Hang Gliding: First Mountain Launch
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- A short five minute video highlighting my first Hang Gliding experience at Lookout Mountain, GA.
Music written and produced by me, myself and I.
If you enjoy please like, share, subscribe and comment.
I made my first launch from the same spot at Lookout Mountain 20 years ago. There were no GoPro’s to capture it back then. Thank you for posting this, it felt like I was watching myself and brought back great memories.
Same for me, but from a ramp in Santos /Sao Vicente in Brazil. Hill then mountain. It's a very unique evolution!
I'd be cool with just doing the hill training. Good job
@Car Univ I was pondering that very same thought.
Same. That looks fun. And that’s as high as I’d go lol.
@@abbeyroad430 you would love the training hills! I was just out there a couple of days ago. I'm the guy with the white beard that launched these guys off the mountain. I just found this video. don't hesitate to go to the training hills and learn how to fly it's a blast! It'll change your life
That’s what I was thinking too
I taught hang gliding at Lookout for years... When this popped up in my feed I still instantly recognized that launch ramp!
So many great times there!
I've had 8 hour+ flights, and 10,000ft+ altitude gains above launch... It's quite a place to fly, and that landing field now has a sand volleyball court with lights, and an inground pool, so many hours spent after flying all day, watching new pilots just like this come in for their first mountain flight landings... Then you yell over and make sure they're ok, then it's back to volleyball until then next one drops in!🤣
Way to go man!
Glad to hear it! I hope to also have those long, high flights! Can’t wait to go back again to Lookout this spring.
I usually prefer flying videos without music, but you're self-produced songs gave some real PilotWingz64 vibes
The music was pretty cool
Exactly absolutely так точно
I see Mongo skinny dipping with Rex in the pool. Human Lawn Darts rule.
I earned my MONGO AVIATION sticker a few years ago on my first and ONLY attempt to loop my glider at LOOKOUT MTN FLIGHT PARK. Made it half-way around, broke the glider and came down under parachute. Now I'm the guy that repairs the gliders and launches newbies off the mountain!
It is hard to tell with the edit, how long would you estimate is the time you spent gliding down?
How long does it take to drive up to the launch point.
Just trying to work out an estimation of speed and by extrapolation, based upon the drive time, a guesstimate if one were to walk the distance from launchpoint to landing point.
No particular reason, just a bit bored on a Wednesday afternoon. 🙂
Wow very nice ! You know what you've just done ? Thank you Where do I go to sign up ?
I pray LORD JESUS CHRIST that no one panicks at the last minute.
Can't wait to get into this. I just turned 40 and need something EXHILARATING to do. I have always dreamed of flying... I've been looking into paragliding, BUT after do research, hanggliding is alot safer bc you don't have to deal with collapses, or stalls, no parachutes to deploy if something goes wrong. Awesome video, nice job!
Good decision!
No parachute to deploy when going in? What do you do at that point? Pray? Try sports cars. They have air bags. I got to admit I like watching others do it. But I’ve seen the wings collapse on hang gliders too. I used to live near lone pine California, those guys jumped off the Sierras into the desert valley
@@jimsteinway695 Good point😂
Exactly! I like flying machines that DON’T collapse in flight. Just a personal preference 😂
So what do you deploy if something goes wrong?
I learned hang gliding in the late 80s in Southern California at Crestline from the guru Rob McKenzie. Landings are more or less always exiting, you are lucky you have such a large and unobstructed field to land at. Our final crossed a dirt road and ditches before the actual field. Today the Andy Jackson Flight Park in San Bernadino is one of the best landing sites in the world. Is it obvious I miss flying hang gliders ha ha. Oh, you were a newbie back then, I am shure you have improved since so I will not bore you with suggested improvements.
Nice mate but do you see why the glider keeps banking left :) you're cross controlling. I reckon it was due to all the rush of flying from the mountain for the 1st time :) good stuff 👍
Just as you went to the uprights, I saw the nose of the glider come up. That often happens when people are concentrating on getting their hands on the downtubes but not keeping their body forward enough to maintain air speed. Best of success in your flying, and may all your landings be safe!
compatibility of music rhythm was good enough... Hopefully I would enjoy the same gliding once..If got
Yeah right. That thing started rolling right and flaring up. Let me see it! lol
Si Tal cual.. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I regret not having tried this
Looks like that wing needed trimming..that perpetual left turn had me leaning out of my chair. Great video and thanks for sharing your experience...
