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By Roadrunner71
#403668
I just sitting here thinking, I'm thinking about what else? I am thinking about Flying. I am thinking about how high a Hang-Glider has flown. I for one have over twenty years flying Hang Gliders. I have only been to 15,000 feet. My friend Ken Muscio told me about when he got to I believe Ken said that he had been to 22,000 feet in Colorado. Nut regarding Ken's height I could be wrong. My memory regarding Ken's flight. The height very well might have been higher.

I am aware of the Air-Space restrictions limits us as to weather or not we can go higher than 18,000 feet. Well when I was flying at the King-Mountain meet. I believe that we got an exception regarding the height limitation set by the FAA.

Well, please tell me what you guys know.
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By kukailimoku2
#403669
I seem to remember reading about Eric Raymond hitting 24K with an exemption, must be 25-30 years ago...
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By flybop
#403670
When your mouth is dry, you know...

Personally I almost made it to 12,000 once. That was the day of my first cross country. 17 miles, flew to my house.
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By red
#403671
Roadrunner,

Your numbers are about correct. Not sure who the pilot was, but I did hear about the flight, at that time. It was done with a Mitchell Wing, aero-towed up by a GA plane, to enter the Flatirons wave over Boulder.
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By Roadrunner71
#403672
It seems funny to me. What is funny is that I sustained the most devastating injury to my Body that I have yet to fully recover from when I was landing my Predator after a X-C flight here in Northern California eight years ago. As I said, I have yet to recover to a 100 percent recovery. But I sit here thinking about: "GETTING HIGH". I know, I know I am twisted. But, I want so badly to return to flight. That I have have taken a couple flights in a Grobe Sai- Plane. Well, I am so grateful for the fact that I am alive. I will fly again, and again. i want to fly so badly!
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By flybop
#403676
Roadrunner71 wrote: Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:14 pm It seems funny to me. What is funny is that I sustained the most devastating injury to my Body that I have yet to fully recover from when I was landing my Predator after a X-C flight here in Northern California eight years ago. As I said, I have yet to recover to a 100 percent recovery. But I sit here thinking about: "GETTING HIGH". I know, I know I am twisted. But, I want so badly to return to flight. That I have have taken a couple flights in a Grobe Sai- Plane. Well, I am so grateful for the fact that I am alive. I will fly again, and again. i want to fly so badly!
I know how you feel Chris. I have been there, grounded for years. Like you the dream never, even a little bit, lessened it's grip on me. How did it go flying the sail plane? I know it is not the same as your Predator, but it is still flying.
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By thermaleo
#403677
Well Chris, your post made me wonder, what is the official/unofficial altitude record for a hang glider? I don't mean getting towed up, or hoisted up by a balloon, or running off Mt. Everest etc. I mean actually soaring up high in lift.

I know a few pilots who have said they been to over 20,000ft, and if you fly any of the big sites in the West with any regularity you have probably accidentally been to over 18,000ft. I don't mean this facetiously - in a big desert thermal you can start to leave 1000ft or more below this, and still bust 18k before you get out. :shock: It's very cold and a bit scary up there...

Leo Jones
By Roadrunner71
#403678
Well Leo High. I have yet to get higher than 14,700' Height. That fdlight was when I launched off Wolf's Peak. I landed outside Gardnerville Nevada. I have to say that I was not dressed for the altitude that I was able to get to that Day. I was wearing a Pair of shorts, and a T-Shirt. I got so cold! I also had a nasty case of sunburn on the back of my Legs. But I really do look back at that Day with a feeling of Fondness.-
By once&future
#403679
thermaleo wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:47 pm if you fly any of the big sites in the West with any regularity you have probably accidentally been to over 18,000ft...+
This is pretty much true on many good summer days in the White Mountains bordering the Owens. Back in the bad old days I hit 17999 w/o O2 a number of times and had friends who claimed 20K+. I only flew Sandia Peak a few times and never got above 16ish there, but I gather similarly high altitudes are common there as well. At least I recall they got the FAA to open the window to 20K or so for the Sandia Classic back in the late '80s / early '90s.
By Roadrunner71
#403680
For Me right now at this Post-Pound Life. I think that my only chance to get High will be in a Sailplane. I do hope that the Next flight that I get in a Fixed wing Glider. BUt my next Flight for me in a Glider i want to wait to have the Flight until I get my Driver's License back. That way I will be able to drive Myself to the Airport.

Yes, I want to be automoniss so badly! I am eagerly waiting for when I am able to get some more Air-Time flying one of those Three Axis controlled Air-Machines. I want to overcome my tendency to have a P-I-O control issue in roll. I see flying a Sailplane as an opportunity to extend my Flying Learning Curve, a little bit Further.
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By Eteamjack
#403718
Awesome! Go for it. Have thought many times over the past year of returning to flight. Got away with a bad one once
not sure I could endure the same again.
By cheesehead
#403723
If there was--and there must be--some way of getting into the Tehachapi/Sierra wave, getting up into the 20,000's would be easy. Sailplanes fly LONG out-and-back EASY XC's in it regularly, usually getting towed up in Mojave and maybe Tehachapi. Some fly with O2, but there's no reason to go that high when the surf's up. Solid strong, smooth wave lift for something like 50-100 miles; no need to circle.
By Roadrunner71
#403738
To get high, I really need to get my But back into a sailplane and sort out my Control issues. For I believe that once I have resolved my P-I-O control issues when I was flying a Grobe Sailplane. I should be in a position to take advantage of the Killer lift available say: Down in the Owens Valley. I believe that I will be on my way to Finally after 27 years of Flying Flex-Wings. I believe that I will be able to for my First Time, to get over 20,000 Feet.

Well Guys, most of you have never met Me. But why don't you wish me luck?

Good By Chris McKeon. 925-497-1059. CCMCK@GOLDSTATE.NET.

Good By Chris.