You made the right decision, not to try to get through the notch. 👍 This is how to tell if your glide ratio (GR) is good enough to make it: If the hill behind the notch appears to be sinking away (disappearing), you will not make it. If the hill behind appears to be rising (you can see more and more of it as you approach), then your GR is sufficient to make it over the notch.
Great video. Ive been a FAA flight instructor for a while (40 years). I love your enthusiasm. I know the HG environment is much different than power flight ( Im a glide pilot too) but the decision making is absolutely parallel. My debrief input is as follows: 1) Your preflight routine is inconsistent. No excuses are sufficient. You MUST develop a check list for all the setup, inspection steps and flight planning . You are flying close to your critical AOA so thrashing around with your harness mid-flight is a concern. Kudos on having an alternative LZ in your flight plan. 2) You enjoy pushing your limits to the point I would say it is overly aggressive. 3) Your level of experience appears to be novice which is fine. We all start at the beginning. Here's the rub. You don't know what you don't know and at your stage, REPETITION of normal flights focusing on your becoming consistent and UNSTRESSED doing the maneuvers is paramount to build safe parameters for your flying. Keep listening to the experienced HG community who are telling you to stop overloading yourself and develop better margins of safety in your planning and decision making. Blue skies, buddy.
As an ex hang glider pilot from the 70s I would never have anyone hold the back of my heel if you need help on the front guide wires this is where the person should be
I started hang gliding in 1975 and still fly. I would also recommend that NO ONE touches your Keel (they can touch your heel if they want). You can't see what they are doing, and Y O U should have complete control of your pitch/nose angle. The reason some "experienced" HG pilots grab the rear keel "to help" is because they think that you do not actually know how to control pitch. If you actually don't know how to control pitch you should return to the training hill - period!
@@j2dagriffs Never ever have someone holding your keel while you are about to take off. You will not have pitch control! The person holding your keel in the video slips and even holds his balance by tightening the grip on the keel, and tries even launching you at the very end?? This is a very big red flag, and you got away really lucky... If you want to keep making video's for a while longer, put your safety first...
PS. The fact you did not mention this in your video, shows me you are unaware of the danger even after seeing it yourself. (did your instructor even see the video for debriefing?) This worries me even more, since I have seen pilots with this "light" attitude ending up knocking on heavens door...
John: my take..new launch site..new harness..new LZ..alot of "new" all in all you made some smart decisions..good flare eased right on top that bush..think this flight over..ID the issues..no llft all the way down aka (sled ride)..I guess it's called learning :0)
Yeah, was planning on it just being a new site, new harness adjustment wasn’t the plan! But totally see what you mean, I’ve heard the rule of thumb of only adding one new thing into a flight.
Another great video from this pilot flying well beyond his skill level and in condition he had no clue how to utilize. WTF!!! But what do I know I'm only a H-5 pilot that's been flying for 5 decades...
In flight altitude is pretty straightforward, I’m using Garmin VIRB (free software) to overlay a custom altitude graphic using the gpx data saved in a flight tracking app called ‘Paragliding Tracker: Wingman”. If you record with a GoPro or other camera with gps you can extract GPX data from that was well to use in VIRB. Maybe someday I’ll will make a walkthrough video about the process.
JEG, your lower legs are more correct to the air flow than your upper body. Plus, if you'd done a proper hang check you would have fixed your harness problems before you flew. Also, while I have flown in California I only know a few flying sites. I'm typically an eastern US pilot. I would advise you to fly sites, regarding your current skill level, that have large LZ directly below, not 3 miles away and over and beyond 6 lower ridges. I see this video of yours as being a "What Not To Do!" for relatively new hang glider pilots. BTW - I've held multiple Instructor Ratings and taught a few dozen people how to fly (in the 3-4 years I was an Instructor).
Good job on the bailout. U can cross your legs & keep them bent & behind your back in a scorpion like position. I sometimes use this technique when I have trouble getting into my cocoon harness.
As a veteran H4 pilot and instructor, I believe that the terrain was way beyond your hang rating. Not to mention the cardinal sin of a proper hang check. At least a cocoon harness was required here.
Definitely on the list of things to do. I’ll probably hold off till my 20th or 25th mountain flight to do it. Should have my new harness and new to me glider by then.
The sites you're flying dont seem very beginner friendly, makes me feel spoiled having flown my first mountain flights at Lookout Mountain Flight Park where the glide is like 3:1 with nothing in between :D The problem with Lookout is if its all you do, it doesnt really prepare you for challenging sites. Its a great stepping stone though, but youre over there drinking from a fire hose!
