instructors and other qualified pilot fiends

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29995
What are your thoughts on quest air?

Tiberiu Szollosi - 2013/09/24 21:48:36 UTC

Possible trip to Quest at the end of October, I'm wondering what your experiences are at Quest this time of year !!

Try to hold off until the beginning of February. Great thermal action that time year. And by then they'll have spent an extra four months perfecting aerotowing.

Andrew Vanis - 2013/09/24 22:40:06 UTC
Albuquerque

no info for you about that time of year
but
quest rocks

So do Mark Kight and...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYe3YmdIQTM


...Mel Glantz.

Asshole.

[Steve Davy]

God it's fun to watch Jack Asshole's moronic forum slowly implode.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=27217
Bad Launch!

NMERider - 2012/09/25 14:21:38 UTC

But what we have in excess here on the Org is generally referred to as a mutual masturbation society. That's where pilots get together and sit around and just jack each other off. That's what I see here in spades.

And soon, Jonathan...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29984
What happened to the org?

Jack Axaopoulos - 2013/09/24 11:54:46 UTC

Actually, I have big plans with the new software that addresses this.

The new forum allows for DISCUSSIONS and for QUESTIONS.

If you start a QUESTION topic, instead of a DISCUSSION topic, then people can respond, and people can upvote the responses. The original poster can ACCEPT an answer. The person who gets their answer accepted gets KUDOS points and their REP goes up... etc. Think StackExchange, for people familiar with that.

There is a lot more incentive for positive posting in the new system. The new site is going to be run more like a professional business and less crap is going to be tolerated.

...you'll be seeing a more efficient mutual masturbation society. It's what:
- The Jack Show has always been
- Jack set it up to be with his little 3 thumbs up, Sink this!, and BURY this topic buttons
- Jack has manipulated it to be by:
-- jumping on the attack bandwagon and taking the lead whenever he identifies somebody taking an unpopular position
-- strategic use of lock and ban buttons
-- putting it off limits to the top one percent
-- protecting and nurturing mediocrity, stupidity, incompetence, negligence, corruption

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Kinsley Sykes - 2013/02/09 23:49:42 UTC

I am very hard pressed to come up with a scenario where I would want my weaklink not to break when it's loaded up. Conversely, I can think of several times on tow where I was glad it did. Usually I was just about to release cause things were going from bad to worse and POP, I was flying myself and things worked out.

I get pretty torqued up at the "strong weak link" advocates who come out of the woodwork when something like this happens and use it to say "see, this proves my/our point". This, in spite of not being there and only having second hand information to make this point. If you believe that fine, knock yourself out, but don't use BS like "this wouldn't have happened if only you had listened to me".

I have the greatest respect of Paul and Mark and their willingness to share what they know.

I have zero respect for those who are using a tragedy to advocate a particular position, particularly when there is no proven link between their point and this accident.

None of you stupid motherfuckers wants to be told that the crap you've been taught and internalized is dead wrong. You just wanna hear the crap expressed in new, different, better ways so you can continue strolling through the minefields with more confidence and higher self esteems.

I'm really looking forward to Jack 2.0 and the sea of purréed homogenized crap it's gonna generate and the crashes and fatalities it's gonna facilitate. People WILL continue to slam in due to standup landing attempts, Rooney Links, releases within easy reach, skipped hook-in checks and the level of insanity in your postmortem discussions WILL continue to get more amusing.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29972
Fatality Stats

Dan Johnson - 2013/09/25 09:33:22 UTC
San Andreas

Without demographic information, as well as factors including weather, skill level, terrain, and an honest assessment of what is an equipment vs. pilot error, what is it worth?

Name an equipment error...

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/358/18796960282_f659ffd44e_o.jpg

162-20727
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8576/16673571861_3962427127_o.png


http://ozreport.com/pub/images/fingerlakesaccident2.jpg
http://ozreport.com/pub/images/fingerlakesaccident3.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ek9_lFeSII/UZ4KuB0MUSI/AAAAAAAAGyU/eWfhGo4QeqY/s1024/GOPR5278.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh_NfnOcUns/UZ4Lm0HvXnI/AAAAAAAAGyk/0PlgrHfc__M/s1024/GOPR5279.JPG
06-03114
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3728/9655895292_f4f808fb0e_o.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bRrpHNa68iY/UQ6Pv9gRZyI/AAAAAAAAjTg/Hc22bx5122Q/s2048/20943781_BG1.jpg

Bob Buxton accident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2oeb0nNIKs
Scott Buxton - 2013/02/10
dead
http://www.kitestrings.org/post5902.html#p5902
016-04308
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/13746342624_c9b015f814_o.png


http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/13746340634_a74b33d285_o.png
022-04610
http://vimeo.com/48762486

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYe3YmdIQTM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WtDFymXlPU

13-10410
http://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2910/13891037280_0d42b84bbf_o.png


http://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7409/13890988198_2c1f79fa23_o.png
33-10814

that isn't a pilot error.

