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sassman007
3 thumbs up
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 5
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
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 Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:33 am Post subject: |
 #21 |
| Get cha a slightly used Falcon and go for it. They are the most docile glider I know of, and still get fair performance. Start slow and enjoy the sport so that you don't scare yourself out of it (as so many have done by jumping steps). I've been flying now for 32 yrs. and am 58 yrs old. I will eventually have to go back to something like that but am having a blast on my Lite Speed right now (definatly not for you right now) |
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Cal Glider
3 thumbs up
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 259
Location: Blythe CA. USA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject: It was a lot of money to me... |
#22 |
My first kite was free, and I taught myself how to fly. I was 13 (1969). And yea, I had such a cool mom who would let me do just about anything if I truly believed I could do it.
The kite was made out of bamboo, plastic sheeting and duct tape. Bamboo Bomber...Bamboo Butterfly??? Not sure just what it was. I know we burned it on a sacrificial pyre at sunset to thank the wind gods that I had survived.
My first “real” hang glider with aluminum tubes was a FreeFlight 17ft standard. That was 1970 it think. I try to look that far back, but the memories are very smoky and blurred from that time period. I called it a FreeFright because I scared the crap out of myself more than once on it. I bought it from a guy who crashed (did not hurt the glider) and broke his back for 400.00. That included the harness. The hang strap was made from yellow water ski rope there was no back up strap. 
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Bamboo Bomber –Freeflight 17 ft STD – Cal Gliders Moth 18 ft STD - Cal Gliders 19X16 Short Keel - UP Dragonfly – Cal Gliders WindGypsy Mk 4 – Quicksilver M -Twenty years later… Wills Wing Falcon- Altair Saturn 167, Predator142. I'm getting old(er) Attack Falcon 170... |
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pud
3 thumbs up
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 294
Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:57 pm Post subject: Re: It was a lot of money to me... |
#23 |
| Cal Glider wrote: |
My first kite was free, and I taught myself how to fly. I was 13 (1969). And yea, I had such a cool mom who would let me do just about anything if I truly believed I could do it.
The kite was made out of bamboo, plastic sheeting and duct tape. Bamboo Bomber...Bamboo Butterfly??? Not sure just what it was. I know we burned it on a sacrificial pyre at sunset to thank the wind gods that I had survived.
My first “real” hang glider with aluminum tubes was a FreeFlight 17ft standard. That was 1970 it think. I try to look that far back, but the memories are very smoky and blurred from that time period. I called it a FreeFright because I scared the crap out of myself more than once on it. I bought it from a guy who crashed (did not hurt the glider) and broke his back for 400.00. That included the harness. The hang strap was made from yellow water ski rope there was no back up strap. |
I thought my '74 to '85 stint with a return 3 years ago quite unusual.
This is obviously not so, there are lots of us.
I think you must have the record for an old(?) pilot returning to the sport.
……or do you?
_________________
Skyhook BogRog built from plans
Own design and built experiment
Skyhook Sunspot
Skyhook Sabre (CFX)
23 year rest…
Airwave Calypso
Airwave Kiss
Discus (super colour, hand picked you know) |
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Cal Glider
3 thumbs up
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 259
Location: Blythe CA. USA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:07 pm Post subject: |
#24 |
I don't know, but I have heard 2 or 3 others who were out about 20 like me. I did the wife,kid, house, two cars the american dream thing. And it sucks as far as flying goes. I would go to work and look at the flag and go damn! Perfect day to get high...but I can't, got to work to pay bills...  but now the kid is gone  And my wife is my driver. She is progressing well, I think she should have her D-2 by the end of next season. 
_________________
Bamboo Bomber –Freeflight 17 ft STD – Cal Gliders Moth 18 ft STD - Cal Gliders 19X16 Short Keel - UP Dragonfly – Cal Gliders WindGypsy Mk 4 – Quicksilver M -Twenty years later… Wills Wing Falcon- Altair Saturn 167, Predator142. I'm getting old(er) Attack Falcon 170... |
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mrcc
3 thumbs up
Joined: 19 Jul 2010
Posts: 462
Location: Auckland
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| Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:48 am Post subject: |
#25 |
| Windlord wrote: |
Oh yeah, us ol'farts are just waiting to get rid of the kids and get back to the way things were, in a simpler time.
With age comes more caution, but it is there for you once again. |
Well said  |
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gasdive
2 thumbs up
Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 1161
Location: port macquarie australia
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:16 pm Post subject: |
#26 |
Out for 20 years, came back with a Fun 190. I'm finding the reasons I gave up are still the reasons it's hard to keep going. So weather dependent, so difficult to plan, so many days spent waiting for the weather to change. However when it does come together it's great.
I don't feel like I've never been away. I've certainly lost the desire to fly in any conditions and the nerve to fly cliffs with my wingtip just 5 feet from the wall right on min sink. I like to be out in wide open air, well away from the edges with plenty of airspeed. I'm a much more nervous pilot than I was in my 20's.
The other slightly weird thing is that the rake on the a frame is very different with the base bar much further forward. Took some getting used to, felt very wrong.
