Home

June 2009  LIFT
...grows during the month...by your inputs

A Google translate:
"
Plain and simple,
the desire to become a man-bird
can be captured in a baptism of gliding
."

==> David Beardslee

==> Rick Masters 

== Guido Picca and "Flying Dolly"

and update on Flying Dolly:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHF7QBmy3qE

 

Seedwings for Asia, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, China,
Japan, Germany, Africa, France, Russia, New Zealand, Egypt,
Turkey, Iraq, Mexico, Ecuador, earth:
Seedwings

==> Full electric plate will impact hang gliding world:  One.  
Look for their "E-Delta" electric hang glider at EAA's 2009 AirVenture July 27-August 2.

"What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists
and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind
in which he knows exactly what he wants
and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it."
--Alexander Graham Bell

FAI World Air Games June 2009

 

Updates on June 9, 2009   and June 15, 2009
proposed Tow Standard Operating Procedures   

 
 

Fly your HG to the top of these thermal makers.
These towers are generating electricity.
A byproduct is LIFT for the hang gliding community:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tWlP0knKQU

 
 

B.L.E.S. My Launch & Landing  
Jonathan       practicing at altitude...

 
 

gnuEASY released

The new LE (Laboratori d'Envol) paraglider published: "gnuEASY".

The gnuEASY aims to show a very easy-to-design paraglider. Has only 2x11 cells. All the suspension lines (all!) have the same length: 410 cm. The
lower panels are parallel-sided (many of them absolutely rectangular). The upper panels are tapered correspondingly, but many are the same.

Glide ratio? Enough. The gnuEASY question is ease and fun.

All plans published in .png (image) and .dwg (CAD 2D and 3D) formats.

http://www.gliderengineering.com/laboratoridenvol/projects/gnuEASY/index.en.html

Enjoy!

Pere

 
 

Qualified Hang Glider Pilots

What makes a qualified safe hang glider pilot? There are about ten characteristics that lead to an independent, self reliant, and safe pilot. I won't go over all them. Sure, money is a big factor. The average price of instruction at high volume schools is $1500. It takes lots of personal attention, in fact, an average of 81 hours of instruction to make a basically-skilled pilot. That is 20 hours more instruction than the average private pilot student. Time is money and so is glider and vehicle maintenance, fuel costs, being on retainer for the right conditions, promotional effort. But this is just limiting factor not a requirement.

So, why is it that it does take so much more instruction than other forms of aviation? The main reason is sensitivity to the variability of conditions and relationship of glider to body. In hang gliding YOU are the aircraft. In general aviation; avionics, wheels, engines, air traffic control, unvarying runways, leveraged control surfaces are mental and physical assists for flight. All these allow anyone that can move a stick to pilot an airplane, given the additional emotional and critical thinking skills required. In hang gliding, one weighs three times heavier than the wing. That means you have three times the resting inertia of the glider. Hooking into a hang glider is more like putting on a shoe or getting on a skateboard then getting into a "vehicle".

Therefore, hang gliding is largely an athletic skill that must be married to the ability to disassociate emotions from performance and the intensification of the ability to analyze - that many people take some time to realize. The situation of hang gliding does not give damn about your schedule, cultural customs outside of the requirements. If the surf is up, the surf is up - if the situation warrants a certain kind of flight opportunity or a lesson then you must go! Even the most talented, self assured people get shocked and humbled by this fact. The most important factor is the ability to take what nature allows and decision to bend one's lifestyle to the flying environment. This is why we have many students that do fine with supervision, assistance and set-up of "ideal" flying conditions - and the fortune of having an situation of unvarying schedules based on consistent conditions. But, when these students are met with the unstructured environment of the full lifestyle, they find out the are not willing or able of make their lifestyle's comply.

So, the main lesson of hang gliding is humility - compliance to what nature affords us. This is the real reason why hang gliding is so unpopular (and what makes avid independent pilots so special). They are able to adapt to the extreme and sensitive variability of the flying environment. And because of that fact, they become skilled beyond the ideal training situations. Most of us prefer more control whether it be through culture, machines, or preferred situations.

I'm sure I will receive many emails from currently avid ex-students and other pilots around the country re-affirming this simple fact - almost no one is a prodigy at free flight. It forces us to see ourselves as we really are - physically, emotionally, technically. It only asks for average ability in all these areas. But most us depend on one or two at most to solve life's problems. We tend to stick to jobs and situations that maximize those abilities and rationalize and project when we are tested against the disowned part of ourselves. The job of a hang gliding instructor is to help a student find the limits of those abilities, so that the student can factor that in operating limitations of future flight plans.

Recently, a Hang III pilot from the east coast, largely a Appalachia mountain pilot, took a launch and landing clinic. Her original intent was to have a mountain flight or soaring dune flight - being an awed visitor to Oregon. But conditions were very ambiguous. I told her on the phone it was a 50/50 shot that all her driving was going to amount to a soaring flight. She was also concerned about being back in Portland by the early evening because husband and friends were expecting her. I let her flip the coin. She completely understood the situation and surrendered to it. She immediately started to rationalize ways in which she maximize the situation to something worthwhile and pleasurable. When she arrived at the dune, conditions were very light. I had a couple other ladies taking introductory lessons and she found the ground school presentation very instructive - who knew!

