I did this load o' crap:
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
A tumble at very low altitude
Paul Tjaden - 2013/02/07 23:47:58 UTC
Quest Air
Groveland, Florida
A few days ago I promised that I would write a more complete accident report regarding the tragic hang gliding accident we recently had at Quest Air resulting in the death of our good friend, Zach Marzec. I do want to warn you in advance that there will be no great revelations from what you already know. Many times Zach flew with a video camera which could have possibly told us more but on this occasion he did not.
The weather conditions seemed quite benign. It was a typical winter day in central Florida with sunny skies, moderate temperatures and a light south west wind. It was, however, a high pressure, dry air day that sometimes creates punchy conditions with small, tight, strong thermals versus the big fat soft ones that Florida is famous for. Time of day was approximately 3:00. None of these conditions were even slightly alarming or would have caused any concern about launching.
Zach Marzec was an advanced rated pilot who was a tandem instructor for Kitty Hawk Kites where he logged a huge number of aerotow flights. He was current (flying every day) and was flying his personal glider that he was very familiar with and had towed many times. Sorry, I do not have specific numbers of hours or flights logged but experience does not appear to have been an issue.
The glider was a Moyes Xtralite. This glider was a fairly old design. I believe the last ones built were in the mid 1990's, but it was in good, airworthy condition and rigged properly. I know of no reports that this glider is difficult to tow or has any deficiencies for aero towing but I am not an expert on it and have never flown one. The glider hit base tube first and sustained very little damage upon impact so it was easy to ascertain that the glider did not appear to have had any structural failure that would have caused the accident.
The tow aircraft was a Moyes Dragonfly with a 914 Rotax engine and was piloted by a highly experienced tow pilot. The tow line was approximately 250 feet long which is standard and Zach was using the "pro tow" method where the tow line is attached directly to a bridle on the pilot's harness and is not attached to the glider at all. A standard 130 pound test weak link was being used.
Another pilot had launched with no issues immediately before the accident. The launch started on the main runway at the north end (2,000 feet long) and was normal until at approximately 50 feet in altitude when the tow plane hit extremely strong lift elevating it quickly and abruptly. Because of the length of the tow line, it was a few seconds later when Zach's glider entered the same strong lift and he was at an estimated 100 to 150 feet in altitude at this time. When the lift/turbulence was encountered, the weak link on the tow line broke as the nose of the glider pitched up quickly to a very high angle of attack. Apparently, the glider stalled or possibly did a short tail slide and then stalled and then nosed down and tumbled. Eye witnesses said the glider tumbled twice and then struck the ground with the base tube low. Due to the extremely low altitude, there was no time for the pilot to deploy his reserve parachute.
Zach was conscious immediately after the accident but died in route to the hospital.
Beyond these facts anything else would be pure speculation. I have personally had numerous weak link breaks on tow, both low and high, after hitting turbulence and have never felt in danger of a tumble. I have witnessed countless others have weak link breaks with no serious problems. We train aero tow pilots how to handle this situation and I am certain that Zach had also encountered this situation many times before and knew how to react properly. Apparently, Zach simply hit strong low level turbulence, probably a dust devil that could not be seen due to the lack of dust in Florida, the nose went too high and he tumbled at a very low altitude.
Strong dust devils in Florida definitely do exist even though they are rare. My wife had a near miss when she encountered a severe dusty a couple years ago and I almost lost a brand new $18,000 ATOS VX when it was torn from its tie down and thrown upside down.
I wish I could shed more light on this accident but I am afraid this is all we know and probably will know. Zach was a great guy with an incredible outlook and zest for life. He will be sorely missed.
back at:
http://www.kitestrings.org/post3634.html#p3634
while the ink was still wet. But one hatchet job isn't NEARLY enough. So, while referring back so's to avoid excessive redundancy - to the extent that that's possible anyway...
Many times Zach flew with a video camera which could have possibly told us more but on this occasion he did not.
We didn't need the video on this one to know EXACTLY what happened and why any more than we needed the card Jon Orders swallowed. Total fuckin' no brainer.
None of these conditions were even slightly alarming or would have caused any concern about launching.
