An advancing Hang 2 asks: How on earth can someone safely self launch and do a hang check? At the beach, where the wind is smooth and constant you can balance the glider while you hang, but I don't think I would feel safe doing that at Kagel in anything but the smoothest conditions. Am I wrong? Is this something I should be practicing? Is there a better way to do that?
Safety director Joe Greblo answers:
This is particularly a problem at Kagel; especially since the club rounded the top of the launch site into a "knob". This dome shape creates both wind velocity and angle of attack variations whenever the wind shifts direction or the glider accidently yaws or gets a wing lifted. These variations can cause the glider to lift and roll rather violently.
Self launching in stronger winds or gusts is really asking for trouble, and it's almost always unnecessary. Dozens of pilots have blown over at Kagel in the past. Wheels can make self launching even more dangerous as it's much harder for the pilot to keep the glider from yawing with the wheels on the ground. If the glider yaws a little, then one wing enters the lift band and all hell breaks loose. You can get lifted off the ground in less than an instant. Pulling the wing down won't work but pulling it back might if it can be done quickly enough.
Use a wire assistant. It doesn't hurt to try to do as much as possible for yourself and let the assistant do little or nothing unless needed. Good communication is in order. This way you can continue to improve your ground handling skills without risk.
If I'm last on launch and need to launch myself, I really have to stop and decide how much risk I'm willing to take. Winds above 15 mph can lift the glider 30 feet or more into the air while turning you down wind, while lighter winds under 10 mph will generally only blow you over and tear up the leading edge cloth and perhaps bend a leading edge and downtube.
Advanced pilots that choose to launch themselves in wind, don't like wheels on the base tube so they can keep the nose extra low and force the base tube into the dirt to keep one wing from lifting and yawing. They keep the nose down by pushing the top of the control bar forward with their shoulders and waiting until a good moment to launch. Waiting for the right moment is called "timing cycles", and it includes watching the streamers and bushes below launch to try and get advanced warning of coming gusts and thermals. Timing the duration between gusts and spending enough time studying it to gain some confidence is common. This works pretty good most of the time, but fails occasionally when thermals form near launch, such as in the case of sudden dust devils.
You've been taught a more reliable solution for managing your risk on launch. You can best approach 100% launch safety by launching only during periods of the day when you can effectively balance the glider on launch 100% of the time. If you can only balance it 50% of the time (between gusts), you're taking a large risk because the consequences of a blown launch are so high. I sometimes see pilots launch when they can only control the glider 10% of the time. This never ceases to amaze me.
If you're ever up on launch alone in conditions where you can't balance the glider on your shoulders at all times, you're at risk. Consider carefully training a spectator back behind launch (take lots of time because they can kill you). Better yet, break down or wait until conditions become more reliable.
Self Launching: Techniques for Safety
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SHGA Communications
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Self Launching: Techniques for Safety
Last edited by SHGA Communications on Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Self Hang Check
I don't have much to add to Joe's comments about launching, but there are times when you can control the glider on launch 100% of the time alone but still have trouble doing a hang check alone.
The procedure that I use in light to medium wind is to set the glider at a lower than flying angle-of-attack well behind the launch. I then get down with my feet spread very very widely. This makes the basetube one side of a "triangle" and my feet the other side. I then hang with one hand on the ground to make any minor pitch adjustments and the other on a downtube so that I can turn my upper body and look at my hang strap and hang loop.
Please don't do this without practicing it in no wind first!!! And if you are having trouble, either get up immediately, or lower the nose. A raised nose in this position can be a big and very unpleasant surprise... This technique is difficult at first, but surprisingly easy once you get the "hang" of it. But it isn't safe in stronger winds, for obvious reasons.
The other method is to hook the harness into the glider well behind launch, and LEAVE IT HOOKED TO THE GLIDER. Then when you put it on, you know you are hooked in. Make sure all lines are straight before you climb into the harness, and again after you are in, but before you pick up the glider. This technique works at almost all flying sites. The only exceptions are ones like Yosemite and some East Coast ramp launches. These sites are impossible (or nearly so) to walk your glider to hooked in. So at these sites, a solo hang-check or launch becomes a very special case. A case that should not be done without talking to a hightly experienced and trusted local, if then.