She realized she was still a learning pilot. I sensed a whole shift in her, from wanting a recreational flight to wanting to interact with the teaching material. We went over the most recent hand/arm/grip launch configurations; she flew both the trainer Condor and Falcon 170 re-training herself; we did a couple cliff launches and discussed technique and communication protocol. The wind switched from WNW to SW in five minutes. She took the challenge of flying channeling air flow around the south side dunes in the more turbulent back side. She was having a grand time and did spectacularly. The south side is a real test of pilot skill. She really inspired the other ladies. In fact, she was having such a good time, that she conveniently forgot about her social obligations - or at least bent them to her priorities with a cell phone call. Flying trumped the larger culture for her.

That is what makes a true and successful hang glider pilot, willingness to be - dare I say - irresponsible to the culture that does not particularly support the hang gliding lifestyle and willingness do what it takes to get the skills. --

John Matylonek
USHPA certified instructor
www.oregonhanggliding.com
541 913 1339

 
  Disccuss what it takes to be a qualified hang glider pilot:         Editor@UpperWindpower.com  



Click through image above for adventure in the sport of hang glider designing ...

AND

4June2009
Link notice supplied by Darin Selby

 

News link.   Empa , tensairity in kites, Center for Synergetic Structures, Rolf Luchsinger, Tensairity Kite, an 8 meter span effort, aiming to generate electricity, test site: Bernese Oberland, aiming for a 30 meter span with helium in tensairity members for solving challenge aloft-stay during calm,  spindle-shaped tensairity,

Empa home page for "New fields of application for lightweight construction elements. Lightweight wings for a high-flying kite"
      Related:   Tensairity 

Center for Synergetic Structures
Tel. +41 44 823 40 90
rolf.luchsinger@empa.c

 
Lines in tension on the outside of airbeams
            tens                               air
permits a mechanical advantage over just an airbeam.

 


Text not available
Hybrid wing assembly Frank L. Hodgson



  Ken de Russy has some e-mails and images related to Mr. Tondokoro.  ... Request data on this Tondokoro.  Type 2.   Type 1 was an enclosed cockpit PIW. Model of type 1 was distributed by Gull Wings. Type 1 was made in his boyhood.
[[Edit: 2012 discussion at
http://www.ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1047&p=4794]]  Tondokoro or Tondokuro ?? Is this Sano Hisato? Discuss at OzR.



     Sport of hang glider designing   
lives to lift spirits and bodies:
Gypsy (Morillio Joined Wing), Paramontante (Salvadori and Casellas evolutes), FLPHG , BowHG, WoopyWing, Xwinging, LTAHG (lighter-than-air hang gliders), GSHG (graphened hang gliders), OMK ("otto" "auto" self-kited morphers), SolidHG, FLSailplane, FLLG (flatland long gliding gliders), XOHG (cross-ocean hang gliders), EKSHG (energy kiting systems hang gliders), EAHG (electric-assisted hang gliders), SEAHG (solar-electric assisted hang gliders), MHHG (modernized historical hang gliders), DSHG (dynamic-soaring hang gliders), PCHG (phase-changing hang gliders), PIWHG (pilot-in-wing hang gliders),  HPHG (human-powered hang gliders), BHG (biplane hang gliders), THG (triplane hang gliders), QHG (quadraplane hang gliders), GyroHG (vertical-axis gyro hang gliders), TensairityHG, TensegrityHG,
 and more. 
      LIFT  welcomes your ideas, notes, project notes, images, builds, tips, safety instructions, plans, offers, joys, challenges, buddy notes, dreams, demo-dates-places, gatherings, meetings, analyses, and more.      Send lifts for others to Editor@UpperWindpower.com

 "When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this — you haven't."
– Thomas A. Edison

Testing the semi-rigid wing "Paramontante II", 24 and 25 May, 2009, Bernasconi (La Pampa, AR), by Juan Salvadori (CZWings Aerovelería) in collaboration with Pere H. Casellas (Laboratori d'envol). More information: http://www.czwings.com.ar/ and http://www.laboratoridenvol.com/proje...   [The walk is moving forward in a 27 km/hr  wind. (~17 mi/hr)]

Ensayos con el ala semirígida "Paramontante II", el 24 y 25 de mayo de 2009 , Bernasconi (La Pampa, AR), por Juan Salvadori (CZWings aerovelería) en colaboración con Pere H. Casellas (Laboratori d'envol). Más información en http://www.czwings.com.ar/ y http://www.laboratoridenvol.com/projects/paramontante/index.en.html

     May2009 LIFT   April2009LIFT            March2009Lift             Feb2009Lift           Jan2009Lift           Dec2008LIFT      Nov2008LIFT 
------------>Enter notes   or  email  Notes@EnergyKiteSystems.net

  • Anticipations during the days of June 2009:

    • 1979 enhancements on Quadruplane HG (alt.: Quadraplane) article 
      The
      "sport of hang glider designing" demonstrated in Quadraplane
       

    • Gypsy developments from Alex Morillo     
       


    •  

    • Paramontante developments
       

       Paramontante developments
    from Juan Salvadori and Pere Casellas. See above video that shows May 24, 2009, or May 25th (there was a session of no-wind inflation, and then a session in positive wind; we are seeking clarification on the dates. ), testing. See May2009 LIFT  and  April2009LIFT  for fuller story.     
    ==>Participate in Q&A Paramontante.

    Editorial:
     
         The beginnings in 2000 on Paramontante  obtained some ridicule similar to that experienced by the Lilienthal brothers.  Also similarly, Juan Salvadori persevered in his vision. Pere Casellas considered carefully his own experiences and ideas and saw that he could innovate in collaboration with Juan.