Rick Cavallaro - 2013/09/25 14:58:32 UTC

That's a good point. Such a breakdown would definitely be helpful. But in the absence of such data you can only say what the stats say (e.g. 1 out of 1000 participants per year will die from the activity). Without the breakdown you describe above you have no reason to believe that you are, or are not, just as likely as the next guy to end up a statistic. The breakdown just might show that the most dangerous group is that of experienced pilots flying XC off of tow for example.

In my very unscientific analysis (i.e. reading the accident reports from some years ago when they used to post them in the rag) activities like towing and XC seemed to be responsible for a lot of the fatalities.

- The fact that the rag no longer posts anything...



...that it's been steadily going down the toilet since Doug Hildreth either left or was escorted off the scene, is a glaring symptom of the main problem. That's - supposedly - YOUR organization run by YOUR elected representatives - like Mark G. Forbes, Dan DeWeese, Ryan Voight, Dave Glover, Felipe Amunategui, Dennis Pagen, Dan Tomlinson, Steve Kroop, Jamie Sheldon, Matt Taber, Bruce Weaver, Dave Broyles, Paul Voight - that's been doing that to you. You wanna see the best incident reports, data, analysis - come over here.

- We HAD a towing fatality this year. I don't know how much more fuckin' obvious it could've been that:
-- it was the result entirely of the consequence of the combination of using a:
--- flimsy piece of fishing line as a substitute for an emergency release
--- crappy pro toad bridle/release system as a substitute for a crappy two point bridle/release system
-- there wasn't a goddam thing this tandem aerotow instructor could've done to alter the outcome once he entered the lift

Never in the history of aviation have there been so obvious and easy fixes for such a lethal situation. But you assholes are all too busy discussing fatality statistics and talking about how great Quest and all the assholes who run it are to do anything about the fatalities generating the statistics.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29984
What happened to the org?

Robert Moore - 2013/09/24 22:32:38 UTC

I would love if the .ORG BB emulated the OZ BB in one specific respect. "Off Topic" threads get their own separate forum, and don't bleed onto the other categories. The climate change/guns/politics guys can go off and raise hell without clogging up the HG-only forums. Just that one change would make a huge difference in the tone of the .ORG BB.

On The Davis Show "Off Topic" also includes discussions of any:
- hook-in checks
- fishing line heavier than what's mandated for a Davis Link
- crashes, injuries, and fatalities caused by the fishing line mandated for a mandatory Davis Link
- releases that:
-- can be blown in emergencies
-- incorporate pins straighter than the bent pin crap Davis sells
-- work under load
- bridles too short, thick, and well designed to be capable of wrapping
- two point bridles not designated as three point bridles
- one point bridles not designated as pro tow bridles
- dangers inherent in one point towing
- designations of Bobby, Davis, and Rooney as stupid pigfuckers
- evidence that T** at K*** S****** had predicted Zack Marzec's death half a dozen years before it happened
- call for the forum to be opened back up to viewing by search engines and people not on Davis's approved list
- thing of much particular interest except inside of a window of several weeks after someone else has been needlessly killed

There's nothing in either of those forums that's gonna make any difference for the better. Hang gliding in the English speaking world has been in a long increasingly rapid downward slide since the early Eighties, the magazine and mainstream forums are inevitable reflections of that trend, and nothing's gonna reverse the decay - especially not any more social engineering by Jack or Davis.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29998
Quest Air (Florida) "Intro to Competition 101" Oct

Cliff Rice - 2013/09/25 11:44:24 UTC
Saint Petersburg

How can we build the Sport Class within hang gliding, and encourage pilots who are thinking about flying a Sport Class comp, but are wondering how to get better at XC and flying comp tasks? Some pilots have gotten together with Quest Air to host Intro to Comp 101, a learning/training event to help bridge that gap.