Great observation, I had such a rush that I didn’t fully realize this until I watched the recording. Thanks for watching!
@@skyhighflyguy6986 definitely look like a left turn in that glider all the way down. Great flight though! I'm the guy that launched you off the mountain with the white beard. That GoPro cut out just in time didn't it? I hope you're still flying!
My thoughts exactly, turns left
Ehhh I will just stick with my ultralight. I can just add a little throttle and keep flying 😁
Looks very cool. What's the rate of quadriplegia and fatality?
I envy you. Fantastic experience!
That takes some big balls to try
It's a long walk back carrying the hang glider. Good flight though
Nice I want to try this lol
Man, I miss hang gliding. Had to stop for medical reasons. Enjoy while you can.
Thanks Bill and best wishes.
reason?
@@Pinkielover medical
I live near here, there is another launch in Sequatchie Co. About a 45 min drive from here
hola saludos bonito video donde puedo compartir tan hermosa aventura
Hola, saludos! Lookout Mountain in Rising Fawn, Georgia USA
Just before the gopro cut out, it looked like you were left wing low in cross wind and probably touched you right wing tip on landing. You should have been aimed more left to get wings level. But by now I'm sure you've got this!!!!! Looked great on approach too.
Remember my first flight the 15.10.2021…… heartbeat 💓 rate 175 the Apple Watch told me to breath :-) now It.s still high at the departure but then it calms down
in my younger days I always wanted to try this...now I just celebrate a good poo.
Lol
Afraid you were going to over chute your landing area. It takes awaile to master the flare.
Chute? The word is shoot
That was beautiful to watch. How many hours training to get to that stage????
Very Nice Video and Music
Thank you for the kind words!
When I was a kid I really wanted to try that. Then I went to Lookout Mountain and saw guy actually do it and was like hellllllllno!
There is a reason they wear helmets! 😬☠️
Hahahahaha.... Never better than sorry later eh...
I trained at LMHG but ran out of money before getting off the bunny hill. (I am a slow learner). Had one good flight on that low slope, gonna hold that memory forever. 🧡💚💙🪁
When I get rated, come fly with me. In Georgia, Texas, or Michigan.
You should go back to the hills and continue training. I was just out there a couple of days ago, people were having a blast! I used to work out there. It's some kind of paradise.
@@mikebarbee2217 Paradise!
Those strings holding him don’t look big enough in my opinion 😂 # scared of heights 😂
NOT STRINGS, LOL. Strap with cable and you could not break them if you tried. (although you do have to inspect the harness before every flight ) But I get your point.
..Wow!..Very cool gliding...👌🏼
..Where's this Lookout mountain located? 🤔
Chattanooga , Tennessee
@@johnr.6029
..Okay...Thanks for the reply...Good day to you... . 👍🏼
My cousin had a hang glider, I hung out with him, we were at padre Island in texas, he said to give it a go with a tip or 2. I jumped off a sand hill facing the Gulf of Mexico an slammed into the earth like a pile of bird shit
Don't know why your video came across my feed. But, I clicked on it, liked it and really enjoyed the music so much as to click on description to see who it was and Wow! Multi talented. I dig it!
sure grooves!
Question: As a former skydiver I'm wondering what you think of Skydiving; would you find the thought of jumping out of a plane frightening?
I ask this because I didn't have a problem with my first jumps at all. But watching you launch off the mountain scared the daylights out of me 😅
I gave up sky diving to take up hang gliding. To tell you how long ago it was squares were just coming out. We jumped modified military chutes or Paracommanders.
