Progress of new pilots.

[Bill Cummings]

Here are some still pictures that I took of Taro's first high flight since eleven years ago.

Robin and Taro waiting on the wind..PNG (865.82 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

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Pod harness and different hang strap..PNG (639.39 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

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Taro. finally after 11 years a real flight..PNG (706.17 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

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Taro a happy pilot..PNG (334.45 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

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VLA dishes swing and catch the sun..PNG (775.5 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

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Time to Bag it and Drag it..PNG (624.56 KiB) Viewed 9016 times

[Bill Cummings]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-qId5kGYn0

HG, Trim plus one second, then flare.PNG (750.25 KiB) Viewed 8993 times

Trim speed is at hands free speed. Wait one second and then flare.

[Bill Cummings]

Here is the GoPro on-board video of Nathan at the beginner hill near "A" Mountain, Las Cruces, NM (USA).
We set up the 195 sq' Falcon 2 and Nathan went farther than he can jump so that counts as flights for his log book.
It was a tough day for landings but an excellent day for launches.
We reviewed the video later in the day to point out just why landings went the way they did.
At my request Robin demonstrated a running landing to Nathan and I put that demo at the end of Nathan's video.
I think that flare timing can cross a pilot up many times when running out the landing or just putting it down on the wheels can be easier.
Be sure to see the Trim Plus One Second (Hollywood Landing) video in a previous post. There are days in the cactus patch where it will come in real handy.
https://youtu.be/uO3OAAZ-j2Q

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

[Bill Cummings]

A new pilot Taro, and an old pilot, Robin raised opinions that the Airwave Formula 144' had a right turn.
We made some tip adjustments and have started test flights that began with one of our smaller hills.
https://youtu.be/xOlU9GKZGr4

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https://youtu.be/jYBXgWa-d_0

Next we will fly from a higher hill.

[Bill Cummings]

A Las Cruces pilot Mike T. is back in the harness after years of doing something else that had to be less exciting.
He and his older brother in the early days of HG built a standard glider and flew it off the garage roof.
(I didn't know about gliders when I was jumping off my garage roof so I ended up short and stubby.)
I don't know the whole story but I'm wondering if the garage was broadside to a 20 mile cliff edge.
In mentor mode we are sharing HG information with Mike T.
We did a second day of ground handling for Mike yesterday (12-02-2016) and as I type Robin and Mike T.
may be working on day three. Today there is some wind. Below is a short video of Mike's progress.
Robin, maybe you could click the "Quote" button and add some more information.
https://youtu.be/KnF1xtLCZkE

[Bill Cummings]

https://youtu.be/UZyBrUclnro

[RobinHastings]

Thanks for showing us the video, Bill! It ought to help Michael quite a bit as he progresses.
-Robin

[Bill Cummings]

Progress of new pilots. NW of "A" Mountain 12/11/2016.
Robin was busy and couldn't play today.
Mike T. and I met at the arroyo NM of "A" Mountain for some wing running down a shallow slope.
Although Mike has done more I have witnessed 47 runs by him so far.
https://youtu.be/pXrlqVtRfXE

Mike T. 12-11-2016.JPG (91.38 KiB) Viewed 8702 times

[RobinHastings]

Wonderful work, Mike and Bill! Mike really did get airborne on one of those flights - and he learned something worthwhile on each of the other flights. Most of the skill we show in flying these aircraft is the result of a lot of non-skill we showed (and deleted from our memories?) in the training process. It's good to make those little errors now, to save you from the big ones later.
-Robin
PS - If you can learn in New Mexico, you can fly almost anywhere...

[RobinHastings]

SATURDAY, DEC. 24:
Mike Townsand, with brother John and nephew Caleb, went out with me to the Mesquite Dam training site. The site has changed! It has been cleared of brush in the LZ. Unfortunately the dirt and brush got piled into a berm on the north side of the site, so we can't use those slopes anymore unless we get in there with a Bobcat or other equipment, and smooth it out. However, the middle, highest slopes are still clear, and Mike had 5 flights from them. His best was the last one, where he was really flying, 4 or 5 feet above the ground. He may have had it going too slow on landing, though, and instead of a flare he munched it in to the right. A couple of downtubes need replacing, but not a scratch on the pilot (see how nice sand is to land on?) and as lessons go, that was a cheap one. We'll have the Gemini ready to go when Mike is! I'm pretty pleased with how the day turned out. Happy Christmas, everyone!
-Robin