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#404251
I have flown! Yow, it was awesome and I'm chomping at the bit for more. Next month I'm going to try a weekender, then work toward my H1 and H2 at Lookout Mountain, Georgia. But I need to get in better shape. I more of a runner, less other stuff, so I'm weaker in my upper body. So any recommendations? I was thinking yoga combined with upper body weights? Any ideas or recommendations, or websites, videos, etc...

Thanks!
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#404252
Congrat's! Don't go overboard. Time in the harness, building skills and muscle memory will slowly make it all easier to
ground handle and fly. Yoga and upper body work will not hurt you. Work on your wind and weather skill set more than anything. You look as fit as any pilot I've seen and youth goes a long way. Enjoy and keep us posted. There are very few women that hang glide...be as unique as you are and, always the student...

8)
#404253
Mombomb wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 12:42 pm I have flown! Yow, it was awesome and I'm chomping at the bit for more. Next month I'm going to try a weekender, then work toward my H1 and H2 at Lookout Mountain, Georgia. But I need to get in better shape. I more of a runner, less other stuff, so I'm weaker in my upper body. So any recommendations? I was thinking yoga combined with upper body weights? Any ideas or recommendations, or websites, videos, etc...

Thanks!
Hey, good for you! Awesome!
Because you're a runner, you have a leg-up on most students. I'd practice some up-hill sprints if you don't already just to build some extra fast-twitchies. Good idea to ensure your ankles and quads are strong as well by doing some weight training if you're not sure about your ultimate tensile strength.

Upper body strength? Eh. It wouldn't hurt, but it's really all about finesse. If you have a good understanding of the principals, you shouldn't need a lot extra upper-body strength, but more never hurts.

Having been an H0 merely two years ago and having earned my H0-H2 at LMFP, (been there, done that) I would strongly suggest to begin your most excellent adventure by building your book-knowledge as much as possible.
Read Dennis Pagen's fine works ("Hang Glider Training Manual", "Performance Flying", "Understanding the Sky", and perhaps "Towing Aloft" ) Might as well purchase all his books (at the very least: "Hang Glider Training Manual", then read:"Performance Flying", "Understanding the Sky", and perhaps "Towing Aloft" ) and read them at least three times before embarking on lessons. As you are reading, try to visualize what the books are saying. Re-read them until you get a good handle on the basics. If you don't quite understand it all, do some research on the 'net, and watch plenty of GOOD launching and landing vids... bypass the poor landings, etc -- watching poor displays of technique will never help you. Prepping your mind with good learning materials far in advance of class will help you enormously in class. It will likely keep you injury-free. Typical injuries, (such as bruised quads or hammies) while very slight, will put the kibosh on flying for the day or week.

As you will learn in your reading, you should Walk-Jog-Run off the launch. You can practice that on the flat, or even up a hill to simulate the drag of a glider. It should be done with a constant acceleration. Starting out slower than a sprint, but ending up in a full blown sprint. I like to lean forward on my initial start to get the glider moving before my legs, so you could practice 'falling forward' before taking a step.

Many (most) of the students in my classes didn't really think about what they were about to do on their flights. The best thing is to listen intently to the instructor, repeat everything he tells you to do, out loud, and VISUALIZE it all, before you run down the hill. And then do EXACTLY what the instructor tells you to do. Do a lot of visualizing. If you've done your studying, it should be a walk in the park for you. But remember, this is not merely a past-time... it's not tennis. It IS AVIATION. And as such, you will be the pilot and you MUST be in command of your ship. If not, you will struggle. So do your studies like a pilot and be assertive in your actions.

I never say 'Good Luck,' because luck is for zombies. Prepare yourself mentally and physically.
I wish you good skill, eaglet!

Also, search for William 'Willy' Vaughn at LMFP. He'll set you right. Also, try to go during mid to late autumn. Conditions are usually much more favorable for eaglets at that time of year. Less heat, calmer, stable conditions.
'Be the Eagle!'
#404256
For Flying, Flying is really about having, and well being able to control your upper Body. You need not have that much raw strength to control your Glider. Not in less you are trying to do some Cross-Controlling. So I would advise you to get to a Gym and do some working out with Weights, and also use some of the Machines that use cables run through pulleys in order to create resistance for you to work against. I believe that my doing work-outs such as doing exercises such as the Military Press
are beneficial also.

