Hang Gliding the Hat Creek Rim August 2012, Day 1

Headed up to the rim around 5pm, intending for a 6:30ish launch in the glass off (smooth rising air everywhere). Lo & behold, there sits Dave with his tandem wing, whom I’d not seen in a few years. That’s one cool thing about hang gliding: you’ll randomly run into people on mountain tops you haven’t seen in a long time.

Before long there were perhaps 15 pilots setting up their gliders and lots of spectators, including my family. Well, it was decided that my niece, Anna, would take a tandem flight—and her first flight in a hang glider—with Dave. Not only have I seen Dave safely complete lots of tandem instructional fights but he’s done somewhere around 10,000 of them without a single mishap. For instructional and introductory purposes, Dave wanted for the air to smooth out and lighten up a bit, so a later launch was called for. They launched and then I, right behind, just after 7pm. They flew about 30 minutes and I put in 40.

So here’s a bunch of photos of the festivities. You can click on them for the high resolution versions.

White sail tops for UV damage protection

Colorful undersides though

Rigging my Will’s Wing Sport 2 in the background

Ground School

Their launch

…And they’re off

My launch right behind

…And I’m off

…And away

The smile says it all, doesn’t it?

Tonight I’ll strap my GoPro to the keel and shoot some onboard video for tomorrow’s update on all the fun.