Session #12

Session #12

Date: Monday Feb 15, 2016

Cummulative flights to date: 18

Number of flights: 1

Site: Peterson's Butte lower launch, approximately 400 ft vertical to the LZ.

Conditions: Warm low 60's , partial overcast with scattered cums, SW at 15

Configuration: Using the leg harness attached to upper trailing edge (does not allow me to kick up into the cage, body position is vertical)

Assistance: Had a person on each wing tip to maneuver the glider to my launch point mainly to keep from hitting cars I had to maneuver around getting over to launch. I had little trouble maintaining control without assistance once in the clear.

Launch: Uneventful, got in maybe three steps before being pulled off in the lift.

The flight: Got concerned quickly about my clearance margin over the tree line west of launch. I turned right very soon after launch and experienced some turbulence. Felt I had my hands full maintaining the heading I needed for the shortest approach to the LZ. It became quickly apparent that using the leg harness for any duration at all is a real liability. It takes a fair effort applying enough forward pressure on the hang cage to keep the glider from slowing to a stall. This also gets in the way of actuating the rudders. By the time I got to the LZ my arms were exhausted and this was only a 400 ft hill. The photo shows me about halfway to the LZ. Notice the vertical body position this harness configuration puts me in. Great for takeoff but does not allow me to get into the cage.

Landing: This was the most maneuvering I have done setting up an approach. It required me to line up along a power line, crab along it and then drop into the field LZ. I felt in total control on approach and the flare was easy with only a couple steps to full stop in a 10mph SW breeze.

Conclusions: I need to get rid of the leg harness and start learning how to fly without it. I will need to go back to the coast where any mishaps will be done over sand.  At my current skill level the clearance over the trees right off launch is too marginal to be safe.  I should get to a point where I'm able to get to trim immediately after launch to maintain a safe margin.