None of you goddam useless pieces of shit is EVER...
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3107
I have a tandem rating!!!
Lauren Tjaden - 2008/03/23 22:20:15 UTC
When Jim got me locked out to the right, I couldn't keep the pitch of the glider with one hand for more than a second (the pressure was a zillion pounds, more or less), but the F'ing release slid around when I tried to hit it. The barrel release wouldn't work because we had too much pressure on it.
Anyhow, the tandem can indeed perform big wingovers, as I demonstrated when I finally got separated from the tug.
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3391
More on Zapata and weak link
Paul Tjaden - 2008/07/22 04:32:22 UTC
I have never had a lockout situation happen so quickly and dramatically and had no chance to release as I have always thought I could do.
...slightly alarmed about ANYTHING.
Zach Marzec was an advanced rated pilot who was a tandem instructor...
In the proud tradition of such luminaries of the sport as Bill Bennett, Jamie Alexander, Rob Richardson, William Woloshyniuk, Arlan Birkett, and Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney.
Sorry, I do not have specific numbers of hours or flights logged but experience does not appear to have been an issue.
So in identical circumstances it sounds like we're all equally/totally fucked then - at a minimum. So it sounds like we're all just rolling dice every time we take off. UNLESS...
Is there any chance that we could use a better or, hell, equally crappy but DIFFERENT set of towing equipment and possibly achieve better results? What have we got to lose? The results couldn't have been any worse so different results would - by definition - be BETTER results. Right...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Kinsley Sykes - 2013/02/11 17:46:12 UTC
It's fine to want to work on better solutions to make us all safer by improving technology, it's ugly and inhuman to use the death of a really nice guy to advance your point... in case it wasn't obvious I agree with Bart and Jim, and no it's not a lack of english comprehension - he said there would have been a different outcome with a stronger weaklink.
...Kinsley?
This glider was a fairly old design. I believe the last ones built were in the mid 1990's, but it was in good, airworthy condition and rigged properly.
As, of course, was his tow configuration. Accepted standard, good airworthy condition, rigged properly, no history of serious functionality / control issues.
I know of no reports that this glider is difficult to tow or has any deficiencies for aero towing...
Hey motherfucker... I didn't hear that Zack:
- was having any difficulties towing the glider or that anything the least bit unexpected happened...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Mark Frutiger - 2013/02/08 19:12:21 UTC
Zack hit the lift a few seconds after I did. He was high and to the right of the tug and was out of my mirror when the weak ling broke. The load on the tug was not excessive as with a lockout, but I was not surprised when the weak link broke.
...in the course of that tow.
-- had any serious problems until his standard 130 pound test Pilot In Command decided to increase the safety of the towing operation when Zack's Moyes Xtralite was standing on its tail.
So how come you're even bringing that issue up?
...but I am not an expert on it and have never flown one.
So how come you didn't give Bill Fucking Moyes a buzz and get his take on the issue? Didn't wanna bother him with a matter this trivial?
The glider hit base tube first and sustained very little damage upon impact so it was easy to ascertain that the glider did not appear to have had any structural failure that would have caused the accident.
WHOA! And here we all were thinking that this fluke accident was probably the result of some kind of structural failure - as is so often the case just after a whipstall and just before the glider goes into a tumble. Thank you so very much for taking that off the table for us. Now maybe we can start focusing a little more on the whipstall.
Did you happen to notice how far forward of the hang point he had set the anchor point for the bridle? That can have a pretty significant effect on the pitch trim - as I'm quite sure all you top notch aerotow professionals all well know.
The tow aircraft was a Moyes Dragonfly with a 914 Rotax engine and was piloted by a highly experienced tow pilot.
- Think he would've been experienced enough to know whether the extremely strong lift which was elevating him quickly and abruptly a few seconds before Zack's glider entered the same strong lift was a thermal or a dust devil?
- You've identified yourself and the dead passenger. How come you're not identifying the...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Jim Rooney - 2013/02/16 05:05:41 UTC
Ok, keyboard in hand.
I've got a bit of time, but I'm not going to write a dissertation... so either choose to try to understand what I'm saying, or (as is most often the case) don't.