=:)
_________________
Jason Rogers,
http://zerods.blogspot.com/
http://slow-cook.blogspot.com
http://thingsineverunderstood.blogspot.com/
Lock a diver in an empty room for an hour with three ball bearings. On your return, one will be lost, one will be broken and one will be stolen. |
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NMERider
3 thumbs up
Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 7363
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: It was a lot of money to me... |
#27 |
| pud wrote: |
....I thought my '74 to '85 stint with a return 3 years ago quite unusual.
This is obviously not so, there are lots of us... |
When I came back in 2008 having left in 1982, I soon began to meet similarly situated 50-somethings. Our very own Soarass was gone from 1969 to 2008 IIRC having started and finished w/ a bamboo bomber. The first thing I noticed was how much more fun the sport was at age 50 than in my teens and twenties.
So welcome to Reddog! Come on back and enjoy your time off Earth. |
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RogerM
3 thumbs up
Joined: 07 Aug 2009
Posts: 44
Location: Devon, UK
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:55 pm Post subject: |
#28 |
| gasdive wrote: |
Out for 20 years, came back with a Fun 190. I'm finding the reasons I gave up are still the reasons it's hard to keep going. So weather dependent, so difficult to plan, so many days spent waiting for the weather to change. However when it does come together it's great.
I don't feel like I've never been away. I've certainly lost the desire to fly in any conditions and the nerve to fly cliffs with my wingtip just 5 feet from the wall right on min sink. I like to be out in wide open air, well away from the edges with plenty of airspeed. I'm a much more nervous pilot than I was in my 20's.
The other slightly weird thing is that the rake on the a frame is very different with the base bar much further forward. Took some getting used to, felt very wrong.
= |
So it's not just me then! It seems that the more life you have in front of you, the more cavalier you are with it, and conversely the less there is the more you tend to hang on to it. I don't like flying in strong conditions as I once did, and with the UK having just had the wettest 3 months on record (since they started in 1910 - and that's ANY 3 months - not just April/May/June ), the weather dependency is driving me up the wall. I'm beginning to remember why I quit the first time around.
_________________
Regards, Roger
www.roomatlas.com
standard Rogallo, WW SST 100B, WW XC220, Flexiform Skyline 175, Hiway Demon 175, Funky 17 |
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pud
3 thumbs up
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 294
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:35 am Post subject: |
#29 |
| RogerM wrote: |
| ..... with the UK having just had the wettest 3 months on record (since they started in 1910 - and that's ANY 3 months - not just April/May/June )... |
All starting the very same week they introduced a hosepipe ban in my area. 
_________________
Skyhook BogRog built from plans
Own design and built experiment
Skyhook Sunspot
Skyhook Sabre (CFX)
23 year rest…
Airwave Calypso
Airwave Kiss
Discus (super colour, hand picked you know) |
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mrcc
3 thumbs up
Joined: 19 Jul 2010
Posts: 462
Location: Auckland
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:15 am Post subject: |
#30 |
I return to HG after 25 years gap, to fly a more challenging glider than when I left. A Airborne Shark 144 with a hook in weight of 205kgs, a very high wing loading & with a very narrow flare window. After doing a down wind landing at the 2010 Nationals, I decide to replace the Shark with a U2 160, take off & landings have never been easier. Mind you I was not hurt by the down wind landing but since develop alot of respect to doing it correctly & if possible avoiding it .
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johnnycoolal
Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 5
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:24 pm Post subject: |
#31 |
| I was thinking of starting back up after a 20 year hiatus. I didn't realize how often this occurred. Glad to hear from everyone successfully entering back into the sport... |
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gasdive
2 thumbs up
Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 1161
Location: port macquarie australia
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:46 am Post subject: |
#32 |
| RogerM wrote: |
| I don't like flying in strong conditions as I once did, |
I well remember in my 20's turning up at Stanwell (the busiest site in Australia) on a weekend. It was SE which is the perfect wind direction. No rain, perfect direction, weekend.... How come there's no-one else here? You'd think I'd ask myself that question as I set up in the 40 knt winds....
I had a great flight except that my legs got a bit tired being bunched up in front of the base bar most of the flight.
Now I turn up and go, hmmm, yes it's 15 but it's gusting to 18, I think I'll go home.
=:)
_________________
Jason Rogers,
http://zerods.blogspot.com/
http://slow-cook.blogspot.com
http://thingsineverunderstood.blogspot.com/
Lock a diver in an empty room for an hour with three ball bearings. On your return, one will be lost, one will be broken and one will be stolen. |
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ChattaroyMan
3 thumbs up
Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:49 am Post subject: |
#33 |
| johnnycoolal wrote: |
| I was thinking of starting back up after a 20 year hiatus. I didn't realize how often this occurred. Glad to hear from everyone successfully entering back into the sport... |
It is sweet! I'm still grinning from the "newness" of getting back at it and it'll be 2 years in Oct. that I got back in the saddle. I was out for 29 years! Just now getting back to the skill level I had back in 1981. Nice gliders out now + great instruments and small digital still/video cameras to relive a flight + the videos you share here help you learn from others. Interest has picked back up in the Spokane area too so there are more folks to go flying with now than just a few years ago. With more bodies we're bringing on more flying sites too. I hope we can keep our safety record in good shape! That has been one of our main goals in forming our USHPA chapter. So far so good!
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U2 160 • Chattaroy, WA - USA |
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