|
This left column is 2009 effort to illustrate the 1976 HGW note in the right column. |
Thanks to a copy sent by Bob Trampenau of a missing copy of Hang Glider Weekly, Vol. 3, 1976, May 31, an issue in the year following the year he had begun to establish international rights over the DBA of Seedwings in the world of hang gliding. The cover photograph was by George Uveges, specialist in aviation photography, from Santa Monica, California. |
|
Rogallo Parawing governable limp hang glider parachute
Contemporary instance of limp hang glider launched from a stiffenened flexible wing hang glider (vid)
Released from tow Bill Bennett salutes Statue of Liberty
Smithsonian Institute collection of some Bennett Delta Wing Kites & Gliders Very many limp-hang-glider skydivers forming Big Kite (vid)
Request: Data on Rich Picerelli. Editor@UpperWindpower.com |
Here is one of the articles Cover was of three limp hang gliders in formation smoke-trailing flight, one a Rogallo parawing and two of glidable chuted parachutes. The story for that cover was presented about the US Army Golden Knights parachute team. BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE WE: Parachuting, a type of hang gliding, holds its differences from rogalloistic hill foot-launching; parachutists know a world apart. Some have tasted the exciting thrills of both; knowing that comparisons lead just about nowhere! Each has it uniqueness and fail to compete with each other for participants as was wondered about years ago. Shown at the left is an all-flexible 'rogallo' parachute that glides about 3:1 like the early bamboo Batso type of hill hang gliders. One make is called Delta II. Hang gliding has its Delta hang gliders too! The other two chutes are modified conical canopies that permit a hanging-beneath chute pilot to steer the chute into 360s and other maneuvers downwind or upwind finally to land commonly with pinpoint accuracy on target. Updrafts need to be very strong to sustain a practical parachute. The sink rates are much greater than hangliders. The chutes are designed to let the pilot down softly. Hang gliders are designed to sustain in common updrafts for unending flight, yet with the capability of controlling for descent at will --almost. Although NASA and Mr. Rogallo have experimented with highly stiffened cutes to obtain better glides after jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, the packed compact limp cloth of a parachute permits practical ease for such leaps. A Sun IV or Phoenix VI-B or Red-Tail just would not exit and separate from a DE-3 in a happy manner. No such luck! Hang gliders don't know the very special experience of exiting, free-fall, self-flying, opening, or the doing of all that is needed to nurse a chute to a target. The skydiver flies first and then finds out whether or not his first chute will break the rate of all. The hang glider first opens a wing and then flies! Although, some of us have forgotten to hook in, only to have a free fall...ouch! Rich Picerelli of Bennett Delta Wing Kites & Gliders is one of the few self-launching hangliders who deliberately disconnected himself mid-flight only to free-fall through the air to then tug on a chute release to open a "limp" hang glide to end the experience softly. See two issues ago in HGW for a release from a manufacturer that will have a hang glider equipped with a parachute. Further information on parachuting, for itself, may be obtained from .... USPA ... There is going to be a great deal of technology exchange between hang glidng and parachuting groups. |
