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psuguru
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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:37 am Post subject: A hang gliding genius? |
 #1 |
OK.
There's a guy in the Southern Hang Gliding Club who passed his training course in April 2011.
Since then, he's amassed over 120 hours on hang gliders, has become a UK HG pilot (H4) and has completed his PG training to H3 level. He's presently getting an Aerotow rating.
On his first day out after passing his H2 level course, he flew over 6 hours with 7 top landings.
Respect to Luke Nicol !
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tom emery
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 8:57 am Post subject: Congratulations |
#2 |
| I don't see know about "genius", but he's to be congratulated for his perseverance and dedication. Do you know the progression of the wings he's flown? I am trying to get a feel for the number of hours it takes to transition from a single surface entry level glider to a more advanced wing. Thanks. |
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peanuts
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:00 am Post subject: |
#3 |
| did he have previous flight experience or participate heavily in some other sport? |
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blindrodie
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:02 am Post subject: |
#4 |
The range is WIDE OPEN Tom.
I would recommend at least 30-50 hours on a SS, HOWEVER that all depends on the conditions you learn in over the course of that 30-50 hours.
That's why a good Instructor/Mentor/Observer/Fellow pilot is so important.
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CAL
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:06 am Post subject: |
#5 |
120 hours in less then a year is amazing, i feel like i get out quite often and only have been able get in 80 hours a year,
to get an h4 and a p3 and be able to get that much time in is totally amazing! i would love to have the time to be able to do that, even if i had the time, it would be difficult to accomplish all that
he for sure has it going for him 
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psilyguy
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:33 am Post subject: |
#6 |
| Must be nice to be rich & not have to work! |
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CHassan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:46 am Post subject: |
#7 |
| psilyguy wrote: |
| Must be nice to be rich & not have to work! |
If I lived/worked somewhere it was possible to get 6 hours and 7 top landings in a day, 240 hours a year would be a drop in the bucket.
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TomGalvin
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Congratulations |
#8 |
| tom emery wrote: |
| I am trying to get a feel for the number of hours it takes to transition from a single surface entry level glider to a more advanced wing. |
I started on a Pulse(Novice DS) at the training hill, and later(~100 hours) I had a Discus and Klassic. Sold them all and now I fly the single surface Freedom.
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NickL
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:07 pm Post subject: |
#9 |
I know Luke, I think he's mostly been flying a WW Eagle, and has recently got an Avian Java (high-performance kingposted). Don't know if he's flown anything else (apart from the PG!)
It's not been a great year for flying in our corner so he's managed an incredible amount, I'm so jealous - I started in 2010 and have barely made 20hrs. To me it seems like there's only 4 flyable days per year! 
Just goes to show what you can do with the right mindset - whenever I fly with him he seems to be up all day while I can only manage a couple hours between resting my arms! Oh well, plenty more time to learn 
Well done Luke |
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CRV
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:14 pm Post subject: |
#10 |
A hang-gliding genius?
Not until he has amassed over 5000 posts on HG.org...  |
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J ball
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:27 pm Post subject: |
#11 |
| crvalley wrote: |
A hang-gliding genius?
Not until he has amassed over 5000 posts on HG.org... |
Ya, I don't think it takes a genius. Maybe some skills, dedication and a whole lotta free time. Take my buddy wingman as an example. Got his hang 4 in under a year I believe. Is probably pushing 200 hrs by now, in about two years. And has gone from a falcon to a t2 already. All while being debatably retarded. Look at his gliders, he only flys ones that are short bus safety yellow and orange. 
As far as time "needed" to progress thru gliders. Seems like 200 hundred hours over 8 years probably dont compare to the same # of hours in 2 years.
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hckilgore1
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 3:57 pm Post subject: |
#12 |
| 1) does even have a job or family? 2) is he flying coastal, ridge lft..is there thermaling involved? |
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Wing Man
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject: |
#13 |
| J ball wrote: |
| Take my buddy wingman as an example. Got his hang 4 in under a year I believe. Is probably pushing 200 hrs by now, in about two years. And has gone from a falcon to a t2 already. All while being debatably retarded. Look at his gliders, he only flys ones that are short bus safety yellow and orange. |
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ChattaroyMan
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:25 pm Post subject: |
#14 |
Airhog!
