instructors and other qualified pilot fiends

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

Comet - 2014/12/11 08:27:50 UTC

The trouble with all forums is that the most inexperienced and ignorant member has the same voice as the most knowledgeable and seasoned veteran...

And, of course, the other trouble with all forums - 'cept for Kite Strings - is that the members all have brains the size of walnuts and are totally incapable of assessing the math, logic, evidence to be able to differentiate between solid legitimate information and total crap. So they piss all over a One with a brain and just defer to whatever asshole has the most airtime and/or can do the most consecutive loops.

(lol kind of like election voting, right?).

Pretty much. I've always thought it was a bad idea for people with brains the size of walnuts to help elect representatives with brains the size of walnuts.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to add a "degree of credibility" factor to posts and flying advice on hanggliding.org linked to something quantifiable such as hang rating?

I dunno... If rating, airtime, experience correlated with competence and understanding of theory, aeronautics, procedures then all thems folk would converge on single positions and all be top credibility authorities. And since none of this shit is rocket science it would all be pretty easily understandable and the lower ranks would pretty much all be on the same pages - the way things are in REAL aviation.

But the fact that you're starting this thread is blindingly obvious proof that what you're seeking simply doesn't exist.

For example, if you're Beginner rated, your post gets a 1x score. But if you're a Master pilot, your post gets a 5 multiplier.

Cool! Here ya go then...

James Rooney - 78142
- H4 - 2004/09/03 - Sunny Venesky - AT FL LGO PL ST TAT TFL RLF TUR XC - AT ADMIN, TAND INST, TUG PILOT
- P4 - 2008/01/29 - Marc Fink - FL ST TFL CL FSL HA RLF RS TUR XC - ST ADMIN, TAND INST

Ryan Voight - 55366
- H5 - 2009/09/24 - Paul Voight - AT FL PL TAT TFL TPL AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC - ADV INST, EXAM, INST ADMIN, MNTR, TAND INST
- P3 - 2013/06/16 - Chris Santacroce - FL FSL RS TUR

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=25536
Whoops! Snapped another tip wand :-O

NMERider - 2012/03/14 15:17:14 UTC

Jim Rooney threw a big tantrum and stopped posting here.

His one-technique-fits-all attitude espoused on the Oz Report Forum has become tiresome to read. It does not work in the fucked-up world of XC landings and weary pilots.

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

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

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

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 "professionals" 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 f*** off you weekender".

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

I have a friend who is a bus driver he drives 1000s 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 and has a gallant attempt every few years to kill all his passengers!

Plenty of HG innovations were by people who weren't the most prolific flyers.
The only people one should take advice from are those who are "right", regardless of their status.

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=30824
Article "Pushing Out" Feb 2014 HG mag

NMERider - 2014/02/25 06:05:06 UTC

What part of:

...his rather nonsensical and too-often phantasmagorical version of physics and aerodynamics.

wasn't clear?

Ryan is a classic example of a superbly talented athlete who is ill-equipped to write a comprehensive training manual or academically meaningful text.

Dawson - 2014/12/11 09:15:31 UTC
Lake Macquarie

I think that would give a false sense of credibility.

The way doing a hook-in check gives a false sense of security?

I personally take advice given on the internet and multiply it's credibility by -0.00

Yeah, fuckin' internet. Nuthin' but lunacy as far as the eye can see. And I do the same thing when people are saying stuff on the telephone or in person, writing books, teaching classes - just to be on the safe side.

If I want advice that I'm going to believe in, I'll speak with my instructor, or other real human beings that I know personally, and have myself judged to be credible experts.

I'M TOTALLY SURE YOU DO. Your flying is gonna be entirely based upon what you BELIEVE IN 'cause that's the limit of what you're gonna be able to process in your walnut sized brain. You're not EVER gonna be able to UNDERSTAND aviation by doing the arithmetic so your gonna handle it the exact same way you do whatever idiot Sunday morning religion you subscribe to. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

Hey Comet... If I were you I'd start paying attention to stuff like:

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=31781
Another hang check lesson

Alan Deikman - 2014/09/23 19:47:06 UTC

Amazing how when this topic comes up every time you see people argue the same arguments over and over again. It has been a classic (although niche) endless Internet flame topic.

I suspect that some of the parties that have posted in threads like these before are refraining now since they have learned that it is nearly (completely?) impossible to change people's minds on the topic.

For my part I will just refer you to the classic Tad Eareckson essay which I call "the gun is always loaded" which is a bit overworked but probably all you will ever need to read regarding FTHI. A lot of people will find it gores their particular sacred Ox, but I have never seen anyone point out a flaw in his logic.

When you've got somebody who's rock solid on one issue and can explain it in a manner that gets through to people with functional brains it's a damn good bet that...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=16265
weaklinks

Kinsley Sykes - 2010/03/18 19:42:19 UTC

In the old threads there was a lot of info from a guy named Tad. Tad had a very strong opinion on weak link strength and it was a lot higher than most folks care for. I'd focus carefully on what folks who tow a lot have to say. Or Jim Rooney who is an excellent tug pilot. I tow with the "park provided" weak links. I think they are 130 pound Greenspot.

...he's gonna be rock solid on other issues he addresses as well.

And by the way... The enormous track record of 130 pound Greenspot "park provided" Rooney Links came to a very abrupt and catastrophic end on the afternoon of 2013/02/02 and you're gonna have to focus VERY carefully on what Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney has to say 'cause he - and most of his asshole standard aerotow weak link buddies - shortly thereafter went DEAD SILENT on the issue.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

Steve Corbin - 2014/12/11 17:59:54 UTC
Crestline

My screen name has "3 thumbs up". Some have only one or two.

I don't know how this works, who decides it? And how is it decided?

It's obvious bullshit that Jack manipulates any way he feels like - just like everything else in your crappy little dump.

If you have a lot of posts, and a higher "thumb rating", would this be any indication of credibility?

Yeah, sure. If you're great at winning popularity contests that's an obvious indication that you really have your shit together on aeronautical issues.

Inquiring minds want to know.

ACTUAL inquiring minds already know.

I do know that I've received several PM's "patting me on the back", and these have encouraged me to get over my shyness and post my opinions regarding aeronautical practice and theory. But I advise anyone to take what I say with a grain or a cup of salt.

Don't worry. The fact that your stating that your take on aeronautical practice and theory translates to opinions and that you're warning people about them tells us that you really don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

Mike Badley - 2014/12/11 18:48:08 UTC

There is a LOT of good stuff and wisdom here on the forum.

It's an intellectually castrated...

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.

...shit heap.

I for one, have gained a significant amount of insight from many of the members' posts.

Yeah, we can tell.

There are the 'usual' doofus posts and some flame-fests that detract...

if there's a flame fest on a glider forum it's a pretty good bet that there will be a right side engaged. And it doesn't take all that much in the way of brains to be able to identify it.

...but for the most part - am glad to have this point of connection with my fellow-feathers.

Never had the slightest doubt.

Credibility is backed up not by a 'single statement' of fact...

Why not?

Tost Flugzeuggerätebau

Weak links protect your aircraft against overloading.

That is THE ONLY statement regarding weak links that holds up to even the most superficial level of scrutiny.

...but a string of coherent data that taken together, will make sense - even if you don't necessarily agree with it.

And if you "don't necessarily agree" with a string of coherent data you'll be doing both the sport and gene pool huge favors in exiting and we can always use you to increase the length of the string of coherent data. (Thanks again, Zack Marzec.)

Most approaches to hang gliding have many 'gray' areas and there are advocates for each piece of advice.

There isn't shit that's "gray" about aviation - just a lot of really fuzzy minds that make tons of stuff appear hopelessly gray.

As an Old-Dog hang glider pilot, what works for me doesn't necessarily work for the New-Pups.

Bullshit. Name something. We need to be teaching the newbies to do nothing but duplicating what we're doing or working up to it.

Certainly I have my share of TIWTIWGD stories that do seem to have some pearls of wisdom for the newbie (like: Don't do what I did...) and I think that overall, everybody has something to offer.

To fill in the gaps left by their total shit instructors?

One way to find out about creds here, go ahead and post some 'seeking advice' missive and WATCH the responses!!

And make sure you focus on who has Jack Show credibility rather than who is actually credible. It's a lot easier that way.

Rolla Manning - 2014/12/11 19:05:49 UTC

The 3 thumps up is not as good as you might think.

It's every bit as good as *I* think.

If someone doesn't like your political leaning (ie: spork / Jr. ) they simply go to your Post history and down vote your thumps up rating

It's crap.

Red Howard - 2014/12/11 20:40:04 UTC

Dayhead,

If your first-ever post is something that any one person likes a lot, they can give it three thumbs-up. Your screen name will carry that rating forever, if nobody thumbs it down later. That rating can also go down if you get thumbs-down on some later posts. The post that gets thumbs-up for you can be about anything from flying to jokes at the Campfire. Somebody might like it, but that is no indication of credibility in terms of safety or the knowledge of the poster.

Click on the screen name of any post, and you will see their Profile here. Find the line in their Profile that says "Posts by (screen-name) that have been rated." Click on that line, and you will see a list of some or all of their rated posts, and the ratings that people have given to those posts. When you see any one post get some thumbs-up rating (shown in bottom right corner of the post), you can click on those thumbs, and see who gave it that rating. Really good postings may get three thumbs up, and they may have several co-signers (or more) giving that rating. Any post with three thumbs up, from several pilots here, is probably worth taking to the bank. Any thread in the Forum listing will show a thumbs rating, if any one post in that thread got rated. Click the Forum tab at the top of the page, and click on any one Forum name, to see all of the threads in that Forum.

I got tons of negative ratings. Many from total assholes like Chris Valley who didn't even bother to read the post and/or were too fuckin' stupid to have the fourth grade reading comprehension skills to understand what I was saying. So make sure you really disregard any of my addressing of issues.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

smokenjoe50 - 2014/12/11 20:42:47 UTC

Hang rating has no value. There are a lot of H4's that can't fly for shit.

So if he can't fly worth shit he couldn't possibly be a valid authority on something like metallurgy and issues regarding aluminum tubing such as strength, flexibility, corrosion.

And if he can fly worth shit, if he's some world class comp jock, we should really listen to him on stuff like aerotow...


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


...releases and unhooked launch...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7570/15661252749_7fcfe6445a_o.jpg


...prevention. Or if the issues are aerotow bridles and weak links, who better than a hotshot...

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3713/9655904048_89cce6423a_o.png


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

...professional tandem aerotow instructor?

Craig Hassan - 2014/12/11 22:04:35 UTC

That got 3 thumbs up from me right there I tell ya!

Why am I not the least bit surprised?

W9GFO - 2014/12/11 22:21:51 UTC

I don't care for rating systems, they all have their flaws.

How 'bout the system sailplane manufacturers have for assigning weak link ratings for all of their models? I've never heard of anyone mentioning a flaw in that theater.

I'm naturally skeptical. I think that helps for forum reading.

Ya think?

I try very hard not to share new things I've "learned" unless I can independently verify them - and of course it must make some sense to me.

Partial sense is good enough? I'm glad I don't employ that strategy.

I also try not to hesitate to say so when I think something is wrong.

Hey Bob. Snatch this guy up before I get him.

I think everyone must take responsibility for separating good info from bad, harder for someone new, that's unfortunate. Follow up questions are a good thing for increasing everyone's understanding of a subject, not just the newbie. So don't be too shy to ask for more details when something is not clear.

So what you're really saying - along with everyone else in this thread - is that our hang gliding instructional programs totally suck, right? People are paying these assholes to train them to become safe competent pilots who can deal with anything as long as they're flying within the guidelines of their ratings but they're coming out and over here totally clueless and unable to even identify people who can patch up the holes for them, right?

Christopher Albers - 2014/12/11 23:12:02 UTC

If I were the forum owner there is no way in hell I'd put a "credibility meter" on any posts whatsoever... talk about vicarious liability.

Well, I'm pretty much the forum owner over here and I have no problem whatsoever on telling people who's totally solid and who's totally full of shit.

But I also tell them, nevertheless, not to just accept what's being said by anybody but to run the numbers and logic until they understand things every bit as well as their mentors do and that none of this shit is rocket science. And I tell them to stay the fuck away from assholes with opinions and beliefs.

Mike Bomstad - 2014/12/11 23:14:54 UTC

We are all full of shit........... "trust me"

Yeah...

11-A12819
http://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8339/28924980016_2ba1d20ef7_o.png


http://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8253/28924975726_0d24a615c2_o.png
13-A14319

We do. A bit odd that you had no comment whatsoever on Alan Deikman's post, Mike End-Of-Story Bomstad.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

Steve Baran - 2014/12/12 03:06:47 UTC

Ratings wouldn't be any fun. Ya couldn't fart around. And some stuffed sleek harnessed blow hard...

...or brain damaged tug driver who thinks he's God's Gift to Aviation because he flies an ultralight up and down at an airport two hundred times a weekend...

...would pull rank (rating) on ya.

And everyone else on the planet save for Bobby Bailey - who's a fucking genius when it comes to this shit.

I think it would lead to less banter and therefore fewer viewpoints.

Like?:

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=12403
weak link table

ian9toes - 2009/06/14 15:18:37 UTC
Gold Coast, Queensland

I strongly disagree with banning the one guy who has the most knowledge about safety issues involving what I believe is the most dangerous part of our sport. I hear someone dies every year from towing. I hope SG bites his tongue in the interest of public safety.

http://www.hanggliding.org/wiki/HG_ORG_Mission_Statement
HG ORG Mission Statement - Hang Gliding Wiki

HangGliding.Org Rules and Policies

No posts or links about Bob K, Scott C Wise, Tad Eareckson and related people, or their material. ALL SUCH POSTS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DELETED. These people are poison to this sport and are permanently banned from this site in every possible way imaginable.

Worst thing that can happen is for less discourse to be encouraged.

And you think that hadn't happened fifteen or twenty minutes after the stupid sociopath you assholes have for an Administrator launched the forum?

Everyone here should feel free to toss in their $.02 - even if it is really worth less than that.

Fuck you, Steve. How obvious does it hafta be to you assholes that that can never happen there?

NMERider - 2014/12/12 05:19:37 UTC

Thread Karma or whatever else you want to call it is already incorporated into hanggliding.org v2. sg has not implemented the new forum yet. If he does get it up and running then I will be running too. Right for the exit.

Why wait until then?

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=14230
pro tow set-up

Jack Axaopoulos - 2009/11/09 14:44:23 UTC

Tad, your continual bashing in general and bashing of HG schools has gotten really old. AT parks have solid safety records, so what you say and reality seem to be quite far apart.

You dominate the ignore report here.

http://www.hanggliding.org/ignorereport.php

Ever ask yourself why???

You do nothing but bring negativity here. My finger is on the ban button.
This is your last warning.

If you continue rubbing everyone the wrong way with your harsh, know it all tone, you are out of here.

I abhor any and all forms of dogma.

Bummer...

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

NMERider - 2013/02/19 22:56:19 UTC

I will appreciate that it is the tug pilot's call as to the maximum breaking strength of any so-called weak link system and not mine.

You're flying in a dogma based sport.

The moment hang glider pilots start voting on each other's credibility is the day this forum truly becomes irrelevant as I have quipped about in the past.

