Personal Journals about Hang Gliding

Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Frank Colver » Mon Nov 25, 2019 12:44 pm

I have spent a lifetime (84 years so far)solving problems through design engineering, so please understand how difficult it is for me to state that the PG collapse and line entanglement problems cannot be solved by design.

I'll explain my radical statement: The paragliders main attraction is its collapsibility and portability / hikeability. In order to solve the collapse problem the collapsibility would need to be highly compromised making the PG closer to or identical to a hang glider. Even then if the pilot was hanging far below, by multiple lines, the line entanglement problem could still exist. If the design changed enough to solve the collapse/entanglement problem it would no longer have its primary reason for wide appeal and the public would turn to the higher performance hang glider.

The rescue chute, even though they have saved many lives, is not a good reason to continue flying a PG in turbulent conditions. The good outcome of a chute deployment is very chancy, always a "roll of the dice" and should not be considered "justification" in choosing to fly the PG in turbulence.

Of course the PG, as it exists today, could still have appeal to pilots who have a flight area of mellow atmospheric conditions - if they were smart enough to not stray from those conditions. The steep inland mountains of the earth can always be subjected to violent turbulence. Even some coastal areas have a history of violent wind shear when marine air and land air masses meet. Guadalupe Dunes California for example, where I would have been killed if I had been flying a PG instead of an HG.

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Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Bob Kuczewski » Thu Feb 03, 2022 2:12 am

Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org
View my rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System
Every human at every point in history has an opportunity to choose courage over cowardice. Look around and you will find that opportunity in your own time.
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Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Frank Colver » Thu Feb 03, 2022 8:38 am

Gee, what fun! :o

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Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Craig Muhonen » Thu Feb 03, 2022 10:44 am

Or you could fly one of these, CON-traptions. :lol: :lol: :lol: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:
Baby Paraglider.png
Baby Paraglider.png (94.61 KiB) Viewed 1792 times


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Sometimes you gotta' push the stick forward while you're lookn' at the ground
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Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Chris McKeon » Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:21 pm

I for one will never attempt to Fly a Paraglider. For I do poses the require nerves of steel that a Pilot must poses in order to fly a Paraglider. Can You say Asymmetrical collapse? Para-Glider Pilot are People who poses pure Guts, and courage. Two things that I am short on.
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Re: Universal Paragliding Design Flaw (UPDF)

Postby Bob Kuczewski » Sun Feb 13, 2022 10:17 am

I just got this from Eagle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mcm5QvYsds



The video was posted February 10th, 2022, and the page says that both pilots are well. The collision happens about 2 minutes and 45 seconds into the video.
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org
View my rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System
Every human at every point in history has an opportunity to choose courage over cowardice. Look around and you will find that opportunity in your own time.
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