     Nations and oceans apart through e-mail, video conferencing, mailings, and telephone calls, a design team was born to further the Paramontante and its control systems and evolving detail design.  The status as of the end of May 2009 is a confirmation that the direction is viable. From here forward is a huge task of exploring adjustments of measures to find balance and safety; as designing and refinement  will take time, patience, scientific testing, extreme testing, and more.  There will be considerable investments made.

         Parachutes were found. Then Jalbert gave some directional gores to the parachute. Francis Rogallo found the fully limp wing in its most simple format. Then Domina Jalbert found the fully limp ram-air robust airfoil wing. Then Dave Barish found single-surface limp sailwing parachuting foot-launch off airship terra firma hills. The rush of gliding parachutes transformed sky-diving. The double-surface limp Jalbert parafoil kissed the activity of gliding off terra firma to fill and advance the space Barish thrusted.  The limp world of power kiting-jumping-gliding and paragliding as true subsets of the broad reaching superset of mechanical hang gliding has been forming a bifurcating robust subset of hang gliding to the extent that participants are fairly comfortable naming clubs "hang gliding and paragliding" entities to distinguish boned-fairly-stiff hang gliders  from the fully limp sort.  The romance of the invention of the fully limp Jalbert parafoil and the fully limp parawing of Rogallo form a branch of gliding that keeps advancing in refinement and performance; indeed applications continue to be found for the fully limp wings; that will continue.   The experience of hang gliding with paragliders is with strong differences from experiences with robustly boned hang gliders; many pilots choose to enter both flight spaces for varied reasons and conditions.    Yet, hang gliding is still in a kind of infancy relative to what the future will hold. Advances and new structures and experiences await us.  Modern materials will marry design advances to supply solutions to desires for safety, capability, and varied applications.  

    Boning the fully limp?   In the finding of the fully limp Rogallo wing, Francis Rogallo was joyous; he already knew that boned flex sails flew; he had kites of many boned sorts; the fully limp was special and deeply inventive.  In the late 1950s Rogallo demonstrated the fully limp hang glider to NASA that he already patented in late 1948; NASA played some with such; Barish pointedly played also; but at the similar time in late 50s and 1960, NASA boned that limp wing from slight to full using hardened airbeams and also the aluminum tubes we know so well, even to full solid lifting body. The Ryan Aeronautical boned-limp was using a wing that at those moments was dubbed (not limp parawing, but boned "paraglider"....which term morphed in later years back to the full limp in the sport world of paragliding ---so be careful with the term "paraglider" ....know decade of use.   The boning of the limp Rogallo Wing  was done with inflated bones, aluminum-tube bones, ram-air bones.  From 1960--boned-Rogallo-Wing devices came the foot-launch Barry Hill Palmer hang gliders and the Paresev towed-to-release hang gliders and the towed Burns SkiPlane kite-glider. Yet boned flex wings flew in the first decade of 1900s; and even the hang glider triangle control bar was extant in--at least--1908, to be resurfaced many times over by the end of 1962. Rogallo gave impetus to modern hang gliding; Volmer Jensen was in modern hang gliding. The boning of the found limp wing was--in a mechanical way--a step back in time to revisiting what had been; the extreme studies done over the limp Rogallo Wing and its boning versions by NASA sparked attention and trials that seeded a blossoming use of both limp and stiffened Rogallo parawings. The urgings of Francis Rogallo from 1948 yearly through 1960 gave energy and evidence and pathway to  modern hang gliding and hang gliders in simple form as was done in the first decade of 1900s' flex wings and battened flex wings.

           The lift/drag of the fully limp Jalbert parafoil was so starkly superior to lift/drag of the Rogallo limp parawing that a romance--deserved--exploded for the parafoil.   The boning of the Jalbert parafoil has received only a light touch by history so far. But there are niche uses of the parafoil where boning is tempted. Indeed Juan Salvadori in 2000 erupted from such temptation and for various reasons.  Foot-launching to fly changing and gusting winds in the paragliding sector knows wing collapses and contortions that are unwanted by some; advances of training and design, and wise practice with active piloting avoids  injuries and fatalities related to partial or full collapses of fully limp wings; yet their are those aiming to so bone and perhaps hybridly mast the parafoil wing to avoid collapses and folds during gust events; so design exploration continues.
      
               A second large dimension to the temptation to bone the parafoil for para-hang gliding is the pull for a wider window of safe-flight opportunity and a higher performance for certain practices.    So, boning the parafoil is now strongly being explored; many lessons will arrive in the coming five years.  Boning is one change, but masting is another. These introductions alter the operational and flight dynamics to be respected in themselves.    Woopy Fly is only a cousin to all these matters---but a distant cousin. Paramontante lives in the overarching family of "hang gliders" where also live paragliders.  But the Paramontante evolutes seem to be forming a special new class of "para-hang" hang gliders.  Paramontante is a boned parafoil mounted on a mast and has a control system that combines masting dynamics, control-frame dynamics and tether dynamics. The triangle control frame is coupled to the wing in a way that is enough different from that used in most extant hang gliders, that special training will be needed.  The Casellas triangle control has only a superficial likeness to the triangle control frame observed in a hang glider (in Breslau) in the first decade of the 1900s (and used many times thereafter even up to today); the Casellas triangle is part of a broader system with a distinct coupling dynamic.

            The coming Paramontante III will use lessons learned to date; they are taking steps to shortening lines, perfecting the mast and Casellas triangle control system, reaching for fewer flight lines, shorter flight lines, optimization of airfoil and details. The marriage of the upper low-mass flex-spar parts to the wing will be perfected. Flight dynamics of a masted and special-flexing-sparred Paramontante will be explored profoundly. This rich refining period is filled with things to do, prove, flight test.      Safety is ever foremost.    

    The aim to provide a potential new class of hang glider is truly exciting; the real spectrum of use can only be seen unclearly now.     After Paramontante II extant, there will be III, IV, V, etc. perhaps Va, Vb, Vc, Vd, Ve, Vf  .... may we hope and support.   As success and  interest grow, our sport will grow a faction of Paramontante pilots, it is hoped. Clearly engineering solutions to safety and design hurdles form a sport in itself. Pere Casellas has shown emphatically that he has been having great fun in the sport of hang glider design (study his full web of files!); and my hats are off for the perseverance of Juan Salvadori.    Discussion is open.  Send notes to them and copy us here at Editor@UpperWindpower.com for publishing purposes.    Tame the gust effects at low altitude; gain some points of L/D; then when evolutes are mature, explore tight packs, and bring in other futurisms.

    For now, support the modern-day pioneering effort of an international collaborating Paramontante team with your choices of gifts: interest, analysis, questions, answers, funds, shipped materials, ...   Join your support as you might.                             JpF      June2, 2009

  •  

  • Consignment service
    for paper issues of old hang glider periodicals.  Owners ship their issues to our office; we sell the issues via PayPal over the coming years. We send to you funds less the PayPal transaction fee. Non-profit at our end, only the pleasure of getting some lift to others. We announce the price you set.  Tell us what you hold of early hang glider newsletters and magazines.  Editor@UpperWindpower.com  Thanks for the synergy from Jack Morgan (had a full build of Icarus V; who has his wing now?)
     

  • E-HG progress notes
     

  • Solar Flight   Eric Raymond  [The 1990 U.S.A. crossing rooted the current Sunseeker II European tour by Eric; craft is well-advanced over the I. Crosses Alps. Inspiring the world.]
     

  • AERO Friedrichshafen  The Global Show for General Aviation
    Includes: Ultralight Aircraft, Very Light Aircraft, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), Gliding, E-Flight Expo
     

  • FexAmerica   (gliders made in Germany)    Discussion is open.
    SPEEDFEX VG  int/advanced
    FUNFEX intermediate +
    AIRFEX intermediate +
    PERFEX novice +
    LIGHTFEX novice +
     

  • Enter notes   or  email  Notes@EnergyKiteSystems.net

Fun page ...some pilots and some early pics. .. USPPA
Have fun: with Ellehammer or or near-Ellehammer in first decade of 1900s: http://tbn0.google.com/hosted/images/c?q=c9c61bac7892249d_landing
An Otto: http://tbn0.google.com/hosted/images/c?q=fd78c504e9258d3f_large
Touching 2005:Listening again to Horizon reasons.
And while you are there, take in Paul Dees, foundation guy.

http://www.cloudbase.org/Portals/0/Newsletters/2005/February2005.pdf

Carbon Fiber Repairs

June 1, 2009

On a lighter note,
I went to a very interesting talk by Yves Rossy on his jet-powered wings which he flew across the English channel after jumping out of an aircraft over France.

At the end of June there is to be a mass crossing of the channel by all sorts of aircraft to celebrate Bleriot's crossing 100 years ago.

Tony Prentice

  1. Streamlined Downtubes

  2. Technical article

Design and Performance of a Hang Glider    36 page PDF Submitted By:
Heath Nankivell
Ashok Kaniyal
Max Robinson
Richard Meyer
Jayaprashanth Ramesan
Tom Hill
3RD OCTOBER 2007

XCmag

Archives

XOHG  (no link yet) Cross-Ocean Hang Gliding

The Exxtacy
A pilot tells his story...
(by Hansjörg Trisllinsinn, who has no commercial interest in the world of Free Flight.) :"
The Exxtacy has been front and center since Summer '97."
Mark Hayman's     The Cold Hard Truth 
as he ends a blog series.

sprog

Text not available
Dual leading edge ram air air foil      Dorald C. Tabor

Text not available
Deployable wing Jeffrey A. Fisher et al

In preparation:  Welcome ... notes, drawings, photos, articles, tips, links, humor, opinion, data,

  •       Fred Bickford ... collage coming
    of an early memorable flight AND SOME HISTORY. of 68 recorded flights...  From Horizon to SeedWings.
     

  •       Photos from UK, Eric and Tony on Pilcher and Otto items are in preparation.
     

  •        Juan S.  note on passion and fun on simple and available solutions.  He has also spawned revisit to the Valkyrie. Notes from others may bring forward a Valkyrie discussion. Do you have notes towards this?
     

  •        F. W. Brearey ...bowsprit three-boom flexible wing in mid 1800s      
    "The atmosphere as a medium of travel."  
     

  •        American inventor Sir Hiram Maxim's 1894 powered manned flight is celebrated 115 years later.   Current news item from UK sent by Tony Prentice.           Born: February 5, 1840, in Maine, USA.  http://tinyurl.com/SirHiramMaxim888newsplaque1    
     

  •        Most hang gliding is fuel-filled hang gliding. Discuss. What is and is not covered by the various national bodies' insurance policies?  Fine print and interpretations?   Send description of coverage:   Editor@UpperWindpower.com
     

  •        Guido's "Flying Cart"  ?      Guido Picca of Argentina
     

  •        Self-kiting launching with morphable hang glider
    .

