Session #20

Date: April 12, 2019

Cummulative flights to date: 29

Site: Cape Kiwanda

Vertical to LZ: 80 ft

Conditions: 2:00PM launch, 5-8 W-NW (not consistent) 60F

Harness configuration: shoulder lifters and step.

Assistance: none

Launch: Launched from about ¾ point. OK, but felt challenged to keep up with what felt like changes in direction that made keeping the wings level difficult. Maybe two steps max as I was very near the lip and it is steep this year. Waited for a lull where things straightened out. This is not really a slope launch because it is so steep. I only get a step or two in before being lifted off the ground.

The flights: 1

Video/Photos: None

Landing: Found myself headed right for a big log and made the mistake of fixating on it. I was able to slow down and glide over it but it was close. I made a point of slowing down but did not really execute a flare. There was at least a 5-6mph breeze right on the beach so it should have been a one step landing. I believe what I’m doing is tensing up too much as I approach the ground and reacting by holding pressure on the twist grips (far forward of neutral CG) thus keeping the ship from flaring. Probably a habit from landing my Rogallo where pushing out is how I execute a flare.

Narrative: This was the trial flight after re-rigging after last fall’s hard landing where I tweaked the airframe. I didn’t notice any adversed flight characteristics. Made a conscious move to relax the twist grips to neutral right after getting up into the cage. I was very hesitant about making the right turn and ended up doing it late and then not enough and landed at least 10 yards toward the water from my set up. Right after launch I found myself too far forward and diving so moved back a bit and then stepped up onto the leading edge which was just as easy as the Dog launch last fall. I still find this site a challenge in that right after launch you have to execute a turn to line up parallel to the beach while trimming your speed and stepping into the glider. At Dog Mtn, you can take your time and only need to concentrate on keeping the wings level after launch since it is wide open air in front. Only after getting stable do I need to then think about stepping up onto the leading edge.

Take aways: I neglected to change bolt lengths for the quick connect positions where I re-rigged with the thick custom bushings so could not insert the safety pins and had to remove a washer to make enough room. Forgot to zip the gap cover closed and flew it with no nose cone either. I was not able to tell any difference in the way it flew without the gap cover.The wing joiners are still quite far off of coming together parallel (I think I tried to jerk-bend them when I did the re-rig and had no luck)