U.S. Hang Gliding Pilots




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JoeF
 Post subject: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:06 pm 
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Some San Diego moments and more
The following is a copy of the caption at the video, not my words: [Note: the timestamps are links at the video source.]
Quote:
1970's Evolution of Modern Hang Gliding Featuring Ken Bryenton
10,465 views Sep 18, 2022
Ken Bryenton and friends documenting their flights from experimental home made hang gliders in the late 1960's to high performance gliders of the late 1970's. Ken was a pioneer during the emergence of the sport and for decades after but no longer flies. He is Canadian (hence the maple leaf gliders) but lives and travels between Ontario Canada and San Diego, CA, USA. This footage is all from Southern California. Ken was one of the flight directors at Torrey Pines Glider Port in San Diego.

This 8mm and super 8 film was digitally converted, edited and stabilized 50 years later by myself, Pete Axcell (Ken's nephew).

Wikipedia has an informative page on the History of Hang Gliding. As you can see, Ken was current with all the groundbreaking advances of the sport...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...

Also see Kens 1970's Dune Buggy films here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OePv...

Timestamps:
00:00 First Experimental Gliders Early 1970's
04:12 Glider In The Sand Dunes
08:07 Gliders Towed By Boats And Dune Buggys
12:44 Glider Meets And Competitions
20:39 Torrey Pines Glider Port
24:20 Target Landing Competition
26:01 Upgraded Gliders Mid 1970's
29:03 Black Mountain
30:27 Torrey Pines Glider Port
32:03 Buckman Springs & Tehachapi CA
35:10 Mike Douglas Show
38:41 Mount Laguna

Music used and listed below is roughly current to the movie footage years.

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Bob Kuczewski
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 1:35 am 
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I flew with Kenny in his later years. This video of the young Kenny gave me a joy that I seldom find on the ground.

Thanks very much for posting this Joe.

:salute: :salute: :salute: :salute: :salute:

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Bob Kuczewski
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:24 pm 
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Thanks again for starting this topic Joe!!

I am searching the site for pictures of Kenny, and I'll be posting them as I find them. This first picture was from a trip that Kenny and I took across the country back in 2010. We stopped in to see Sam Kellner in Leakey Texas and we ended up forming the South West Texas Hang Gliders club. Here's a link to the founding meeting of that club:

     https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=203

And here's the picture:

Attachment:
File comment: Left to Right: Bob, Terry, Kenny, Effie, Sam
Ken_Bryenton_SW_Texas.jpg
Ken_Bryenton_SW_Texas.jpg [ 36.25 KiB | Viewed 1259 times ]


Here's a link to the memorial services for Erwin McDavid at Sylmar in 2013:

    https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1225&p=5600

Here are some pictures of Kenny at that event:

Attachment:
File comment: Left to Right: Joe Greblo, John Heiney, Kenny Bryenton at Sylmar in 2013
Kenny_at_Sylmar_Joe_John_2013.jpeg
Kenny_at_Sylmar_Joe_John_2013.jpeg [ 73.79 KiB | Viewed 1257 times ]


Attachment:
File comment: Kenny Bryenton and his Northwing Freedom in the SHGA LZ in 2013
Kenny_at_Sylmar_LZ_2013.jpeg
Kenny_at_Sylmar_LZ_2013.jpeg [ 104.39 KiB | Viewed 1257 times ]


Attachment:
File comment: Kenny enjoying the entertainment in memory of Erwin McDavid in the SHGA LZ in 2013
Kenny_at_Sylmar_Audience_2013.jpeg
Kenny_at_Sylmar_Audience_2013.jpeg [ 103.07 KiB | Viewed 1257 times ]

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Bob Kuczewski
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:50 pm 
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Here's a 2010 topic including Kenny Bryenton in a UCSD hang gliding outreach event:

    https://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83&start=28

And here's a picture of Kenny with Little Hawk at that UCSD event (wearing his "Torrey Hawks" T-Shirt):

Attachment:
Kenny_at_UCSD_Little_Hawk_2010.jpeg
Kenny_at_UCSD_Little_Hawk_2010.jpeg [ 33.8 KiB | Viewed 1256 times ]

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Bob Kuczewski
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:08 pm 
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This picture is from an article written about Kenny Bryenton by John Heiney for USHPA magazine in 2007:

Attachment:
Kenny_Bryenton_2007_USHPA.png
Kenny_Bryenton_2007_USHPA.png [ 419.61 KiB | Viewed 1254 times ]


With John's permission, the article was republished as one of the Torrey Hawks Pilot Profiles in 2008:

Attachment:
Kenny_200805KBc.pdf [699.43 KiB]
Downloaded 108 times

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Craig Muhonen
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:23 pm 
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Oldschool :salute:


I couldn't find the music list.
This soundtrack is so perfect for the time.
#1 best old school music video I've seen.Thanks Joe


I was lucky enough to be a part time roadie during the early 70's and got to see what wonderful "gliders" they were, and it seemed that every flight they made it got better and better.
It was cool to see the shape of that original "luff diver" wing, get more and more refined by the addition of rigid battens, which made the trailing edge more like a wing instead of a kite, and by 1979 or so, they reached a "turning" point being able to now do multiple loops and "air show" aerobatics, with ease.
The Hang Glider had become the coolest (and safest), and best aircraft to fly. 1970-1979, what a run.
1979 to present, eh?

A lot of early HG pilots came from the beach area where the Surfboard ruled. I see "walking the nose" and pulling in on the control bar as exactly the same thing,
it makes you go faster, and it "planes" (that's why they are called, "Airplanes") the board so you can put your full weight on the front. Shift your weight and you carve a turn.
https://youtu.be/rkNI1zHtblI

Surfboard, Hang Glider, same same, but different materials.
maybe that's why it is Sky Surfing. :D
"SoCal Ruled" :thumbup:
:salute:

.

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Bob Kuczewski
 Post subject: Re: Kenny Bryenton
PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2024 6:27 pm 
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John just sent me a photo that he took of Kenny and I many years ago. The photo shows the hang gliding racks that Kenny made on both of our vehicles. The rack design was based on a tire iron bent and welded to the frame. The end of the tire iron stuck up in front of the bumper to allow an aluminum crutch to be slipped onto it to support the glider. It was a very creative and minimalist front rack. Thanks Ken!   :salute:

Attachment:
Kenny_by_John_DSCN1924_1024.jpg
Kenny_by_John_DSCN1924_1024.jpg [ 184.13 KiB | Viewed 646 times ]


Thanks John!!   :salute:

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

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