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[NotoriusKP]

I'm fairly new to the sport of hang gliding. I haven't taken a lesson, but I've begun speaking with many hang gliding pilots across the nation. From what I've read here, it doesn't seem that many of you actually offer Tandem flights, is this correct?

I think a great way to promote hang gliding is by simply taking people up for the excitement of a tandem flight. The main reason I haven't been yet is my weight. I'm kind of a big guy (alright, real big, about 280 lbs.), but I've been busting tail trying to get down to a reasonable weight to fly.

I've talked to a couple of "regular joes" who have taken Tandem flights and would not stop talking about it for at least a year after their first experience.

From an extreme newbie perspective, it seems that taking a tandem flight and word of mouth from there would be the best way to spread the word about hang gliding.

I've also talked to several people who did not take a tandem their first time out, and went out for lessons. I was surprised at how many people got burned out so quickly because they didn't realize how difficult it really would be.

I'm kind of new to this forum, as well as the sport, but I thought I would try to put my two cents in and see what kind of response back I could get. If I was interested in getting Tandem certification eventually, and starting a tandem operation, what kind of cost/time would I need to invest in this?

[joefaust]

Grow hang gliding through the world hang gliding Landmark Project, in California, and through its Virtual Plaque. The Landmark and also its Virtual Plaque will gradually give long-term exposure to hang gliding. This is part of the full spectrum of things to do.

Start on project:
http://www.hanggliderhistory.com/
Click the project folder there: Otto Meet 1971.

WERE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW THERE?

[Anadactyl]

Oh man, that is a great idea. I would've gotten into the sport a lot earlier if I had been exposed to it more at a younger age. In fact, I would've been a lot more capable if I had gotten into it before my car accident.

There are very few hang gliders in my area. The closest club is almost an hour away. I'll definitely see what I can do to help promote the sport. In fact, my husband is a graphic designer and printer who has taken marketing classes.... hmm... I've got to put this to good use.

[peanuts]

wanna know how to propagate hang gliding? fly a hang glider.

[wanderingalbatross]

I don't think you can grow hg by word of mouth or by regional events. The best case that comes to mind immediately is the Airplane Owners and Pilots Assoc. or AOPA. I remember when our numbers were dwindling down around (heck I cant remember the number) 380,000 and student starts were almost dead, there was nothing but 70's era cessna's to fly. AOPA launched an all out campaign to increase our membership. Granted, they had money to spend, mainly from yearly dues which entitled you to a great monthly magazine, an airport facility book, etc. They focused magazine articles in publications that targeted the demographic they were looking for, ran some 10 sec tv spots, encouraged the members to take a prospect flying, did a monthly magazine spot in AOPA mag highlighting the new prospects accomplishments, etc. Before you knew it, new student starts were up, new light aircraft were popping up all over (light sport aircraft), FAA relaxed some rules, people were flying again. Last time I checked, they had increased membership to 600,000+. This figure has diminished some due to the deplorable aviation climate we are now in from top to bottom.

How much of the above could translate to HG? I'm too new to tell. You are pretty much unregulated so you don't have as much reason to come together and fight for your right to fly as we do. The sport has its own brand of individualism that isn't conducive to banding together under one flag. I imagine you would hear howls from the hills if you asked everyone to contribute yearly dues of say $39 as AOPA does. But all the things I've just mentioned have made AOPA a force to be reckoned with.

But these may be the antithesis of where hg's want to go. I would only add that if nothing else, AOPA's model of nearly doubling it's membership over ~ 5 years must have something worth imitating, even if you can't or don't want the whole 9 yards. And they are great people to talk to. Look at EAA. Every year about 750,000 aviation nuts flock to Oshkosh, by gosh! Same principle. You charge a little dues, put out a great magazine (or not, since the net) and you organize people into a common group. I'm sure if HG.org contacted AOPA with this story, the association president would be happy to sit down with you and help you brainstorm this thing. Hey, birds of a feather....

wanderingalbatross

PS: I am in no way suggesting that HG's and PG's should band together into one group. That quagmire is way above my paygrade!

[AIRTHUG]

wanna know how to propagate hang gliding? fly a hang glider.

BUY a hang glider (a NEW one!)... that supports the manufacturers that we know and love... they're the ones on the front line revolutionizing equipment and making things easier and safer than ever.

And it supports the people that are out there teaching the sport to new students. I can attest to how much it costs to run a school/business... This is season 3 and still no where near profitable... but this season I've been sustaining, due mostly to the local flying community buying locally and supporting their local dealer (after all, if they have a good dealer, it's in their best interest to keep them around too!)

[selbaer]

wanna know how to propagate hang gliding? fly a hang glider.

BUY a hang glider (a NEW one!)...

If you buy a used one you might be able to put the cash needed to buy a new one in some pilots hand.

[Anadactyl]

wanna know how to propagate hang gliding? fly a hang glider.

BUY a hang glider (a NEW one!)...

If you buy a used one you might be able to put the cash needed to buy a new one in some pilots hand.

Excellent point. If no one bought used gliders many people wouldn't be able to fly and the more experienced pilots might not be able to trade up and get new wings. The economics of buying used equipment are complicated, but it usually works out for the best.

[foamkiller]

what abought making it ataneable goal for those how are all ready interested

[blindrodie]

Looks like a F 1 140. Is it?

[foamkiller]

free tandoms /cheeper traning/ instructors willing to give u ratings and not just line there pockets / mabe i am old school but has everbody forgot our roots

[foamkiller]

f2 170

[blindrodie]

Sounds like how I started. No money lined pockets in Kansas! We fly for the love of the sport... Nice little 170.

