[JoeF]

A hop puts one flying in the air. The opportunity is present.

[Craig Muhonen]

Chris McKeon wrote:
Also what is the attraction of Paragliders? I have seen some Good hg pILOTS GO TO THE: "dark side" i mean what is it that draws HG Pilots away?

I only know about the Telluride Hang Gliders, so here is what they said, about the day PG pilots were allowed to fly under TAF insurance.
First off they said that if they had to do it over again, they would have required P4 paragliders to get separate "paraglider" insurance to fly Gold Hill. Up to that point an H4 rating was required and mandated, and it was NOT a training hill, but these new paraglider pilots were so "friendly" and they were good fliers so off they went.
Within days it seemed, many many paragliders came to one of the most premier and challenging HG launch sites in the world, and the "rest is history".
Second off , they said that, flying around paragliders was like skiing the gates on a slalom course, around one then another and another, to a point that it was harder and harder to enjoy the actual art of Hang Gliding there.
The TAF went from 14 original HG Pilots and zero paragliders, to 16 paraglider "pilots" and one HG Pilot. Some HG Pilots took up PG.(and they still called themselves the Telluride Airforce).

So to your question Chris (and many others I suppose), "what draws HG Pilots away"?
Here is the flat out answer they gave....
We Just Got Lonely
It is really lonely now, because all foot launched gliding is forbidden at Gold Hill, and our once pristine view of 10 to 20 Hang Gliders in the air over town is gone forever. Sad because HG really did bring, "first class" tourists and spectators to town, not to watch these, "Hang-ing-on-strings-Gliders. My opinion.

==========================================================================================================


.

[Craig Muhonen]

A hop puts one flying in the air. The opportunity is present.

And what a barefooted hop it was for this guy, as he spit the sand out of his mouth sometimes.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/00cdd8_cd6260d ... a9bdf2.pdf
Thanks Frank for including this article about your friend in your ratings page.

C:+o)

[Chris McKeon]

UNTRUTHS: One of the attractions to a Paraglider over a Hang Glider is that You can land a Paraglider anywhere. This statement implies that a ParaGlider can land in a more challenging LZ than a Hang Glider. I saw no the Pilot who has more skill will be able to land where others do not dare try. I so look Forward to Flying a HG again after Twelve plus Years. I feel that the Sky is My true Home. I so look forward to "STICKING MY FIRST LANDING IN 12 YEARS!
I do not remember who said it But He said [Flying, is like Riding a Bike. You never Forget]. Maybe this coming Weekend. I imagine that I will find out just How good My Memory is.

[Chris McKeon]

Ok, I have what I believe based upon the raw success that I have enjoyed, during oh say Twenty Years of Flying the Same Glider. Yes the Predator was a brilliant design. Thank you for this Bird John. Anyways, technology marches on as We all Know. But The Predator raised the Bar oh so High. So if the day does not ever come where there is a better performing flex-Wing than a Predator. I will be content flying My Predator. Heck there are things that I still want to do. I want to go straight over the top. I have gone over almost straight over. But I always put just a wee bit of roll in the Glider at the Bottom of my energy dive. So I will be doing some school time with John as to be able to do a loop "Safely".

But the first Flight for Me is going to be when I Fly a Condor. What a Big Glider the 330 W-W Condor is! I know that My next Flight will be My Greatest Flight.
Yes, to ne able to Fly will be simply the most awesome experience of all My Flying, Hands Down! I can not wait till I fly that Condor. Forgive Me for voicing My redundant words of Praise for a Glider that all I have done to Date, is to hold the Wing and to Point the wing into the Wind, while I adjusted Pitch. But the Wind on launch weas coming as a Left cross wind. around 10 Miles an Hour, with a slight gust factor,. I aprased the situation. I deened conditions not to be too good. So I backed off Launch and Broke down. In those conditions I would not even think twice about launching say My Predator. Burt I was standing there at Launch holding George's HUGE Condor. So Good Judgement raised it's ugly head. Besides there was always another Day. Maybe this coming weekend I will finally Fly.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks for the link to the David Cronk article Craig. I've created a pilot page for David Cronk in our pilot pages forum. Please feel free to update it with any information you may have. Thanks very much.

Thanks also for everyone who posts to the U.S. Hawks. Your participation in creating an association dedicated to hang gliding is very much appreciated.

Having said that, this particular topic is really supposed to be a place for welcoming new members to the U.S. Hawks. That's mentioned in the very first post of this topic (posted on the day the U.S. Hawks was founded):

This topic was started on Friday August 13th, 2010, and it's intended to be a topic where new members can say "Hi" to introduce themselves.

So discussions in this topic should generally go like this:

• Step 1. A new member makes a post to this topic.
• Step 2. Everyone welcomes them.
• Step 3. A short introductory exchange may follow.
• Step 4. Wait for another new member to post.

In other words, if you're not a new member, please don't start discussions in this topic. The U.S. Hawks forum has a nearly infinite capacity for discussions in other topics. Let's please keep this topic reserved for it's purpose of welcoming new members.

Thanks.

