Dockweiler RHG Diary

[JoeF]

Short line so that the tow assist person has the slope to help.

Excellent point! Use gravity for the tugs!

Mod: Y line arrangement with two friends tugging; they will stay out of the flight path of the HG. Short lines as you suggest. Tug; let go; drag line on sand.

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Another tug driver: The return of water after ocean wave: capture the returning water with a water chute (that may be depowered and reset by opening line and having an apex pull ready also arranged; spill all water and bring water chute back for another go).

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[Bill Cummings]

Hey Joe,
Joe"

2. Bill, I am not sure I understand about the wheelchair. I here will take a try on a couple of scenarios:
A. Electric wheel chairs are allowed on the bike path. Have a group of electric wheelchairs pull a tow line through a far-field pulley to launch a HG; then give lessons to each wheelchaired person?

Yes. This way, (2. A). Keep the tow wheelchair on the path for near field pulley to launch. Tow distance length, only of about 12 to 15 feet for launching only. (ATC height restrictions.)
This would require releasing at the pilot. So not as risk retentive as man towing a short tow line to be dropped and drug on the sand.

[Bill Cummings]

Another way to carry the glider up hill on the sand is: Tail into the wind. Pick up the base tube/control bar.
Allow the tail to drag up the hill. The wind will push you up the hill.
If the wing tips drag add a keel extender tube.

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[JoeF]

Kite tug.
We are limited to 60 ft AGL for operations.
A kite system could tug line through far-field pulley or block and tackle.
Kite tether may cause HG tow line speed to be faster than the main kite tether via judicious arrangement of anchors and lines.

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On some browsers: click image to see full offer.

Note: Line stops and secondary kite-stop lines would be needed for safety; we do not want runaway kite wings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pulley3a.svg Let "W" be the kite's wing set.

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[Bill Cummings]

At the Dec. 10, 2018, flight session, Bill McGinnis expressed that a ramp at Dockweiler might be a good thing.
I expressed that a permanent ramp would be a special thing changing the scene and would have to pass muster with Beaches & Harbor as the change would alter the liability of the stewards of the beach property. I also mentioned that I had interest in a session-temporary ramp.

A temporary ramp might be treatable as the bringing to the beach a towel on which to lay one's body upon. In some places beaches have built long walkways across the beach sand to accommodate the faction of the public that have a very difficult time getting near the water's edge over soft sand.

A temporary ramp design contest might be fun. How low-mass or light might an effective ramp be? Could a combination of inflatables and planks suffice? Cables anchored with planks? Various truss designs? Off load parts; set up ramp; off-load wing; rig wing; don helmet and harness; clear; fly off ramp. Take ramp home or find other solutions.

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Install a snow fence along the sand rim and let the wind build up the hill behind the snow fence on dry strong windy days.


Would a ramp bring more successful launches?
Would a ramp add value to the site?
Practicing ramp launch and non-ramp launch would seem to give added value to the site.

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Install a snow fence along the sand rim and let the wind build up the hill behind the snow fence on dry strong windy days/nights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgnaW_dRgk

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[JoeF]

Good, Bill.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_fence
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Recently Beaches & Harbor apparently brought up sand to repair three parts of a couple of launches.

Some parts of the north launches are building because of low plants acting as snow or sand fences.
Judicious planting of low plants may speed the mound building.
There are posts about 2 ft from bike path; the posts are about (wild guess right now) 15 ft apart. The posts designate the HG park realm.
See posts:

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[Bill Cummings]

One thing to consider is: Which place would you rather crash?
On a pole or an inflatable?

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If poles will be okay how about the ones behind launch?
Make a Dockweiler Beach Banner and hang the soaring wall
off the existing well anchored poles in place.

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[Bill Cummings]

I have done some hang gliding tether flying in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas.
Interestingly my wife Terry and I have learned that one person can hand hold the
tow/tether line if a pilot and glider are not climbing. Terry towed me up to about 250ft.- to 300ft. with the car at Padre Island, TX. The sea breeze at that altitude, on that day, was enough that I radioed down for her to stop the car because I no longer needed forward motion to maintain altitude.
I would estimate that Terry, by hand, had a force of about 15 to 20 lbs to maintain me at the same altitude.
We never measured this force but that is my best guess on how much tension must be on the line.

When water towing with a boat and having the glider up at a forty five degree angle a person could hand over hand pull the rope in if the glider was not climbing. If the pilot would push out on the control bar and start to climb it was no longer possible to hold the line with one hand or continue to hand over hand pull the tow line in.

Even though the wind that day was rope soarable at altitude the wind on the beach wasn’t enough to blow the glider away while sitting on the beach, into the wind, with the glider unrestrained.

At times while rope soaring the wind would diminish and the glider would start to settle. The pilot could do mild “S” turns to gain altitude and not have to radio the car to move forward.

For those that have water skied you know that if you turn left or right behind the boat you will accelerate. (Exactly the same principle - - only obviously different. )

Depending on the sea breeze it could be possible to rope soar at Dockweiler and stay under the 60 feet
AGL restriction.

This maintaining force required with a towline (17 lbs) in conjunction with the wind allows you to ascertain how very small the added launching force needs to be to be of great assistance for a pilot.
Soft sand launches are much easier with a little help from your friend.

[JoeF]

Two of Friends of Dockweiler Gliding Society each spoke one minute before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today, Dec. 18, 2018.
Bob Kuczewski and Joe Faust.

Here is Joe's guiding script:

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After the meeting, about a hour later, B&H called Bob and noted that the concessionaire's contract was "extended" already. Odd, as all parties had notice that a public interest group was standing near to be part of the process. No notice to the public interest group: Friends of Dockweiler Gliding Society. Something was not working right. What to do next? B&H desire to help small business should not have B&H lose sight of the higher mandate to serve the public needs and interests in beaches and harbor.

Note how in good faith our talks were under the understanding that in early quarter or so of 2019, there would be renewal of contract potential. We had several times notes that we wanted to be in discussions concerning details of the concessionaire's renewal. A full bypass occurred. Such is not the way things were supposed to go.

[JoeF]

Something was NOT working right.

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[ ] Where was the cause of the bypass?

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It is good for the B&H to be interested in promoting small business.
HOWEVER, serving recreation for the public DOES HELP those citizens who are workers and owners of small business.
Block out the public from recreation and see the community have a lower edge of creativity in business.
The concessionaire uses but 10% or so of the park's asset; when they operate, they use only a small portion of the park; the unused section should be open to the waivered-permitted public recreating visitor.

Serving one small business in a way contrary to the mandates of the B&H is not the way to go. Small business should work in coordination and in parallel with park open recreationists. Settling for less injures the public trust. It is hoped that Supervisor Janice Hahn will see the matter clearly and act to help correct the inequity that is installed.

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Andy and Josh,
My whole experience has me believe that some waivered-permitted pilots operating during some of your instruction time WOULD ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS. Students SEE the fun we are having and may stick to HG better. Bike path people SEE our fun; and we direct them right over to your BUSINESS. We are free salesmen and saleswomen for your BUSINESS. I have watched this effective process for about 50 years. Andy and Josh, your profits would be higher if you worked to be open to us 7 da/wk. Please study this matter carefully. And note that concessionaires on public property that block public recreation is countering the mandates of public recreation areas. Please work to effect a portion of the SINGLE SITE of Los Angeles County for everyday waivered-permitted HG recreation. And thereby WIN BIG TIME.