[foamkiller]

this & a trike needs no h rating

[BBJCaptain]

free tandoms /cheeper traning/ instructors willing to give u ratings and not just line there pockets / mabe i am old school but has everbody forgot our roots

Foamkiller



I will probably suffer the wrath of several people here but frankly I could care less.

If you read FAR 103 you will not find any part that tells you that you have to have a
license, rating, annual review, biannual review, be a member of any org. or pay any
dues to any org. to fly. You simply have to conduct your flight in accordance with the
guidelines set forth in Part 103.

The last time I looked ( but that has been going the wrong way lately) this is still a
free country. Never let anyone tell you that you can't fly. Just stay safe!!! It
sounds like you have a group of pilots that you fly with and I am sure you trust
their judgement. Stay within your comfort level and never ignore the hair on the
back of your neck. I have been HG off and on for over 30+ years and I have
never had even 1 formal lesson from and instructor. I am not saying this is for
everyone, but I learned by example and discussion not from my wallet and my gas tank.

Fly you ass off my friend

With the improved safety of todays equipment, getting back to the best parts of
our roots would be a great thing for the future of HG!!

Sadly this is the very reason HG is dying a slow death from frustration and disgust.

[foamkiller]

amen glad there outher 's out there

[mattboy]

I will probably suffer the wrath of several people here but frankly I could care less.

If you read FAR 103 you will not find any part that tells you that you have to have a
license, rating, annual review, biannual review, be a member of any org. or pay any
dues to any org. to fly. You simply have to conduct your flight in accordance with the
guidelines set forth in Part 103.
.

True, but how many sites (or LZs) would be available today without that organization (especially in a litigation happy country like the U.S.). I don't agree with everything that goes on with the USHPA, but you've got to see the benefit there.

One way that would be great to "spread you wings" is if there were more training hills close to urban areas. We could all use more practice on those and if they were convenient to get to AND visible to the public, I think we'd see more interest (not to mention better skills). All you'd need is a large park/field and some dirt!

Instructors would have a convenient place to train students at as well!

[JCW1966]

Large open public park fields, or (at time of landing) inactive athletic fields are what I'm thinking about. Either way, places where some number of people could be encountered (but not hit, coming in to land).

Imagine the impact of putting a REAL LIVE Hang Glider AND it's Pilot, right in front of the public! And I'm not talking about just one glider landing in some High School soccer field. I'm talking about 1, then 2, then 3 or more gliders all coming in to land, one after the other, at the same public site. (always with safety in mind, thank you!)

What if the local paper, or even TV station was alerted to such an event as, or better yet - before, it took place?

I'm about as new to hang gliding as they come. Did my first 5 launches off of bunny hills and an aerotow / tandem to 4000' last Friday.

But being involved in skydiving for 5 and half years I feel I might have a little to contribute here.

Every year I'm involved with 8 to 10 skydiving demos for the general public. Most of these are done into the 18th fairway in front of the club house at golf courses. Every now and then we will fly the game ball in at a homecoming football game for a high school and we do demos at 2 different public sports complex as well. One of those is for a meet your public servants day - police officers, EMTs, firemen, nurses, etc... the other is on 4th of July followed by a fireworks show paid for by the city it's in.

Most of these demos are done on holidays or holiday weekends. Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, and 4th of July which is our busiest with 5 demos for that weekend alone for the last 3 years in a row.

There are waivers that can be filed with the FAA that will allow you to not have to abide by the everyday rules for flights for these special occasions.

Ground crews and radio communications with the drop plane are required up until the moment the skydivers exit the plane. Then it's up to the ground crew to keep the public out of the landing area and the wind direction clearly marked for landing. And normally there is plenty of local TV reporters and cameras around to record the event as well.

Now take that info and apply it to hang gliders. Aerotows could be a way to do it. You just need a small airfield near the demo. You would be surprised how may small public airports are out there. All of our waivers are filed 30 days prior to the event, and then a notam is filed 24 to 48 hours in advance of the demo. And depending on the classification of the airspace over the demo sometimes we are required to contact a control tower somewhere an hour before and an hour after the demo.

This could really be something worth looking into. The general public is normally in awe of anything in the air and the kids go crazy wanting autographs from everyone involved, skydivers and ground crew alike. I imagine their enthusiasm would be the same whether it is a skydiver under canopy or a hang glider pilot under a kite. I also suspect that a hang glider demo could last a little longer than a skydiving one.

I would be willing to help with ground crew duties anywhere in GA, TN, AL, and MS.

[Paul H]

Except for tandem flying.

I will probably suffer the wrath of several people here but frankly I could care less.

If you read FAR 103 you will not find any part that tells you that you have to have a
license, rating, annual review, biannual review, be a member of any org. or pay any
dues to any org. to fly. You simply have to conduct your flight in accordance with the
guidelines set forth in Part 103.

The last time I looked ( but that has been going the wrong way lately) this is still a
free country. Never let anyone tell you that you can't fly. Just stay safe!!! It
sounds like you have a group of pilots that you fly with and I am sure you trust
their judgement. Stay within your comfort level and never ignore the hair on the
back of your neck. I have been HG off and on for over 30+ years and I have
never had even 1 formal lesson from and instructor. I am not saying this is for
everyone, but I learned by example and discussion not from my wallet and my gas tank.

Fly you ass off my friend

With the improved safety of todays equipment, getting back to the best parts of
our roots would be a great thing for the future of HG!!

Sadly this is the very reason HG is dying a slow death from frustration and disgust.

[foamkiller]

well i am still h1.9 and have flown my falcon 106 times still no broken down tubes a magic iv a fledge IIb , a old standerd & my airwave formula 154 on a
trike for 20 hours ! I will remain a ushpa member just to be a p.i.t.a.

h 1 for ever with a F.U. endorsment ( regon 9 sucks)

Rich . H master rating got with a case of beer !
what a deal