions; find the assumptions you didn’t
even know you had made.
The
most essential hill element is the shape of the top 50 metres or so , the plan
curve, aspect curve, the slope and the severity of the edge.
The
Glider. Flying the right glider seems
to be essential for successful Dynamic Gliding. The most significant factor is
very light pitch throughout the speed range. Ten years back I used to achieve
this by using a ‘pitchy’ on the heavy pitch gliders of the day. From my
experience many gliders pitch is too heavy
especially with the VG off. The best I have found is Solar Wing’s
Scandal. Not renown for ultimate performance, but its very light pitch allows
ease of ground handling as the nose can easily be rotated down , and it also
allows good control in strong winds at launch as so little of the wing is
exposed to the wind. High top speed is also a key factor and the ability to cut
deep through any lift band even in a 28 mph wind. Ultimate roll control is not
vital because so much of the turning is done at speed and most gliders respond pretty well if they
are doing sufficient speed. However some notable gliders lose considerable roll
control when their VG is on , such that flying close to the hill in this
configuration may not be ideal. Likewise with the VG off the pitch is too heavy
to allow comfortable sustained high speed. Perhaps manufacturers could design
gliders specifically for Dynamic gliding?
More
Safety I know there will be pilots reading this in disbelief. We’ve
spent years overcoming the publics view that we live with a death wish and someone
is suggesting that pilots should fly at the hill! But haven’t you noticed that
there is often an inverse relationship between peoples perception of danger and
how dangerous an activity actually is? We pass each other at closing speed in
excess of 120mph everyday, just feet apart, but barely ever consider it. Why?
Because we have CONTROL. It’s the same with Dynamic Gliding. If you don’t feel
you have 100% control DON’T do it.
TAKE
CARE!
The
wind was a monster roar at his head. Sixty, seventy, eighty miles per hour and
faster still…...
Go4it 2004 FINAL PLACINGS
Bryan Hindle 77.8 70.7 62.9
43.2 15.1 14.1 11.9 9.1 8.3 7.0 320.1km
Nigel
Dewdney 55 18.5 12 9.2 6.8 5.4 106.9km
Tim
Crow 31.0 25.2 22.3 78.5km
Dave J-H 47.2 23.2 70.4km
Chris
Smith 33.9 7.3 6.2 47.4km
Ian
Smallwood* (43.1) (26.9) 24.3 (20.4) 17.8 (16.2) (148.7km)
42.1km
Frank Trunks 35.7 35.7km
Graham
Shand 26.0 6.2 32.2km
Carolyn Dewdney 9 9.0km
Brian Pilchar 7.0 7.0km
*(Ian’s flights in
brackets were done before joining the club in the middle of the year.)
Rules
1.
2. No infringement of airspace.
3. Must have Pilot rating or be under instruction from one on
the day.
4. Flights between
5. Co-ordinates for T/O and landing required plus distance
from point to point in Kms as a
check. Flights will be scored to nearest
100m.
6. Defined flights (BHPA rules) Coordinates for turn points
in addition. Double distance
awarded provided 60% of flight outside
ridge lift.
7. Stone's throw award for smallest flight submitted (or
known about) provided
distance 5km or greater (previously 3
miles).
8. The best newcomer to XC flying (as voted by
the committee) will win a voucher worth
£120 for Airways Ltd.
9. The
top pilot for the year will be known by the moniker “Skygod”
for the next year – so remember, that’s Monica Skygod
for the next year.
ADVERTS:
Harley
Sirocco (medium) 75-95kg. Very good condition, little used. ACPUL 12A
rated. £150
At that price ideal for winter flying or for ground handling
practice. 01452 500806
I am
clearing out my garage and have the following – Mike 01308 428219 or 07779 299805
Harness - As new Profeel XC harness, blue/black,
totally unmarked, size large. Fully adjustable everything - seat depth
adjuster, two lumbar straps, seat extn, Safe-T-bar
"anti-forget" chest strap, A.B.S.; neoprene faired hangpoints, large back pocket, auto buckles, underseat reserve pocket, 17cm foam bag plus Twintex anti-puncture sheet, alloy twistlock
carabiners. £400 new, sell for £275
Harness - Zoom Pro,
excellent condition, very smart H/D red/black. Clever design with separate
independent leg straps allows easy running clipped in, adjustable everything,
back protector, alloy carabiners, lightweight AustriAlpin auto buckles and "anti-forget" safety
chest strap. Virtually unmarked. Size large. Excellent comfortable,
modern harness for £195.
Reserve - Sky "Spare"
35. Brand new. Pulled down apex design, 35 sq mtrs -
max pilot weight all up 138 kgs. Low weight and small
pack size. Completely unused. Full packing instructions. £275
Reserve - Sky "Spare"
30. As new condition, pulled down apex design, 31 sq mtrs
- max pilot all up weight 100 kgs. Low weight and
small pack size. Full packing instructions. £175
Hanwag paraglider
boots - the best. Brand spanking new - still got the labels on 'em. Size 10, black and grey. £150 new, sell for £120.
Carabiners - pair of Sup'Air twistlock carabiners, as new condition, undamaged, unmarked. £15
Helmet - paraglider open face helmet
-Fly/Pickup model, size large, sliding air vent and adjustable visor/peak, Good
condition £25
Alinco radio gear -
Alinco DJ180 2 mtr radio, new battery pack this
year, 5 watt output, extended waveband coverage 130 - 174 Mhz.
Excellent as new condition, charger and manuals. New£140, sell for £80
Alinco EME12 headset, single earpiece and boom mic,
will just fit under a standard helmet. PTT or VOX operation. Works with any
radio that has twin jack socket (or use cable adaptor). New £40 , sell for £20
Alinco speaker/mic on curly
cord, plugs into any radio that has a twin jack socket or use cable adaptor.
New £20, sell for £10
Paramotor/paraglider wing - Swing Powerplay "Sting". Based on the Swing Arcus, better than a standard paraglider
for motoring - easier launches and faster. A DHV 1/2 glider designed from
the start for power yet with a good glide for hill flying. High and
low brake positions for different powered configurations. Easy nil wind powered
launches. Good condition, 30 hours use approx. Colours red and white,
rated at 90-125 kgs for hill flying; 90 - 160 kgs for motor use. £1750 new, sell for £850
Paramotor/Microlight Helmet - brand new, fitted
with Peltor headset/earmuffs, PTT on one earmuff,
noise cancelling mic, curly cord with twin jack (fits
Alinco or ANY radio that has twin jack socket OR use
a cable adaptor). Black velour lining, snap on peak, twin air vents. £150.
Paramotor
engine bag - heavy duty bag made by Adventure for
an Adventure p/motor. Twin zips and carry handles. Will take any motor (without
cage) that breaks down small. Saves damaging your motor/getting other things
oily in the back of your car/reduces the petrol smell too! £20
Propeller - brand new Aerobat wood prop, 125 cms.
Made for and fits PAP/H&E/any paramotor with a
Top 80 engine. Totally unmarked. £195
Pics available on all the above - just
email me zyclone@btinternet.com
or call Mike on 01308 428219 or 07779 299805
FLYING DIARY: