U.S. Hang Gliding Pilots




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 Post subject: Jeffrey Lawrence Bohl
PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 12:49 pm 
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Jeffrey Lawrence Bohl
March 5, 1960 - May 21, 2016

Hang glider Jeff Bohl was mentor :salute: and friend :salute: to many in hang gliding. Age 56.
Condolences to Karen, to his family, and to his many friends. :(

While doing another sport called aerotow kiting, he entered a lockout in the kiting and crashed. A sheriff report did not distinguish between a hang glider and the distinct system of remote-anchored kited wing; in this case the remote anchor of the kited wing was a powered aircraft; the coupled-wing system forms a special sport unto itself; though Jeff's intention was to later release at high altitude in order to enter competition in a hang gliding event, the tragedy occurred while he was participating in the sport of aerotow kiting.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/texas-man-dies-hang-gliding-accident-central-florida-39359396

Mouth releases are being proposed for those participating in aerotow kiting. The kited pilot may release from being remotely kited by opening one's mouth which releases the long kite line that goes to the powered aircraft. http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34390

Guestbook: http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/DignityMemorial/guestbook.aspx?n=jeffery-bohl&pid=180093288

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View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:11 pm 
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Services: June 4, 2016


===========================================
Image

A post was taken down after it was up. :thumbdown: at Oz Report, but was captured by Tad:
http://www.kitestrings.org/topic6-1470.html
The silencing seems deafening.

===============================

A year ago to the day: FLIGHT

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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 1:27 pm 
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http://ozreport.com/20.102.4 wrote:

The Quest Air Open Part 2

Sat, May 21 2016, 10:26:08 pm EST
Accident on the launching pad

Today we experienced a fatal aerotowing accident when a fellow pilot locked out very soon after coming off the cart. He plowed head first straight into the ground from too high right in front of us.

Fausto Arcos who was in the front of the launch line just in front of me watched the whole thing and said it was a "classic" progressive lockout. The pilot needed to release much earlier before it became non-recoverable.

The pilot's weak link broke at apparently the same time as tug pilot gave him the rope. The tug pilot gave the hang glider pilot the rope because the hang glider pilot's glider was pulling the tow plane's tail to the east forcing the tug toward trees that the tug with this drag would not be able to get above. All of the hang glider's undersurface was visible in the tug pilot's mirror.

We have a risk management plan in effect for this competition as a requirement from the USHPA for their insurance as well as for their future insurance situation. Part of that plan requires us to quickly retrieve pilots that have weak link breaks or land in the designated areas. We put these pilots back in line quickly so that they do not suffer from not being able to be towed to 2,000' on their tow. We do this so that pilots will quickly go for the release if there is a problem and not hesitate trying to stay on the tow just because they are in a competition.

The day was cancelled. This was the last day of the competition.

Photo by Mike Degtoff Image

Discuss "The Quest Air Open Part 2" at the Oz Report forum

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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:57 am 
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Joe,
Thank you for acknowledging the serious distinction between kiting and foot-launch hang gliding.
For many years, kiting injuries and fatalities have been mixed into the overall attrition tally for foot-launch hang gliding, making it appear somewhat more dangerous than it actually is. This distinction also applies to paragliders.
I am working out simple terminology to define these practices.
"Hang gliding" remains synonymous with "foot-launch hang gliding." As new term, I suggest "hang-kiting" when referencing towing a hang glider by any means.
"Paragliding" remains synonymous with "foot-launch paragliding." As new term, I suggest "para-kiting" when referencing towing of a paraglider by any means.
Both these forms of flight utilize weight-shift and sail-warping, with deeply problematic airflow spoiling commonly used in paragliders as a means of pitch control.
Both are more likely to "lock out" due to the inadequacy of weight-shift control under tow, which is vastly inferior to aerodynamic control for correcting yaw and roll.

While it is possible for sailplanes to be bungie-launched from hills (yet still a form of kiting), this has become increasingly uncommon.
Since all gliders and sailplanes (and some rigid hang gliders) utilize aerodynamic control which benefits from the lever-arm ability of an empennage which are more suitable for towing, I will not make the distinction between kiting and free-flight for these aircraft.
I welcome your comments.


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