Go to the Quest Air Hang Gliding Page on Facebook and Click Events to sign up, and click See More to see all the details, or open the attached pdf file.

Summary:

This competition is for you if you are:
- Hang 3 rated
- (Hang 2 rated: call Quest for review/permission)
Whether or not you have ever:
- Thermaled away from the ridge.
- Flown cross-country to goal.
- Competed in a fun meet or Sport Class competition.

Designed to help pilots develop your skills in the following areas:
- How to thermal in the flatlands and fly in a gaggle with other pilots.
- How to judge distance, altitude, and glide ratio by sight.
- How to use a GPS (Flytec or Garmin recommended/supported) to set and tag waypoint cylinders on a multi-leg course.
- How to manage a course-line to goal upwind, downwind, or cross-wind.
- Course lines, waypoints and goals will be set to maximize your learning experience, and help you fly safely and build confidence.

Seminars by:
- Mitch Shipley (member of the US Open Class Team at the 2013 World Championships)
- Mark Frutiger (manager of Quest, tow pilot, hang glider pilot, paraglider pilot)
- Cliff Rice (local pilot, Sport Class Day 6 winner at 2013 US Nationals)

Any of you total fucking assholes gonna have a seminar on how to launch off a cart in normal thermal conditions...

06-03114
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3728/9655895292_f4f808fb0e_o.png


...and not end up...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Ek9_lFeSII/UZ4KuB0MUSI/AAAAAAAAGyU/eWfhGo4QeqY/s1024/GOPR5278.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh_NfnOcUns/UZ4Lm0HvXnI/AAAAAAAAGyk/0PlgrHfc__M/s1024/GOPR5279.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bRrpHNa68iY/UQ6Pv9gRZyI/AAAAAAAAjTg/Hc22bx5122Q/s2048/20943781_BG1.jpg


...in a terminal crumpled heap a few seconds later?

Clifford Rice - 24908 - H4 - 2010/09/03 - Paul Tjaden - AT FL CL RLF TUR XC

Just kidding.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29984
What happened to the org?

Al Dicken - 2013/09/26 17:23:46 UTC
British Columbia

...hmmm, I noticed there seems to be a number of posers on the org;

Name four Jack Showers who AREN'T posers.

one of the most prolific on this and other hg forums I happen to know
doesn't fly at all anymore, probably been about 20 years since he has..

Larry Tudor?

also a launch troll, I actually had to get agressive to get this blabbermouth out of my face when I'm setting up and pre-launch.
if u don't fly, u have no business giving "advice", get a life

If you can't write - or think - at a third or better grade level you have no business giving advice about who has no business giving advice.

2013/09/26 22:39:04 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Glenn Zapien

Figures.

Mike Lake - 2013/09/26 18:59:57 UTC

On the other hand there are plenty of people who fly lots but still manage to spew out the most incredible and dangerous garbage to others.

My theory is that the more flying someone does the more incredible and dangerous garbage he's likely to spew out.

This includes some of the "professionals" - people who work in the industry and are therefore able to regard themselves as such.

All the more when you let professionals into the mix. There the ones who REALLY need to legitimize the crap they've been doing, teaching, selling.

They really believe they have a monopoly on knowledge and when finding themselves on the losing side of a debate resort to the old standby "This is what we do so fuck off you weekender."

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Jim Rooney - 2011/08/25 04:55:25 UTC

Ditto dude.

It always amazes to hear know it all pilots arguing with the professional pilots.
I mean seriously, this is our job.
We do more tows in a day than they do in a month (year for most).

We *might* have an idea of how this stuff works.
They *might* do well to listen.
Not that they will, mind you... cuz they *know*.

I mean seriously... ridgerodent's going to inform me as to what Kroop has to say on this? Seriously? Steve's a good friend of mine. I've worked at Quest with him. We've had this discussion ... IN PERSON. And many other ones that get misunderstood by the general public. It's laughable.

Don't even get me started on Tad. That obnoxious blow hard has gotten himself banned from every flying site that he used to visit... he doesn't fly anymore... because he has no where to fly. His theories were annoying at best and downright dangerous most of the time. Good riddance.

So, argue all you like.
I don't care.
I've been through all these arguments a million times... this is my job.
I could be more political about it, but screw it... I'm not in the mood to put up with tender sensibilities... Some weekend warrior isn't about to inform me about jack sh*t when it comes to towing. I've got thousands upon thousands of tows under my belt. I don't know everything, but I'll wager the house that I've got it sussed a bit better than an armchair warrior.