  •        Posted: Thu, Jun 25 2009, 6:44:31 pm
    Subject: Article invitation for LIFT :: PDMC
    Rick,
    You are invited to let us publish an article by you on PDMC
    in LIFT.

    "
    I would even suggest hang glider pilots consider abandoning organizations that mix paragliding and hang gliding so as not to be caught up in potential liability issues that have nothing to do with them. " Rick Masters, June 2009

     

  •        Others who have something to say regarding the thesis on PDMC are generally invited to send articles.

Editorial:
The hang gliders we see today have invention roots in 1800s, 1900s, and 2000s. Flexible-wing battened triangle-control frame hang glider with hung pilot behind cable-stayed A-frame was fact in the first decade of the 1900s. Delta-shaped stiffened flex wings were flying in the first decade of 1900. Fully-limp hang gliders had roots in Domina Jalbert and Francis Rogallo. Then stiffening on top of the limp realizations occurred again via deep studies in the 1950s and in 1960,  1961, 1962 with a RETURN to what was decades earlier already invented. The invention facts are in the historical record of photographs, patents, and news. Barry Hill Palmer actually hang glided in 7 to 8 of his hang gliders in first two years of 1960 with respect enough not to claim hang glider mechanical invention; hats off to Barry Palmer for pioneering actions in a hang gliding renaissance.  

Modern hang gliders then found tweaking mechanical inventions that continue to be fun and important.   Ornamental tweaking of what was already mechanically invented cannot win fairly global mechanical invention away from rightful pioneering valid known inventors.

Wear your critical thinking cap when facing the GH push for unearned mechanical invention claiming. GH is pushing again for that which belongs to others. JD's idiosyncratic experience is indeed fun and socially important, but mechanically his mechanicals resulted in only that which had already been fully mechanically invented, exposed, flown, promulgated, published, patented, noted, described, and professionalized. JD's results exhibited in result only prior mechanical art--no matter how much he might have been unaware of such prior art; his position in kiting helped to popularize ski-kiting in Australia, not assumptive mechanical invention.

Declaration of mechanical invention is a high standard space that FAI and others are invited to respect with great effort and careful respect. There is a GH-bulldozer pushing to alter perceptions in a way that would rob points from the heart of the sport and profession of hang-glider mechanical inventing.

To attract hang glider mechanical inventors to our sports: Respect valid global mechanical inventing; make the effort to find the mechanical inventors; honor the rightful owners of hang glider mechanical invention. And similarly for ornamental product artists-makers-tinkerers. But distinguish the two innovation spaces in order to equip oneself to find and see the mechanical innovators.
                                                          JpF
, May31, 2009

    May 31, 2009  Regarding Rogallo and Dr. Rogallo

John,                                    (Mr. John LaTorre)
Ever and only I have referred to Francis Rogallo as a "Dr." for the Rogallo Wing space. Never claimed Ph.D.----that was GH's posting a straw man to burn. [straw man: a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted]. The credits in the Rogallo Wing space with over 20 patents and his sturdy leadership from late 40s through 1960s in teaching others at all levels about limp and stiffened flexible wings easily won for him by me and others the "doctor" status of the Rogallo Wing world. It was not just in my mind that gave such respect for his leadership space, but many others who came to the same respect and choose to keep such respect.  To honor those who lead and mend within an industry or movement is a common means to give deserved status, as you so aptly analyzed; thank you.
=====================
Editorial:
The hang gliders we see today have invention roots in 1800s, 1900s, and 2000s. Flexible-wing battened triangle-control frame hang glider with hung pilot behind cable-stayed A-frame was fact in the first decade of the 1900s. Delta-shaped stiffened flex wings were flying in the first decade of 1900. Fully-limp hang gliders had roots in Domina Jalbert and Francis Rogallo. Then stiffening on top of the limp realizations occurred again via deep studies in the 1950s and in 1960, 1961, 1962 with a RETURN to what was decades earlier already invented. The invention facts are in the historical record of photographs, patents, and news. Barry Hill Palmer actually hang glided in 7 to 8 of his hang gliders in first two years of 1960 with respect enough not to claim hang glider mechanical invention; hats off to Barry Palmer for pioneering actions in a hang gliding renaissance.

Modern hang gliders then found tweaking mechanical inventions that continue to be fun and important. Ornamental tweaking of what was already mechanically invented cannot win fairly global mechanical invention away from rightful pioneers.

Wear your critical thinking cap when facing the GH push for unearned mechanical invention claiming. GH is pushing again for that which belongs to others. JD's experience is fun and socially important, but mechanically he resulted in only that which had already been fully mechanically invented, exposed, flown, promulgated, published, patented, noted, described, and professionalized. JD's results exhibited prior mechanical art--no matter how much he might have been unaware of such prior art; his position in kiting helped popularize kiting in Australia, not assumptive mechanical invention.

Declaration of mechanical invention is a high standard space that FAI and others are invited to respect with great effort. There is a bulldozer pushing to alter perceptions in a way that would rob points from the heart of the sport and profession of hang glider inventing.
                                                                                    JpF     June 2, 2009
=Others too remain giving the honor of "Dr." to Francis Rogallo::
http://www.kitehistory.com/Miscellaneous/rogallo.htm
http://www.kitehistory.com/images/rogallo_young.jpg
GH still promotes: ""Dr Francis M. Rogallo"" in Net copies of his seed article on JD. GH only later put up the Ph.D. strawman. Never did I attribute academic institution earned Ph.D. for him, sorry.
BHPA still carries the honorific title:
http://www.bhpa.co.uk/bhpa/news/news10.php
Dr. Rogallo himself signed the sail when the glider arrived at Kitty. Hawk deemed to carry the honor forward.
Retirees:
http://www.aiaa-myaerospace.org/rhtp/stories/emigh_paraglider.pdf
chose on their own to carry the honorific.