How much more irrelevant does it need to become? You've got a total piece of shit running and intellectual castrating it such that nothing ever gets resolved or accomplished. Same idiot discussions cycling over and over ad nauseam. Groundhog Day hell.

You want talk about a self-congratulatory circle-jerk? Then start voting on each others' credibility.

That hasn't always happened with post ratings, ignore list, fake Bury button, Basement?

That will mark the beginning of the end.

The beginning of the end was late July of 2006 when Jack first threw the switch.

I have gleaned valuable information from even the most despised or ignored members of this forum...

21 - AeroTow
15 - cecilbunter
12 - spork
10 - Alfie Norks
09 - noman3
08 - davisstraub
08 - BubbleBoy
07 - michael170
06 - lime
06 - AIRTHUG
06 - Paraglider Collapse

After well over five years since being silenced still hold the Number One slot with the runner up having only 71.4 percent of my score.

...and read pure unadulterated nonsense...

Crap.

...from the most esteemed. But there is nothing and I mean nothing I find more repugnant than dogma. You want shitloads of dogma?

Obviously. Swallowing dogma...

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

Jim Rooney - 2007/05/31 13:27:30 UTC

Wow... this thread is still going?
Hahahahaha... as if this is shocking?

Guys, take all your equations and stuff them. We all know bumbelbees don't fly right?

Any tug pilot will tell you that this is all bunk. Weaklinks don't "protect" you from lockout, but I'll be damned if I listen to someone tell me that they don't break during lockout.

Try to get behind me without a weaklink... try... I will not tow you.

...from brain dead self appointed experts on everything is just so much easier than doing grade school level arithmetic.

Then start voting on each other's credibility.
Say, why don't we start a pole and vote on that?!

You have a flavor of aviation being controlled by sleazebags whose primary mission is to protect themselves from accountability, taught by total morons, and participated in by scientifically illiterate idiots obsessed with finding out whose opinions they can most advantageously incorporate into their portfolios of beliefs. The sport IS dying. Do we really need to spend a lot of time wondering about and discussing why?

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

michael170 - 2014/12/12 11:25:39 UTC

Richard Feynman - 1985

I never pay attention to anything by "experts". I calculate everything myself.

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=27393
Pro towing: 1 barrel release + weak link or 2 barrel release

Juan Saa - 2012/10/18 01:19:49 UTC
Boca Raton

The normal braking force in pounds for a weak link is around 180, at least that is the regular weak link line used at most aerotow operations. By adding a second weak link to your bridal you are cutting the load on each link by half, meaning that the weak link will not break at the intended 180 pounds but it will need about 360.
If that is what you use and is what your instructor approved then I have no business on interfering, i dont know if you are using the same weak link material but there shoul be only ONE weak link on a tow bridle for it to be effective in breaking before higher loads are put into you and the glider should the glider gets to an attitude or off track so much that the safety fuse of the link is needed to break you free from the tug.

I made the same mistake on putting two weak links thinking that I was adding protection to my setup and I was corrected by two instructors on separate occacions at Quest Air and at the Florida RIdge.

[Tad Eareckson]

Hey Comet...

Quote something of any potential practical value to a hang glider pilot that's ever been posted on The Jack Show that someone with the mid double digit IQ necessary to be a pilot shouldn't be able to easily assess as legitimate or bullshit knowing absolutely nothing about the identity and background of the author.

I have nothing but contempt for the kind of asshole who wants some kind of résumé on a source before he decides to accept or reject information. If you're too fuckin' stupid to understand the principles of aviation yourself then either don't fly or just flip coins or roll dice to determine your courses of action. There's not a helluva lot of difference between doing that and your idiot "credibility multiplier" concept. And, given your Administrator's style of running that dump, I'd go with the coins and dice if I were you.

Hell, if I were you I wouldn't really care much how things turned out.

[<BS>]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32179

Let's call an end to all the confusion, here and now.