Was a parachute rigger in the navy, first jump was freefall at Lakehurst, NJ. in 1968
I get higher that this guy, daily. :$
Nice job. I’ll never forget my first mountain launch there. It was at the old launch site just north of where you took off. Mid seventies (45 years ago, my how time flies). My legs felt like rubber bands. Before you know it you’ll be at cloud base heading to the point! 👍
Glad to hear it. Do you still fly? I'm just at the beginning of this journey, and hoping to fly for many years to come.
I did my first mountain flight off the radial ramp at Hendson's gap (further up the valley from Lookout) back in 1985. I flew off Racoon Mountain during that same trip. What an experience! Thanks for posting your video and nice job!
"Music written and produced by me, myself and I." That explains why it wouldn't Shazam. Groovin' tune, man.
Awesome
Dam how many times you do the practice hill? Music was suitable and well done 👍
Thanks @jerry sanders. There are 2 hills, a small hill and a hill twice as high that you practice on. I don’t remember the exact quota, but it’s enough that you can show you can safely control the glider. Then the main launch is just a long version of the hills, but the glider flies the same no matter how high you are.
As a PG pilot, there really isn't any feeling like that moment you first huck yourself off a cliff.
Ironic you wrote the music too, because I was thinking 'this is a great soundtrack'!
The same mountain that General Joe Hooker took as part of the campaign to defeat the South.
Lot of history there.
On the landing....I kept saying ' hands up, hands up hands up, get your hands up....
Nice sled run...enjoy while you can, because later you wont drive up or set, if a sledder is all the conditions allow.
Would love to have flown there. I did most of my flying in Golden B.C... bought a motorcycle and havent flown since...maybe some day I will try again.
That first flight feeling must be something amazing.
It is! Just getting off from the ground from a little hill is exhilarating. My first real mountain flight was amazing. I did this in Dunlop California.
You think when you start out you'll be doing acrobatic flips and stuff like that but it's just so beautiful, it's fun just to boat around.
I used to ski a lot, lost interest once I flew.
@@richardwicks4190 it’s been on my wish list forever. I ski though, haha! Enjoy the soaring and thanks for your reply!
@@Qartoffeln1 I'd recommend it, but under two conditions:
1) do NOT fly tandem. It's too dangerous because of the weight.
2) If you don't have mountains and have to be towed up by a plane, don't do it - there's a condition called "lock out" that if you end up there, you're dead.
Another thing, this sport is dangerous, but most deaths are caused by simple mistakes. One of the most common ways to die is that you forget to hook in to the glider, and them jump off the mountain, and fall to your death. Always check and double check you're properly secured, and if you for ANY REASON don't feel comfortable flying on a particular day, don't.
You have to take safety seriously in this sport. But it's very beautiful and it was worth it for me to do it for the years I did.
Be safe!
@@richardwicks4190 thank you for your conscientious reply and advices. I was not aware about the lock out condition and will do some research on it. I meant the feeling of first solo. You on your own with your glider, knowing that you made it.
I actually did fly tandem in Switzerland 11 years ago and it was a blast. If you’re interested, I flew with a company called Hanggliding Interlaken and they were super professional and thorough from the pick up to wing assembly (they tell you to assemble the wing together with them with two purposes: ease you into the experience and ensure that you see how safe everything has to be) to flight. I remember laying prone while still on the ground to precisely check what you mention: that I was hooked on.
We picked up a thermal right after take off and we climbed like a rocket. It sounds like a hurricane. We got out of the thermal and it was so beautiful and peaceful that I shared some chocolate cookies with the pilot.
I told the pilot “birds do this every day” and he replied with a grin “I do this every day”
😎
Safety is first and foremost. Keep up the good vibes!
@@Qartoffeln1 Picking up a thermal is awesome. There's what's called the inversion layer just below the clouds - this is where the thermal disperses.
I hit cloud base on my first flight, not expecting it, but everything got foggy and as I recall a bit cooler (you're all gloved up an in a bag so you're well insulated).
You wouldn't know about a lockout unless you were in a flat area.
Flying is EASY, landing is hard. You have to judge the angle to the landing zone. If you're too low, you won't make it, and you decide to land in a tree (never saw this happen but it has happened.)