It will be found that nearly only one GH chose to de-honor the Rogallo "Dr." by pointedly putting up a straw man of "Ph.D." that academic initial attribution had never been claimed or used.  Rogallo's conferences, speaking, demonstrations, writings, persuading, etc. even in the 50's on top of his long service to aeronautics...did seed reuse of the stiffened flexible wing (echo of earlier decades) and pointed use of fully-limp parawing Rogallo Wing in aviation and gliding parachuting (subset of mechanical hang gliding). The people, including Dick Eipper and Dave Kilbourne, in the community of Self-Soar Association, easily adopted the honorific for our "Dr."  I find no text anywhere that argues to dethrone him of the honorific "Dr."; I find a lone voice tearing down a straw man ...for his GH-ulterior purposes of unearned "invention" for a perfectly fine tinkering ski-kiting young man who furthered local Grafton interest in using the NASA "paraglider" wing (in those days "paraglider" was the stiffened Rogallo Wing; later "paraglider" was used for fully-limp gliders) ...without distinguishing mechanical invention from ornamental-tweaking-appearance invention.  Long live "Dr. Rogallo" (he is still with us). A founder of USHGA extended officially the honorary "Dr." for Francis Melvin Rogallo, aeronautical engineer and strongly established inventor of over twenty patents. Though he did not choose to complete a Ph.D. program at Stanford University, he did original research and taught other Ph.Ds and engineers and scientists about both stiffened and limp hung-mass and hung-pilot gliding variants.

If you have interest in some hang glider history point, I'd like to hear from you to grow the Timeline. Thanks for giving lift to others through your valued career in sail and service works in the hang glider universe. 

Notice too how specifically in 1971 or 1972  Dr. Rogallo decried how others were trying to take credit for what he had already taught {republication of his letter from Low  & Slow is on the front page of HangGliderHistory.com); he was not an overt text distinguisher between ornamental and hardcore mechanical patents; he was glad others used what he taught in ornamental alternative versions like the very many versions in 1960, 1961 and 1962:  see the scores of published images of variations of the theme in the world's literature for those years.  He did not bring out text recognition of the 1900-1910 stiffenened flexible wing gliders and hang glider (whose users had not the fully-flexible limp discovery that Rogallo discovered).

http://HGAusa.com  for LIFT 
a means to give lift to others.
http://HGAusa.com/members001/index.html
http://HGAusa.com/members001/livinglegendlifters.html
http://HangGliderHistory.com/           Follow to Timeline.

Thanks for the positive lift you have been giving, John..
Lift to you and yours,
JpF

(more...?    : )    )

nitsch/Jumpnfly/

Text not available
Suspension flight control method and apparatus Merle T. Sandage

  •  ScrapKite for Renewable Energy
    Used HG sails used tents may find a second life making electricity or pumping water within energy kite systems in the advancing airborne wind energy (AWE) movement. Here is a monster scrap-tent lifter kite in Washington, USA, being used just for such purpose at Ilwaco, WA at KiteLab       

    [[ How would you like to fly a hang glider  for a couple of hours at the end of a line moored at a Tipping Boom electrical generator?   Supply energy to charge batteries for use in an e-HG or e-car or e-cart or e-hut, etc. The line would be common non-conductive, as the generator is at the base station. ]]

  •  

  • Please donate and ship used  paragliders and used HG sails to KiteLab at Los Angeles to help the research and development of renewable-energy via energy kite systems (hang gliders are involved in various ways). 
                 KiteLab  
                 5271 Borland Rd.,
                 Los Angeles, CA 90032
     

  • http://www.EnergyKiteSystems.net/DaveSantos/lifterline.jpg

  • http://www.EnergyKiteSystems.net/DaveSantos/scrapkite.jpg

  • He reported:
     "Here's a picture of the latest "monster" scrap kite made from several old
     tents.
    Will be flying an equally junky flipwing under it for energy.

     "Anyone can do it!"     "                       Dave Santos    

"He who would learn to fly one day
must first learn to stand and walk
and run and climb and dance;
one cannot fly into flying."
– Friedrich Nietzsche

Weird Woopy Trike
What to do with those drinking cups?
Francis M. Rogallo 
...a continuing project;
all are invited to advance the files.
Homebuilt Power Unit / Powered Hang glider
 
Wings Over Wasatch Aerobatics Clinic in August 2009

"Mitch McAleer 2009"

THHGC
No matter where you are on earth, consider joining this club.
See the history of cliff soaring to see why
.
RC Soaring Digest
Find all interfaces with manned free flight
A dynamic analysis of a landing flare 
We might extend the application of [wind] power
to the heights of the clouds, by means of kites
.”
utopian technologist John Etzler, 1833
René Arnoux
Fauvel gliders
Tendon-tether the kite and move from A to B
(Jonathan)

 

Distinguish the Dietch tendon tethering the wing from James Budge's sail that was hard coupled with the skateboard and also hand-held. Dietch simply tendon-tethered the wing. Both Dietch in Chacago and Budge in Santa Monica, California were involved in hang gliding; Budge was photographing Seagul hang gliders while advancing the sailed skateboard. Jonathan was designing and flying hang gliders and tendon-tethering sails above his foot-based skatboard.