The Pagen model is wrong.

The (R.) Voight model is wrong.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

darkcloud - 2014/12/15 00:53:49 UTC

Red Howard - 2014/12/11 20:40:04 UTC

Click on the screen name of any post, and you will see their Profile here.

I just did that and it's interesting how much havoc one person can wreak on someone else's overall rating.

No shit. And how 'bout:

http://www.hanggliding.org/wiki/HG_ORG_Mission_Statement
HG ORG Mission Statement - Hang Gliding Wiki

ANGRY about some post??? Tips to follow

Tired of seeing an inflammatory topic on the front page? Click on the "BURY this topic" link at the top of the page. Once a topic gets enough votes, it will be moved to "The Basement" forum where it will no longer show up on the front page.

If ANY total fuckin' Jack Show douchebag TIRES of seeing an "INFLAMMATORY" topic, like "Weak links should be in the middle of the FAA mandated safe range.", on the front page, where it is because people are interested in and discussing it, he can click on the "BURY this topic" link at the top of the page without citing a justification or revealing his identity and once it gets "ENOUGH" votes, zero if Jack wants it buried, a couple thousand if he doesn't, "it will be moved" - read Jack will move it - off the front page and into Jack's Basement where it will likely die without resolution.

And if there are a couple hundred people who really want it to stay on the front page and have it discussed and resolved and are willing to sign on to that position using their real names... Fuck them, they have absolutely no say in the matter or influence on your dictator's totally arbitrary decision.

And how 'bout the "Ignore List"? I've been head and shoulders above the runner up for about five and half years. Currently that's as a consequence of single clicks by twenty-one Jack Show assholes who apparently are unable to figure out other means of not reading posts in which they have ZERO interest. And it matters not a whit if there are thousands of people who fervently wanna hear everything I have to say and have their persuasions indicated by hit counters.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Kinda like an assault rifle in a high school classroom. Or more like everybody in the classroom having assault rifles. And the dregs holding the strategic positions in the back row are gonna have a huge advantage.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32208
Unintended Consequences, qualified analysis requested

Stephan Mentler - 2014/12/21 01:12:05 UTC
Pensacola

So, I have two questions regarding unintended consequences of things that appear to have impacted my flying without my realizing until recently. Please provide your qualified inputs (i.e. experienced pilots, is this real or not and why).

The first has to do with dangle angle. I fly a single suspension harness. When entering a thermal, I rotate from a head down position to high head up position because I find it more comfortable. There is the rare occasion where I will keep my dangle angle in a head down or flat (horizontal) position. Anecdotally, I have found that I require less high-siding when flat / head down, even at higher VG settings than when I am head high (pitched up). I recently experimented by changing my dangle angle inter-thermal, and the difference in high siding requirements is significant. Has anyone experienced this? If this is not my imagination, can anyone tell me why it is real?

The second has to do with my instrument mount. I recently began to use the long (15" rod) Flytec mount for my 6030 and secure it to my left downtube using the standard Flytec airfoil bracket. To stabilize the mount (keep it from wobbling when on glide) I use a small piece of Velcro and wrap it lightly around the rod where it intersects with the left nose wire. I do it in such a fashion that there is no tugging on the nose wire. Recently, I was gilding in a high crosswind at about 80 degrees to my left. My glider was yawing more than usual toward the wind. I decided to let the glider fly itself and it yawed around into the wind than stabilized and flew straight upwind with no inputs. When flying crosswind going the other direction (wind off of my right), the glider yawed with the wind (i.e. nose rotated downwind) and stabilized. This significant of a wind induced yaw has never occurred for me before. It occurred to me after the flight that the cross wind may have pushed my flight instrument thereby tugging on the nose wire and causing the glider to yaw. Is this possible or am I crazy?

Please provide your qualified inputs (i.e. experienced pilots, is this real or not and why).

