That made me duck
glad he is OK _________________ First Flight 1979 H4 , Cirrus 3, UP Mosquito, Delta Wing Streak, Moyes XS, Exxtacy 160, Rotor Vulto, MILLENNIUM #8
ATP,MEL,HELI, http://www.youtube.com/user/BBJCaptain/videos
Life's goal is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well preserved body.
But rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out and broken, shouting
"Holy Crap, WHAT A RIDE !!"
So, what caused the tree landing cause I saw it coming from way out. That looked painful. Glad the pilot was ok. Bet the wing didn't come out so good. _________________ Freedom 170 FR
Man, I hate it when a tree suddenly gets in the way of your approach. Seriously, how did that happen? Maybe a case of object fixation, he seemed to have plenty of space to land otherwise! _________________ H4
U2 145
Conditions looked turbulent. I'll bet the field of last choice wasn't even the intended field he wanted to hit.
So, now what do you do.... if you're in a tree like that the easy part looks like getting yourself down (compared to getting the glider down). I'm guessing lots of ropes and a few tree trimming saws - combined with taking the glider apart as needed. All done after the wind dies down. I wonder if anyone has had to have a crane come in to extricate a glider???
The only tree I ever hit I hit with enough speed that I ended up at the bottom of it. Totaled the glider and knocked me out. I only remember the dive. When I regained consciousness I was sitting on a big rock nearby - out of the glider and looking at a big dent in the side of my Bell helmet. I ended up with only a sore shoulder and two badly sprained ankles. Guess I somehow hit feet first then went headlong into the rock(s). I don't know if I was detached from the glider or got myself out after 'landing'. _________________ U2 160 Chattaroy, WA - USA
One of the big teaching points in the northeast (where you WILL land in a tree at some point...it's inevitable) is that, if you know you're going to play in the foliage, acknowledge it. Pick a green fluffy one and land in the center (and grab as much of it as you can to keep from falling).
I did my Tarzan thing once and got away without a scratch. A good friend on a tandem flight just wouldn't give in, tried to sneak through a gap that was too thin...carnage. Helicopter rescue, putting doctors' kids through college, bad things. He had a chance to pick a nice soft tree, but passed it up. _________________ Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member of congress.
But I repeat myself.
- Mark Twain
We will call him "George of the jungle" from now on. "Watch ou for that tree!!!!!". This is a good reminder just how fast things can go wrong. Glad everything turned out ok.
Wow He should of landed in the feild behind the tree line. How did he get down??? _________________ H-4. Flying since 1975, Gliders, 17 ft Manta St, Electra Flyer Wildflower 220, Leading Edge Air Foil 6-C 160, Electra Flyer Oly 160, WW Omega 220, UP Comet 160, UP Comet O.V.R.160, UP Comet 2 160, UP TRX 160, WW Fusion 141, Bennett Dream 220 , UP Predator 142 and T-2 154. Love to Fly King Mt. Willard and the Crawford Mt's are the home sites. FL,AWCL,CL,FSL,RLF,TUR.
_________________ Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies, has lived.
We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life escaping us.
He's lucky to be alive -- he hit that tree going fast. One thicker branch in the wrong place and... I agree that he was trying to land with the other glider. And he gets hit with some turbulence off the treeline... And it looked to be pretty damn turbulent to begin with.
A bit off topic, but I wouldnt want to land in either conditions.
Mike _________________ Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies, has lived.
We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life escaping us.