US Hawks Hang Gliding Association • View topic

by **wingspan33** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:48 am

Rick,

In reference to your post one back from the last - I thought NASA was the major SPLASH DOWN expert on this planet. Seems like soaring parachutists are making a play for the First Place title. :shock:

by **Rick Masters** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 9:46 am

by **wingspan33** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 1:33 pm

I didn't watch to the end.

But on my local scene, I have been worried about the safety of our local bald eagles regarding all the nearly invisible and numerous suspension lines that a collapsible canopy requires. In the case of this video, a pair of large raptors fly into the path of this collapsible canopy. One of the pair, at least, is snagged in the lines. Probably at least injured.

I love birds too much to appreciate that this may not have been the collapsible canopy occupant's fault.

What I do know is that in a hang glider the proximity of the pilot to the wing is more bird like. I'd guess that it's harder for a bird to mistake a hang glider pilot as beingas utterly separate from his wing. I'd think most birds see us as one flying "body". Also, HGs have so few support lines that entangling a bird is close to nil.

Documentation #1) Collapsible canopies not only kill people but are more likely to kill/injure airborne wildlife.

by **Rick Masters** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 5:32 pm

You should watch it through.
I was touched by how kind the paraglider pilot was to the bird.
He freed it from the lines and it flew off.
Alternatively, if he had died, the vulture (I think) would have had something to eat.

The birds probably didn't see the lines of his skynet.
I agree that a head-on collision with a hang glider is unlikely.
I have never heard of one.
That was my point.
You can't do that on a hang glider.

by **wingspan33** » Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:54 pm

Rick,

I finally watched to the very end. It appeared as if the bird (maybe vulture) flew off apparently uninjured. But if it could have later spoken about what had happened,
I wonder what it would have said? :shock:

I've seen videos of birds trained to land on HG control bars. I've seen video of a wingless eagle flying with its HG pilot "owner". I've seen kookaburras down in Australia
swooping at a flying hang glider pilot's feet. I've seen, first hand, a red tail hawk swooping at a hang glider's top surface. But, as you say, I haven't seen a large bird
ever caught up in or hurt by a hang glider's cable rigging.

Hang gliders don't do this, indeed!