Quotes

[Steve Davy]

Carl Sagan

We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces.

[Steve Davy]

Carl Sagan

Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.

[Steve Davy]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=33936&start=60
ANSWERED: Why Will RRG Succeed if Insurance Failed?

Paul Hurless - 2016/01/25 05:49:39 UTC

It's not about pleasing everyone, it's about being responsible. As far as what Tad thinks (it's debatable if he's capable of actually thinking), I couldn't care less about what that s*** stain "thinks" about anything.

And you're just going to let that "shit stain" comment slide, NME.

[NMERider]

....And you're just going to let that "shit stain" comment slide, NME.

'Shit stain' and 'slide'? Now there's an image I can't unsee from my mind.
Anyhow, Tad's a big boy who doesn't need anyone to fight his battles and is probably laughing assuming he can still read. How's that PVD doing? Sucks, I know. I assume your retina is okay?

[Steve Davy]

....And you're just going to let that "shit stain" comment slide, NME.

'Shit stain' and 'slide'? Now there's an image I can't unsee from my mind.
Anyhow, Tad's a big boy who doesn't need anyone to fight his battles and is probably laughing assuming he can still read. How's that PVD doing? Sucks, I know. I assume your retina is okay?

Here's an image that I can't unsee from my mind, NME.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7902887588_eaff23542f_o.jpg


But so the fuck what! The really important thing is that USHPA and its minions get that insurance issue handled so as things can get back to business as usual.
---
Administrator note:

8888 total Kite Strings posts.

[Tad Eareckson]

Yeah, I can still read, thanks. Floaters diminishing and fading, most of the time not an issue working off the laptop display or looking through the binoculars (nice male Sapsucker posing out front today), no problem with the retina.

Not laughing much lately though. And "lately" can be defined using decades.

Big boy? I dunno...

Don't "NEED" anybody to fight "MY" battles?

"My" battles are hang gliding's battles...
- Load the sidewires up BEFORE you run off the ramp.
- Do the fuckin' hook-in check - just like it's said in the SOPs for the better part of 35 years now.
- Fly the glider prone with both hands on the control bar:
-- just like the guy does when he runs it through all the certification performance tests
-- 'specially at the most dangerous/critical phases of the flight
- Foot landings are stupid and dangerous.
- Anybody who's ever needed to do a spot landing is an incompetent asshole - or at least was at the time.
- A weak link is NOT an emergency release.
- There's no such thing as an easy reach when the shit hits the fan.
- The most effective tool a tow driver has to crash a glider is his dump lever.

"Need"?

- I can fight my battles pretty effectively - until some piece o' shit "moderator" notices I'm totally winning and cuts my wire. Back in the fall of 2008 I - alone - was demolishing Jim Keen-Intellect Rooney, his asshole buddies, and the idiot standard aerotow weak link until the Capitol Club douchebags "suspended" me for three months. End of my flying career.

- Two people on the right side of a battle are twenty times more effective than one. But NOBODY was helping me gut that motherfucker.

- Bit under four years and two months later one of Rooney's idiot pro toad buddies splattered down on the runway for the obvious reasons I'd stated. Coordinated attack on Rooney and his fellow parasites by a handful of allies and that was the last we ever heard about the long track record of 130 pound Greenspot.

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=28290
Report about fatal accident at Quest Air Hang Gliding

Paul Hurless - 2013/02/09 08:49:22 UTC

If you had been properly trained on how to tow, you would know that it shouldn't be a big deal when a weak link breaks, even just after coming off the cart, if you are doing things right. Maybe you should get some better training instead of just parroting Tad. When you are under tow you should be ready for any unusual event and be ready to deal with it. It's called being a pilot instead of just being a passenger along for the ride.
Using someone else's tragedy to further your agenda is pathetic.

Paul's a stupid sleazy piece o' shit. Hit him at every opportunity. Help the sport and come out on the right side of history.

[NMERider]

.....Paul's a stupid sleazy piece o' shit. Hit him at every opportunity. Help the sport and come out on the right side of history.

Paul seems to be a quest for the Grail.
A: - Paul
S: - Tad

A: If you will not show us the Grail, we shall take your castle by force!
S: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, son of a
silly person! Ah blow my nose at you, so-called "Arthur Keeeng"! You and
all your silly English Knnnnnnnn-ighuts!!!

(the soldier proceeds to bang on his helmet with his hands and stick out his
tongue at the knights, making strange noises.)

Galahad: What a strange person.
A: (getting mad) Now look here, my good ma--
S: Ah don' wanna talk to you no more, you empty-headed animal food-trough
wiper! Ah fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster, and
your father smelt of elderberries!
Galahad: Is there someone else up there we can talk to?
S: No!! Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

(pause)

A: Now this is your last chance! I've been more than reasonable....
S: (to four other soldiers, standing behind him on the rampart)
Fetchez la vache.
Other Soldier: qua?
S: Fetchez la vache!