Not Rooney. He knows he's an incompetent fraud - and is terrified of engaging in legitimate discussions...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/16 23:18:54 UTC

Naw... You want me to make bold black and white statements so that you can have a go.
Unfortunately that's not what you're getting.
Some people listen with the intent of understanding.

Others do so with the intent of responding.

...lest others figure out what his game is.

I say good riddance to those nauseating, know it all, self indulgent "professionals" who have banished themselves from this site.

Rooney got banned for sticking up for paragliders too much. Ryan left voluntarily when he figured out there were no more intelligent productive discussions left to sabotage.

I have a friend who is a bus driver, he drives thousands of miles per year and can reverse his bus into the tiniest of spaces.
But unfortunately he doesn't know one end of a spark plug from the other, he thinks a piston head is some kind of sexual act involving urinating...

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3035
Tad's Barrel Release and maybe an alternative

Jim Rooney - 2008/02/14 01:37:28 UTC

(3 tows/year) The crux of everything Tad says here.
He is the ultimate sideline quarterback.

Yet he is constantly insulting and condescending to anyone that doesn't agree with his assumptions and conclusions.... which are based on a horrible lack of experience.

It baffles me that people even listen to him.

...and has a gallant attempt every few years to kill all his passengers!

The Press - 2006/03/15

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is urgently pushing for new hang-gliding industry standards after learning a hang-gliding pilot who suffered serious injuries in a crash three weeks ago had not clipped himself on to the glider.

Extreme Air tandem gliding pilot James (Jim) Rooney safely clipped his passenger into the glider before departing from the Coronet Peak launch site, near Queenstown, CAA sports and recreation manager Rex Kenny said yesterday.

However, he took off without attaching himself.

In a video, he was seen to hold on to the glider for about fifty meters before hitting power lines.

Rooney and the passenger fell about fifteen meters to the ground.

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2467
weak links

Jim Rooney - 2007/08/01 13:47:23 UTC

Whatever's going on back there, I can fix it by giving you the rope.

Plenty of HG innovations were by people who weren't the most prolific flyers.

Name some HG innovations...

Mike Lake

The club purchased a static winch from Len and towing had arrived.

A meeting was arranged sometime later to discuss the way forward. It was well attended and many issues were discussed.

On the 26th September 1979 at the Fleece in Suffolk.

The club had one valuable member (Brian Barry? I can't remember) who had studied tethered flight in some detail. He had been appointed a tow technical adviser.

His name was Brian Pattenden.

During discussions he described his theory that some part of the tow force should go through THE PILOT.

You may wish to reread the above. What was being described was C of M towing. I believe this was a first, worldwide!

It was a radical suggestion at the time and was greeted with silence. However, the seeds had been sown.

Unfortunately, at the same meeting, when asked for his advice on safe towing his answer was 'DON'T DO IT'. This was not what several dozen flight starved pilots wanted to hear. His short reign as tow technical advisor came to an end.

...from people who ARE the most prolific flyers. Name ONE SINGLE INNOVATION that's come out of mainstream aerotowing that hasn't totally sucked. The only things I can come up with are the trike towline routed through the hollow propeller shaft and is split hold-downs on the launch dolly. Everything else was just ripped off and maybe modified a bit from pre-existing technology.

The only people one should take advice from are those who are "right", regardless of their status.

How are ya gonna tell who's right in a flavor of aviation based entirely upon opinion?

2013/09/26 20:42:36 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Brian Scharp
2013/09/26 19:19:24 UTC - 3 thumbs up - NMERider
2013/09/26 20:30:40 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Rick Caballero
2013/09/27 01:07:47 UTC - 3 thumbs up - Sam Kellner
2013/09/26 20:02:33 UTC - 3 thumbs up - John Borton

What the fuck is Sam doing in that grouping?

Hey Sam... Remember this?

http://www.ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=795
AL's Flight At Packsaddle 10-04-11

Terry Mason - 2011/12/01 19:55:00 UTC

Those of us who prefer to fly, will always wonder about the key board jocks, who frighten away new flyers with skitzoid horror stories of murder, and at the hands of friends who only wish to share the incomparable thrill of free flight. I'm reminded of Johnathan Livingston Seagull, striving against the ever present obstructionists. Thanks to Sam for limiting Our forum to FLYERS. See you soon Bob

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7462005802_bbc0ac66ac_o.jpg

[Tad Eareckson]

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Jim Rooney - 2011/08/26 08:24:31 UTC

Thought I already answered that one... instead of quoting myself (have a look back if you don't believe me), I'll just reiterate it.