I don't care.
Here's a little bit of bitter reality that ya'll get to understand straight off. I won't be sugar coating it, sorry.
You see, I'm on the other end of that rope.
I want neither a dead pilot on my hands or one trying to kill me.
And yes. It is my call. PERIOD.
On tow, I am the PIC.
Now, that cuts hard against every fiber of every HG pilot on the planet and I get that.
Absolutely no HG pilot likes hearing it. Not me, not no one. BUT... sorry, that's the way it is.
Accept it and move on.
Not only can you not change it, it's the law... in the very literal sense.
...Pilot In Command of the glider that tumbled and killed his passenger? He's the guy who determines what bridle, releases, and weak link the glider will be permitted to fly with. So how come he's not the one writing the report?
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Jim Rooney - 2013/03/07 18:24:58 UTC
You weren't there. You don't know.
All you have is the tug pilot report, who himself says he doesn't know... and HE WAS THERE... and he doesn't know.
You weren't any more of a witness to what happened than Billo was. Isn't Mark a highly experienced enough tow pilot to report on things himself?
The tow line was approximately 250 feet long which is standard and Zach was using the "pro tow" method where the tow line is attached directly to a bridle on the pilot's harness and is not attached to the glider at all.
OH!!! There WAS NO attachment to the keel.
- Is that what the manufacturer recommends? What's it say in the owner's manual?
- The manufacturer is Moyes.
-- They also manufacture the Dragonfly tug that was being used.
-- The Dragonfly uses a two point bridle with the upper attachment being an extended tow mast which aligns the towline with the line of thrust to minimize pitch control problems associated with tow tension.
-- Shouldn't the glider also be rigged with a two point bridle to align the towline / line of thrust with the glider's center of drag? Wouldn't eliminating the upper attachment make it a lot more difficult to keep the glider from pitching up if it got blasted by a thermal and/or there was a surge in towline tension?
-- I mean, the glider's already pitched up pretty high solely as a consequence of being aerotowed - and an abrupt loss of that tension...
Wills Wing / Blue Sky / Steve Wendt / Ryan Voight Productions - 2007/03
NEVER CUT THE POWER...
Reduce Gradually
Increase Gradually
...could put the glider into a pretty nasty stall - or inconvenience (whatever term you Florida guys have for it). Did you ever wonder what might happen if the towline were to fail...
Manned Kiting
The Basic Handbook of Tow Launched Hang Gliding
Daniel F. Poynter
1974
"Never take your hands off the bar." - Tom Peghiny
"The greatest dangers are a rope break or a premature release." - Richard Johnson
...or there were a premature release?
A standard 130 pound test weak link was being used.
REALLY?
- THIS:
Lauren Tjaden - 2003/12/14
This fall at Ridgely, I had a weak link break at maybe fifty feet. I thought I was going to have to land in the soybeans - the very tall soybeans - when I looked at my angle. But, my glider stalled quite dramatically almost instantly (hard not to stall when you have a break), and dove towards the ground (a bit disconcerting from so low).
standard 130 pound test weak link?
- Is there a standard glider for which this standard 130 pound test weak link is most suitable? Or does it work equally well on all gliders regardless of flying weight?
- What's its purpose?
- I hear its primary purpose is to...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24534
It's a wrap
Lauren Tjaden - 2011/08/01 02:01:06 UTC
For whomever asked about the function of a weak link, it is to release the glider and plane from each other when the tow forces become greater than desirable -- whether that is due to a lockout or a malfunction of equipment or whatever. This can save a glider, a tow pilot, or more often, a hang glider pilot who does not get off of tow when he or she gets too far out of whack.
...release the glider and plane from each other when the tow forces become greater than desirable - whether that is due to a lockout or a malfunction of equipment or whatever - and save a glider, a tow pilot, or, more often, a hang glider pilot who does not get off of tow when he or she gets too far out of whack.
-- So was Zack experiencing tow forces become greater than desirable? Doesn't really...
Mark Frutiger - 2013/02/08 19:12:21 UTC
Zack hit the lift a few seconds after I did. He was high and to the right of the tug and was out of my mirror when the weak ling broke. The load on the tug was not excessive as with a lockout, but I was not surprised when the weak link broke.
