US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

Triangle Control Frame Training (TCF Training)
Since, at least, 1908 (W. Simon), foot-launch battened flexible-wing hang gliders with pilot hanging from parasol wing behind a cable-stayed (or strut-stayed) triangle control frame (A-frame) have speckled hang gliding. Training? This topic thread start suggests that there could be a robust realm of training involving the TCF. And the very training just might be a way to introduce hang gliding to ever more people. So, a profound exploration of this potential realm is invited. Posters are encouraged to see things perhaps missed.

Some of the aspect realms of the TCF Training:
alternative attachments to base element
alternative attachments to legs
alternatives
angle-of-attack indicator
anti-whack mitigation
apparent wind, wind-of-running, wind-of-flight
attitude of pilot
avoidance of stumbling
avoidance of whacks
bare T
base element designs
base element of TCF
base for limit lines
base for rigging
basis for wing integration
brakes
buddy system
cable-stayed
challenges
checklist
cladding for knees (Why? Sorts?)
clearing. Clear!
clothes for the practices
communications
coordination
costs of various TCF training rigs
cousin to aircraft landing carriages
designs
drag and lift of pilot's body and attire and harness
drag of attachments
drag of rigging
drag of TCF
drag of training mini wing
enhancements
extensions
exterior-of-legs
floating TCF
footwear (Why? Sorts?)
functional
futurism
glance
gloves
goggles
grips
habits
handling
hang check (distinguish from hook-in check)
hang loop position, design, length, check, position stabilization, wear, replacement, age recorded,
helmet
history of TCF (early, mid, late, contemporary) Leonardo, Cayley, Pilcher, Wenham, W. Simon, Spratt, John Worth, and others)
hook-in habit, hook-in check, distinguish from hang check,
horizon
hybrid roles
incident study
incidents (head, neck, collar bone, knuckles, fingers, arms, knees, feet)
induced oscillations (pilot or mechanical design; PIO; DIO)
inspection
instrument interface
interior-of-legs
jogs
journal progress
leans
leg design (constant section, spindle, parts joined, material choice, adequacy, role, appliques, secondary purposes, ...)
leg shapes
level practicing
limit lines
mastery of TCF matters
mechanical
meditations
mental processes when practicing
micro hang gliding
mini hang gliding
picking up feet
planned training sessions
practicing
pressures, legs of TCF
procedure
products on the market, storage
queen-post tension dynamics
relative motions of pilot and TCF
review
review by others
rigging interface
rigid tether?
role in hang gliding
rollers
runs
RWW (roller when wanted)
safe-splat interface
safety
shaping
Similarity cases.
site characteristics (soils, plants, rocks, gravel, trees, holes, lumps, valuables, wind character, ...
sites for the TCF training
sizing
skids
skis
slope practicing
social
spatial
streamlining
strides
structural schemes
strut stayed
studies related to hang gliding while the TCF training is occurring
surface treatments
target
taut tether
TCF rigs (variety, simple, medium complex, complex, ... )
test, online written test, test questions, physical test, fitness test, operating test,
tether set
through cable
wheels

The alphabetical aspect list for TCF Training is not complete; we await aspects missed.
Then develop the aspects and the trainer versions and exercises. And experiences and results.

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Some teasing scenarios:
Junior high school physical education class. See 30 students each holding and moving with a TCF while training nerves, arms, legs, spatial orientations, eye conduct, procedure following. Interact with an object. Image launching one's flight.
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Invited is the full story on a TCF Trainer version that was part of BobK's Little Hawk story. Minimal, he told me. "Tiny Hawk" I estimate that what he did was at about TCF T4, speculative estimate on a spectrum of TCF T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, ..., T100. We await the story. Others' projects on TCF Trainers are welcome.

Tiny Hawk by BobK



Yes. Bob Kuczewski had a firm TCF Training early version. Broom sticks, keel seed, two bracing struts, and a mini-wing able to fill positively or negatively depending on apparent wind of running. Congratulations.
This Tiny Hawk was already part of our forum: see in 2010: http://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=197#p725 MANY PHOTOS; that topic thread is genuinely joined to this TCF Training topic. Somehow I missed seeing that topic thread on Tiny Hawk. I recommend complete reading of the linked topic thread.

What might be sorts of TCF Trainer "0" or TCFTv0 (T0)? Perhaps there are many sorts in the T0. The matter is certainly up for discussion. To start: T0 might be the "empty TCF" as in identically "empty set" in the logical sense. Perhaps in the family of TO would be the mental image or dream of a TCF. Perhaps inked art of TCF could be a TO member.

Then T1 ??? Perhaps pipe cleaner bent-up triangle. Or a three-toothpick TCF. Something to talk about. Name the two legs and name the base element. Name the apex that may join wing. Discussion table-top triangle TCF. Maybe just a broom stick with virtual legs? Maybe just two stick for the legs, and not the base element? Open for discussion.

Then T2 ?? Size perhaps might earn upgrade. Just big enough to stick one's head into while hand grasping the legs?

T3 ? Rich full size? Just plain vanilla triangle. No add-ons. Carry it. Lean into it. Walk with it. Jog with it. Run with it. Gaze to targets of flight. Think about various matters. Discuss while some basebars in HGs have a hidden cable inside the base tube. Discuss tension for the TCF base element during gliding flight.

T4 ? Wind indicator? Apparent wind indicator?

T5 ? Beginnings of angle-of-attack to relative wind indicator? Tiny Hawk ?

T6 ? Keel seed?

T7? Keel seed with AoA indication? Some lifting surface? Tiny Hawk ?

T8 ? Wheels? Roller? Ski? RWW? WWW? Safe-splat device?

etc. Lots of play to discover the T level. Little Hawk has an advanced TCF level. See the many forum posts and photos over Little Hawk which is distinct from Tiny Hawk. Neither of those TCF training machines had safe-splat device. So, a training machine might be with many aspects of TCF spectrum while not having some other aspects. In some T levels, not having safe-splat might introuce some hazard modes unnecessarily, depending on niche use.

T100? would not be the final, as there might be T248, etc. Some advance trainers might store water in the base element for drinking; or the leg of the TCF might feature on its surface a monitor for weather reports or thermal-sensing reports, etc.

A TCF Trainer v77? or so, might be the Little Hawk by Bob Kuczewski. Many forum topics have been covering such T77 ? See:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1147 which has links to some other threads featuring the Little Hawk.
Please join all Little Hawk posts as part of this present TCF Training topic thread.
A general Google search for our forum for Little Hawk: http://tinyurl.com/LittleHawkUSHawks

Outreach is an aspect that has been high in the TCF Trainer versions found in Tiny Hawk and Little Hawk.

United airlines uses a flight simulator


so does Airbus

http://www.nycaviation.com/2015/05/pilo ... sS6_PkrKM8
In addition to proving operational knowledge, pilots must also recertify mental and physical wellness before going through a simulator re-check.


http://thepointsguy.com/2015/08/profess ... imulators/

Hmmm.........seems like overkill for hang glider training.

Frank C.

Hang from tree, swing set, rafters, stayed tripod, ...