In my 37 years I was involved with hang gliding , anytime I got a new harness, I would hang in it in the basement,,and do any adjustments there..I would practice getting in and out of prone until I got comfortable with it. I would then set the glider up in the back yard , put the base tube up on a couple of concrete blocks, so I would have good ground clearance, With help of an assistant and various length hang straps, would change them out until I had the perfect height. Launch is not the place to do harness adjustments. This should always be done before you head out to fly.
Dang, having a backyard and a basement sounds nice! Sometimes you gotta work with the space you have 🙂 But do agree, it’s nice to not have to check stuff on launch. Now that I don’t rent gear anymore a lot of these woes are gone. When renting gear the day of (and picking it up at the top of the mountain) it’s pretty tough to check at home.
I saw you and your low glide out the canyon from accross town & not surprised that you ended in ST. Mary's. Landed out there once and used a left hand pattern and based over the road and finialed over the powerlines to stick a downwind uphill in east conditions; I was lucky but had the scenario planned out and had pulled a few folks out of the bushes there before. You did well... Hey no harm no foul and get wiser from here. Think you need to address getting some better gear...duh
Ah nice! If you have any video send it over. Yeah if I have to land there again definitely would do a slightly different pattern to try to land in the road if the wind was right. And yeah, ordered a harness about 2 months ago, still waiting on that to get delivered. Have a used Falcon 4 lined up as well but haven’t been able to coordinate the logistics yet on picking it up.
Why didn't you just take your legs out so you could bring the nose down ? Your AOA is nearly at stall point the whole time. You could have used the windward side of the TIT for lift.
If you are referring to legs out during the flight, that adds tons of drag. Could have pulled in some to bring down the nose but, I think the camera angle distorts my true AOA. Definitely could have had a better flight path towards and around the TIT but, it was my first time over there and didn't know all the things I was supposed to be aiming for in-flight.
A new guy mistake. That’s what a hang check is all about. If it doesn’t feel perfect, fix it on the ground. Your launch was not good. You had zero forward speed. You were at risk for a stall. It’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. You said your vario wasn’t working. You didn’t check it during your hang check?? I say this for something to think about for your safety for future flights. This flight was a disaster. Hang checks can save your life. Have a buddy also watch you do your hang check. Maybe he or she may see something not correct. You gotta get that hang check 100% spot on. Your life can be at stake. Help a buddy. Watch them do hang checks. I was at launch one day, a buddy of mine was ready to launch. I mean seconds before. I yelled, HEY JEFF YIU AREN’T HOOKED IN!!!!! He set his glider down, looked back at me and said, “You just saved my life”. Hang gliding is the best sport on earth but it’s serious business too. Deadly serious. Enjoy! But man you gotta get serious an hang checks and pre-flights. You gotta!!!!
I don’t have a standalone vario, it’s just an app that autostarts on launch so impossible to really checkout pre-launch unless I run down a hill. Vario is on the gear to acquire list. As for the launch, as mentioned in video, wasn’t planning to takeoff when I started too, that being said, I probably could have pulled in a little more once I stated taking off. Thanks for the summary! I agree with you on all points except for the summary of the flight being a disaster.
I've been flying 20 years. Very entertaining videos. However, honestly i think you are putting yourself at risk - i think you need to fly easier sites where an easy landing is guaranteed. I really think you are pushing your luck - think seriously about whether you can be as lucky as you have been many times over. You are obviously passionate about the sport which is great - but if you want to get old don't be so bold ! I'm sure you know the saying.
Appreciate the insight! This is definitely a challenging H2 area. I’m hoping to fly some easier sites soon to get a little more relaxed practice thermaling.
Assumptions are the mothers of all fuck ups! I hear to many "should haves". I would seriously advise you to do a step back and realise that you are going to die if you don't change your attitude to pre flight checks. Also the way you let the glider decide that you have started your flight is a certain way to the hospital or worse. The phrase "Every landing you can walk away from is a good landing" is a phrase, not a fact.
You made the right decision, not to try to get through the notch. 👍
This is how to tell if your glide ratio (GR) is good enough to make it: If the hill behind the notch appears to be sinking away (disappearing), you will not make it. If the hill behind appears to be rising (you can see more and more of it as you approach), then your GR is sufficient to make it over the notch.
Thanks! Hopefully I see rising hill on the next one!
yes you were out of options. this looks to me like an advanced site with not a lot of easy landing options in front of launch.
Great trick! I haven't had a lesson yet, but this is a neat trick.
