[Frank Colver]

I have now developed the swing seat control bar adapters so that they can be quickly attached to any glider with 1 1/8" OD control bars. Many single surface gliders use this construction. The adapters are attached to the glider after it is set up for flying and removed before breakdown. No modifications to the glider's control bar are needed in order to apply the adapters. The glider is back to original after the adapters are removed (takes about a minute to make the transition).

It's going to be fun to see other pilots at Dockweiler fly their own gliders with the loaned adapters and swing seat harness.

I'd like to see Windsports get a swing seat harness from HES and a pair of bar adapters so that they would have that option for any of their students or friends who want to try it. Launches are a little more difficult but landings are almost automatically good every time. It's a great flying position for soaring the bluff since feet are forward ready to push off any time the glider gets too low. Also watching a tip that is close to the bluff top is easier in the sitting position (been there, done that, in times past). At the Otto meet Erica pushed off vertically right after launch when the glider dipped low. She literally jumped straight up into the air again, because her legs were already in position to spring, and flew away.

The harness is shown in a photo at the bottom of the previous page, check it out.

Frank

[Frank Colver]

I just got back from High Energy Sports where Mike added foot stirrup attachments to my swing seat harness. The foot stirrup can be attached and adjusted for length any time a longer flight is expected.

Frank

[Bob Kuczewski]

I just got back from High Energy Sports where Mike added foot stirrup attachments to my swing seat harness. The foot stirrup can be attached and adjusted for length any time a longer flight is expected.

Frank

That sounds like what you'll need on those good Dockweiler days!!

[Frank Colver]

Several Dockweiler pilots gave my swing seat harness good reviews (everybody loved it) on Friday 8/17.

Here's a link to Erika trying it out and showing good control capability even though she is a 120 pound pilot in a 330 sq ft glider.

https://vimeo.com/285665477

Frank

[JoeF]

August 17, 2018: Erika Klein on Frank Colver's new Colver Swing Seat

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Recall Erika 9 years ago at Dockweiler video

Professional: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejklein/

[Bob Kuczewski]

Wow!! Flying high in the Colver Swing Seat at Point of the Mountain!!

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Thanks Frank!!!

[spydermike]

From another thread:

"Hi Spydermike,

HES has produced three production prototypes of my seat harness design. They are also going to add a rescue chute attachment to the design. I have one of the prototypes and Jerry Katz has one (which he hasn't flown yet) and one is still for sale. HES price is $225 for the harness, as it is currently designed. Jerry has indicated that he wants some changes made but he hasn't yet told anyone what those are.

I currently possess the one that is available but I could get it to HES if you were going there or otherwise get it to you. The entire $225 goes to HES as I don't retain any monetary interest in the design.

The control bar adapter is currently being done by me and I have a working model but I am still exploring different approaches to that function. Jerry was already flying a swing seat so his bar was rigged for seated already. I like the idea of adapters (like the Flybar and mine, etc.) which leave the glider's bar in the prone rigged position because it allows for pulling forward farther before the base tube stops you. I haven't yet tried my seat with Jim's Flybar but hope to sometime.

If you do get to SoCal to fly, we can try to get together for you to check out the seated harness, adapter bar, etc., at Dockweiler.

Frank"

I appreciate the offer and am very interested Frank. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

1. Which version of prototyping was this one that is available?
2. What changed in subsequent iterations?
3. I see that you are flying with legs below the control bar. Is the height of the seat hang adjustable to allow for flying above the control bar?
4. Do you think a shorter hang strap/higher CG position would give greater command authority with less CG movement? Or am I invisioning this control effect wrong?

Thanks,
Mike

I am back in the area next week.

[Frank Colver]

Hi spydermike,

I'll try to answer your questions:

1. Which version of prototyping was this one that is available? No changes have been made since the three were produced.

2. What changed in subsequent iterations? See #1 above.

3. I see that you are flying with legs below the control bar. Is the height of the seat hang adjustable to allow for flying above the control bar? The height can be varied some by the length of the hang strap. But the seat is intended to be flown below the base tube, as in the "old days". It has not been intended for supine position so in order to hang above the base tube the hang straps on the seat would have to be made shorter. However a person with a tall upper body would have a problem with the spreader bar clearing the head.

4. Do you think a shorter hang strap/higher CG position would give greater command authority with less CG movement? Or am I envisioning this control effect wrong? The lower the position the more control authority the pilot has, because of the greater movement arc.

The purpose behind the seat design was to provide a more comfortable flying position and visual ease That I enjoyed back in the 70's. Also, preventing the crashing "pilot swing through" of the bar and striking the head on the keel & neck breaking in prone position. The hang straps in front of the shoulders prevents that. I envision some pilots wanting to cruise around the sky like this when they are not trying to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their glider. That said, lots of HG pilots have done good XC flights in swing seats of the past. Jerry Katz did the historical first 100 mile flight seated and he told me he could have gone farther that day. He still flys seated to this day.

The beauty of flying a glider rigged for prone and using adapter bars for seated is that it only takes a couple of minutes to change it back to fly prone, if desired, for another flight.

Frank

[spydermike]

Sorry for the late reply, I was traveling and busy. I understand that you had 3 of your final iteration made. I will take it and try it please. What is the best way to transact this?

Mike

[Bill Cummings]

https://youtu.be/1mbGCrAiruE