...sound much like it.
-- How come neither he nor his Pilot In Command made any effort to release?
-- Was there a lockout?
-- How 'bout a malfunction of equipment or whatever?
-- Was the passenger getting too far out of whack?
-- The glider sustained very little damage so I guess the standard 130 pound test weak link did pretty good on that score but it didn't do too well at saving the hang glider pilot.
- Are you sure it tests at 130 pounds? Mark thinks...
http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=28290
Report about fatal accident at Quest Air Hang Gliding
Mark Frutiger - 2013/02/09 12:32:57 UTC
one strand is 130 lb, two strands, (one loop), is more.
...it's more. And he was right there when it happened - you weren't. Even Davis...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks
Davis Straub - 2013/03/06 18:29:05 UTC
I'm thinking about doing a bit more testing as there seemed to be some disagreement around here about what the average breaking strength of a loop of Greenspot (or orange) weaklink was.
...isn't sure. And he's the one who writes the Greenspot regulations for all the competitions.
- Are you sure it wasn't Wrapped and Tied 130 pound Greenspot? That's the loop Russell recommends and those suckers are good for 260 pounds. I'm thinking that's not a great idea 'cause you might get REALLY too far out of whack.
Another pilot had launched with no issues immediately before the accident.
Was he a pro? Did he report any invisible dust devils?
The launch started on the main runway at the north end (2,000 feet long) and was normal until at approximately 50 feet in altitude when the tow plane hit extremely strong lift elevating it quickly and abruptly.
Probably an invisible dust devil. It's a miracle that he wasn't flipped upside down by it. But, of course, if he HAD been flipped upside down by it Zack would probably started working immediately on his bent pin barrel releases instead of just blithely flying on into this column of invisible spinning death.
When the lift/turbulence was encountered, the weak link on the tow line broke as the nose of the glider pitched up quickly to a very high angle of attack.
Sounds like somebody's about to be inconvenienced.
- Why did the weak link break?
- At what point did Zack start having a really bad day?
- How did Zack's angle of attack a millisecond after the weak link broke compare to his angle of attack a millisecond BEFORE the weak link broke?
Apparently, the glider stalled or possibly did a short tail slide and then stalled and then nosed down and tumbled.
And this wasn't happening BEFORE the standard 130 pound test weak link broke. BEFORE the standard 130 pound test weak link increased the safety of the towing operation the glider was climbing.
Eye witnesses said the glider tumbled twice...
They got names?
What are you saying the glider did, Paul? Where were you and Lauren?
What did the eyewitnesses say about invisible dust devils?
Zach was conscious immediately after the accident but died in route to the hospital.
Did his last words include any praises for the standard 130 pound test weak link...
http://ozreport.com/12.081
Weaklinks - the HGFA rules
Davis Straub - 2008/04/22 14:47:00 UTC
At the 2008 Forbes Flatlands Greenspot for the first time was used as the standard weaklink material (thanks in large part to the efforts of Bobby Bailey). We applaud these efforts to improve the safety of aerotowing by using a better weaklink material.
...and Bobby Fucking-Genius Bailey's efforts to improve the safety of aerotowing by using a better weak link material? Or was his attitude something more along the lines of Lauren's...
http://www.jm2c.com/hangola/2005/0125.htm
Lauren Tjaden - 2005/01/21
I came off the cart smoothly, but at a hundred feet, started getting slammed. I tow lots, and I will tell you I have never felt anything like this before. Ginny leapt sideways and would go slack and then violently shudder. Jim hung onto the plane and I hung onto her basetube, but at four hundred feet my pussy-##s weak link broke. Great. Now I had to land in the monster that had just attacked the runway. My glider set me down neatly, but adrenaline was practically spilling out my eyeballs by then.
...shocking display of ingratitude?
Beyond these facts anything else would be pure speculation.
Right. And we CERTAINLY...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec
Jim Rooney - 2013/02/12 18:00:27 UTC
AT isn't new. This stuff's been worked on and worked over for years and thousands upon thousands of tows. I love all these egomaniacs that jump up and decide that they're going to "fix" things, as if no one else has ever thought of this stuff?
