launching

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.shga.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=5272
Another blown launch in the saddle

Rob Burgis - 2016/07/05 23:37:08 UTC

Last Saturday I blew a launch in the saddle during strong, gusty conditions. My right wing got blown up on my first step, causing my left wing to drop.

Who'da thunk.

I powered off the hill, sure I could pull it out. I'm not sure if the left tip dragged through the tall grass or not, but I do know that I was stalled in a left turn as I got airborne. I threw my weight forward and to the right and the glider began correcting. I was pretty sure I was going to pull it off but my left wingtip contacted the hillside, causing the glider to twist into the hill 50-100 feet below the normal launch area.

The only injury I sustained was a wire burn on my right forearm. I wish I could say the same for my glider, which suffered a broken outboard leading edge. There are some pretty big rocks down there and it looks like my leading edge hit one of them.

Please add my name to the list of saddle launch blowers.

Can we have that list to compare to the one of blown launches at Ridgely? Discounting Rooney Link increases in the safety of the towing operation I can only cite John Claytor, 2014/06/02, whose lockout coming off the cart in the strong crosswind with his easily reachable bent pin pro toad release was the signal for the ECC Safety Committee to scrub the day.

There were better launch cycles to be had that day. Obviously, I should have waited longer to launch in one of them.

Oh well, at least you weren't an unobserved Two.

NMERider - 2016/07/06 00:14:11 UTC

"Launch Blower"? Sounds Kinky

Thanks for the report. Glad you weren't badly injured or worse. Why did you choose to launch the saddle? Was there a slow line on top? I know that I'll use it when I don't want to wait in line or carry my gear up to the top. But after a blown launch there four years ago I've become very picky about my cycles.

I will confess that I actually felt unsafe trying to launch the top of Marshall Peak on Monday so I carried everything the 100 yards down to the proper ramp. Embarrassing but true.

[<BS>]

And we all saw just how well that worked out.

No one who hadn't signed the waiver was hurt.

20-00727

[Dave Gills]

- How many Twos would that be?

- What's the difference between a club, operation, meet killing a Two and killing a Three, Four, Five? Name some fatalities in which the pilot hadn't temporarily at least reverted to sub Two performance and/or judgment.

A H2 should not fly without another reputable pilot of a higher rating.
This is my opinion and is common practice on all of the hills in Pa.

A H3 has a license to kill himself.

We have about 10 H2s in Pa right now and about the same number of observers + instructors.
A H2 here will not have any trouble finding someone to fly with that is qualified to give excellent advice.

[Steve Davy]

http://www.flytandem.com/accident/index.htm

7-16-16 4:20PM. Local Advanced HG launching the top shallow launch at Marshall in somewhat gusty conditions, gets smacked causing the glider to roll into a right turn that is unrecoverable and impacts the ground 6 to 8 seconds after launch. Injuries are a couple of broken ribs and a separated collar bone. Full recovery epected in under 2 months.

[Tad Eareckson]

A H2 should not fly without another reputable pilot of a higher rating.

Name some reputable pilots of higher ratings.

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.

The primary mission of Kite Strings has evolved to the destruction of the reputations of reputable pilot of a higher ratings - and we've been very successful in that pursuit.

This is my opinion...

Is there any reasonably good anecdotal evidence to support it?

...and is common practice on all of the hills in Pa.

So is:

- never doing anything remotely compliant with...

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1152
Bill Priday's death

Cragin Shelton - 2005/10/03 15:13:27 UTC

I just read the following item from the OzForum by a secondary on-site (not witness) report:

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=924
Tragedy at Team Challenge

Hexenwolfe - 2005/10/02 14:19:48 UTC

According to at least five local pilots, Bill had set up his glider and was moving it closer to launch. Again, according to at least five pilots, Bill was asked if he wanted a hang check, but was heard to say "It has been taken care of".

This is eerie, because Hank Hengst and I were involved with an almost identical conversation with Bill at the Pulpit Fly-In. As we were walking Bill up to the old ramp, with me on right wing and Hank on nose, Hank asked bill if he wanted a hang check. Bill's reply was something like, "No thanks, I'm good." Hank then pointed out that he was not hooked in. I remarked that 'you are not hooked in until after the hang check.' We ran Bill through a routine lay-down hang check at the back of the ramp, and he had a fine launch.

...u$hPa's 37 year old hook-in check requirement

- rotating to upright at or before the beginning of final

A H3 has a license to kill himself.

Approved by...

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25321
Stop the Stupids at the USHPA BOD meeting

Mark G. Forbes - 2011/09/29 02:26:23 UTC

We can establish rules which we think will improve pilot safety, but our attorney is right. USHPA is not in the business of keeping pilots "safe" and it can't be. Stepping into that morass is a recipe for extinction of our association. I wish it were not so, but it is. We don't sell equipment, we don't offer instruction, and we don't assure pilots that they'll be safe.

...whom?