Enter your comments HERE to affect hang glider universe.
Special thanks
to all those
who  LIFT
others.

Text not available
GLIDER KITE                  CONRAD DAHL

http://flyingoutofthisworld.blogspot.com/2008/02/flying-seeds-reproduction-by-wind.html

Igo Etrich Taube    1906    and 1908    
And wiki

Austria encyclopedia glider note re: 1906:
"
His colleague Franz Wels was the first person to fly (a glider) successfully in Austria in 1906"
(October 6, 1906)

Evolution of E.T.

 

Etrich's dad buying from Otto L.'s estate.

Alsomitra

Zanonia

Pterosaur

Mission-adaptive wings

earlybirds
Each powered effort had an implied glider in its corpus ...

And A-frame or cable-stayed triangle control frame on battened hang glider in 1908 with pilot hung behind triangle ... as is familiar today.

Then such 1909:

Then powered wings 1909 Watkins monoplane
Country of Origin: UK Designed and built by C.Horace Watkins,
Span: 32' Length: 21'6" Weight allup: 390 lb Speed: 25-70 mph Range: 180 miles
Picture courtesy of Goodall M. co-author with A.Tagg (deceased) of British Aircraft before the Great War Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Atglen   Image

 

https://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraft/Langley-EarlyFlyingMachine/IMAGES/langley-flying-machine.jpg
http://www.modelflight.regheath.com/earlybirds/images/1910Ferguson.jpg
1910 Grade               Click through photo:

Also bio.

 

 

See replica.

And this.

 

Collection here.

 

 

http://www.glide.net.au/on-the-wing4/190-Lippisch-IX.pdf    From 1921 ...

Fuel-filled launch procedure for hang glider flight:
Very much of the hang gliding by USHPA members are fuel-filled experiences; are the fuel-filled hang gliding episodes covered by the member insusrance?
Step 1
Pack glider on automobile ICE device.

Step 2
Drive a bit closer to cliff edge with a pause at the close-to-home gasoline automobile filling station. Load prime mover with 20 gallons of gasoline to move the glider in this launch sequence.

Step 3
Move the glider from local digs to very near the edge of the final steppings to clear air; this part of the launch sequence is 70 miles.

Step 4
Move the glider up to 3,000 ft ASL from the foothills to the upper regions with the help of the carrying car. Burn gasoline to move my body and glider on this climb-the-mountain leg of the launch sequence.

Step 5
Wondering when my insurance starts to cover me … I drive ICE launch helper within 100 ft. of the final launch sector of this launching effort. I take the glider off the top of the car, assemble the glider, harness up, hang check, get buddy to check my system also…thank her dearly. I am nearing the final leg of this extensive fuel-filled launch procedure.

Step 6
Check instruments, weather finals, LZ notes and conditions, environment, immediate wind and cycles, self, others at launch, traffic, and repeat of hook-in check.

Step 7
Clear! And my fuel-filled launch procedure is nearing its completion. I am feeling like I am a fuel-filled launcher; I gained the potential energy for the final entry to flight by spending lots of fuel.

Does this fuel-filled launch procedure tempt being unadjusted to altitude, tempt being unwarmed up physically for flying, spell non-coverage by a "fuel-less" org insurance policy in case my flight injures non-member persons or property? What are other launch procedures that would be less fuel-filled? What is the fuel footprint of each particular flight?

Start while inviting discussion:
1. Walk bag or rod to Torrey Pines Gliderport. Ready matters and gear. Launch. Fly. Land. Walk back home. Fuel-less flight. Vol libre. Third-party coverage probably applies.

2. Hand-cart my hang glider to near-home hill. Hike the hill. Ready matters. Launch and fly. Land. Walk back home. Sleep. Vol libre.

http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/images/f121relo.jpg
3. Do an Otto when living on Flatland: Gather matters into a launch hill; walk up the hill, ready wing and all; launch and fly. Hug the kids. Dine. Love. Sleep. Repeat. Vol libre; probably covered by org insurance …

 

 

 

 

 



http://www.EnergyKiteSystems.net/images/HGL/kitedplatformHGlaunch.jpg
 

4. Flatland scene:: Anchor huge kite in mild breeze. Climb the tether; pull up hang glider to lofted kited platform. At altitude, assemble hang glider; hook-in; make checks. Foot-launch off the kited platform into soaring flight. No fuel here.

5. Extend a Bill-Moyes initiated method on Flatland: Foot-launch self-kite morphable hang glider in mild breeze; morph to lower sail area as needed as altitude is gained. At altitude either fetch all tether and mooring hardware into hang glider or drop the line for use by next club member or repeat later launch. No fuel here. [Bill anchored his kite in a stiff breeze; he launched a couple of feet off the ground; he did not release in his first experiments. Later in Torrance, he fuel-less kited and then released the tether to do some soaring. This was all in contrast to earlier dependence on fueled tow boats for fueled aqua-kiting.]

6. ??

Send furtherings on this:  Editor@UpperWindpower.com

http://tinyurl.com/AdrianThomas888paragliderLIFT

http://www.warwickmills.com/Fibers/Mars-Lander-Crashbags.jpg  Any use in HG/PG?          Notes are welcome:      Editor@UpperWindpower.com
JUNE 27, 2009   WORKING TEXT....TRANSLATION WILL BE IMPROVING PER DAY:

 

RPA  ... releasable power assembly. Hang glider pilot takes off with a RPA and then releases the RPA to do free flight gliding disciplines. The RPA returns to launch site and is then used by other pilots.