In both of the above methods, a hook-in check as taught by Windsports is even more important than normal to double check that you are indeed hooked in correctly.
But when in doubt, it is better to not fly than to exceed your limits and crash and burn.
The procedure that I use in light to medium wind is to set the glider at a lower than flying angle-of-attack well behind the launch. I then get down with my feet spread very very widely. This makes the basetube one side of a "triangle" and my feet the other side. I then hang with one hand on the ground to make any minor pitch adjustments and the other on a downtube so that I can turn my upper body and look at my hang strap and hang loop.
Please don't do this without practicing it in no wind first!!! And if you are having trouble, either get up immediately, or lower the nose. A raised nose in this position can be a big and very unpleasant surprise... This technique is difficult at first, but surprisingly easy once you get the "hang" of it. But it isn't safe in stronger winds, for obvious reasons.
The other method is to hook the harness into the glider well behind launch, and LEAVE IT HOOKED TO THE GLIDER. Then when you put it on, you know you are hooked in. Make sure all lines are straight before you climb into the harness, and again after you are in, but before you pick up the glider. This technique works at almost all flying sites. The only exceptions are ones like Yosemite and some East Coast ramp launches. These sites are impossible (or nearly so) to walk your glider to hooked in. So at these sites, a solo hang-check or launch becomes a very special case. A case that should not be done without talking to a hightly experienced and trusted local, if then.
In both of the above methods, a hook-in check as taught by Windsports is even more important than normal to double check that you are indeed hooked in correctly.
But when in doubt, it is better to not fly than to exceed your limits and crash and burn.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
As a Hang 2, I remember my concerns about being left to launch alone when everybody else took off in 15-18. I was fine with launching, but I had 12" wheels and didn;t look forward to a prone hang check under the conditions.
As I helped the last guy launch he read my situation. "Just wait until the wind dies down," he said, "it always does."
As I helped the last guy launch he read my situation. "Just wait until the wind dies down," he said, "it always does."
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SHGA Communications
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Joe discusses the solo hang check:
Hang checks need to be done safely of course, so knowing how to do one without a wire assistant is important. First I suggest you never do a hang check alone at the edge of the take-off slope. Instead they should be done just behind launch where the terrain is flat and there's little chance of being blown over (as close to launch as possible so you don't have far to walk while hooked in).
If conditions are too strong to do a hang check when alone, perhaps it's too strong to try to launch and fly. If one insists on launching alone in windy or gusty conditions, the only option is to hook in, grab the front wires, and lean forward into as much a semi-prone position as possible to check your harness lines. This is of little use to confirm your hang height.
Assuming it's safe to do a full hang check alone, there are a couple of techniques that you should learn. Accurately describing these techniques without illustrations is difficult, so I'd rather invite you and anyone else in the club to ask me for a demonstration at the flying site (either launch or l/z). Also, I'll be happy to conduct a short clinic on this at the club beach party at Dockweiler Beach on September 9th. There I'll also conduct x-wind launch and landing clinics, and techniques to deal with a failure to hook in.
Hang checks need to be done safely of course, so knowing how to do one without a wire assistant is important. First I suggest you never do a hang check alone at the edge of the take-off slope. Instead they should be done just behind launch where the terrain is flat and there's little chance of being blown over (as close to launch as possible so you don't have far to walk while hooked in).
If conditions are too strong to do a hang check when alone, perhaps it's too strong to try to launch and fly. If one insists on launching alone in windy or gusty conditions, the only option is to hook in, grab the front wires, and lean forward into as much a semi-prone position as possible to check your harness lines. This is of little use to confirm your hang height.
Assuming it's safe to do a full hang check alone, there are a couple of techniques that you should learn. Accurately describing these techniques without illustrations is difficult, so I'd rather invite you and anyone else in the club to ask me for a demonstration at the flying site (either launch or l/z). Also, I'll be happy to conduct a short clinic on this at the club beach party at Dockweiler Beach on September 9th. There I'll also conduct x-wind launch and landing clinics, and techniques to deal with a failure to hook in.
