FOOTLAUNCHFebruary
Spring is just around the corner…Boiiing!
Appologies for
the lack of January Footlaunch – but you didn’t miss much.
What you may have
missed (and shame on you if you did; it was the club’s 30th
anniversary) was a very civilized annual meal and fancy dress at the Malvern
Hills Hotel on 6th Jan. The highlight of the evening was when the
‘senior’ members of the club stood up and regaled us with stories of daring do
and stupidity. Amazing they were there to tell us about it all really… Thanks must go to all involved with
organizing it.
Thanks TC for the
input towards this Footlaunch.
Safe flying, Richard.
Next club meeting; on Wed 8th February at The Pheasant, Welland… I think. Check newsgroup for changes!
SAFETY MATTERS and other stuffDeath is just nature's way of telling you to land into wind.
Safety Officers Bit
Scaresfield
Incidents
Haresfield is a small wooded bowl to the North of Stroud which takes a SW breeze so is popular with local pilots. The T/O is a small grassy clearing in the trees and bushes on the face of the slope, with a footpath cutting across it leading to the Haresfield Beacon. So it’s also popular with locals as a nice walk and consequently you often get folk picking their way around gliders laid out on the grass and path. You also get people who like to take their dog out so it can crap all over the paths and picnic areas just like on the Malverns. Last weekend a pilot had a dog run across his glider which is annoying at the best of times. Words were exchanged, an argument ensued which erupted into fisticuffs and the pilot received a bit of a punching. The local Plod descended in force with police cars and lots of uniforms – we’re obviously a dangerous lot! If you’re flying off anywhere other than your own land it’s probably best not to start vigorously berating people you don’t know – they could be a knife carrying yob, the landowner, the landowner’s best mate, a dangerous psycho on day release or all of these in one go. You could easily end up in a bad state, or worse lose the site for a long time. As Safety Officer my advice is to take off and get to at least 100’ before hurling any abuse, so long as you’re sure the wind isn’t suddenly going to drop!
On a quieter
occasion I was out there with a couple of mates; when we arrived it was only
blowing 5+mph but I decided to have a go. After take off I put in a beat
without gaining or losing anything so flew back to the T/O to face land.
Scratching back round the bushes and small trees I turned in to land round the
last one, watching the inside tip which was clear and slightly higher than the
top twigs. As I dropped slightly to land the tip dropped and snagged – the
effect was instantaneous; the inboard wing collapsed and the glider rapidly
accelerated into a spin. I immediately fully braked the flying wing to stall it
before the rotation increased, dropped the few feet onto the slope and somehow
instinctively did a PLF. Luckily it was a grassy slope with no rocks and I was
completely unscathed. The twig snapped and the glider dropped to the ground as
well. Well I’ve brushed the tops of trees with my harness on other occasions
and your weight and momentum means you don’t really notice, but your wing
doesn’t have either and when it touches it instantly stops. As Safety Officer
my advice is not to be a prat and fly your wingtip into trees
Safety note
Paraglider harness, Pin Lock Karabiner Finsterwalder GmbH
After short usage the closing mechanism on a Pin Lock Karabiner became defect. Closer
inspection showed that the pin center had become internally detached from the
closing mechanism due to deficiencies in production.
By improved quality controlling during production further occurances of this
defect are to be ruled out. Defects are possible in a few of the karabiners
produced after 21.06.2005. The defect cannot be outwardly observed: definative
controlling can only be performed at the Finsterwalder GmbH
factory. Finsterwalder GmbH will perform this check free of charge on all
karabiners sent back for inspection.
Failure of the karabiner when in use can be prevented through close observation
of the handbook: Check that the karabiner pin sits firmly in place in the
karabiner by pulling on the pin head without pressing the pin center. This
check must always be performed prior to take off.
Dipl. Ing. Thomas Finsterwalder,
Finsterwalder GmbH,
Pagodenburgstr.8,
81247 München
Dear Doreen,
Hurrah! She’s back! Having
become bored working on ‘The Lady’ magazine, dear old dotty Doreen has come
back into the fold (she was sacked actually, for having ‘the wrong attitude’) Ask
her anything – yes anything!
Here’s her first caller:
Dear Doreen,
I am a paraglider pilot with 17
hours experience but have found over the last few months I have had a
reoccurring problem with getting up on a regular occasion. I am currently down
to once a month despite trying 3-4 times a month; it always seems that despite
it looking good on the TV and computer, as soon as I step out of the door to
try and get some, it starts to come up and then gets too strong for me to hold
on to my inflated one. I have tried all the techniques in the books and
video but 15 - 21 is too big for me to handle... I am only able to handle 8
-12....
What can I do? I am already at
the top end of my inflated one and don't take pills before I go out... and it
is only a 12 (1/2)
Concerned Swing(Arcus)er
Dear
Swinger,
You
see, the problem is there right in front of you. 17 hours... Yes, 17 hours.
Have you ever heard of the 30-hour hump? This is what is going to hold you back
– for at least another 13 hours anyway. All I can suggest is that you persevere
with it and maybe strap yourself to a rigid if you still find you can’t handle
it. Don’t be too optimistic though: Many pilots, having reached and passed the
30-hour hump find that their interest begins to dwindle and they either fall
asleep or end up experimenting with other extreme pursuits to regain that
initial thrill and to overcome what is usually described as Total Wing
Aversion. Luckily, I think you are a very fortunate boy because I
am qualified (through that esteemed body, the Royal Institute of Therapy
Experts) as a Total Wing Aversion Therapist
and would be happy to give you some Counselling (£75/hr) should you require it.
Doreen
We are not alone!
