[Bill Cummings]

Which method of learning to safely hang glide will:

1) Yield the least risk of physical injury?
2) Yield the least risk of equipment damage?
3) Yield the least travel, logistics, and expense?

Okay, Not specific enough I guess.
How about a little more specificity.
Let’s say that Al wanted to really get back into the air on a hang glider.
Since Al has a score or more of tow flights and has been off of Packsaddle Mt. I would think that he would have no trouble at all boat towing over at Lake Conrow TX, off of Jeff Hunts boat, hooked to 220 sq’ Dream with floats.

Pick a calm morning, tow up and circle the lake for a few laps then release the line and ski onto the surface of the lake on the floats. Do this about 10 times.

Take off would be like :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2R1J5P5U-o

Landings would be like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_q2_FXLb7Q&feature=relmfu

This would have him not running through stall speed behind a land vehicle’s payout winch.
Al would be above stall speed before he committed to launch.
Water is way more forgiving on body and equipment.
No carrying up the hell on a hot Texas day. (notice how I spelled that correctly?)
Not wore out after 10 flights.
Lake Conrow is not too far for him to get there and way cheaper and closer than say, Wallaby or Quest. (Water landings are by far the easiest to do.)
I can’t think of a better safer way for him to go about getting back into the air after taking into consideration all of the important aspects of his situation.

If someone can come up with a better idea, let’s hear it.

I have no connection with and have never met Jeff so my only interest is advice that I think is the best fit for Al Hernandez to following his dream. (on a Dream.)
Next buy a Falcon his size, hit the training hill then Platform tow.

[Bill Cummings]

Weak-link break on platform launch water towing.
Or
Emergency landing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=NSy8gwP7YWE
How scary was that?
Don't forget to mute the noise on the above video.

[SamKellner]

boat towing over at Lake Conrow TX, Do this about 10 times.
#3. least travel, logistics, and expense

How do you spell kaaaching. $$$$$$

On a new glider? Bill, Isn't that two new things at once? Don't you think Al should do a weekend or two at Merchison training site?

And buy a new Falcon. Did Al win the Lotto?

Not to reduce the importance of #1 or #2. IMO, Al's driving time in San Antonio is probably as great a risk as HG is to him. I was down there today.

#3, that usually wins out. In these times..........


That's why we paid once, and bought the payout winch and built our scooter rig, so we could fly here and not travel. Al helped in both of these efforts. It's a 2hr drive out here. Our nearest footlaunch is a long day's drive, one way
We're hoping Al will come out and teach us to scootertow LOL NO

When Al is flying with Jeff, the most economical plan would be Granite Shoals, where Jeff's hangar is. That might be ~ 2hr drive one way. Luling ??
If Al gets stuck as deck hand, on Jeff's boat, he should be rewarded with lots of airtime, not charged for lessons. Al's been in that situation before, stuck in an instructor assistant position.

I hope Al sent in his H1 paperwork and re-upped his, that other Assn. dues . There's too many things to PAY for already.

Al has options. Good job, Al

[Bill Cummings]

Another easy landing with no worries. Easy on bones and skin.
Edit: I forgot to post the link --Here it is--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=_NNYwE6sZL0

[Bill Cummings]

“Sam----
How do you spell kaaaching. $$$$$$

On a new glider? Bill, Isn't that two new things at once? Don't you think Al should do a weekend or two at Merchison training site? ”

No --first tow up on the 220 dream get gobs of airtime then buy a Falcon and go to Merchinson then platform (land based) or scooter tow.

“Bill------
“Next buy a Falcon his size, hit the training hill then Platform tow.”

The way I look at two new things at once is:
Mitigate the risk of:
1. Injury to Head
2. Face
3. Neck
4. Rotator Cuff(s)
5. Spiral fracture, arm
6. Knee injury
7. Hand, wrist, elbow, injury
8. Landing “hook” injury (if you follow that)
9. Down tubes damage
10. Sail damage.
That’s enough for now but changing these 10 things at once I don’t see as tearing up the unwritten rule of: “No more than one change at a time.”
I see it as changing 10, plus, lousy outcomes (or at the very least mitigating the risk) all at once as something desirable and all accomplished by being over water.

If we can achieve all that, refreshing his flying memory, over water instead of over land then have him show up at your door for land take off and landing practice he will have the flying stuff under his belt again and be able to concentrate on the more serious surface departure and arrival.

This is taking into consideration that Al is a big guy and even if we/you carried his glider up the hill for him he probably would not knock out ten flights a day. Probably not even scooter tows. But I wouldn’t want to put him on a truck platform tow when he has the option of a platform boat launch first.

My wife Terry, Don Ray, my now retired flying friend, and I had hundreds (each) of flights over water before we added, “Another layer of complexity,” to land on dry land. This is when we started bending aluminum and bruising ourselves. Never an accident over water that broke a bone or sent any of us to the hospital. I can’t say the same for flights that involved hard ground.

I taught kids to water ski first on a boom bar overhanging the side of the boat. Then I taught them to get up on the surface last. None quit in discouragement since they all were thinking, “IF I CAN JUST GET UP ON THE SKI I CAN DO IT!”

If he can just get some good quality airtime that would set the hook. He would be in the queue line yelling, “Lane Marshall, I’m pushing these, “launch potatoes,” get them out of my way.”
So what to you think?

[Bob Kuczewski]

I like the comment that "Al has options"     

I think scooter towing in Leaky is a great option.

I think boat towing with Jeff is a great option (lots of people have learned from scratch by boat towing ... right Bill?).

I think driving to Southern California to fly Dockweiler, Crestline, Sylmar, Horse, Blossom, and maybe tandem at Torrey is a great option.

Yup, Al does have some great options.     

[Bill Cummings]

Hey you two I'm just trying to fine tune the options for his situation. Not expand them.
With three tell tail ribbons in front of the ramp you check them and launch.
With eight ribbons in front you check them and miss the cycle.

[Bob Kuczewski]

With three tell tail ribbons in front of the ramp you check them and launch.
With eight ribbons in front you check them and miss the cycle.

     

I'll have to remember that quote!!!      Thanks Bill!!