But back to the root of my anger... speculation.
Jim Rooney - 2013/02/28 01:17:55 UTC
Well said Billo
I'm a bit sick of all the armchair experts telling me how my friend died.
Ah but hg'ers get so uppity when you tell them not to speculate.
...don't wanna open up that can of worms. At least not about the facts that:
- Zack was using the "pro tow" method where the tow line is attached directly to a bridle on the pilot's harness and is not attached to the glider at all
- a standard 130 pound test weak link was being used
- the weak link broke as the nose of the glider pitched up quickly to a very high angle of attack
But we should be fine speculating about invisible dust devils. Those have always been fair game when sleazy flight park operators are desperately seeking wiggle room.
I have personally had numerous weak link breaks on tow, both low and high, after hitting turbulence and have never felt in danger of a tumble.
That's fabulous, Paul. It's always so reassuring listening to total fucking douchebags talking about the feelings they've had using dangerous illegal equipment and getting away with it.
Have you ever felt in danger of a STALL??? Did you talk this over with your bitch?
Lauren Tjaden - 2003/12/14
But, my glider stalled quite dramatically almost instantly (hard not to stall when you have a break), and dove towards the ground (a bit disconcerting from so low).
She seems to find these standard 130 pound test weak link pops a little more problematic than you do. And she's an Eminently Qualified Tandem Pilot. And I'm REALLY SURPRISED that someone as dedicated to aerotowing safety as Lauren is wasn't more involved in these discussions. I notice that she wasn't any too shy about warning people off from the deadly...
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3380
Lauren and Paul in Zapata
Lauren Tjaden - 2008/07/21 14:27:04 UTC
Yesterday I chased Paul again. The tow rope weak link broke when Paul locked out and the weak link he got from Tad did not break. Russell said it was about the worst he has ever had his tail pulled around. Anyhow, I would advise against those weak links, though Tad's barrel releases do seem better able to release under stress.
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3600
Weak link question
Lauren Tjaden - 2008/11/20 22:50:53 UTC
My only point here is that Tad's releases (by which she means weak links because the only thing Questies have to function as releases are loops of fishing line) have not been extensively tested, and at least in my experience with them, are not safe.
...Tad-O-Link because it's not very good at keeping fucking assholes flying in violent thermal conditions with one hand on the basetube and the other on the VG cord from locking out. You'd think she'd be a bit more chatty about...
http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=28290
Report about fatal accident at Quest Air Hang Gliding
Lauren Tjaden - 2013/02/07 23:56:42 UTC
It is a great tragedy to lose someone so young and vital.
...the great tragedy of losing someone so young and vital right in her backyard - despite ensuring that he was using the best and most extensively tested lockout protectors in the scope of her...
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32824
Weaklink testing
Mark Dowsett - 2013/07/04 21:41:52 UTC
I left Quest with some of the towmeup.com material when I was there in April and they were going to do testing as well. I'm not sure what they are now using.
...quite extensive experience.
I have witnessed countless others have weak link breaks with no serious problems.
Great Paul.
- I've witnessed countless people:
-- whipstalling their gliders to dead stops in light switchy conditions
-- skipping preflight sidewire load tests and hook-in checks
-- launching with brake lever release actuators velcroed to their downtubes
with no serious problems.
- Have you:
-- witnessed countable others having weak link breaks with serious problems?
-- ever heard or read about anyone having a weak link break with a serious problem?
- Would you not consider Lauren's little romp...
Lauren Tjaden - 2003/12/14
But, my glider stalled quite dramatically almost instantly (hard not to stall when you have a break), and dove towards the ground (a bit disconcerting from so low).
...over the soybean field a very serious problem?
- Couldn't Zack have had a fairly serious problem just getting dumped by a weak link break and having to land in the thermal (or invisible dust devil) that popped the planes up? Sounds like the Pilot In Command...
Mark Frutiger - 2013/02/08 19:12:21 UTC
The thermal was still active in the area that I had just launched from so I did a go round and landed on a runway 90 degrees cross to the direction we were towing in.