Great video. Ive been a FAA flight instructor for a while (40 years). I love your enthusiasm. I know the HG environment is much different than power flight ( Im a glide pilot too) but the decision making is absolutely parallel. My debrief input is as follows: 1) Your preflight routine is inconsistent. No excuses are sufficient. You MUST develop a check list for all the setup, inspection steps and flight planning . You are flying close to your critical AOA so thrashing around with your harness mid-flight is a concern. Kudos on having an alternative LZ in your flight plan. 2) You enjoy pushing your limits to the point I would say it is overly aggressive. 3) Your level of experience appears to be novice which is fine. We all start at the beginning. Here's the rub. You don't know what you don't know and at your stage, REPETITION of normal flights focusing on your becoming consistent and UNSTRESSED doing the maneuvers is paramount to build safe parameters for your flying. Keep listening to the experienced HG community who are telling you to stop overloading yourself and develop better margins of safety in your planning and decision making. Blue skies, buddy.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll keep working at it.
As an ex hang glider pilot from the 70s I would never have anyone hold the back of my heel if you need help on the front guide wires this is where the person should be
Yeah, had two guys on the wires as well. Not sure he made a big difference back there.
I started hang gliding in 1975 and still fly. I would also recommend that NO ONE touches your Keel (they can touch your heel if they want). You can't see what they are doing, and Y O U should have complete control of your pitch/nose angle. The reason some "experienced" HG pilots grab the rear keel "to help" is because they think that you do not actually know how to control pitch. If you actually don't know how to control pitch you should return to the training hill - period!
@@j2dagriffs Never ever have someone holding your keel while you are about to take off. You will not have pitch control! The person holding your keel in the video slips and even holds his balance by tightening the grip on the keel, and tries even launching you at the very end?? This is a very big red flag, and you got away really lucky...
If you want to keep making video's for a while longer, put your safety first...
PS. The fact you did not mention this in your video, shows me you are unaware of the danger even after seeing it yourself. (did your instructor even see the video for debriefing?) This worries me even more, since I have seen pilots with this "light" attitude ending up knocking on heavens door...
Another Great video John!
Thank you so much!!
John: my take..new launch site..new harness..new LZ..alot of "new" all in all you made some smart decisions..good flare eased right on top that bush..think this flight over..ID the issues..no llft all the way down aka (sled ride)..I guess it's called learning :0)
Yeah, was planning on it just being a new site, new harness adjustment wasn’t the plan! But totally see what you mean, I’ve heard the rule of thumb of only adding one new thing into a flight.
Another great video from this pilot flying well beyond his skill level and in condition he had no clue how to utilize. WTF!!! But what do I know I'm only a H-5 pilot that's been flying for 5 decades...
👏
Definitely interested in how you created this video with the embedded real-time altitude, actual flight track as opposed to a ground track. Nice work!
In flight altitude is pretty straightforward, I’m using Garmin VIRB (free software) to overlay a custom altitude graphic using the gpx data saved in a flight tracking app called ‘Paragliding Tracker: Wingman”. If you record with a GoPro or other camera with gps you can extract GPX data from that was well to use in VIRB. Maybe someday I’ll will make a walkthrough video about the process.
JEG, your lower legs are more correct to the air flow than your upper body. Plus, if you'd done a proper hang check you would have fixed your harness problems before you flew.
Also, while I have flown in California I only know a few flying sites. I'm typically an eastern US pilot. I would advise you to fly sites, regarding your current skill level, that have large LZ directly below, not 3 miles away and over and beyond 6 lower ridges. I see this video of yours as being a "What Not To Do!" for relatively new hang glider pilots. BTW - I've held multiple Instructor Ratings and taught a few dozen people how to fly (in the 3-4 years I was an Instructor).
👏
Good job on the bailout. U can cross your legs & keep them bent & behind your back in a scorpion like position. I sometimes use this technique when I have trouble getting into my cocoon harness.
Sounds tiring! But I’ll give it a shot if I end up in the same situation again and see how it feels.
As a veteran H4 pilot and instructor, I believe that the terrain was way beyond your hang rating. Not to mention the cardinal sin of a proper hang check. At least a cocoon harness was required here.
🫡
Impressive, honest analogy of your flight.
Harder to say it was all roses when I have the video evidence of mistakes haha.
Yes landing Saint Marys is tricky, can give you some glide out pointers when i see you.
Looking forward to it
Dude, make a compilation of you landing in various spots.
Wiiiinnggggsss.
Definitely on the list of things to do. I’ll probably hold off till my 20th or 25th mountain flight to do it. Should have my new harness and new to me glider by then.
Gotta check for ticks after being in the brush like that
Definitely! I did a check when I got home.
nice choice, and nice landing too
🤙🤙🤙
Thank you!
