[Bob Kuczewski]

From the WillsWing web site:    https://youtu.be/B9CgZIv4rNc



I like Dave, and I appreciate his youthful approach. I fully endorse each of his ideas. But they are not enough. There have been structural problems in the sport of hang gliding that aren't addressed by Dave's social media approach. Until those are addressed, hang gliding will continue its slow decline. These are the ideas found in my first post to this topic back in 2019:

... I'd like to offer my own thoughts on saving hang gliding:

1. Hang gliding needs an association dedicated to hang gliding. ...

2. The hang gliding community cannot continue to allow their communication channels to be controlled by Jack and Davis. ...

3. Hang gliding must start using the Recreational Use Statutes in every state. ...

4. Hang gliding must be shared friend to friend as it was in the beginning. ...

These are all the things championed by the U.S. Hawks.

Come join us.

I wish Dave (and others) had been more willing to support these ideas ... and the U.S. Hawks.

[Chris McKeon]

A Vice, Our Voice? We had ad a Voice, once upon a time. When was it? Was it the early 80's. Well. We Hqang Glider Pilot gave our Voice away! USGA was ours. I remember making feeble attempts to pursued Pilots in to mounting resistance to Paragliders taking over our organization. I did not think that Paragliders should have an Organization, their organization, Their very Own Organization, their very own Organization. So look what happened, we handed the Paragliders the Keys, then they took our organization from us. I do not deny Para Gliders having an Organization it just pains Me to know that we gave ours away.

[DaveSchy]

The USHGA membership was never given a chance to vote on including paragliding.
The board made that decision unilaterally, based on greed, fueled by their egotistic hunger for some kind of elusive power.

Not surprising given the people who were happy to spend membership money on themselves, instead of on hang gliding.
Membership dropped like an aircraft without an airframe to the financially unsustainable joke it is now.

Thank goodness for US Hawks being a forum that cares about our sport more than money!
Formerly 18966 (August 1976)

[DaveSchy]

Paragliding was desperately trying to find liability insurance without results.
USHGA had a policy through no less than Lloyd's of London. After the actuaries and underwriters began including paragliding data, Lloyd's dropped the policy (like an aircraft with no airframe).
The royal cluster of the RRRG was then hatched.
60 k annual salary to one person to administer the scam and USHPA was all in.
Death spiral.....

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thank goodness for US Hawks being a forum that cares about our sport more than money!
Formerly 18966 (August 1976)

Thanks Dave. That comment means a lot to me personally. We founded the U.S. Hawks because we care,about free speech, honesty, and hang gliding. Those have been our guiding principles for over 10 years now. Those three principles are not appreciated by everyone. But for those who do value that trio, the U.S. Hawks should be a very comfortable place.

Thanks to everyone who has joined us.  

Thanks to you, Dave.  

[Craig Muhonen]

I think that a new design which combines, a more rigid harness system with the "pod",
and also incorporates a back up chute ( Improved Ballistic (or spring loaded) Recovery System ) on the keel (photo), would make a Hang Glider much more safe, in rotors and sink air, and easy (no more "how do I get my chute? how, and when am I going to throw it?
all while being totally disoriented". If 900 BRS's were part of 1985 sales of Hang Gliders, and worked then, why not an improved one now?. I know that L/D would suffer a bit, but, "Risk Reward".

I think that it would sell a lot of Hang Gliders, even to Paragliders.
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"The Flying Italian", Dan Racanelli, (RIP) 1986


We (US HAWKS) can't change how many parachute gliders there are, but making Hang Gliders much safer than "them",
would sway a lot of pilots. Liability Insurance for an Air Frame can be gotten easier.

......Hang Gliding is not dead, but "Hanging In The Balance" A balanced airframe being the key word, which is not part of an ever changing, canope'

" "Clubs Unite", and put our thinking caps on" and experiment, plus, Petition USHPA flying sites for
"Hang Gliding" flying days.
=====================================================================================================
My HO opinion

[Craig Muhonen]

[url][/url]
Hang Glider Slalom Course
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL?
Not The Super Best
=======================================================================================================================
Petition, Petition
https://www.thepetitionsite.com

[Chris McKeon]

I want to say what all of us Male Pilots already know. For we have a serious Problem regarding Female Pilots! I mean I as all of you also know. I have known some really talented Woman Who flew Hang Gliders. Take Pilots such as Tammy Bucar or Kari Kastle. Both Tammy and Kari could Fly. Well regarding Kari; I did hear that Kari went to the Darkside. I heard that Kari's Flying has taken a Turn for the Worse. Yes I heard that Kari is flying Paragliders! I for one will never be Brave enough to Fly Paragliders. Can You say Asymmetrical collapse?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:

Well when I am completely back up to speed. i hope to do all that I can to help WOMEN Fly. If most of us would do what we could to help Women get up in the Air Flying Hang Gliders, why would it not work?

[Bob Kuczewski]

no more "how do I get my chute? how, and when am I going to throw it? all while being totally disoriented".

Joe Greblo gave very good training for throwing your chute. He would drill his students on this 5 step procedure:

• Look (look at your chute)
• Grab (put your hand on the handle)
• Clear (both look for a clear throw area and clear wreckage as needed)
• Pull (pull the chute)
• Throw (throw the chute toward the clear area)

He would also hang us in a simulator and violently jostle us around while we were trying to go through those steps. He would have himself or someone else moving around as the "target" representing a clear area of the wreckage and we would be required to throw our chutes at that person while getting pushed around in the simulator. Joe also taught us to mentally review those steps while flying to keep them fresh. I have done that many times, and the mantra "Look, Grab, Clear, Pull, Throw" is burned into my memory.

Thanks for the good training Joe!!  

[Chris McKeon]

I fully realize that I am harping on a sore subject here when |I talk about promoting to get more women into Flying. But We really do have a need, we need , more Women Pilots! I ask. why the heck not?

Take this Covid Virus. Here we have a Virus, a disease. What do we do as a People? We use the the Fear of contracting this disease so as to cripple our Countries economy.

BACK TO STAYING ON SUBJECT, FLYING: It is so cool that as it turns out we do not have to worry about the fear of contracting this Bug to cause us not to be able to Fly. I mean what better activity could one do than to fly in order to stay Six Feet apart? I mean if Pilots were going to stick to the Premise that one could contract the Virus by being Closer than 6' apart. Then it could be said not to take a Passenger Tandem with You. But when Flying as a Solo Pilot, Flying a Non XC Flight. It would be impossible to fly that you would be closer than six feet to another person. I guess that this means that our flying is safe for now, but then the Narrative most likely change.