One thing you must keep locked into your Brain! Form is so important! Doing a Movement using nice, controlled movements is so important. Working out like this took me all the way to being able to Bench-Press 500 Pounds. I was also able to bench-Press 480 for 6, Clean controlled Reps.

Good luck. And I hope you get in some good< Controlled Movements with your Work-outs.

Good By Chris McKeon.
CCMCK@GOLDSTATE.NET
925-497-1059
#404258
Roadrunner71 wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:03 pm For Flying, Flying is really about having, and well being able to control your upper Body. You need not have that much raw strength to control your Glider. Not in less you are trying to do some Cross-Controlling.
Good luck. And I hope you get in some good< Controlled Movements with your Work-outs.

Good By Chris McKeon.
CCMCK@GOLDSTATE.NET
925-497-1059
That makes good sense. Give me a reason to use that gym membership I'm paying for. :lol: Thanks!
#404259
Well, I do agree with Chris. More body strength, period, means more endurance for those hill-training days, and better ability to easily brush-off the inevitable 'firm' landing. But given a choice and limited time, I'd go with developing the knowledge that leads to finesse, rather than brute strength alone. Women usually have a good grasp on using finesse already, whereas many men plow through and struggle with heavy-handed, 'man-handling' force and beat their chest and yell at the moon, etc. etc. I've implemented both approaches to varying tasks. Each task many times requires a combination of the two. However, I like finesse the best. It works every time.
Yeah, but I still work out like a beast (in my mind). It has many benefits. And I run the local mountains as well as speed-skate.
I've never have tried yoga. I like the heavy iron in my hands. rrrrRRRAAAAHHHH! ;)






Go BEAST-mode, Chris!
#404260
Hey I just wanted to share to anyone else reading these posts for beginners that the books he's recommending by Dennis Pagen are much cheaper ($25 vs. a minimum of $62 for Understanding the Sky) to purchase on Dennis Pagen's personal website than on Amazon or the other book sellers. So buy them from him directly which is a total win/win. :P
[/quote]

Read Dennis Pagen's fine works ("Hang Glider Training Manual", "Performance Flying", "Understanding the Sky", and perhaps "Towing Aloft" ) Might as well purchase all his books (at the very least: "Hang Glider Training Manual", then read:"Performance Flying", "Understanding the Sky", and perhaps "Towing Aloft" ) and read them at least three times before embarking on lessons. As you are reading, try to visualize what the books are saying. Re-read them until you get a good handle on the basics. If you don't quite understand it all, do some research on the 'net, and watch plenty of GOOD launching and landing vids... bypass the poor landings, etc -- watching poor displays of technique will never help you. Prepping your mind with good learning materials far in advance of class will help you enormously in class. It will likely keep you injury-free. Typical injuries, (such as bruised quads or hammies) while very slight, will put the kibosh on flying for the day or week.

[/quote]
#404261
"Understanding the Sky" can be a tough read. Especially if read singularly. Take your time on this tome. It will most definitely help you when you're at the soaring stage. But as with most learning, one book and/or one author are never enough to get a good grasp on a topic, and weather flying is one BIG, FAT topic that will keep you learning for the remainder of your years.
So, get in practice of reading the surface analysis maps, not merely the zombie's pretty paint-by-radar stuff. Get to know the AWC - ADDS and METARs and SEGMETS sites (look it up), as well as the soaring forecasts for your area. Tons of information out there, but ya have to practice it to understand it. Too many pilots merely rely on Windfinder and WindMapper, and the Weather Channel. Whatever. Those are ok tools, but there are far more powerful tools out there to add to that information that you will eventually require to successfully and consistently fly the friendly, cloud-base skies!
Take it all in easy, though. Don't let yourself burn out. There's plenty of time to learn the weather. Concentrate now on the basic mechanics of flight.
#404270
Mombomb wrote: Mon Aug 06, 2018 12:42 pm I have flown! Yow, it was awesome and I'm chomping at the bit for more. Next month I'm going to try a weekender, then work toward my H1 and H2 at Lookout Mountain, Georgia. But I need to get in better shape. I more of a runner, less other stuff, so I'm weaker in my upper body. So any recommendations? I was thinking yoga combined with upper body weights? Any ideas or recommendations, or websites, videos, etc...
Thanks!
Mombomb,

Okay, there is a website if you like, linked at the very bottom. One of our seasoned female pilots wrote a letter that may be helpful, there.

We also have a WIKI for HG here, and this is just one tiny part:
http://www.hanggliding.org/wiki/Pilots_Bibliography

You can read the WIKI without logging into the WIKI, or you can log in there as you log in here (same password).

