US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

We know of many ways to have portable "mountains" for having classical foot-launching of hang gliders.
Below is a portion of the ways.
==================================================================

Collecting my former notes and summarizing here for extension to others:

Portable Hang Glider Launch by Use of AWES Allowing Classical Running-Down-Incline-into-Wind Foot-Launching of a Human-Piloted Kite Hang Glider

Portable "Mountain" Hang Glider Launch

Have kite-system AWES hold at desired altitude an arrangement that permits a free-flight pilot to run down an incline holding his or her wing into the wind to launch into free-flight gliding or soaring flight to fulfill classic launch style. There are many ways to embody the arrangement and execute getting wing and pilot to the launching arrangement. Not limited to the following description here presented to example the system is one way:
== Have a two-tether train AWES soil-or-rock anchored (or other means of anchoring); have the lofted launch pad use splinted-airbeam launch-incline format and have a horizontally-kept splinted-airbeam preamble assembly-ready deck or platform. Either have the wing already parked at the preamble deck or packed at the preamble deck aloft or use other procedures to get the wing to the preamble aloft deck. Once the portable "mountain" AWES is flying and conditions are "go", then the soon-to-be free-flight kite pilot climbs to the preamble deck, assembles the HG wing, hooks his free-flight kite tether to the wing, fulfills all checks, reads the wind, readies to run down the incline for launching into FFAWE mode off the portable "mountain."
==
== Note that a paraglider is a canopy hang glider; and that a gliding parachute is a canopy hang glider. The system may be used repeatedly. Systems may be designed to hold more than one HG wing and more than one HG pilot. Also, the preamble deck may hold other things (napper, food, water, personal-relief devices, warmer, communications, weather-and-traffic station, and assisting equipment, or anything else reasonably wanted). Note that the base kite-system AWES may be flygen generating electricity by use of RATs for various uses including the charging of batteries that may be fitted to the hang gliders for their on board electrical instruments which might include an auxiliary motor for in-flight conversion to powered flight, if wanted. There are many ways to design the preamble deck and launch incline to reduce drag and mass. These portable "mountains" may be fixed at a park or club site; the system may be transported to desired sites on earth or a planet's surface; the system may be anchored to a ship or barge or other vehicle. Uses may be single-person dedicated or used in robust commercial operations. The serving "train" of wings in the AWES may have one wing or many wings; also, kite trees and other gang arrangement of wings are intended in this instruction; also intended is the use of kite arches or other kite complexes for basing the preamble deck and launch incline. Anchoring reels and winches may be used, but are not necessary in all circumstances; one may use a reel-less AWES arrangement. System-stop methods are intended to meet safety standards. Personal rescue parachutes are recommended for persons going aloft for the subject operations. Skill training fit for the subject system is necessary to obtain safe operations.
~ JoeF with the following license:
License: CC+ 4.x BY NC+ SA for technology by Joe Faust under kPower, Inc. thresholds within Open-AWE Cooperative. As one approaches the use thresholds, please negotiate with kPower, Inc. for commercial uses.
== Glossary: http://www.energykitesystems.net
This topic thread is open for discussing any type of portable "mountain" for obtaining near classical hang gliding launching.

This isn't quite a "portable" mountain, but I've often thought that some of our flat-land areas could benefit from a circular land-fill designed for ridge soaring in any wind direction. Does anyone remember that barge of trash that was looking for a home years ago? There's even money to be made providing such a place.

Back on topic ... Joe, I think your description might benefit from some sketches. Please call me any time if I can be of service.

Sketches would help me. I struggle with words.

Others are invited to form drawings of their versions of Portable Mountain for Hang Gliding.

Open for study and discussion toward "portable mountain" are the various electric schemes for HG and PG that have been occurring toward e-FLPHG amd e-FLPPG. Trade the IC vehicle shuttle with an electric solution?
To start, maybe discuss the direction of the Scott-E - drive system. Notice that one might recharge the system by using solar or wind energy or even human-muscle energy.

Dedicated to the court today in San Diego:
Portable mountain options at the seashore have many varieties.
Here is one for Torrey Pines cliffs, especially if one chooses not to use the cliff launch with its concessionaire challenges:

Notice that the HG could be fit for water landings. Also, note that the start position of the HG cold be the beach or could be out in the water.
Note also that the pull line could to cliff-topside where the public could run the line for the motive force.
Notice the keeper float.
~ JoeF

Joe, that diagram is pretty clever!!!      It also brought back an old memory:

When I was a kid, I lived within walking distance of a branch of the Chesapeake Bay. My friends and I enjoyed many adventures along the shore, and at one point we discovered "skim boarding" - basically a small section of plywood that we could run and jump on to hydroplane in the very shallow portion of a wave that had broken on the beach. This would give us a short "glide" of maybe 10 to 20 feet. Of course we wanted more, so we rigged up a tow rope fitted with a handle for the "skier" and a yoke for two friends to pull along the beach. It worked great and we had a lot of fun - as both skim-boarders and oxen!!!