I don't advocate anything.
I use what we use at the flight parks. It's time tested and proven... and works a hell of a lot better than all the other bullshit I've seen out there.

130lb greenspot (greenspun?) cortland fishing line.
In stock at Quest, Highland, Eastern Shore, Kitty Hawk Kites, Florida Ridge, and I'm pretty sure Wallaby, Lookout and Morningside.

Morningside?

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/15 06:48:18 UTC

Davis has been at an around all this plenty long enough to understand what's what and who's who.
I'll put money that he's using that new orange stuff like what they've got up at Morningside.

I wouldn't be too sure about what they're using at Morningside.

How 'bout Australia?

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/15 06:48:18 UTC

I have no clue what they're using over there.

Well, it's almost certainly the same. If they'd...

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.

...worked on and worked over this stuff for years and thousands upon thousands of tows they'd have inevitably reached exactly the same conclusion, right? I mean, don't all of their cars and bicycles use round wheels? And if they had decided on 120 or 140 pound Greenspot surely we'd be reading almost daily on the Oz Report about all the resulting carnage.

Not sure what Tracy up at Cloud Nine uses, but I'll put bets on the same.

I think you're pretty safe there.

Dr. Trisa Tilletti - 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.

Did you read their article in the 2012/06 issue of the magazine? I'd REALLY appreciate hearing your take on some of the issues.

Did I miss any?
Is it clear what I mean by "We"?

I dunno...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32824
Weaklink testing

Davis Straub - 2013/07/04 13:47:57 UTC

Mark Knight and Jim Rooney put the loops through the wringer

Mark Knight

My calculations and test suggest the 200 lb. is right for me. I weigh 185 pounds, fly a T2 154 (75 lbs), and my harness fully loaded is 35 pounds. Total all up flying weight is 185 + 75+ 35 = 295 lbs. Times 1.4 = 413. I use Pro tow barrel release so divide by 2 = 206.5. I feel the White and purple is a good fit for me.

Mark Knight seems to think that the two hundred is right for him because it puts him close to 1.4 Gs - which is not a good rule of thumb.

I didn't make the system up.

No, you need to be someone other than Jim Rooney to...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks

Jim Rooney - 2013/03/04 19:31:36 UTC

Morningside decided that they were happy with 200lb weaklink. They changed their tug's link and they don't just pass the stuff out either. If you'd like to know more about it... go ask them.

...decide you're happy with something.

And I'm not so arrogant to think that my precious little ideas are going to magically revolutionise the industry.

So what are some of your precious little ideas? I thought that everything was...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/13 19:09:33 UTC

It was already worked out by the time I arrived.

...already worked out by the time you arrived. And if other shit worked...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/12 18:00:27 UTC

I get tired as hell "refuting" all these mouth release and "strong link" arguments. Dig through the forums if you want that. I've been doing it for years but unfortunately the peddlers are religious in their beliefs so they find justification any way they can to "prove" their stuff. This is known as "Confirmation Bias"... seeking data to support your theory... it's back-asswards. Guess what? The shit doesn't work. If it did, we'd be using it everywhere. But it doesn't stand the test of reality.

...we'd be using it already.

If you have precious little ideas then surely you think that there are things being done wrong and can be done better. Hell, one of your professional pilot tandem aerotow buddies just got smeared all over the runway at Quest. Was that just the inevitable cost of doing business? If you have some precious little ideas what could be the harm in putting one or two of them forth in response?

There are far smarter people than me working this out.
I know, I've worked with them.

Who?

http://questairhanggliding.com/
Quest Air Hang Gliding

Personable and fun, Dr. Mitch Shipley excels at flying - and at whatever else he decides to do, too. He's been hang gliding since 1987 and competed actively from 1995-2002. He flew more than 100 hours and 1000-2000 cross country miles each of those years, racking up numerous accolades and site records. He began flying tandem in 1997 so he could take his sons with him into the sky. He's introduced many others to the joys of hang gliding since, and is a gifted, empathetic and thorough instructor.

This overachiever graduated from the United States Naval Academy and completed a 21 year naval career in submarines and submarine related research.

Dr. Shipley? He says:

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22660
What can be learned from this "scooter" towing accident?

