[Rick Masters]

HUGE LOSS TO FREE FLIGHT IN AUSTRIA

The government of Austria has effectively killed XC freeflight for hang gliders and paragliders. As I have warned for years, the inherent irresponsibility of paragliding threatens established and responsible free flight like hang gliding. Now public outcry over incidents like the Tegelberg disaster, PG intrusions into airline flight routes, collisions and deaths between paragliders and sailplanes, noise from growing numbers of powered paragliders, unbelievable numbers of fatalities and rescues, have caused the Austrian government to impose altitude caps and severe route restrictions for free-flyers over much of the country. Participation has been cut in half and free-flight clubs have dwindled 40-50%, FAILING TO THE POINT OF INSOLVENCY! It's coming here. Too bad HG pilots embraced parachuting and chose political correctness instead of standing their ground and defending their sport.

http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_ ... en-gebirge

http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_ ... tabel-sein

[wingspan33]

I guess it is okay to analyze reported accidents here in your blog.

In searching around a bit I also found details about Joe Julik having just bought the new "topless" glider the afternoon/evening before. As a pilot with 20 years experience you'd think he'd be cautious and keep his speed up. But my best guess, last night, given the "odd" descriptions of what happened was that at ~ 100 ft AGL he rotated up - perhaps by grabbing one down tube first - that caused the glider to pitch up, stall, but also drop off (side slip) to one side. The glider is said to have violently flipped over after going into the dive, as if it tucked before(?) hitting ground.

This is some radical behavior! Mainly it is hard for me to imagine a 20 year veteran hang glider pilot allowing so many things to go wrong. But then, that's the process that makes accidents bad - one mistake after the other, each magnifying the last.

There are times when it has been medically proven (later) that odd landing situations (crashes) similar to this were initially triggered by the pilot actually having a medical emergency (heart attack, let's say) while flying.

But in this case there is also the "new glider" complication. Being his first flight on the glider Joe was doing a high altitude flight. He would VERY likely have been better off doing a few training hill runs. Better to find that the glider's CG is off to some degree (if it is) while your gliding at 10 feet than when you're at 100 ft.

There's also some mention about weather conditions being "pre-frontal" in that area on Monday.

I'd also mention that while the pilot was from Minnesota, the accident occurred in Whitewater Wisconsin. The newpaper article I found is also confusing in that they mention Cold Spring (Wisconsin). If anyone is interested in looking over the location in Google Earth the co-ords = Lat 42 degrees 51' 12", Long 88 degrees 45' 36" .

Looks like very flat land. Could be thermal turbulence could be caused by local farm fields, or, . . . (?) Looks like nothing significant to cause lee side rotor.

[wingspan33]

At first I thought this was taking place in Australia! Must try to read the actual whole words!

Unfortunately, the links take us to web sites written in German. Now, how do you get that Google Translator to work?

I'm not sure if the US FAA will quickly follow the actions of the Austrian aviation authorities, but it is by no means a good thing!

HUGE LOSS TO FREE FLIGHT IN AUSTRIA

The government of Austria has effectively killed XC freeflight for hang gliders and paragliders. As I have warned for years, the inherent irresponsibility of paragliding threatens established and responsible free flight like hang gliding. Now public outcry over incidents like the Tegelberg disaster, PG intrusions into airline flight routes, collisions and deaths between paragliders and sailplanes, noise from growing numbers of powered paragliders, unbelievable numbers of fatalities and rescues, have caused the Austrian government to impose altitude caps and severe route restrictions for free-flyers over much of the country. Participation has been cut in half and free-flight clubs have dwindled 40-50%, FAILING TO THE POINT OF INSOLVENCY! It's coming here. Too bad HG pilots embraced parachuting and chose political correctness instead of standing their ground and defending their sport.

http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_ ... en-gebirge

http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_ ... tabel-sein

[Rick Masters]

...how do you get that Google Translator to work?

http://translate.google.com

[Rick Masters]

...it is okay to analyze reported accidents here in your blog.

