Session #19

Date: Sept 23, 2018

Cummulative flights to date: 28

Site: Dog Mtn

Vertical to LZ: 1462 ft

Conditions: 4:00PM launch, 5-8 W (cycling NNW some with light thermal cycles) 60F

Harness configuration: Chest pack chute, hammock harness and shoulder lifters.

Assistance: none

Launch: solid, step into step and easily swung opposite leg up. Video shows a slight left cant as I flew away from the hill but basically tracked straight out.

The flights: 1

Video/Photos: Tina Jorgenson shot 3 stills and a short video clip.

Landing: Crashed in at close to full flying speed (~20mph) into the tall grass way short of the mowed area. Nothing damaged except the PVC step which I will need to repair. The tall grass spread the force out over the entire wing, bringing it to a stop without damaging the spars or struts as far as I could see. It disassembled normally. None of the fairings were damaged.

Narrative: This is the second attempt to fly here (crashed after takeoff last year in June). Direction switched to north as I waited through fairly ideal conditions 5 minutes prior. Had to wait it out and when it got back to light west again I launched. I was banked slightly left and did not react with rudder control but rather swung my legs to the right which corrected the bank and then stepped up into the cage. Had no problem and held things steady hanging by my arms until well clear of the hill using the PVC step I fabricated which worked flawlessly. . I kept it flying at or above 20mph on the Dwyer pretty much all the way down slowing it down a few times but always going back up to 20 or so. I think this is much faster than I need to be flying but did not want to experience a spin as I experimented with a couple 360’s to the right and one to the left. Ended up entering my standard pattern too low and could not complete my turn to get into the wind and crashed in the tall grass while turning. I was probably going close to 20 when I crashed in but the only thing that appeared to be damaged was the step. I did bruise my right ankle and also hit my left rib cage which feels like a light crack even with the rib protector vest on! Still feeling it the day after and expect a slow heal. Went for a 12 mile hike today on the ankle and although I could feel it, I think it will be healed in a week. Neither injury will be a problem flying. I did not use the hammock and just let it hang free the entire flight. I felt I had my hands full just feeling out the pitch for trim as I moved my feet back and forth on the leading edge.

Take aways: The chute nor the hammock presented any problem launching or flying. The closure clip for the hammock was perfect and allowed me to easily step into the cage prior to clipping in the lifters. I need a solution to the lifter clips. They need to be easy to clip in and unclip with no hanging up on the webbing loop. Need to re-build the right rudder to account for the short bracket I used on the lower trailing edge. This will require some re-rigging. It is currently about 3/8” short. This may partially account for the TE wing joiners being off about that much which puts a bunch of bending force right at the wing joiners making it really hard to set up. I nearly decided not to wear my rib protector vest and was so glad I put it on because even with it on I bruised a rib or two. I could see the mark on the vest where it hit the left hang tube. The vest is an absolute requirement when flying a cage-style glider because of the total exposure your rib cage has to the frame cage.

Session #18

Date: Aug 2, 2018

Cummulative flights to date: 27

Site: Kiwanda

Conditions: 7:40PM launch, 8-10 NW

Harness configuration: bare glider with new step fabricated from 1” PVC pipe that pivots on the lower spar so I can push it down into position after I pick the glider up and hook my shoulder straps to the hang tubes. It provides a step approximately 12” below the lower spar that I can step onto that makes getting the opposite foot up over the leading edge spar really easy.

Assistance: none

Launch: solid, step into step and easily swung opposite leg up

The flights: 1

Video/Photos: none

Landing: OK, still too fast and running it on, nothing touched the ground.

Conditions were essentially perfect although when I got as far up to the top as I felt was prudent given the direction was pointing me right to the north end of the cape rocks which I’ve noticed before. Even when the breeze on the beach is N NW. This was a late evening flight because of the tide but turned out really nice since I had the place to myself. Was able to carry the glider facing up the hill until I got up the first pitch. Enough of a breeze there to have to turn around and back up the rest of the way.