As said earlier, finesse is more useful than brute strength or ultimate endurance, because even the football players can run out of steam when learning to fly HG. No exercise routine works the same mix of muscles as HG lessons, so do some work, sure, but don't be too surprised if you still wear thin by the end of a day on the hill. Pace yourself, each hour of each day. Tandem flights will still be good for you then, so apply as needed. Tandem flying is especially good on the days when you overdid things on the day before. 8) If they have a cart glider-retrieve service on the hills, I strongly recommend that you take full advantage of that service. Remember, this is a learning-to-fly adventure, and not a fitness test. It does no good there to wreck muscles by overwork; it only slows your progress. Know when to quit, on any given day. Excess fatigue can cause mistakes that you would not make if you were still fresh.

If you can provide a small video camera, or friends with video cameras, it will be a great help to you to see what you did well in lessons, or what may need work. If the camera will be on the glider, sort out the mounting system there a few days before you start lessons. Instructors there may have some good help for that item.

Best wishes . . .
#404272
O-K Mombomb:

Here is my spiel:


I feel that Hang-Gliding is a sport that can be a place where a determined Woman can excell. I see in Flying a Hang-Glider that more Men do, when it comes down to it. All things being equal. Things such as Wing Loading, Glider size, etc. I feel as though women can and HAVE been able to leave been able to leave a VERY Strong positive impression regarding their ability to Fly a Glider. Why do I think that a Woman can and do have a VERY GOOD CHANCE OF BECOMING A GOOD PILOT? Well for one thing I have met and I have Flown with some extremely good Pilots, who were, and are very skilled Aviators.

Here is as Person to Person Comparison. I was Talking to John Heiney Today. Well john while did acknowledge That He probably was a better Aerobatic Pilot than Kari Kastle. John followed that statement by saying: "That He was probably a better Aerobatic Pilot Than Kari Kastle, but not in cross country. I for one just Love hearing that last I knew John was a Four time World "Aerobatic Champion". So hearing John put himself in the Back Seat regarding being compared to Kari Kastle when talking about flying X-C was quite refreshing for me to hear.

I myself do not know Kari Kastle. But, i would love to meet her, and fly with her. i will leave you with this thought. I have a friend of mine, Lisa Tate. Well Lisa, even though I have never seen lisa Fly. I just know that She can fly Well. Why do I think that Lisa can Fly well? I believe that Lisa can fly well, because Lisa's Brain works well. Being a Good Pilot, just as being a Good Horse rider; really to do either well, one must have a good Brain. Some of the Brightest Pilots I have known have been Both very Bright, and Female.

I hope that this helps you some. I will put down my EMail address and my Phone number. Feel free to Contact me directly. CCMCK@GOLDSTATE.NET 925-497-1059

Good Night,
Chris McKeon
#404280
Lot's of good info in this thread.
Most definitely go to Red's site and read it all, multiple times.
Also, go to the USHPA site and 'try' to find articles on launching and landing. They had a good article on launching that was very useful to me... I can't find it in their search engine. Ah, good thing I bookmarked it.... it's pix are all missing, but that is no matter. :
https://www.ushpa.org/page/safe-hang-gl ... ches-redux
On any cliff or sloped mountain (hill) launch, the extended-time grapevine grip works very well at keeping the glider from 'popping' it's nose. Willy will be able to help you there.

If you live near LMFP, weekends would be ok, but probably a bit busy for close, individual attention by the instructors. I went for two one-week stays, and was very happy that I could put in more than three hours a day on the training hills. If you are able, try to set aside a week at a time. You can learn FAR more efficiently that way if you don't over-do your muscles.
Climbing the hills with the glider on your back, especially the tall hill (86' tall), will likely tax your legs. LMFP does have four-wheelers with glider trailers that the students use to portage their gliders up the hills, but when I went, it was $3 per ride. I was doing between 9 - 13 rides per day, depending on conditions. It can get expensive.
I recently heard that the fee has been changed to $2 per ride, so it isn't as bad a cost. I found that by carrying up the glider the first couple times, my legs would be well warmed-up and more flexible, especially when they were sore from the previous days' training. The thing to remember is to conserve your energy for the launch and landings, and mostly for your concentration.

