US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

In most flying sports the use of a reserve parachute to save one's self when the aircraft fails in turbulence is a very rare event. I get the impression that deploying a reserve chute is a very common event in the sport of paragliding. Doesn't that tell people something very important about the danger of flying paragliders in turbulence?

FC

I heard there were 7 or 8 deployments during the U.S. Paragliding Nationals. Don't really know for sure.

RickMasters wrote:I heard there were 7 or 8 deployments during the U.S. Paragliding Nationals. Don't really know for sure.

Good grief! That's outrageous, if true! If paragliders were controlled by the FAA they would all be grounded and an airworthiness investigation started after something like that.

Frank Colver wrote:

RickMasters wrote:I heard there were 7 or 8 deployments during the U.S. Paragliding Nationals. Don't really know for sure.

Good grief! That's outrageous, if true! If paragliders were controlled by the FAA they would all be grounded and an airworthiness investigation started after something like that.

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And of course the NTSB would get involved, but, lets' face it, they're Not The Super B est.

I just finished reading Dennis Pagen's article in the latest issue of Pilot Magazine (USHPA's publication) titled "Over the Falls". It's advice based on years of hang gliding experience of how to react when your hang glider "goes over the falls" in other words flips steep nose down when making a sudden transition from strong lift to strong sink in the edge of a thermal. It's good advice and I thank Dennis for writing it, for the safety benefit knowledge of HG pilots who fly in strong conditions.

As expected, nowhere in the article does he mention that if the pilot were in a paraglider, instead of a hang glider, it would be parachute deployment time (good luck) or death. If the magazine published Pagen's email address I would send him one, pointing that fact out to him but I would be surprised if I got a reply.

USHPA is so beholden to their paraglider members & paraglider board members that they don't dare to mention that paragliders should never be flow when there is any possibility of such a thing (over the falls) happening. Oh, wait, even in Dennis' article he mentions experiencing "over the falls" on a day when it looked like that condition would not exist, because overall conditions were mellow. I guess that means that paragliders should not be flown at any time? Hmm....ask USHPA about that.

Frank

Thanks Craig for bringing this topic "back to the surface".

Here are a few still frames from the "sparaghetti" video:

Thanks Bob,
I don't believe "it's below the surface", we are "drown proof".
As rescue swimmers say, "in a pinch, if there is going to be a drowning, it's not going to be me". or something like that

I think these posts and videos of Rick's, should be required to be shown
to all new fliers of "air framed aircraft", during much more rigorous ground school training classes.
"paragliders" won't watch them because their "Cult" leaders refuse to think safety matters.
I think, Training and "pilot error" scenario's (with videography) should be the "hottest" of topics, each and every day.
Nothing else matters, especially words, semantics, and inference.

"Sheet the main, and Trim, Trim, Trim".


Must watch list......."or you could try Hang Gliding",

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZyQt2elI7c

and have a 'Bitchen' time doing it.

https://ushga.aero/masters/index.php/pdmc/ enable java script in your browser.


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I have always considered Myself A adventurist type type of individual. I was an Boxer who Competed as a Heavyweight Fighter in My Early twenties. I have flown Hang Gliders for 21 Years, I am in the process of building a Car. It is a 1971 Plymouth road-runner. That I hope, and I am planning on entering the Silver State Road Race up in Nevada. I really hope to Be able to run as fast as 200 Miles an Hour. I hope to attain an average speed of about 185 Miles per Hour. All these activities require that an individual Posses a quick reasoning Mind, conviction of a planned purpose so as to succeed.

Yet as far as my ever Flying a Paraglider I do not possess what is absolutely necessary being passed by a Pilot in order to Pilot a Paraglider. You really must have Nerves of steel, Courage, Bravery. No I guess at Heart I am just too much of a Coward to consider Flying a Paraglider. These two words totally freak Me out. The words are "Asymmetrical Collapse".

i really do mean every word that i wrote.

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