We have about 10 H2s in Pa right now and about the same number of observers + instructors.
A H2 here will not have any trouble finding someone to fly with that is qualified to give excellent advice.

On what? I'd like to hear, see some examples of coaching by sponsoring flyers that are likely making positive differences in outcomes.

How 'bout somebody...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=22176
Paragliding Collapses

Jim Rooney - 2011/06/12 13:57:58 UTC

Most common HG injury... spiral fracture of the humerus.

...advising a Two to stay prone...

46-45901
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2937/14081080220_373f64f01d_o.png

09-00521
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/14216881399_3c86c2b99f_o.png

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16-00804
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3893/14216903748_7db0476c3a_o.png


...and roll in on the wheels?

38-51902
http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1461/25796704820_e0f50e3f8a_o.png

41-51927
http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1444/25464788004_825dbdc812_o.png

44-52006
http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1694/25796695810_3f2465e271_o.png

50-52111
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http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1472/25466942003_12bf15881f_o.png

60-54001
http://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1460/26043596356_330369b5c7_o.png


Ever hear a sponsor advise a Two to work on tightening up his approach, conserving runway, and...

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=21088
What you wish you'd known then?

Doug Doerfler - 2011/03/02 05:24:44 UTC

Nothing creates carnage like declaring a spot landing contest.

...ignore the goddam idiot old Frisbee in the middle of the LZ?

Yeah, I think it's a good idea to have more advanced, experienced flyers around new flyers at high sites to advise and crew for them on launch, advise them on conditions, areas to avoid, approaches but...

Zack C - 2012/06/02 02:20:45 UTC

I just cannot fathom how our sport can be so screwed up.

...the state of the sport is so indescribably toxic that a real good argument can be made that "reputable pilots" are doing WAY more harm than good.

This:

02-02513
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/14208925773_f327a6169e_o.png

05-03223
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/14165628916_bbdc682e28_o.png

08-43827
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5120/14188732974_08536f5037_o.png

10-45613
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/14002127570_948814d124_o.png

13-50017
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5193/14002093889_95c09edf26_o.png


...is pure unadulterated hazing. And this flavor of hazing/bullying frequently results in the injury, crippling, death of its victims.

And this state of affairs is INEVITABLE in an aviation culture whose openly stated primary mission is to protect itself from any and every dust particle's worth of accountability. Total scumbags like Matt, Davis, Jack, Rooney WILL rush to the top and inflict as much damage as possible on as many targets as they can get within range.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voFG41km60A

---
P.S. - 2016/08/06 14:35:00 UTC

Note the rare hook-in check four seconds prior to commencement of launch run. Need to work on keeping this one in the gene pool.

[<BS>]

Obviously you CAN abort a launch and, depending on how far into it you are, it might be the safest option.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8Vk8qoWBUc

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=35245
Good Bye Friends

Jack Barth - 2017/04/09 01:16:38 UTC

Last Saturday I made an extremely poor launch at the E Wont give any excuses or analysis. Total Pilot Screwup. I pounded pretty significantly. Required helicopter assist to get me out of my predicament.. The boulders below launch are mighty solid. Broke my left femur and caved in my chest. For a moment thought I might
Have gotten away with just a blown launch and embarrassment then the reality
Grabbed my ass when the wing found the boulders. Alive only because i had a chest mounted reserve. I now have another 5 weeks of rehab. Gotta a few interests
Id like to pursue so im off to other endeavors Best of wishes to all of you. Special thanks to all Emergency Services, Dr's and Nurses, Eteam Cleanup Crew and especially Dave Beardslee for stabilizing me and guiding Rescue Team.
---
H4 (1979) Lake Elsinore. Ca. U2 160 (Sweet)
"If Your One Who Doesn't Succeed At First Maybe Hanggliding's Not For You"

"Don't take life seriously it isn't permanent"

Good Bye Friends

And fuck anybody whom the other Jack doesn't permit in his Living Room.

Last Saturday I made an extremely poor launch at the E Wont give any excuses or analysis.

Or bother with any effort at low grade school level punctuation.

Total Pilot Screwup. I pounded pretty significantly. Required helicopter assist to get me out of my predicament..

Good that you were able to get a flight in anyway. Day wasn't a TOTAL bust.

The boulders below launch are mighty solid.

Probably the ones above too. Make sure you never even think about doing a preflight stomp test with any of them in the vicinity.

Broke my left femur and caved in my chest.

Yeeeee...

Rolla Manning

Life's goal is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out and broken, shouting “Holy Crap, WHAT A RIDE !!"

...HAW!!!

For a moment thought I might
Have gotten away with just a blown launch and embarrassment then the reality
Grabbed my ass when the wing found the boulders.

Good thing you weren't tow launching. Just think about the extent of injuries you'd have suffered with all that additional complexity. And that's not even factoring in one of Tad's Rube Goldberg systems. Or one of those Koch two stage chest crushers.

Alive only because i had a chest mounted reserve.