On my first flight my instructors warned me was was dangerously low, and they were right, I made almost a straight flight into the landing zone. I think I circled once to land. If I was another 30 meters lower, I probably wouldn't have made it.
Get any criticism from an instructor, listen.
I had accidents too when I was training. One one hill (about 500 feet) we took the same route, over and over again to land and we are reminded, at least 30 degree angle to make it to the landing zone. A test is, instead of going left, go right, and chose an entirely different flight path. I did that, missed the landing zone by 100 meters easy the first time. I got into the habit of being in the air for a particular length of time, and wasn't paying attention to the angle.
It's easy to screw up but when you screw up, you learn a lesson.
It's pretty safe, as long as you treat it seriously.
Took me about 10 lessons to get my license but those 10 lessons are grueling. We carried our gliders up the hills, we disassembled and reassembled them and in a typical day I'd climb something like 500 meters ascent. Glider isn't light..
You took off from Lookout Mountain, and landed in New England, Georgia, across the road from a friend’s cabin I know of.
What does it take to usually get to this point? I live close by and I’m definitely interested
I pretty much watched to see you wreck so.....i feel fkn ripped
I think he wrecked/biffed the landing when his GoPro “died”😂
Looks beautiful dude.👍👍👍💪💪💪
My dad learned here, he was part of the original Tennessee ridge runners.
I lived in Lookout Mountain Tennessee on West Brow Oval. One day I was in my front yard raking leaves and heard "Hey" I looked around and saw nobody until i heard "Hey look Up" A hanglider was about (I guess) 20 feet over my house (probably more but it was amazing)!!!!
My son Greg was an instructor there and I took my first mountain flight from Lookout Mountain. Great memories, great location and good instruction.
Nice flight, congratulations (2 years late)
Great feeling would love to do it..maybe bit too passed it at 67..and an iffy back..
Just jealous of you guys😁🤪🤪🤪👍👍👍
They do aerotowing from the field where you get towed up by a small plane. Perfect for those that arent able to foot launch.
I had my first training hill flight there (LMFP) August 10 1986. USHPA #44332.
The ramp has a beautifully curved apron now. Matt Taber and the family "pushed" me off the then cliff launch 6 months later. Still free-flying now.
Don't get cocky😁
That was awesome. Thanks for sharing. I might would try the hill stuff in the beginning.
what a DREAM
somehow the music was PERFECT
would love to try some day : )
Thank you, and I hope you can live this DREAM some day too !
Back in my day I’d never fly with out wheels
Batería que?!!😂😂😂 Con esa velocidad y la inclinación que tenias en esa ala... 🛩️💥!! 😂😂😂 Lastima no publicaste el final.. Sirve para pilotos no vicios ver donde estubo el error y como corregirlo.. Excelente primer vuelo de altura!!💪 ❤
I soloed there in 08 I think it was . I probably launched there 40-50 times. I did a little videoing of some of my flights but that was later . You really documented this very well right from the start . LMFP might consider using this for future students to look at so that they can see what they're working towards. I haven't flown in about 5 years and watching this makes me want to take the 8 hour drive up there . Thanks , it was like reliving it again ! And congrats on your solo flight !
Thank you! And I’m glad you enjoyed watching/reliving lol. Do what you love! Let me know if you go back for some flying fun, I’d like to hear about it.
I fly gliders but have never done this. How does it work with no instruments? Wouldn't you at least want to know your speed to avoid stalling?
When it’s trimmed correctly, IE the hang point is where it should be, it will naturally glide hands off at a few MPH above stall. That is the speed that’s also good for thermaling. I used to use a Dwyer airspeed indicator that was pretty much useless, hence the nickname “Dwyer Liar”. At minimum sink you can just hear the wind noise. When you stall the noise goes away. On my old Scirroco 2 when you pulled the bar in you could make the wind roar. So it’s mostly seat of the pants. I assume you have flown Schwiezer 2-32”s? I never really looked at the airspeed until going downwind for landing. When you stall it shakes so much it wakes the dead.
First flight from a mountain. The new pilot doesnt have time to figure out, and look at a vario.
I went to Lookout Mountain for 10 days. On a few days a lesson was cancelled because of wind or rain.