There are various ways to couple RPAs with a hang glider or paraglider for launch assistance. Guido Picca is forwarding an interesting direction.  LIFT's translation of his note ...at his permission (welcome corrections by anyone during the coming days and weeks):

Hello LIFT,

Here is what I am developing:  Flying Dolly,

A radio-controlled aircraft (RCA) equipped with a propelling unit and landing gear, capable of carrying a hang glider to an altitude appropriate for releasing the RCA to allow hang gliding free flight. The RCA would be guided and landed by a land-based RC operator.

The direction of hardware design that I am taking appears as a winged "flying dolly" which is equipped with radio and engine or motor [ICE or electric]. Hang gliding off the assembly upon release of the RPA RCA begins free flight and gliding disciplines. The RPA RCA returns to the ground for another hang glider pilot to use.

There is a growing spread in the use of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).  UAVs are replacing many manned aircraft in special applications.

This RPA RCA is designed as an alternative to aerotowing (AT) by manned aircraft:

1. Lower operating cost compared to using a manned AT tug.

2. Lower cost of manufacturing compared to AT.

3. Motor or engine of 20 hp.

4. Easier to hangar.

5. Can be carried on the roof of any car.

6. The mechanicals can be altered to serve hang gliders and paragliders.

7. This RPA RCA greatly expands the potential for growing hang gliding and paragliding.

8. After a worldwide search, we found no similar device; for this reason and to protect the invention, we have applied for patent protection.

I made a prototype that flew coupled with hang glider and free radio. The flights were promising.

It is necessary to refine the prototype to a production model that is manufactured and marketed. Therefore, I am now looking for people interested in getting professionally involved to forward this project.

Best regards, 

Guido

  



 



 
Original:

Subject:       Flying Dolly        Dolly Volador

Hello Joe

Te cuento lo que estoy desarrollando:

"Un avión radio-controlado equipado con una unidad impulsora y tren de aterrizaje, capaz de elevar un ala delta hasta una altitud apropiada donde el piloto del ala delta puede soltarse e iniciar el vuelo libre y el vehículo radio- controlado regresar al suelo controlado por un operador del equipo de radio control".

O sea que es como un "dolly volador", radiocontrolado y equipado con motor. El ala delta despega acoplada al avión y luego mediante un sistema de suelte se libera e inicia su vuelo libre y el avión baja radiocontrolado desde tierra.

Como sabrás hay una difusión creciente en el uso de los UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Estos aviones van ganando terreno y donde antes se usaban aeronaves tripuladas están ahora ellos.


Este avión está pensado como una alternativa, de menor costo operativo, al remolque aire-aire:

Tiene menor costo de fabricación, usa un motor de unos 20 H.P. , es fácil de hangarar, fácil de transportar en el techo de cualquier auto.

Si es apto para despegar con un piloto y su aladelta encima, seguramente pueda hacerlo con un parapentista.

Esto amplía enormemente el mercado.

Luego de una búsqueda mundial, no se encontraron antecedentes. Por este motivo y para proteger el invento ya presenté la solicitud de patente.

Realicé un prototipo que voló acoplado con el ala delta y también libre, radiocontrolado. Los vuelos fueron prometedores.

Es necesario pulir el prototipo hasta llegar a un modelo de producción que se fabrique y se comercialice. Por esto es que busco ahora gente interesada en involucrarse en este proyecto para llevarlo adelante.

Saludos cordiales

Guido                                                                                                                       132 27June2009

Update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHF7QBmy3qE

And:   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flphg/message/20277



June 2009:

Tandem up in power-assist. Separate the two pilots; one continues with the bare hang glider; the other glides back down to club launch site with the power-assist hardware:  So, I see in the flash idea that perhaps we could side-step the unmanned RC flying dolly by starting out the flight with two persons in the power-assisted arrangement. The tandem launch with the flying cart or tug dolly would climb to desired altitude. Then the flying dolly with one pilot would detach with all hardware related to the power-assist. The released part and pilot need not use fuel or electric power; the released flying dolly and pilot would glide to the flatland launch area where the same flying-dolly pilot could attach to the next club member's rig. The other pilot will have his or her hang glider to practice gliding/soaring disciplines from the release/separation point forward. This system will not be using RC, will not be using a tug Dragonfly aircraft, and will not be having any lose uninhabited air vehicle in the airspace. All parts will be under human direct pilot control at all times. The released pilot and flying dolly is a subsystem that could take many forms; one form might involve intended use of a gliding parachute; another form could be morphable extended wings.
         Surely we are not at the end of this thread. I invited the thread followers to look at last year's thread in FLPHG group where ideas close to this thread's subject were covered. That invitation is still up. The acronym of RPA was formed for "releasable power assembly." During that FLPHG thread, the tandem flash idea did not arrive.
Cheers,
JoeF
    PS:   edit later: The released pilot that returns with the flying cart might be the least-weighted member of the club. We might pay the dolly pilot for his time and effort. However, a tiny pilot might really enjoy the tandem flight up and the solo flight return with the flying dolly or tugdolly.


June 26, 2009

4. Modified PG? Several directions interest me:
A. Reefable and busable airbeam-tensairitied-boned PG. The interior of the advanced airbeams would use reefable parts and sub-bladders following some recent airbeam patent instructions.
B. Paramontante direction
C. Graphened and PVed with captured ram-air followed with high-pressure maintenance …and smart-pressure maintenance; this would also have some spanwise and chordwise boning that would not bother busability.     JpF


http://www.usgyms.net/martial%20arts%20types.htm    


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