[Craig Muhonen]

Hope you don't mind a parody here.

Bob Kuczewski on August 13, 2010 wrote:
This topic was started on Friday August 13th, 2010, and it's intended to be a topic where new members can say "Hi" to introduce themselves.

I'm new here, I'm Petra,

Petra.png (4.49 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

“ok, you guys over there at Torrey, take a day off...sit back with a beer or a soda, and I'll show ya how this gliding thing is done.
I've had a million years or so to figure it out and you have only 150 years of practice, and some of you are doing it all wrong, you look like "strainers".. ha. where did I hear that?
You hang glider guys can fly with me because it looks like you have some semblance of a wing, and you look like you have taken a page outta' my book, with your hands and body being "directly" connected to your wings, flying with your head into the wind. I've been watching your progress on developing your “wings”, and I like them. You have come far in a short time, and your minimalist approach has served you well. It took me forever to teach my offspring how to fly, it's so hard, but they mastered it well.
Your wings seem sturdy enough for the turbulent air we have to fly in, and they fold up nicely, when you don't need them.

Maybe, just maybe, you can keep up with me, although it looks like Mr. Heiney over there could fly "loops" around me with smoke.

Looping Hang Glider .png (35.22 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

Exactly how does he do that?
Is that a Predator Hang Glider, that I've been told good things about?

When you "other" guys, with all the strings and “nylon” catch up in about 100 years,
come find me, we'll talk, because as it looks to me your wings cannot “penetrate” the air good enough to fly “fast” in a straight line which you have to do,
and I've seen them "fold up" at the most inopportune times...ouch couch.

ouch.png (90.11 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

Who are these guys?

couch potato.png (75.23 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

“Flying fast” is what its all about.
And what's up with "stuffing" your wing into that big "sack" on your back?, it wrinkles and gets mildewed, ... but what do I know?

As far as tandem flights go, I'll rig something up in my mouth, and let people who want to "ride" go for free, although you'll have to buy "hick-up" insurance,
and you can't turn me in for “bad breath”.
I will have to charge you extra for taking “selfies” of my beautiful face.


I haven't picked up on your latest "tunes" yet, but I've been told that there are some good ones over at Hawks & Larks, so "I'm all ears".

I'll rest up with my friends in the Rockies, and come down once or twice a month for a "show", whatta' you think?
You guys at HAWKS have an “H” rating, but I will have to ask for a new “P” rating from that guy Joe I've heard a lot about.



Make reservations for our air show well in advance with my friend BobK, and my cousins at US HAWKS,
but I've been told, stay away from this clown,

Mr. double fingers.png (89.74 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

he'll have you arrested for who the hell knows".

"See ya in a bit..... er.. .bite" and have a good time

everything will lill you 2.png (175.92 KiB) Viewed 28803 times

C:+o)

[Chris McKeon]

yes Craig, I do think that is a Predator. I see the truncated Tips. John could say for sure. You know there is the reality that doing Aerobatics rubs some Pilots the wrong way. Also there is a {Something Factor} that a Pilot should poses in order to go and do Aero. Take John for an example. John I believe always did His Homework regarding say going over the top at One Hundred Eighty Degrees. I have never heard John describe His Progress towards doing a loop. But needless to say, I think that John put together a F\light Plan so as not to end up having a {Hanger}. Then He really got serious and designed the Predator. I have spent much time talking to John about Energy Management.

So anyways, I will keep doing what I have been doing. That os going over the Top at a Hundred and Seventy Degrees Plus. Make no Doubt, the Day will come that at the bottom of a "Energy Dive" I will not put any Roll into My Glider.

I see it this way. It really does not matter what type of flying that One wants to do. Training Hill, Cliff Soaring, mountain flying, or XC Flying. It really does not matter to Me. It is just universal that we are ALL OUR MOST HAPPIEST IN THE AIR!

[Bob Kuczewski]

A polite reminder ...

This topic was started on Friday August 13th, 2010, and it's intended to be a topic where new members can say "Hi" to introduce themselves.

So discussions in this topic should generally go like this:

• Step 1. A new member makes a post to this topic.
• Step 2. Everyone welcomes them.
• Step 3. A short introductory exchange may follow.
• Step 4. Wait for another new member to post.

In other words, if you're not a new member, please don't start discussions in this topic. The U.S. Hawks forum has a nearly infinite capacity for discussions in other topics. Let's please keep this topic reserved for it's purpose of welcoming new members.

Thanks.

[Justin]

Hi there! My name is Justin, and I'm a hardly-hatched hawk (still incubating?). I was running on Dockweiler Beach on Christmas Day and paused to watch someone hand glide for a bit. The hand glider turned out to be Bob Kuczewski. We chatted for quite some time and he's convinced me to give hand gliding a try...I'm hoping to take my first lesson within the next few weeks. I'm a medical student in Los Angeles and have always been fascinated by flight, mostly because birds were the only pets my parents would allow, which led me to take a class in ornithology in college. Why study birds when you can be one?!

Hope everyone has a great NYE and that 2023 has many great flights in store for you all