BobK, that skim-board kiting gliding history note is very on topic. Thanks.
===============================================================


Optional power sources regarding the scene posted two posts up:
1. Have the Torrey Hawks haul-line team be up in the public parking lot or street; they could get better traction on their shoes.

2. Anchor a kite much out at sea; have the kite system lift water bags. Then upon "Go!" trigger the drop of the water bags vertically, but have the HG tow-up line go up to the pulley and to the dropping water bags. A kite-system safety downing line is key for safety and for closing the system for the day. A slack return line RL is used during towing up of HG; the RL lets team bring the tow line back for another Torrey Hawk or US Hawk to be towed up. Notice that the line haul team does not have to run on the beach; in this portable mountain version, the team needs only struggle to lift the water to altitude, hold the line until Go! is given. [[Alternative workarounds can be effective, see below.]]

Want to have team not work so hard to lift the water bag for recharge? Then design and install a kite control system that changes AoA of the train wing element that lowers P2 to near water level; then pull slack line of tow line to just taut; then change AoA of wing set again for heavy lift-back; the kite train then will lift the water using wind energy. Beach team would then use capstan to simply let out line as the P2 goes up with water bag near P2 to altitude ready for another launch; hence much less beach footprint and much less muscle involvement; smaller team too.

Want a near alternative that does not even use water bag? Consider using only a kite-system anchored sufficiently out to sea. Have AoA control of kite system. Lower the kite system wing set; have line from the main tether going to HG at shore or near-shore. Have a first anchor for the main system; then have a second anchor with pulley through which the HG tow line paths to an upper point on the kite system. When the AoA of the kite system is set for lift, then the HG tow line is pulled through the second anchor's pulley; and then the HG is towed to altitude. Plan carefully the positions of the parts. Respect air traffic and mark the lines that will be in air and on water surface. Have also a RL that is slack during HG tow up; use the RL to bring back the line end for towing another Torrey Hawk. Drawing may come later on this alternative.

Smarts for any of these systems will be important. Knowing the wind and distances and lengths and involved speeds and forces will play their spirits.

~ JoeF
Torrey Hawk
US Hawk
Mo Hawk

Alternative portable mountain seaward of Torrey Pines cliffs.
Have AoA smart control of the kite system. Water chute could be replaced with seabed anchor.

Portable Mountain by AWE (PMbA)

Could someone use a mountain here or there? Hill? Slope? Ridge? Cliff? High place?

Let "mountain" embrace the cousins: hill, slope, ridge, cliff, bump, high structure, tower, skyscraper,... in this PMbA world of AWE exploration.

Some portable mountains may be supplied by working kite systems (an AWES category). (AWES : airborne wind energy system with dominant category being kite systems)

How might one use a portable mountain, hill, slope, ridge,cliff, bump, tower, or high place? How are mountains and hills and slopes used? Mountains have exteriors and interiors. Mountains affect the environment in various ways. Mountains change, shake, erode, sometimes grow larger and taller, sometimes crumble. A comprehensive appreciation of assets of mountains may move visionaries, designers, engineers, and builders to advance PMbA.

Study and discussion on the PMbA realm are invited in this topic thread. We have already touched upon PMbA some in various ways; linking what has been done could be part of the flow in this topic. Evolving novel PMbA solutions to serve the good of life on earth and other planets has a home here.

Start:

"Mountain" as an archetype seems to be something up high with lowlands near. Mountains have various shapes and characters. Access to the parts of mountains varies. Dynamics of mountain formation may tease AWE visionaries to methods of forming some PM-by-AWE (PMbA). Mass forming mountains have potential energy; when some of the mass in mountains move downward, then there are pockets of kinetic energy. Mountains provide overlooks, vistas, views; there are sides to mountains. Mountains may be a base for further action or a destination.

Hang gliding may use PMbA. Some examples have been rehearsed in this US Hawks topic thread up to the minute. Continued development of PMbA is invited (AWE :: Airborne Wind Energy :: dominant realm in AWE is use of kite systems to do good works.) May the future find PMbA serving hang gliding in various ways, small and large.

~ JoeF

PS: We launch from slopes, mountains, ramps, tows of many sorts, etc.
Launching from a moving platform (even one that is gliding) is easily in sights.
Portable mountains come in a great variety of formats.
Drop away from solo HG into launch into various winged-format finals is in sight; RC the left uninhabited HG back to club home. Etc.