(the other soldiers are seen leading a cow... mooing noises)

A: (continued) ...if you do not agree to my commands, than I shall--

(Boing! The cow goes flying through the air over the rampart...
A: Jesus Christ!
(...and lands, amid great mooing, on one of the footmen. Various crying-outs
from Arthur's party.)

A: (determined) Right!
(drawing sword) CHARGE!
Rest of Arthur's Party: CHAAAARGE!

(As they run towards the French Castle, swords drawn, they are met by a huge
onslaught of live animals of all sizes, that come plummeting down from the
ramparts of the castle. Amid screams, they all turn back before even reaching
the castle walls, save Launcelot, who reaches the stone wall in time to give
it one stroke with his sword before retreating.)

French Soldier: (throwing down a goose) Hey, this one is for your mother!
(and a duck) And this one's for your gran!

Arthur's party: (hastily retreating) Run away!
RUN AWAAAAY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yjNbcKkNY

[Steve Davy]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34027
hang gliding assisted tow

Dan Lukaszewicz - 2016/02/05 01:13:58 UTC

Accidents can happen from something we call a lockout. This is unique to towing. When following a tow plane it's imperative that the glider and the tug be at approximately the same altitude and following the same course.

There is some tolerance, of course, but If your glider is in a turn that is not correctly quickly the tow rope will slide over toward one of the down tubes and exert a force on it.

[Steve Davy]

Bob Hoover

If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.ocala.com/article/20160219/ARTICLES/160219707?p=1&tc=pg
Hang glider had dreamed of flying solo from a mountain | Ocala.com

Austin L. Miller - 2016/02/19 16:13 EST



Donovan said they cut the power and the nose of the glider may have popped up. It then went to the right and hit the ground.

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

Cragin Shelton - 2011/09/03 23:57:33 UTC

Nice Reference Citation

Manned Kiting
The Basic Handbook of Tow Launched Hang Gliding
Daniel F. Poynter
1974

"A bad flyer won't hurt a pin man but a bad pin man can kill a flyer." - Bill Bennett
"The greatest dangers are a rope break or a premature release." - Richard Johnson

Do you REALLY think that there has been no progress in knowledge about the practical applied physics and engineering of hang gliding in 37 years? OR that an early, 3+ decade old, information book written by a non-pilot is a solid reference when you have multiple high experience current instructors involved in the discussion?

09-00628
http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1517/24907340511_e0696ea696_o.png

Tomas Banevicius - New York - 97154 - H2 - 2016/01/29 - James Donovan - FL FSL

James Donovan - New York - 38584
- H5 - 2012/11/23 - Paul Voight - AT FL TAT TFL AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC - BAS INST, MNTR, OBS
- P1 - 2015/10/26 - Ryan Voight - FL

Bryon Estes - New York - 75288 - H4 - 2007/04/23 - Paul Voight
- AT FL LGO PL ST TAT TPL AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
- ADV INST, TAND INST, TUG PILOT

Zack Marzec - Libertyville, Illinois - 88356 - H4 - 2012/02/11 - Jon Thompson
- AT FL LGO TAT 360 AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
- ADV INST, TAND INST
- ADV INST Exp Date: 2015/05/23
- TAND INST Exp Date: 2015/03/14

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

Jon Thompson - 21407 - H5 - 2002/11/16 - Matthew Taber
- AT FL PL TAT TPL AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
- ADV INST, AT TOW EX, AT TOW OBS, INST ADMIN, PL TOW EX, PL TOW OBS, ST TOW EX, ST TOW OBS,TAND ADMIN, TAND INST, TUG PILOT

Terry James Mason - Leakey, Texas - 31982 - H3 - 2011/07/22 - Sam Kellner

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

Sam Kellner - Leakey, Texas - 16016 - H4 - 1982/03/04 - Steve Hawxhurst - AT FL PL ST PA AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR - BAS INST, OBS

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

Jim Rooney - 2007/08/01

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

It's more of this crappy argument that being on tow is somehow safer than being off tow.

Wills Wing / Blue Sky / Steve Wendt / Ryan Voight Productions - 2007/03

NEVER CUT THE POWER...



Reduce Gradually
Increase Gradually

James Rooney - New York - 78142 - Exp: - 2014/05/31
- H4 - 2004/09/03 - Paul (Sunny) Venesky
-- AT FL LGO PL ST TAT TFL RLF TUR XC
-- AT TOW OBS, TAND INST - 2015/12/31, TUG PILOT
- P4 - 2008/01/29 - Marc Fink
-- FL ST TFL CL FSL HA RLF RS TUR XC
-- ST TOW OBS, TAND INST - 2015/12/31

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=17404
Aerotow barrel release - straight or curved pin?

Jim Rooney - 2010/05/31 01:53:13 UTC

BTW, Steve Wendt is exceptionally knowledgeable. Hell, he's the one that signed off my instructor rating.