Dockweiler RHG Diary

[JoeF]

Christmas 2017
== 3 to 7 mph breeze; the prediction of favorable 9 mph did not occur.
== pleasant sky and sea state, many spectators learning a bit about hang gliding
== Great fraternity at mild pace.
== In the new permit era: first day we had two wings up and flying
== Frank Colver had three good flights. One flight had a neat challenge of using up energy leaving not an anticipated run-out landing. Condor 330 owned by Frank.
== Frank had studied the video from a prior session with the Condor 330; he decided today to move the hang point back about 2 1/2 inches from the prior position. The change seem to get Bob's approval.
== In Frank's grace Bob Kuczewski and Joe Faust each had many flights on the big bird. Bob probably had 15 flights on the Condor. Joe had 9 flights on the same large wing.
== JoeF brought his newly acquired-from-Frank Alpha 210. Fun 7 flights n that also. 9+7=16 for JoeF.
== BobK enjoy a set of Alpha flights.
== BobK's last 3 flights on the Condor were starkly well piloted; he handled aggress long wing running into the SW and pulled off sustained high altitude much out of ground effect; such surprised Frank and JoeF in a happy way.
== JoeF's rigging pipes of PVC will be replaced with a different material, as the PVC chipped; the rigging pipes keep the keel of the Alpha from bending during a portion of the setting up and packing.
== No incidents. One troublesome aborted launch among about 33 flights.
== Various stickers on beach trash container peeked our interest. Details about sticker rights will be sought.
== Several new tie-down ropes were noticed in the bluff site.
== Frank discussed the details of how he is making progress in saving information from an early 1970s Irv Culver hang glider technical drawing; he is helping to preserve a neat part of modern hang glider history; he will be posting more about his discoveries about the drawing.
== First Christmas for the new permit-era at Dockweiler.
== JoeF mounted some new large for-sand wheels; the axial bearing was deliberated kept not bonded to the wheel so that adjustments could be made after seeing where the bearing and wheel needed to be relative to the ends of the control-frame's basebar. He'll cut off 1/2 inch from the long bearings and then bond the bearing with 1/4" projection on one side of each wheel and long projection on the other side in order to keep the needed distance of the wheel side from the slanted downtubes. The bearing is PVC pipe and has long contact with the basebar, not just two narrow contact points.
-- We still keep learning little details of how to improve packing the wings. Frank is inching his way not to short pack the Condor 330 and tolerate a long truck racking. We've been taking out the tip long sections of the leading edge tubes to get a semi-short pack; such entails pulling off the sail-tensioning webbing foot, removing the section of the LE, and subsequent handling of the added loose tube segment. Also, it seems like a small cleaning brush might be part of that process to assure that no grit or sand bothers the insertion of the LE tube into the root LE tube; grit can cause galling and very different assembly and disassembly.
== It was fun joining Rudolph and buddies in the sky pulling an air sled with spirit gifts for all.
-- Frank and Bob took some photos and videos of the wonderful session.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks for the documentation Joe.

Thanks to you and Frank for generously sharing your gliders with a San Diego air hog.

It was a memorable Christmas with memorable friends.

[JoeF]

Bob,
Your cares were core in opening the site for recreational hang gliding. Thank you for such Christmas peace at place!
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== Frank mentioned yesterday at Dockweiler: nut-keeper coiled wire in hole at left and right of control frame basebar could be replaced by a safety pin.

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[Frank Colver]

Here is a short video and a couple of photos of our Christmas Day hang gliding, unrestricted by membership denials or insurance requirements at Dockweiler.

https://vimeo.com/248820482

The sunset was the end of a perfect day.

Frank Colver

End of perfect Christmas day Dockweiler gliding.JPG (338.86 KiB) Viewed 6116 times

Joe-Frank-B0b Christmas day at Dockweiler.JPG (391.45 KiB) Viewed 6116 times

[Bob Kuczewski]

Now one of my favorite photos:

Joe_Frank_Bob_Christmas_day_at_Dockweiler_800.JPG (89.31 KiB) Viewed 6108 times

Thanks!!!!

[Frank Colver]

I've added another short clip to the Christmas Day video. Still the same link.

https://vimeo.com/248820482

Frank

[Bill Cummings]

Those Doc. videos never fail to put a smile on my face.

[JoeF]

The Christmas session was also spiced with Bob's reach for "trainable" hang glider. At first I heard in myself "a hang glider that might be instructed (trained)", but no, he meant a hang glider that would be able to be carried easily to Dockweiler while transporting oneself with the wing commonly on a train from San Diego to Los Angeles, as I've been pushing for "busable" hang glider.

[JoeF]

January 22, 2018, session 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
= 30 flights in Alpha 210. Wind from 4 mph to 8 mph guestimate. Pleasant. Clear sky. Moderate sea state.
About 10 of the 30 flights were with significant traverses along the slope.
After 15 flights, I rested for a full hour while eating (popcorn, can of tuna, orange from home tree, banana, nuts-and-raisins, two slices of bread, water).
==talked to four inquisitives; pointed them to Windsports. Two of them took video of some of the flights.
== bus load of about 60 middle school kids got a dose of seeing hang gliding. They stopped at the beach for a seashore lunch.
Pre-HG kiting of two sorts; and then post-HG some kiting of same.

The Alpha 210 traveled with a sun-rain-dew coat over its bag. I'll leave the arrangement overnight. If I am not too sore, I'll go again tomorrow Tuesday.

The day was very solo. [[Frank Colver and BobK Kuczewski were probably resting up from their three-day adventure to the RGSA meeting; see their report elsewhere in the forum. ]]

Beaches & Harbor enforcement .... I saw them ticket two cars that brought skateboarders to the beach; the car owners missed paying for parking.

Pelicans, seagulls, pigeons, starlings ....

[Bob Kuczewski]

Joe, it gives me great joy to read your report!!!!

I wish I could say that I was resting after our trip, but I had to spend the day at work trying to catch up after taking Friday off. I would have much preferred to have joined you at the beach!!

We missed you in Las Cruces, but everything worked out fine anyway. I have to thank every member who attended the meeting for their thoughtful consideration of all the issues. They picked up 4 new members as a reward. USHPA could learn a lot from the RGSA.