How about this wonderful web site? They can’t touch you for it.
http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/
Commerce www.actioncameras.co.uk are offering 10% discount to BHPA members on their helmet mountable video camera device. Contact robin@actioncameras.co.uk tel 07740918383or 02071931425.They are also selling the X-tremecam which may be the same thing – http://www.cadogon.co.uk/ Science - and Fiction White House releases GPS upgrades
Jan 25, 2006
WASHINGTON-The Bush administration today announced the availability of new Global Positioning System capabilities, accuracy and reliability upgrades that are expected to benefit cell phone communications and strengthen the U.S.' technological leadership position. The move comes as Europe inches closer to launching its own satellite-based navigation system.
"The new signal-known as 'L2C-was
specifically designed with commercial needs in mind," said Deputy Commerce
Secretary David Sampson in remarks prepared for delivery at a U.S. Chamber of
Commerce press event this morning. "For example, it is transmitted with a
higher effective power, so GPS receivers work better in urban areas and
indoors. And it requires less energy to receive the signal, an important
feature for battery-powered devices such as mobile phones."
Humour
Anything worth doing needs a helmet.
You can land anywhere . . . once.
Airspeed, altitude, brains . . . you need at least two of these.
Go XC . . . you can’t be lost if you don’t care.
Go4IT
A clean sheet!
Rules
1. UK flights only.
2. No infringement of airspace.
3. Must have Pilot rating or be under instruction from one on
the day.
4. Flights between 01/12/04 to 30/11/05.
5. Co-ordinates for T/O and landing required plus distance
from point to point in Km as a
check. Flights will
be scored to nearest 100m.
6. Defined flights (BHPA rules, see below) Coordinates for
turn points in addition. Bonus
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.
Go4IT
Flight Types
Open Distance
(score = distance)
Open Distance flights do not have any
turnpoints. Open distance flights will score the straight-line distance from the
start point to the end point.
Dog-Leg (DL)
score = distance
Dog-Leg flights are open distance flights with a
single turnpoint. The turnpoint does not need to be declared beforehand. The
turnpoint is permitted when pilots are forced to make a substantial change in
direction.
Out and Return
(OR) score = distance x 2 when the majority of the flight is out of ridge lift.
Out and Return flights commence at a start
point, go round a single turnpoint, and return to the original start point. The
coordinates of the start point and finish point are therefore identical. The
start/finish point may be different to the actual launch/landing points but the
flight distance is only measured from the start, to the turnpoint and back.
FAI Triangle (T)
score = distance x 3 when the majority of the flight is out of ridge lift.
An FAI Triangle is one which satisfies the FAI’s
28% Rule (shortest side must be greater than, or equal to, 28% of the distance
flown). To fly a triangle you must round three turnpoints, and return to the
original start point. The coordinates of the start point and goal are therefore
identical and for declared triangles and local records, must be one of the
turnpoints. The start/goal point may be different to the actual launch/landing
points.
Special Rule to
encourage pilots to attempt triangle flights
Note that for non-declared triangles, using GPS
verification, you can fly a loop and you will be scored the best triangle which
can be fitted inside it. Your track log points must cross to complete the loop.
This means you don’t have to start and finish at a turnpoint but may start
midway along a leg. This is to encourage pilots to try triangle flights.
Flat Triangle
(FT) score = distance x 2
A Flat Triangle is a triangular flight as above,
except that it does not conform to the FAI 28% rule. Completed Flat Triangle
flights score the distance multiplied by 2 when the majority of the flight is
out of ridge lift.
Failed Triangle
(score = distance)
A Failed Triangle is an attempt at a triangular
flight in which the pilot fails to make it back to the start point. Failed
Triangles score the total distance from the start, around up to two turnpoints
and back towards the finish point.
ADVERTS
Buy
quality prints on the web! Want some high quality flying shots on your wall? Have a look at www.mooncoinphotography.co.uk
. Site is currently being sorted and
will be updated with newer stuff throughout the year so keep your eye on it.
For Sale – Alinco 2m radio,
Kenwood 2m radio, chargers and manuals, ¼ wave aerial, headset (Icom plug),
various PTT adapters (Icom), fingerless leather palmed gloves, and a Clarion
radio/cassette car stereo (boxed).
Best or only offer secures all or any of it!
Tim Crow 01452 500806
For Sale
Airwave
Magic 4 155. Excellent condition. Rarely flown over the last ten years. Spare
set of Airwave aerofoil uprights. Yellow and white. Flies very nicely. £250 Tel Rich 01684 892415 rich@mooncoin.fslife.co.uk
I appear to be missing some copies of
skywings I was wondering if anyone had the following they didn't want anymore?
Aug 79; May 81; Aug 89; Mar and Oct 91
Thanks, Frank samm@lawstroud.freeserve.co.uk
|
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Demo long weekend.
Friday 3rd March –
Monday 6th
Ozone, Airwave, Gin, Up and
Gradient and Nova.
If you are interested in
trying new wings please call…
Montenegro Holidays most of
April
Prices from £295 – Free tandem
flights for non flying partners…
Special deals on Trango 2 dhv
2-3 for XC league pilots.
For
map and directions please go to WWW.AIRTOPIA.COM
Second hand
canopies
All canopies are serviced prior to sale, lines and sail and stitching are all checked. Prices reflect the age of design and the amount of life we believe is left in the wing. .
UP Trango 2 M 85-105kg £1,150:00 ex demo
Up
trango 1 M 85-105kg £500:00
Ozone
Vulcan M 80-100kg £500:00
Gradient
Bliss L 95-120kg £750:00
Gradient
Topas L 85-110kg £300:00
mint!
Call Robin tel 01453 827202
Mobile 07973 844449