...didn't want any part of it.
- Can you conceive of an unlikely hypothetical situation in which a weak link break could result in a very serious problem?
- I know you didn't actually see it happen but you're reporting on Zack Marzec having a fairly serious problem after his weak link broke. Are you gonna discount the possibility that his serious problem might have had something to do with the weak link break because you've witnessed countless others have weak link breaks with no serious problems?
- WITH NO SERIOUS PROBLEMS?!?!?! Weak links function ONLY to PREVENT serious problems.
-- Saying that you've witnessed countless others have weak link breaks with no serious problems is like saying you've seen people doing strong launch runs and clearing their turns with no serious problems.
-- And Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney ASSURES us that it's physically impossible to have so much as a MINOR problem with a weak link break - just an inconvenience. You really should get together with him so he can make you understand that you're not actually seeing any minor problems resulting from standard 130 pound test weak link pops.
- So aren't you gonna tell us about some of the countless lives you seen saved when these countless weak link breaks you've witnessed have prevented low level lockouts with no serious problems? You must have countless really amazing stories. Maybe you put a collection of them up on Quest's website.
- Ever consider going to something heavier than the standard 130 pound test weak link to get the number of weak link breaks you've witnessed down to countable levels? Nah...
Dr. Trisa Tilletti 1 - 2012/06
We know that some aerotow hang gliding operations and pilots experience a relatively high incidence of weak link breaks. Why do you think that happens?
Dr. Trisa Tilletti 2 - 2012/06
There are many reasons, but for most pilots it is not because the standard 130 lb. green spot Dacron line used to make weak links for hang gliders is too weak.
That probably wouldn't work very well.
We train aero tow pilots how to handle this situation and I am certain that Zach had also encountered this situation many times before and knew how to react properly.
Well, yeah, but you're training them how to handle that situation...
The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc. - 2012/06/20
Standard Operating Procedure
12. Rating System
02. Pilot Proficiency System
12. Hang Gliding Aerotow
-A. Aerotow
05. The candidate must also demonstrate the ability to properly react to a weak link/tow rope break simulation with a tandem rated pilot, initiated by the tandem pilot at altitude, but at a lower than normal release altitude. Such demonstrations should be made in smooth air.
...at altitude in smooth air. And where Zack and Lauren and a lot of other folk seem to be having issues is shortly after takeoff in turbulent air. Have you thought any about changing your training protocol to even better prepare your aerotow pilots?
Apparently, Zach simply hit strong low level turbulence, probably a dust devil that could not be seen due to the lack of dust in Florida, the nose went too high and he tumbled at a very low altitude.
Right. Probably a dust devil that morphed out of the smooth thermal Mark had flown through several seconds before and then morphed back into a thermal when he was turning back around to set up his landing.
Strong dust devils in Florida definitely do exist even though they are rare.
That's a real good thing, Paul. 'Cause thermals in Florida are common as shit - which is why Quest and Wallaby are located where they are and why people from all over the world flock to Quest and Wallaby. And we'd hate to think that a highly experienced standard 130 pound test weak link protected pro toad could get snuffed just by flying into a strong thermal at a hundred feet or so.
My wife had a near miss when she encountered a severe dusty a couple years ago and I almost lost a brand new $18,000 ATOS VX when it was torn from its tie down and thrown upside down.
WHOA! DUDE! Definitely a good thing that they're rare.
I wish I could shed more light on this accident but I am afraid this is all we know and probably will know.
Yeah, you're probably right. No need for the FAA to look into this and start wasting our time with a lot of stupid questions.
But if you really DO wanna shed some more light on this accident...
- Go up in smooth evening air with a pro toad bridle and a standard 130 pound test weak link.
- Pull the bar in at a hundred feet then shove it out hard to simulate Zack's climb.
- Wait for the standard 130 pound test weak link to pop. (Shouldn't take any more than a second or two.)
If the glider doesn't tailslide, whipstall, and tumble that'll be pretty good evidence to support your invisible dust devil hypothesis. (Have a couple of cameras running so we can have a productive discussion about the issue. And wear a good helmet - just in case.)