Began at the training hills. Flew 30 (12-second) flights from 60 feet up the Small Hill. Wonderful sensations. Overwhelmed. Gripping to control bar too tightly. Overcontrolling. Klutzy. Gradually more relaxed. Instructors were patient and gave good advice. Improvement with almost every flight. Foot-landings after a few days.
At the airfield--went up on three flights with an instructor. We were towed at 35 mph on a 250-foot rope behind a 115-horsepower airplane. The 1st times taking off and climbing out felt scary! Loved it! Climbed up 2000 feet. After release I did most of the flying. --Good for learning to roll into a banked attitude, to steady the bank, and to roll back to wings level. [This is a safe way to learn rolling, banking, and turning. Practice enough that you have some good turning habits before going to the Big Hill]. The descent and maneuvering into the landing pattern familiarized me with what I'd later do when flying solo from the ridge.
--Advanced to the Big Hill to learn turning. --Flew from 80 feet up the Hill. Got better at it, but regressed one day. Shouldn't have done 2 lessons and a tandem flight the previous day; or should have done all that then taken a day off. Anyway, by the time I'd flown fifteen 15-second flights from the Big Hill I felt confident about controlling bank angle; confidence in rolling in and out is a great sensation! The flying was great fun after that. Took another 15 flights to get approved to launch the next day from the ramp 1340 feet up on the Ridge.
I was accustomed to running a few steps and flying, so I felt confident and eager up on the ramp. Within a few steps I was flying, just as when I had run off the training hills. Gliding down to the field was great. Stayed on the downwind leg too long--got a bit low. Didn't give myself enough of a final leg. No speed run. Don't make that mistake; you'll lose 50 feet in the turn from downwind to final; so turn from the downwind when you're supposed to!
If you want to hang glide, don't put off learning this. Do it! Otherwise you might look back decades from now--not having done what you wanted. It's not a thing to avoid, so stop delaying. You want it? Do it.
Glad to hear about your experience! And I hope not, but I got the impression your flight ended badly. I hope you walked away from it ok. I will heed your advice.
@@skyhighflyguy6986: When I rolled out on final I had about 40 feet. Just not much of a final. Landed fine.
Great training program. That’s the way to do it.
Thanks for this write up. I've always wanted to fly and finally found a school and started two months ago. Progress is slow, because I can only fly once every two weeks due to work schedule and weather. I can't imagine ever flying solo ....
@@yoshidragonaga: You'll do it!
Nice vid
I learnt in the 80's
My 1st top to bottom was above Merthyr Tydfil in Wales and the landing area was right next to a grave yard. 🤣
The next flight was from 3000ft in Spain!!
Happy days.
I fly gliders now in a cosy cockpit !
"You want me to go up in one of those wing things?" - Derek Trotter
Lucky you .great stuff.
superb music
I liked the music so I went to the description to search for it. Nice flying, btw!
Thank you Cameron!
Taught Hang Gliding 6 years. Like the camera work but not the flying. Always remember!!! Turn right, hips right. Same for left. You cross your body in your turns and and knarly windy situation at Lookout or any other mtn landing field could be detrimental to your health. Please study your own video on how you are turning your aircraft.
Did this hang glider have a chute? It looks like it from the top of it.
Man that looks awesome I wanna do it
I dream about it! I want to try!!!
Congratulations! Nice flight, nice video. Did the same thing, same place, in 1987! Thanks for posting, brought back great memories.
Ahem... The idea is just to "Hang" Hahaaa... Hanging in there brother... Dat is Wot its all about... Its better than hanging around... Doin nothin. Haha
Toppppppp👍👍
Cross controlling.
Hips not shoulders.
Overall, pretty good, run harder on launch.
Megusta mucho Ber videos de vuelo de ala delta nunca envolado quisiera algundia tener la oportunidad de volar debeser muy apasionante afortunados aquellos que vuelan en ala delta hernan Pérez de colombia
Nice video and good job with the music!! I like all the tunes from your vids. Very original. Happy flying!!
Really great video!
Dayton Wyoming has an awesome launch site off the side of the Bighorns.