Of course. The best we can do is nail it. The worst is to discuss other actions that could lead to the same result. If it's a HG accident, it's probably the pilot's fault.* If it's a PG accident, it's probably the paraglider that killed the poor guy. There's no whining here because the politically correct babies aren't allowed in. They have to go to the other forums. You won't hear "Let's all wait for the investigation" here. You won't hear "He died doing what he loved" here. You won't hear "Out of respect for the family" here. Real pilots who are still alive need to review their potential for error immediately to avoid the fate of the poor guy in question. That's what's important. Humans on soaring parachutes need to wake up and find an airframe before they are killed at random. If our speculations are proved right or wrong, so what? At least we were thinking about consequences and examining realities or potential realities instead of shoving it under the rug or falsely blaming a helpless, falling human, as those soaring parachutists are so wont to do.

*A lot of you guys love towing. I hate it. It kills a disproportionate number of good pilots. And it's often used when it's not necessary.

[Bill Cummings]

Thanks Rick for that https://translate.google.com/
I never knew about that.
That really expanded my internet surfing.

[Rick Masters]

That really expanded my internet surfing.

Search paraglider, parapente, parapentiste, parapentista, parapanta, parapendio, paragleiter, gleitschirm, etc.

[Bill Cummings]

http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2014/08/04/ ... 68545.html
Enviar a Tuenti Enviar a Eskup
Enviar Imprimir Guardar

Los Bomberos de la Generalitat intervinieron la tarde noche del domingo en un aparatoso accidente de un parapente biplaza, ocurrido en el municipio de Castel
lfollit del Boix (Bages). El resultado fue la muerte Alejandro M. C., de 34 años. Su acompañante resultó herido de gravedad al caer el aparato en el que volaban entre dos carreteras de esta localidad.

El accidente se produjo poco antes de las nueve de la noche, por causas que la policía catalana está investigando, según informaron los Bomberos de la Generalitat a través de un comunicado. La víctima mortal fue rescatada en una zona de difícil acceso.

El herido grave era el monitor del aparato, Álvaro P.R., que fue hallado por los Bomberos en un lugar más accesible, y trasladado al hospital de Bellvitge, con fracturas en piernas y brazos.

En las tareas de rescate participaron los miembros del Grupo de Actuaciones Especiales (GRAE) y el Grupo de Emergencias Médicas (GEM), de Bomberos, junto a dos patrullas de Mossos d’Esquadra y dos unidades del Servicio de Emergencias Médicas (SEM).
TRANSLATION:

Translate from: Catalan
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The Fire Brigade intervened late Sunday afternoon in a serious accident a tandem wing, occurred in the town of Castellfollit del Boix (Bages). The result was the death of Alexander MC, 34. His companion was seriously injured after falling in the unit that flew between two roads of this town.

The accident occurred shortly before nine in the evening, for reasons that the Catalan police are investigating, as reported by the Fire Brigade via a statement. The fatality was rescued in an area of difficult access.

The seriously injured person was the monitor device, Álvaro PR, which was found by firefighters in a more accessible place, and taken to hospital in Bellvitge, with broken legs and arms.

In the rescue group members Special Performances (GRAE) and Emergency Medical Group (GEM), Fire, along with two patrols Mossos d'Esquadra and two units of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) participated.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Pardon me for this non sequitur, but I'd guess that there's over 100 years of hang gliding experience represented by just the 3 pilots posting above me on this page.

Thanks to each of you for sharing your wealth of experience with us "newbies" on the US Hawks!!

[Rick Masters]

PG fatality #1259 - Alejandro MC, passsenger

Now use the SEARCH function in El Pais (Buscar contenido). Enter "parapente" (both French, Spanish and Portugese for "paraglider.") First item:

The tandem paragliding company that Sunday had a fatal accident in Castellfollit del Boix had no license to provide local flights in the area, explained the mayor, Celestí Rius (Región 7). The Paragliding Factory yesterday issued a statement stating regret at what had happened and explained that tandem flights were suspended in the "Igualada area" awaiting the end of the police investigation. The telephone of the company remained off all day yesterday and today emails also remained unanswered.
http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2014/08/05/ ... 05581.html

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Sounds like a typical outlaw operation. Probably no insurance. Somebody is going to prison for manslaughter. They/he will also be forced to repay helicopter and rescue expenses under new Spanish law. The PG fatality list has over 100 PG tandem deaths. Tandem gives free-flight a black eye but exerts undue influence on the policy of national organizations because of the big money. -- RM
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Repeat with "parapentista." (Paragliding human.) Welcome to the tar baby. What you will find is almost beyond words.