You wouldn't have been if you'd been using one of those Koch two stage chest crushers.

I now have another 5 weeks of rehab. Gotta a few interests
Id like to pursue so im off to other endeavors

Checkers. What a fag.

Best of wishes to all of you.

...Jack Show total douchebags.

Special thanks to all Emergency Services, Dr's and Nurses, Eteam Cleanup Crew and especially Dave Beardslee for stabilizing me and guiding Rescue Team.
---
H4 (1979) Lake Elsinore. Ca. U2 160 (Sweet)
"If Your One Who Doesn't Succeed At First Maybe Hanggliding's Not For You"

- But if YOUR incapable of writing at a third grade proficiency level WELCOME ABOARD.
- And now it's not for you either.

"Don't take life seriously it isn't permanent"

Great advice and logic, Jack - 'specially within such close proximity to your advice to those who don't become Four level masters on training hill Day Ones. Hope it serves you as well in your new hobbies as it did in your previous one.

[Steve Davy]

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

Paul Hurless - 2012/08/14 17:39:22 UTC

Personally, I prefer to fly off mountains and not have to deal with towing. It's so much simpler to just run off a launch.

http://www.ushpa.org/page/safe-hang-gliding-launches-redux
Safe hang gliding launches REDUX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_2x_q8Lzn0


PS - It's Henson Gap not Hensen's Gap, Dennis.

[Tad Eareckson]

http://www.shga.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=5730
Airspeed is What You Need - DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!

Frederick Wagner - 2017/07/28 05:15:53 UTC
Altadena

From Steve Murillo (who has flow from aircraft carriers):

Arthur Simineau and I decided to go to Crestline this past Saturday. Winds on launch were light and variable, I'd guess 2-8 mph, blowing mostly straight in with the occasional minor cross from the NW.

I'm flying a Sport 2 155. As I approached launch with Art on my nose, hang check and hook in check were standard. Standing on launch with wings balanced, wind at almost zero, I could see what I thought was a nice breeze coming up the hill. I called for "clear" and Arthur obliged.

I began my launch as I normally do, which was not enough. About half way down the ramp I did not feel the glider picking up off my shoulders as has been the case in almost every launch I've ever had.

By this time I was committed. I pulled in slightly on the nose and accelerated through the remainder of the ramp, using it all, barley clearing, but getting airborne. Art later reported that he observed the control bar falling, not rising, and thought to himself "this is going to hurt".

The fact that my adrenaline kicked in at the last second gave me enough umph to get into the air. But here's the lesson learned: When in doubt, especially at a strange launch, KEEP THE NOSE DOWN AND CHARGE THE HILL!

Had I started the first half of my run as aggressively as the second half, I would not be writing this. We Kagel pilots are so used to the fairly strong winds and steep launch at Kagel, we are used to getting airborne in just a few steps. But Crestline launch is less steep, and the winds that day were very light. The perfect one-two combination to put an unwary pilot on the ropes!

Lesson learned, and I hope someone else will benefit from this.

Sincerely,
Steve R. Murillo

Fred Ballard - 2017/08/04 04:16:47 UTC

Was this the actual Crestline launch or was it at Marshall?

NMERider - 2017/08/04 20:48:30 UTC

This sounds to me exactly like Crestline launch. Marshall has two, much better ramps. Yesterday, we had a pilot get turned by a thermal on the Crestline ramp. He did not have the speed or altitude to recover and it cost him a leading edge and other repairs. No injury however. The pilot before him had to run like heck all the way to the bottom of the ramp. The first of the three pilots got airborne in just a few steps in very light winds and immediately climbed. This was all due to thermal activity from the convective development overhead. There are some rules of thumb to safely launching from Crestline in in nil to light winds. When visiting an unfamiliar site it is always a good idea to ask the locals about any ramp issues. The answers may surprise you. It's also a good idea to watch one or more local pilots launch in such marginal conditions.

In the original post there is not mention of the number and location of streamers along the length of the ramp. It does vary from time to time and in strange conditions it's a very good practice to install your own extra streamers in order to verify weather or not the ramp is filled in with wind from top to bottom.

Another peculiarity of the Crestline ramp is that wind does not equal lift and no-wind does not equal no safe launching. You can have sink on the ramp even though the wind is filled in and you can have easy launching conditions even those the streamers are nearly limp. You can also have wind and lift on the top of the ramp and run or waddle right through it and out the other side, only to drop to your knees and skid down the ramp.

There are many other issues with that ramp that I will save for any pilot who approaches me in the Crestline setup area or on the ramp.

Here is an example of launching the ramp safely in dead calm conditions:

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

P.S...

Not seeing anything in the way of a hook-in check, Jonathan. MAYBE you did one a couple seconds before 02:03 but it's the most critical component of every foot launch and needs to be included in every relevant video until such a time - three to five years from now I'd guess - when everybody and his dog is launching in compliance with u$hPa SOPs and it's a no brainer that it's been done.