Died to fly - I just watched an old documentary on UA-cam from the early days (1970's) of hang gliding. A lot of people died back then, even the really experienced flyers.
First launch on the video was a horrible attempt. The pilot didn't make his harness straps tight by leaning forward and pulling the glider with his body to accelerate. He basically just fell off the downhill portion of the launch platform and the glider reached flying speed. I guarantee you on steep launches in the mountains of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and California, you must pull and accelerate the glider with your body; a weak launch has bad outcomes. The Go-Pro went "whack" upon landing, it didn't die. Go to Teluride CO for the hang gliding festival and the entire crowd yells "WHACK" because even experienced Hang Glider pilots struggle with the high altitude and small landing field at the baseball diamond. Look, this novice pilot did a great job during this flight. Keep going and quit being soft on your takeoffs. BTW, I have 21 years, almost 2000 flights, and 3000 hours in the mountains of Colorado, Utah, (Go to The Point of the Mountain near SLC) and Wyoming.
Yeah Boy 💪🏽🐲👏🏼
I used to live right down the street from here on the mountain. We would watch the hangliders many times at sunset. I miss it. Beautiful beautiful place. I’m trying to make a life change right now that makes me feel like I’m about to run off the side of a mountain. So it made me think of this.
Thanks for sharing! Hope everything works out with your change!
Love watching these first time mt flights. Brings me back to my first mt flight 20 years ago. Tho mine wasnt as smooth
Bummer! I was waiting for the landing! Oh well... I prefer ambient sounds,no music please!
Maybe it's just the camera, and I know nothing about hang gliding, but those treetops look mighty close right after launch. Seems like it wouldn't take much descending to be into the trees.
That's one of the best things about Lookout... It's a super forgiving launch with a cliff, and further from the trees than it looks. You can just about fall off the end of the ramp and still get flying before you hit anything. Some of the sites up there are just hacked out of the trees, one you have to run uphill towards a blind cliff edge you can't see over and even a perfect launch leaves you skimming treetops.. That was an intimidator the first time!
For about 3 years I spent every weekend there camping and flying. It was great.
Fantastic
Nicely done man, hope you're still flying 👍🏼
Thanks ❤️
Miss that shit SOOOOO MUCH! Now 73y/o! Living at home in NE La.
Simple question: why do planes need so many control surfaces (rudders, elevators, ailerons, let alone spoilers, flaps, slats, etc) and hang gliders none? (Or one, I suppose you could say.)
This needs more than a simple answer, but here is my attempt: what he is doing on the hang glider is to move the CG of the aircraft (pilot included) to induce the changes in attitude. This has several limitations on each axis and to give you one example does not allow the pilot to do a roll along the longitudinal axle only. It also requires to have a part of the aircraft (aka the pilot) exposed to the airflow generating a significant amount of drag and therefore reducing efficiency and increasing sink rate compared to a clean design of let’s say, a sailplane. Having control surfaces allows the aircraft to have control on each axis individually and in a more efficient way (in terms of cinematic energy loss due to changes of attitude) while at the same time allows you to put the pilot into the fuselage and eliminate the drag mentioned before. I could go on a lot from here but I hope this gives you an idea. Nevertheless, I imagine there might be nothing compared to the feeling that a hang glider can give you to feel that you are an actual part needed to make the thing fly.
@@citicolina Thanks Jorge. I had the feeling the main reason was that the weight of the pilot (compared to the aircraft) and the fact that he could shift that weight was enough to make the magic happen. Then I wondered about the rudder (surely important, yes?) so I actually started googling for planes without tails.
I launched off that ramp in 2017! What a great experience
Looks fun
This was the last place I flew in 1987 or 88. Gave up the sport because I lived in Jacksonville, Fl. Learned in Yuma, Az. gr3eat memories.
Nice to hear from you! Definitely is a cool place. Did you ever think about Aerowtow? There are places in Florida to fly if you ever get the urge.
Very nice Flying and calculations,I was so ready for H2 but never were brave enough to take that Big leap
Thanks @Stealhty1 👍 You can do it!