SB and SoCal long distance flights- What are the records?

[Dave Turner]

I posted a message on facebook, asking about Santa Barbara and area record distance flights, and got some decent feedback. But, I realize that many of you are not on facebook, so I wanted to continue the discussion here.

I have copied and pasted the FB thread below, sorry for the weird format it came out in. But some info is there, but the info I sought is not. The question still stands- What is the Santa Barbara area site record for PG's? And the overall SoCall record for PG's?

Looks like 101 miles for the SB mountain record (Eliminator) for HG's, to Palmdale by Craig Warren. Chris G mentioned bigger numbers from Pine, HG I assume?

I'm trying to get A to B distances, just as records are measured. No turnpoints or XC distance, just straight line.

I had a decent little flight from EJ to Santa Paula a week or two ago, 39 miles. I'm sure its not even close to other flights that have been made in the area- 80+ miles seems quite doable with a PG on a decent day from the SB mountains....

If anyone has any more info, it would be great to hear it!


-Dave



------ORIGINAL FACEBOOK POST-------

What's the Santa Barbara area XC record for hang gliders and paragliders? Some of y'all gotta know....

Santa Clarita seems pretty easy to hit on a good day, but I'm sure pilots have gone further. Eh?
Like · · Share · January 3 at 7:24pm · Edited
Seen by 54
David Koski, Alex Neigher and 2 others like this.

Sean Conroy Mehen- I think it's 89 miles a few years back. But don't quote me on that
January 3 at 7:27pm · Like

Dave Turner- From SB area? I'm not talking Chief or Pine.
January 3 at 7:28pm · Like · 1

Dave Turner- Better yet, what's the SoCal numbers???
January 3 at 7:29pm · Like · 1

Sean Conroy Mehen- Not a clue
January 3 at 7:30pm · Like

Christopher Grantham- Pine is 135 or 141. Can't remember which.
January 3 at 7:37pm · Like

Jeff Galvin- 100 miles off of eliminator by Craig warren in a HG.
January 3 at 7:39pm · Like

Robin Cushman- Somehow I suspect Tom Truax would know...
January 3 at 7:41pm · Like

Jeff Galvin- Robert Millington- (Hammer) has launched pine mtn and landed at the lone pine airport... Pretty big flight
January 3 at 7:43pm · Like · 1

Kipp Harmer Scott Angel - Eliminator to Sylmar. Not a record but a helleva flight.
January 3 at 8:03pm · Like · 2

Jon Blake- We have a trophy that we award each year for SBSA longest flight. Pretty sure Hammer is going to win for 2013 for a HG flight from SB launch to somewhere out on hwy 14 (I still need to get the track log from him). The trophy has names with distances. We have a couple rules though, must be current SBSA member when flight takes place, you must launch from a Santa Barbara launch, Track log must be submitted to be in contention for the trophy. HG's and PG's are included for the same trophy season. A PG won for the first time in 2012.
January 3 at 9:14pm · Unlike · 2

Anne-Odile Thomas- Craig Warren, who moved to Co a few years ago, holds the record from the Eliminator. 100 or 101 miles, I can't remember exactly... It was one hell of a day...
January 3 at 11:46pm · Like

Dave Turner- Nice. These all sound like HG numbers- what about PG's? Thanks everyone for chiming in. Where did Craig land?

Great info and discussion here so far!....
January 4 at 6:46am · Like

Kipp Harmer- Palmdale
January 4 at 6:51am · Like

Allison Nichols LaPlante- dave- you should put a post on scpa.info. a lot of local pilots who know the details (tom truax, etc) aren't on facebook. sb pilots use this forum pretty regular to post flights, sell gear, etc.
January 5 at 3:41pm · Unlike · 1

[NMERider]

John Scott (Southside) maintains a website devoted to site records: http://siterecords.blogspot.com/

[Dave Turner]

Nice site, good info for sure! It seems Tom has the SB record for PG's at 69 miles.

But it seems that many of the state records are wrong, so much has changed in the last two years. California included! Now it's 172 miles, from Walt's.

This link has the current state records, if any one is interested- http://www.ushpa.aero/comppgstaterecords.asp

[sd]

What's the Santa Barbara area XC record for hang gliders and paragliders? Some of y'all gotta know....

Dave, I began to lose track after my son was born 15 years ago, so I don't know who holds the current So Cal records. As Jonathan noted, John Scott used to keep track, but I think his list may be outdated. John will probably read this and clarify. I think you'll find that most of the Santa Barbara pilots aren't very record oriented. They like to make their own rules and strive for personal objectives.

To the best of my knowledge, the current Santa Barbara HG and PG records were both set on the same day 12 years ago with flights by Craig Warren and myself.
http://paraglide.net/log/amigo/craig_warren/2002_03-15/sb_101.htm (101 miles HG)
and
http://paraglide.net/log/02/02_03-15_sb_record.htm (68 miles PG)
Craig's flight is 20 to 30 miles further than other attempts to break a hundred, so it was news worthy as the first (and only) hundred mile fright from the Santa Barbara front range. There have been numerous PG flights over 60 miles, so going 68 was only incremental. My flight was originally reported as 69 miles before Google Earth, but current measurement show slightly less.
I reckon it's about time someone stretched those numbers a bit.

From Pine, I think Tony Deleo (El Diablo) has both the HG and PG straight line open distance records. I know he has multiple HG flights from Pine over 200 miles but Tony was a bit lax about log entries, so we only have scraps and fading memories. His 139 mile PG flight in 1999 is logged at
http://paraglide.net/log/amigo/tony_deleo/1999_08-28_pine_139.htm

I think Robert Millington has the Topa HG Record going West with a flight from Chiefs to the Hwy 101 / Cuyama River bridge on the north side of Santa Maria (about 80 miles), however, I think Tony Deleo has gone further flying east. There have been a low number of HG flights from Chiefs Peak OTB through Lockwood Valley and out into the desert, but only one connection to Lockwood on a PG. Robert Millington is even worse than Tony about writing flight articles. Not sure what the PG record from Topa is, but my log entry records Tony landing past Lake Cachuma in 2000.
http://paraglide.net/log/00/00_10-23_nordhoff_el_capitan.htm

My longest out and return PG flight from Santa Barbara is logged at
http://paraglide.net/log/05/05_02-08/1_skyport_vor_twin_peaks_sb.htm
there have been numerous HG flights from the Eliminator to Pine and back to East Beach

I registered on Leonardo today so I could look up your flights, but it won't let me post any of mine because I don't fly with a GPS (yet). I don't have a Facebook account, so I haven't been able to read your articles there. We expect to see your name on the South Coast leader board before the season is over.

[craig]

I have the coordinates some where from where I landed from the Elimnator, I can try and find them. It was right about 100.8 miles I think. Tom flew about 70 miles in his PG that day. It was an amazing day and I was lucky enough to be in the air that day. I will try and find my write up on it too. Miss all you guys!

[Southside]

I try to update my record page on a regular bases. As far as I know the records for SB, Pine and Ojai are current (Dave your Walt's record is listed on the page). Speaking of Ojai, I still don't have an open distance record for PGs, because no one has told me what it is...Tom :-)

[Dave Turner]

SouthSide (John),

I really like your site, great info! Thanks for making all of that info available to the public, it's appreciated. Some pretty impressive long distance flights!


These are the only trip reports I've posted about two of my flights-
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=p370846
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=p374207