Had to release both rudders after launch. Seems to be normal for me to deploy them unintentionally when launching and then forget I’m holding them deployed. Kept good airspeed, made my right turn after using the step to get onto the LE. It was very easy to do even with me being hot and sweaty carrying the glider up and also wearing jeans. Control of the glider, once up in the cage, is extremely easy and stable compared to hanging from the cage by my arms. Operation of the twist grips becomes much easier. Dropping out of the cage prior to landing will take more practice to keep the pitch stable since you are moving your body weight back in the cage a lot which then takes pressure forward on the twist grips to keep from pitching up too much as you flare.

Take aways today are;

The new step I added made mounting the glider very easy. I feel very confident in going inland and flying a higher altitude launch. Controlling the glider once up in the cage has always been very solid and easy. Dropping out of the cage and maintaining pitch control for the flare will be something I’ll need to practice.

I really think I’ve learned enough to safely go to an inland site even though I will need to add the hammock, chute and harness. None of this presented a problem when I launched from Dog Mtn in 2017 so I think I can now progress to high altitude launches as long as I really pick mellow and steady conditions….evenings and mornings.

Really need to tape yarns to the fairing covering on both root strut fairing trailing edges.

Need to find a “hookless” carabiner for my shoulder strap carrier or modify the ones I’m using.

I timed my set-up to right about 30 minutes and then 15 minutes to climb, rest, launch, land and walk the glider back to the car.

Session #17

Site: Kiwanda

Conditions: started out 10 then 12-14 then last was 20+

Harness configuration: bare glider

Assistance: none

Launch: not comfortable with directional control so no attempt to swing up.

Number of flights: 3

Landing: OK, not great, nothing touched the ground.

First flight was from the top of the first bench in what I recall was about 10mph. I did a poor job of controlling direction and basically swung my legs to nudge right and left. Not sure if I’m doing this because the rudder sleeves are hard to access when hanging vs when up in the cage. Kept up my airspeed and had a reasonable landing but needed to run it on a bit. The second flight I went a bit further up toward the top but not past the summit bench. Wind was about the same and my flight was slightly better but still not even thinking about kicking up. Just not comfortable yet with directional control or airspeed. I believe it was 11:15 when I finished my second flight which was captured by someone watching. The last flight the wind had picked up for sure and I was kiting up the hill at least partially. I went on up past the summit bench to where I had been launching from last year and it had to be blowing 18-22. There was a fair west component so the launch was mainly an issue of picking a point where I felt I had directional stability. It took me a while. With that much wind I don’t get to run really at all. Must have been tense on directional control because I soon found that I couldn’t get the glider to turn right. I finally looked out at the right rudder to confirm it was deploying and it was. I immediately concluded I had unintentionally twisted the left rudder and was holding it as I tried to go right. When I released it the glider responded right away since I also was having to work at keeping my airspeed up during this turning attempt. It came around quickly and I had to correct to keep from over turning. Came in hot and a bit hard on my feet but no bruised heels.

Take aways today are;

1. More than 5-8 mph smooth, steady air is too much for me to work on kicking up. I am totally overwhelmed just maintaining directional and pitch control.

2. The times I have managed to get into the cage were very light (less than 5, ref. Last year) and then a guess of 12mph for session #13 which was the first time I tried bare glider config.

3. Footage shot from tourist shows me attempting to control direction by swinging my legs all over the place. Really need to get back my confidence and muscle memory of depending on the rudders.

Session #16

Date: June 17, 2018

Cummulative flights to date: 22

Site: Kiwanda

Conditions: WNW but switchy around 5mph when I started

Harness configuration: bare glider

Assistance: none

Launch: wind at 12-16, easy but less confident about directional control

Flights: 1 - really tired after only one trip up

Landing: easy

Photos/Video: none

The last flight I made was 1 year ago to the day.  I did not attempt to kick up, just flew it down hanging by my arms as usual for bare glider config.

Take aways:

1. I need to always assume the glider can blow away and find a way to tie it down so that it can never happen.

2. Picking the glider up off the ground in any wind at all is nearly impossible for me. This is due to the requirement that you must tip the glider onto it's nose by lifting the trailing edge and then lift it from forward of the CG point on the hang tubes up onto your thighs. This is the only way it will balance.   It is at this point I hook my shoulder strap carabiners to the glider hang tubes by two webbing loops so that I now have the glider resting from my shoulder straps.  When slope launching, I need to be able to pick up the glider in a sheltered location, carry the glider to the launch site and then launch without setting the glider down.