Mitch Shipley - 2011/01/31 15:22:59 UTC

Enjoy your posts, as always, and find your comments solid, based on hundreds of hours / tows of experience and backed up by a keen intellect/knowledge of the issues when it comes to most things in general and hang gliding AT/Towing in particular. Wanted to go on record in case anyone reading wanted to know one persons comments they should give weight to.

...you're at the top of this game - and I think if you survey the people still permitted to post on the Jack and Davis Shows you'll find the vast majority in total agreement.

(Bobby's a fucking genius when it comes to this shit... for example.)

So then, obviously, you vetted all your precious little ideas with Bobby and he refuted them.

So, that being the case, why do you still harbor precious little ideas? Were his explanations so far over your head that you couldn't understand them but you just assumed he must be right and you must be wrong because he's a fucking genius when it comes to this shit?

But, again, if you didn't have some doubts about his superhuman infallibility you wouldn't be continuing to harbor any of your precious little ideas, right?

So why aren't you posting any of them on The Davis Show. Are you absolutely positive that no one reading The Davis Show is a fucking genius in the ballpark of Bobby's caliber? Hell, Davis himself...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/15 06:48:18 UTC

Davis has been at an around all this plenty long enough to understand what's what and who's who.

...has been at an around all this plenty long enough to understand what's what and who's who - there's really nothing he doesn't understand in either the what's what or who's who departments. He's got an excellent understanding of the equipment...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24534
It's a wrap

Davis Straub - 2011/07/30 19:51:54 UTC

I'm very happy with the way Quest Air (Bobby Bailey designed) does it now.

...Bobby's designed and his abilities as a tug pilot...

http://ozreport.com/9.008
2005 Worlds

Davis Straub - 2005/01/10

As he took off his left wing was dragging. Bobby Bailey, the best tow pilot in the business, moved to the right into get further into the wind, and Rob got his left wing up and flying as he lined up behind Bobby.

http://ozreport.com/9.127
Robin's accident

Davis Straub - 2005/06/14

If Bobby had released Robin at any time before the last two or three seconds he would likely not have crashed, at least not from a lockout.

The best in the business.

So c'mon, Jim. How 'bout throwing just one of your precious little ideas out for us muppets to contemplate. It would be such a refreshing change from hearing you constantly regurgitating all the moronic shit...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=29984
What happened to the org?

Mike Lake - 2013/09/26 18:59:57 UTC

On the other hand there are plenty of people who fly lots but still manage to spew out the most incredible and dangerous garbage to others.

This includes some of the "professional" people who work in the industry and are therefore able to regard themselves as such.
They really believe they have a monopoly on knowledge and when finding themselves on the losing side of a debate resort to the old standby "This is what we do so fuck off you weekender".

I say good riddance to those nauseating, know it all, self indulgent "professionals" who have banished themselves from this site.

...spoon fed to you over the years by all your asshole mentors from Ridgely, Manquin, and Quest.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Jim Rooney - 2011/08/26 08:24:31 UTC

And I'm not so arrogant to think that my precious little ideas are going to magically revolutionise the industry.

So you've got some precious little ideas you think might magically revolutionize the industry but...

There are far smarter people than me working this out.

...there are far smarter people than you - with your widely known and praised keen intellect - working on their precious little ideas to magically revolutionize the industry.

WOW! That's pretty sobering. 'Cause I've been thinking that we had a proven system that worked and Quest had been perfecting aerotowing...



...for twenty years. But now I realize we have the potential to have the industry magically revolutionized by people far smarter than you. What a Utopia must surely await us - magnitudes safer than it is now.

I know, I've worked with them.

- How were you able to avoid being permanently blinded by their dazzling brilliance? Were really dark sunglasses adequate or did you need to don a welder's mask?

- Do you think that sailplane towing will be able to benefit from this revolution once it comes? It's pretty obvious that they don't have people far smarter than you working on things. They've been doing things pretty much the same way with pretty much the same equipment since the beginning of time. Hell, they don't even seem capable of producing a weak link...

Dr. Trisa Tilletti - 2012/06

You and I have flown sailplanes for almost as long as we have flown hang gliders. We own two sailplanes and have two airplanes that we use for towing full-size sailplanes. In all the time that we have flown and towed sailplanes, we have not experienced or even seen a sailplane weak link break.

