I had a great hang gliding flight at Torrey Friday morning (December 14th, 2012). The wind was blowing pretty strong all through the night, and I got set up early enough to get in the air before it died down around noon. Here's the wind speed chart for the day (midnight to midnight):



I flew for 2 hours and 5 minutes (all before lunch). Here are some photos (taken from low resolution video) of my flight:

Hook-in check:


Turbo Bob helped me launch:


Kicking into my harness:


Down by the mansions:


Up by the golf course:


Check out those clouds!!


Alternating sunshine and shadow along the coast:


What a day!!!!

Good job, BobK. Pics are fine. Did you have it all to yourself?

Check out this post and what I said from .org. Bob, you were probably in this same situation. Do you know this pilot?
,
sam kellner





Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: LOOKING FOR A BEGINNER RIDGE SOARING SITE IN CALIFORNIA
michaelbaltag wrote:
Guys, in a few weeks I will have my H2 from Mark Knight, Sonora Wings Arizona.
Most of my flights are towings and aero towings. About 60 in total.
It is very hard to fly in Arizona, especially when you live in Phoenix. There is a site, called the Craters, 3 hours drive; it is a very capricious site, with its own micro weather system.
My best option is to drive to California and fly there for a week or so, till I master foot launching and perfect landings.
I want to build some airtime in ridge soaring, if possible near the beach.
I know there is a good site at Torrey Pines Glider Port. I already put some 100 hours in my paraglider at TPG. However the managers run that place like a Konzentration Kamp; plus, you have to be H4 to fly your glider there.
I try to find a similar place, near the beach, with a ridge at least 200-300 feet high, friendly with H2+ their mentor. So, guys, who did fly ridge soaring in California, let me know, please.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QHnrucwew6U


Michael,

Sounds to me like Torrey is the right choice. What's your P rate? Don't P-2
fly there.

You already have 100 hr air time at TPGP . That should make a difference.You probably have a logbook. Kamp rules?

60 tows. Quality instruction in Arizona. You already have a good deal of time in the HG also.

What sounds safer:

1. Flying HG at a site where you already have 100 hrs.
2. Flying HG at a new/questionable site

Realistically , without a FL check-off, Torrey is most likely out of the question for this trip. Go to Dockweiler Beach. Get your FL out of the way.

Then approach TPGP. Establish a procedure that gives you credit for the previous airtime there. Wait till H-4? Why, because it's a hang glider?

Good Job,
Sam
#16016
_________________
Seagull 3, SST, Owl, Meteor, USport, Falcon 3
Southwest Texas Hang Gliders
Torrey Hawks
USHPA Chapter 285
US Hawks Chapter 4


Read more: http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.ph ... z2FMgk5bn3
,
Sam

Good advice Sam!

Your choices on equipment... the half helmet and cocoon harness... are to my mind the ultimate for hang gliding. Exactly what i used in the late seventies. I regret converting to a full face helmet and more elaborate harnesses later on. Thanks for posting.

I like the simplicity of both. Hang gliding is about simplicity. There are more complicated ways to fly, but hang gliding boils it down to the minimum simplicity. That's what I like, and it sounds like you do as well.

Thanks for posting!!!

Not completely, but the higher winds make it much roomier for hang gliding!!!




I don't recognize him by name. But you know how it is in hang gliding ... you can know a lot of people that you don't know by name!!

But your suggestion for Dockweiler was great!!   

As an H4, I still can go there to have a good time and learn something. You can try things there that you wouldn't want to try at other sites.

It sounds like you've given him some good advice, Sam!!