Why don't you ask Ryan Instant-Hands-Free-Release Voight? He's not all that bright, has no fuckin' clue how a glider is controlled, and will lie like a rug when it suits him but is EXPERIENCED as hell. Fuck experience, your questions need to be addressed by people who understand physics and they don't need to be pilots - experienced or otherwise.

First question...

Rotate up and you're increasing your drag, thus lowering your glider's center of drag, and increasing the physical effort required for control input. You're also decreasing your pitch control range - top and bottom extremes - but those aren't relevant to this discussion.

I don't think I've ever experienced this "high siding" phenomenon and suspect it's a load o' crap - maybe something related to making adjustments to your turn in response to changes in what's going on with irregularities with the air in the thermal. Note you don't hear much about high siding from people using 360s to wind down in smooth air over LZs. And if it's not a load o' crap I don't think it's worth discussing for anybody who won't be involved in designing, modifying, or tweaking gliders for better handling.

Second...

Total load o' crap. The glider doesn't have a fuckin' clue what a steady wind's doing. And...

Stephan Mentler - 82648 - H3 - 2005/09/04 - Jon Thompson - AT FL PL 360 RLF TUR XC

...you're supposed to know that. If your glider is doing different things at different headings relative to the wind then something else is going on.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=32166
Posting Credibility Multiplier

Steve Seibel - 2014/12/15 01:35:13 UTC

There's a book out there by an "expert" helicopter pilot who says you'll lose all your airspeed and crash if you turn downwind too quickly.
Complete with all the "physics" spelled out in detail.

F I Z Z I K S

Supposedly!

How much of the excellent book, Towing Aloft, by Dennis Pagen and Bill Bryden have you read?

"Art of the Helicopter" by John Watkinson-- pp. 30 - 31 -- google it!
WTF?
NO MORE EXPERTS. VERIFY EVERYTHING FIRSTHAND!

Why? We always have Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney for when...

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.

...we want to know the one person's comments we should give weight to. He may not know EVERYTHING but...

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.

...he'll wager the house that he's got things sussed a bit better than an armchair warrior. Of course he'll get his balls torn off and shoved down his throat whenever he starts fucking with armchair warriors capable of doing junior high school level math and science but...

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

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

My response is short because I've been saying it for years... and yes, I'm a bit sick of it.
This is a very old horse and has been beaten to death time and time again... by a very vocal minority.

See, most people are happy with how we do things. This isn't an issue for them. They just come out and fly. Thing's aren't perfect, but that's life... and life ain't perfect. You do what you can with what you've got and you move on.

...thing's aren't perfect, life ain't perfect, and you do what you can with what you've got and you move on.

In this particular case many of us realized that we had 200 pound Greenspot, which also isn't perfect but made us happy, so we moved on from 130 pound Greenspot and Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney.

Any comment on that, Steve?

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=26870
weak links

Steve Seibel - 2012/08/18 16:22:36 UTC

Based on my cumulative experience so far I would opt for a SLIGHTLY weaker weak link (those loads got alarmingly high!).

Doesn't the cumulative experience so far of all the people who've found they were happier with a 54 percent stronger weak link and haven't yet had their six plus G gliders torn apart by REALLY alarmingly high loads dwarf the cumulative Rooney Link experience of Steve Seibel?

VERIFY EVERYTHING FIRSTHAND!

Is that how you verify everything firsthand, Steve? You add 226 pounds to a two G turn and declare the loading to be "alarmingly high"? While studiously ignoring accounts like:

deltaman - 2012/05/25 19:45:39 UTC

I miss opportunity to be aerotowed in my mountains but 2 months ago we spent 4 days teaching AT to 12 pilots in 2 points. All had 190kg weaklink (220kg on tug side).
One of them oscillate and start to lockout. I said by radio : (time to) release, he did it (JoeStreet release), but 1ms to late.. the weaklink was just blowed.
and no unexpected wl failure in 90 AT.
I'm confident in this way to think wl..