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relate2
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| Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:35 pm Post subject: |
#15 |
First off congratulations for that person getting in so much flying.
Although I find hours flown have little to do with pilot experience. We all know you could fly any coastal site and clock up hundreds and hundreds of hours developing very little true flying skills. There is no shortcut to developing flying skills.
A classic saying I like is:-
--When a pilot reaches 500 hours he thinks he knows everything.
-- When a pilot gets to 1,000 hours he knows he knows everything.
-- When a pilot gets to 1,500 hours he knows he will NEVER know everything.
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Scorl
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 7:34 am Post subject: |
#16 |
| relate2 wrote: |
A classic saying I like is:-
--When a pilot reaches 500 hours he thinks he knows everything.
-- When a pilot gets to 1,000 hours he knows he knows everything.
-- When a pilot gets to 1,500 hours he knows he will NEVER know everything. |
After 6 months I'm at 54 scooter towing flights with 3 hours and 16 minutes flight time. At the current rate I'm going, by the time I get 500 hours I'll have 8260 surface towing launches and landings and it will have taken me 76 years.
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psuguru
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Location: The Darkest Hinterlands of Essex
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:07 am Post subject: |
#17 |
| hckilgore1 wrote: |
| 1) does even have a job or family? 2) is he flying coastal, ridge lft..is there thermaling involved? |
In the UK it's impossible to be more than 76 miles from the sea.('Cos we're an island).
Luke's flown mainly on the South Downs within 7 miles of the coast but has some coastal time too.
Frankly, I get tired just looking at him. You turn up at a site, just after dawn on a Winter's day.....Luke's airborne.
You land for a cup of tea and a sandwich ..........Luke's airborne.
You land and pack up for the day..........................Luke's airborne.
You turn up at the pub for a quick drink on the way home...........Luke's half way down his first pint.
Aaaaarrrrgh!
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"We should all have our heads examined"
"That's Rule Number 4"
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red
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:55 am Post subject: A hang gliding genius? |
#18 |
| Scorl wrote: |
After 6 months I'm at 54 scooter towing flights with 3 hours and 16 minutes flight time. At the current rate I'm going, by the time I get 500 hours I'll have 8260 surface towing launches and landings and it will have taken me 76 years.
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Scorl,
If I lived where there were no mountains, I'd be looking at payout winches, not scooter tows. I have seen videos of people foot-launching or cart-launching, with a payout winch. The difference is, the towline constantly gets shorter on a scooter tow, but the towline gets constantly longer, on a payout-winch launch. I have seen payout winch launches that let the HG pilot release at 4,000'+ AGL. That's maybe 15 minutes a pop, in zero lift. You'd be at 500 hours in only 18 years, then. Now actually, on most of those 4k' launches, the pilot went up and "stuck" there, only coming down when they would choose to, or maybe on a sink cycle.
http://www.hanggliding.org/wiki/Payout_Winch
Plan B of course, is to take the show on the road, to some very soarable sites. Make weekend trips to the better sites, and camp out, if necessary. For myself, I simply moved to the Rocky Mountains (~20 minutes, on a sledder), and never looked back.
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el_loco
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| Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:19 am Post subject: |
#19 |
| psuguru wrote: |
In the UK it's impossible to be more than 76 miles from the sea.('Cos we're an island).
Luke's flown mainly on the South Downs within 7 miles of the coast but has some coastal time too.
Frankly, I get tired just looking at him. You turn up at a site, just after dawn on a Winter's day.....Luke's airborne.
You land for a cup of tea and a sandwich ..........Luke's airborne.
You land and pack up for the day..........................Luke's airborne.
You turn up at the pub for a quick drink on the way home...........Luke's half way down his first pint.
Aaaaarrrrgh! |
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