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Sunday the 16th, 2011 Last day of flying for Packsaddle before it closes for Deer Assassination and the hunts come out to kill these poor creatures with guns, which I am not in favor of, but well, hell what can I do? Since I have been a pilot I have learned to appreciate life a little more than I use to and here in the last month doing my best not to eat anything that has a face on it.
There was lots of pilots in the area Mark More, Danny Jones, Jeffo, Mark Carlton, Tom and other hang glider pilots that I didn't know or don't remember their names and paraglider pilots that I didn't know.
The time is about 6:35 p.m. give or take, the wind was blowing SSE 15mph, or so, I took note from a 50 ft. pole someone had on their truck, the wind at the LZ was coming from the West while all the other wind socks were down.
The sky was filled with paragliders, I did not bother to count them, and other hang gliders were flying the area as well.
I was the last hang glider to launch from Packsaddle on the date stated above. I had my anxiety attack as always before I launch, Jeffo was telling me to relax a bit, as he always does.
I did my HOOK IN and tested to make sure that I was HOOKED IN 4 times before launch.... So, I know I am HOOKED IN the glider I could feel it pulling on me, the wind was blowing, as I stepped up to the Platform, I stood there for about 10 minutes, I was having trouble blanching the glider level in that wind, Jeff was instructing me on how to hold the glider in that type of wind, finally after a few tries, I got it.
I felt as if the ramp was sucking me into it, it felt like a vacuum cleaner, I was telling Jeffo don't let go, the damn ramp is sucking me in, do worry he said, it is just the glider wanting to fly just relax, I will not move till you say clear and I won't let you go, or launch into bad wind....
He was right, finally a real good cycle of wind came into the launch area he felt it, and I felt it too... It was time to go, I knew It, the glider was ready to fly and so was I.
I started the run, ( No walk, jog, run this time it was run,) which only took me two or 3 steps and the glider was climbing like an elevator from hell, I saw Jeffo below me get real small real quick, I pulled for speed not letting the nose pop, keeping the glider flying moved out a bit, and headed way West of Pac... I saw the Paragliders flying around in the center where the lift was at, I did not want to get in their way, so I kept flying West, trying to burn off some altitude and get ready for my landing on the second field, in front of Pac straight South in front on the Mountain.
I was not going to land South this time, I made my way East and worked my glider WSW.
I made one big, big (S) turn in front of Pac. I some how lost track of time and space. I don't know how high I was, nor how fast I was going, neither the time I stayed up.
Flying way west of the mountain, musta been a while up flying, I could hear Jeffo on the radio, come back, come back, I think I was heading for California, I flew back to the front of the mountain as I was told and then to the East of the mountain and then started to sink out. I set up my approach for the second field WSW.
From above I could see that the wind socks on the main field were all hanging down wards, and needed some Viagra, there was no wind blowing at the main LZ. I took note that the 50 ft. flag pole had wind blowing into it from the WSW, so I set my goal to land there. I knew where the gradent was now it was under 50ft.
I was flying in that direction of the second field coming in WSW, I noticed the fence was there, waiting for me to F*** up. I was wondering if I was going to make it over, everybody else at the LZ were wondering the same thing, as they watched me coming in like a Jumbo Jet heading for a landing.
I remembered a little trick that Jeffo taught me about fences coming at me, and fences passing under me, So I knew that I was going to make it over but still that thought Am I really was still there, I flew over the fence and had enoguh speed for ground effect there was no wind at the LZ, the glider came in on wheels and a good landing it was. If there would had been wind I may have not made it over, maybe.
I was later told by pilots that I cleared that fence by a few feet, I was still shaken up a bit, but recovered soon after that, and a good flight it was, this was my second flight off Pac. and maybe the last flight of the year for me, I don't know yet If I can find somewhere else to fly I may go for that... I just keep forgetting to land on my feet and I know I can do it, becuase I have done it before... Some consider landing on wheels a crash. So, I guess I crashed cause I brought the glider down on the wheels
Your friend AL Hernandez
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