Hook-In Check
Greg Kendall also advocates hooking in and performing your hang check right where you set up your glider, before carrying it to the launch line.
I have adopted this practice, and have not varied from it except when carrying the glider to Glacier Point, in Yosemite, where there is an expert site monitor who also checks to see you hook in.
In addition, I always set my glider down behind the launch position, reach behind me and tug on my suspension strap to be sure it is hooked in. I then run through the Four C's - - Crotch (am I in my leg loops?), chest (are all the fastenings, zippers and buckles, fastened across my chest?), chute (are the release pins of my chute in correct p?) position and the deployment handle accessable and untangled by any other strings?), and chin (is my helmet buckled and my radio wire from my harness attached to the lead on my helmet?)
And finally I say, out loud, "I am hooked in." And when I used to have a rocket launcher for my chute, I also said, "... and I am ballistic."
I have adopted this practice, and have not varied from it except when carrying the glider to Glacier Point, in Yosemite, where there is an expert site monitor who also checks to see you hook in.
In addition, I always set my glider down behind the launch position, reach behind me and tug on my suspension strap to be sure it is hooked in. I then run through the Four C's - - Crotch (am I in my leg loops?), chest (are all the fastenings, zippers and buckles, fastened across my chest?), chute (are the release pins of my chute in correct p?) position and the deployment handle accessable and untangled by any other strings?), and chin (is my helmet buckled and my radio wire from my harness attached to the lead on my helmet?)
And finally I say, out loud, "I am hooked in." And when I used to have a rocket launcher for my chute, I also said, "... and I am ballistic."
Soar With Prudent Passion
Larry Chamblee
Larry Chamblee
Carrying a glider from setup area to near launch area while hooked in could be unsafe in mountain sites. I have seen at least a few instances, when the pilot lost the control and got turned/flipped/dragged (one of them cartwilled uphill!!!).
I prefer to carry the glider to a safe place near launch ran then get hooked.
Cheers!
I prefer to carry the glider to a safe place near launch ran then get hooked.
Cheers!
Hooked in?
Getting blown over while walking to launch 
is far safer than launching unhooked 
at most (but not all) sites. It is faulty logic to worry about being blown over when you are risking a failure to hook in instead. However, if this is a concern for you, the only solution is to NEVER launch alone. There is nothing wrong with this decision. I avoid launching alone whenever possible. I have decided not to fly because there wasn't anyone else around, and conditions weren't comfortable without help.
If you must do a hang-check alone, the safest way (when possible) is to use the "hook in at setup area and walk to launch" method. The second safest is to hook in right behind (but not on) launch, as suggested by Joe Greblo, then do a full hang check as Joe will demonstrate if asked. (As will I.)
But Joe is right. If you are concerned that you cannot get to launch alone and hooked in, then perhaps it is too windy for you to launch. Wait for the wind to die down as suggested by Christian. Or fly another day. The mountain will be there.
A further though: If you cannot safely walk your glider to launch at Kagel while hooked, then either
a) You need ground handling work, or
b) You are launching in winds that are too high for you to use without help (or maybe at all.)
That isn't true everywhere, but it is at Kagel.
is far safer than launching unhooked at most (but not all) sites. It is faulty logic to worry about being blown over when you are risking a failure to hook in instead. However, if this is a concern for you, the only solution is to NEVER launch alone. There is nothing wrong with this decision. I avoid launching alone whenever possible. I have decided not to fly because there wasn't anyone else around, and conditions weren't comfortable without help.If you must do a hang-check alone, the safest way (when possible) is to use the "hook in at setup area and walk to launch" method. The second safest is to hook in right behind (but not on) launch, as suggested by Joe Greblo, then do a full hang check as Joe will demonstrate if asked. (As will I.)
But Joe is right. If you are concerned that you cannot get to launch alone and hooked in, then perhaps it is too windy for you to launch. Wait for the wind to die down as suggested by Christian. Or fly another day. The mountain will be there.
A further though: If you cannot safely walk your glider to launch at Kagel while hooked, then either
a) You need ground handling work, or
b) You are launching in winds that are too high for you to use without help (or maybe at all.)
That isn't true everywhere, but it is at Kagel.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George