The hill-training sessions are usually in the mornings (7:30 / 8:00am through 11:30am or earlier), so if you still have some poop left over, (after your studies and/or tests) take at least a tandem ride in the early evening, if conditions warrant. The tandems are some of the 'bestest' instruction you will get. These tandem pilots really know their stuff because they are flying at least four hours a day, every flyable day. So do yourself a big favor and get as many tandems as you can. These will also help you become very acquainted with flying the airspace above the LZ as well as landing. When you do your mountain solo, you will feel quite at home if you have some recent tandems under your belt.

When I was there in the autumn of 2016, there was a standing rule that was enforced. A student could not put a camera on his/her glider. Especially if Matt was present at the hills (usually only on the weekends). This was not only on the hills, but on the mountain launch as well. However..... you can have other students film you, and while you can glean quite a bit from some of the good vids, it's not the same as having a camera well-placed on the glider.
When I was on the training hill for clearing for my solo mountain flight (beginning of 2nd week), my instructor allowed me to mount my camera to the glider. Days before, I had made my own special camera-mount by getting the aft keel tube diameter from the Wills Wing Falcon manual. Nice that it worked perfectly the first time! It would have helped immensely if I could have filmed every flight up to that point, however. Perhaps if you have a very small, intimate group on the training hill and a relaxed instructor, he/she may be coerced into turning their head while you mount a camera. It pays to ask.
Oh yeah, and give 'em a tip after the lesson. That seems to ALWAYS help for the following lessons. ;)

Get friendly with Mike Barby (glider maintenance and basic instructor). He works and hangs-out at the shop on launch, and helps H1 / H2's on their mountain launches. He can be quite stern. He's a very serious guy. And for very good reason. Make him get to know you well BEFORE your solo. Go into his shop and ask questions. He loves when new, hungry, serious students pick his brain. Seriously. Pick it clean! As always, take a notebook and take notes!! Tell him Doug sent'chya (No, don't). If you're well-liked and trusted, you may be able to mount your camera to your glider. Somehow I was allowed to put a camera on all my mountain flights, including my first solo. I learned A LOT from those vids!
Just as you do with Mike, be outgoing, become known, friendly, and trusted by all your instructors.

Also, having the VIP package gets you A LOT of perks and added bonus attention that are not mentioned in their literature. And all the instructors will ask what package you have purchased. So if you can, always, always go with the VIP package. It's a bit more expensive than the other offerings, but the bennies far exceed the worth of the extra outlay compared to the other packages. I believe the instructors feel that if you have invested in the VIP, then you are far more committed to your learning. And rightly so.
They do have substantial sales at certain times of the year, so you have the opportunity to save some splash.
In mid to late autumn, their cabins also have substantially reduced rates, especially if you stay for more than five nights. I've heard they were going to remodel the interiors as well. You can't beat living on the LZ and living the action for a week or two!
Many notables (pilots) pass through LMFP (Mike Barber, etc.) on their way to Florida. Always many good pilots to eves drop on. When you have any chance, mozy over to a group of pilots on the LZ or launch. Most experienced pilots LOVE to help out eaglets. You will likely learn more than you bargained for in these intimate groups (about flying.... duh!).
Take your books to the mountain launch and while studying, eavesdrop. Listen closely. Join in. Find some experienced pilots to go to lunch or dinner with.
Immerse yourself in HG!

Above all... Have Fun!

More good stuff:
https://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... e5fedff196
https://ozreport.com/6.144.3
viewtopic.php?t=23659&postdays=0&postor ... c1b5906486
http://chgpa.org/H3_StudyGuide/h3.study.guide.html
https://www.ushpa.org/page/safe-hang-gl ... ches-redux
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=18106&start=40

Also, a most excellent mentor (I've a couple of those!) of mine: Richard Cobb, his web site is mostly FLPHG, but he does provide some good things to read about non-powered HG:http://wind-drifter.com/

Almost forgot..... there is ALWAYS something happening each night in the LZ by/in the clubhouse. Bon-fires, parties, parties, etc.

One more important tip: Find a HG club near you before you go to class. Let yourself be known, and contact all the likely mentors in your area. Tell them about yourself and your plans. Ask for their suggestions.
Some may have negative things to say about LMFP. Don't worry about that. It's all about the tenacity and eagerness of the student. If you can't get a good answer to a question of yours, the great thing about LMFP is that there are many, many instructors to chose from and receive a good answer that you can understand. Not every instructor can communicate efficiently to every student, so you the student have to be aggressive in finding the truth, in the manner in which you can understand. I love LMFP, and if it were up to me, I'd only change very, very few and minor details about the school.