...that breaks six times in a row...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Davis Straub - 2013/02/09 16:45:39 UTC

I am more than happy to have a stronger weaklink and often fly with the string used for weaklinks used at Wallaby Ranch for tandem flights (orange string - 200 lbs.). We used these with Russell Brown's (tug owner and pilot) approval at Zapata after we kept breaking weaklink in light conditions in morning flights.

...in light morning conditions.

- Would it be too much to ask the names of any of these people far smarter than you or would the adoring attention they would receive interfere with their tireless efforts at revolutionizing the industry?

- Are they working individually or as a team?

- Is USHGA aware of what they're doing and poised to incorporate it in the SOPs in order that everyone benefits as early as possible?

- Who are the people you have preparing to serve as...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30971
Zach Marzec

Jim Rooney - 2013/02/16 05:05:41 UTC

My general rule is "no funky shit". I don't like people reinventing the wheel and I don't like test pilots. Have I towed a few test pilots? Yup. Have I towed them in anything but very controlled conditions? Nope. It's a damn high bar. I've told more to piss off than I've told yes. I'll give you an example... I towed a guy with the early version of the new Lookout release. But the Tad-o-link? Nope.

So I hope that sheds some light on the situation.
But again, every tuggie's different and every situation is different.
What doesn't change however is that it's my call, not yours.
And it's my job to be the "bad guy" sometimes.
Sorry. It's just the way it is.

...test pilots?

(Bobby's a fucking genius when it comes to this shit... for example.)

He'd certainly have to be if we are to have any hope of him exceeding his...

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.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24846
Is this a joke ?

Davis Straub - 2011/08/28 15:26:28 UTC

Then again, Russell Brown had us double up behind him after six breaks in a row at Zapata. We couldn't figure out why we had so many breaks so quickly. Maybe just coincidence.

...previous level of brilliance.

But do you think he'll have anything for us sometime within the course of the next seventeen months? 'Cause right after that one of your very close friends is gonna buy it at Quest and nobody will have the foggiest idea as to why.

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. I was still in the thermal when I caught sight of Zack again. I did not see the entry to the tumble, but I did see two revolutions of a forward tumble before kicking the tug around to land. 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.

Whoa! Bummer! Too late. Oh well, better to advance slowly and surely than to rush into things and risk making a potentially lethal mistake.

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks

Jim Rooney - 2013/03/03 19:37:19 UTC

But then there's a crowd that "knows better". To them, we're all morons that can't see "the truth".
(Holy god, the names I've been called.)

I have little time for these people.

It saddens me to know that the rantings of the fanatic fringe mask the few people who are actually working on things.

So if it saddens you to know that the rantings of the fanatic fringe mask the few people who are actually working on things then we can assume that the work they're doing is pretty important. And that work can be pretty important only if the current situation pretty much sucks - 'cause otherwise it wouldn't really wouldn't matter. So what problems is it solving? Obviously not...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31052
Poll on weaklinks

Jim Rooney - 2013/03/05 19:42:58 UTC

My god my head hurts.

Wow...
So you know what happened then?
OMG... thank you for your expert accident analysis. You better fly down to FL and let them know. I'm sure they'll be very thankful to have such a crack expert mind on the case analyzing an accident that you know nothing about. Far better data than the people that were actually there. In short... get fucked.

...anything to do with this one. 'Cause if it did you - privy to all this top secret development being conducted by the few people far smarter than you - would be able to assure us that a fix was just around the corner.

The fanaticism makes it extremely hard to have a conversation about these things as they always degrade into arguments. So I save the actual conversations for when I'm talking with people in person.

Can you tell us who any of these people fortunate enough to have any actual conversations with you are - and why they don't seem to be massing to your defense and telling the fanatic fringe why it has no fuckin' clue?

A fun saying that I picked up... Some people listen with the intent of understanding. Others with the intent of responding.
I like that.

Oh well, at least we get to hear the fun sayings you've picked up and understand why our intent should only be swallowing all the shit you're trying to feed us and never questioning any of your sacred pronouncements.

[Tad Eareckson]

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc. - 2013/01/23
12. Standard Operating Procedure
10. Towing/Aerotowing Administration
09. Aerotow Pilot Appointment (ATP)
-B. Aerotow Equipment Guidelines

05. A release must be placed at the hang glider end of the tow line within easy reach of the pilot.

https://www.facebook.com/zachary.marzec


Nice camera mount, Zack. Like the way you can snap a shot with both hands on the basetube in optimal control position.