The sites you're flying dont seem very beginner friendly, makes me feel spoiled having flown my first mountain flights at Lookout Mountain Flight Park where the glide is like 3:1 with nothing in between :D
The problem with Lookout is if its all you do, it doesnt really prepare you for challenging sites. Its a great stepping stone though, but youre over there drinking from a fire hose!
Haha definitely feels like trial by fire out here.
In my 37 years I was involved with hang gliding , anytime I got a new harness, I would hang in it in the basement,,and do any adjustments there..I would practice getting in and out of prone
until I got comfortable with it. I would then set the glider up in the back yard , put the base tube up on a couple of concrete blocks, so I would have good ground clearance,
With help of an assistant and various length hang straps, would change them out until I had the perfect height.
Launch is not the place to do harness adjustments. This should always be done before you head out to fly.
Dang, having a backyard and a basement sounds nice! Sometimes you gotta work with the space you have 🙂
But do agree, it’s nice to not have to check stuff on launch. Now that I don’t rent gear anymore a lot of these woes are gone. When renting gear the day of (and picking it up at the top of the mountain) it’s pretty tough to check at home.
I saw you and your low glide out the canyon from accross town & not surprised that you ended in ST. Mary's. Landed out there once and used a left hand pattern and based over the road and finialed over the powerlines to stick a downwind uphill in east conditions; I was lucky but had the scenario planned out and had pulled a few folks out of the bushes there before. You did well... Hey no harm no foul and get wiser from here. Think you need to address getting some better gear...duh
Ah nice! If you have any video send it over. Yeah if I have to land there again definitely would do a slightly different pattern to try to land in the road if the wind was right. And yeah, ordered a harness about 2 months ago, still waiting on that to get delivered. Have a used Falcon 4 lined up as well but haven’t been able to coordinate the logistics yet on picking it up.
Where’s the slate man?
Hard to say this time of the year.
Why didn't you just take your legs out so you could bring the nose down ? Your AOA is nearly at stall point the whole time. You could have used the windward side of the TIT for lift.
If you are referring to legs out during the flight, that adds tons of drag. Could have pulled in some to bring down the nose but, I think the camera angle distorts my true AOA. Definitely could have had a better flight path towards and around the TIT but, it was my first time over there and didn't know all the things I was supposed to be aiming for in-flight.
A new guy mistake. That’s what a hang check is all about. If it doesn’t feel perfect, fix it on the ground.
Your launch was not good. You had zero forward speed. You were at risk for a stall.
It’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground.
You said your vario wasn’t working. You didn’t check it during your hang check??
I say this for something to think about for your safety for future flights. This flight was a disaster. Hang checks can save your life. Have a buddy also watch you do your hang check. Maybe he or she may see something not correct. You gotta get that hang check 100% spot on. Your life can be at stake.
Help a buddy. Watch them do hang checks.
I was at launch one day, a buddy of mine was ready to launch. I mean seconds before. I yelled, HEY JEFF YIU AREN’T HOOKED IN!!!!! He set his glider down, looked back at me and said, “You just saved my life”.
Hang gliding is the best sport on earth but it’s serious business too. Deadly serious.
Enjoy! But man you gotta get serious an hang checks and pre-flights. You gotta!!!!
I don’t have a standalone vario, it’s just an app that autostarts on launch so impossible to really checkout pre-launch unless I run down a hill. Vario is on the gear to acquire list. As for the launch, as mentioned in video, wasn’t planning to takeoff when I started too, that being said, I probably could have pulled in a little more once I stated taking off. Thanks for the summary! I agree with you on all points except for the summary of the flight being a disaster.
Adjust your hang height, your way too high over base tube
Got it squared away! Thanks.
I've been flying 20 years. Very entertaining videos. However, honestly i think you are putting yourself at risk - i think you need to fly easier sites where an easy landing is guaranteed. I really think you are pushing your luck - think seriously about whether you can be as lucky as you have been many times over. You are obviously passionate about the sport which is great - but if you want to get old don't be so bold ! I'm sure you know the saying.
Appreciate the insight! This is definitely a challenging H2 area. I’m hoping to fly some easier sites soon to get a little more relaxed practice thermaling.
what a sketchy sport......
Assumptions are the mothers of all fuck ups! I hear to many "should haves". I would seriously advise you to do a step back and realise that you are going to die if you don't change your attitude to pre flight checks. Also the way you let the glider decide that you have started your flight is a certain way to the hospital or worse. The phrase "Every landing you can walk away from is a good landing" is a phrase, not a fact.
IMO, the commentary and self realization of what I did wrong in a public forum is a pretty big step back.
Go back to HG school !
🤓
Darwin’s Law of Natural Selection in action…
🐦🔥