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Re: Pre-Groundhog's

From: Danb
Activity_Date: 2/1/02
Remote Name: 68.6.44.212

Comments

How can I comment to such a well written extrapolation of today's events as told by RF. To put it into a pilot's perspective...... It was 4:00pm and even though the cycles were straight up it was real active. RF kept saying go and Benson kept saying shut up. Me I was in the middle trying to figure out the riser configuration that was causing my mind much experience much confusion. You see I am a creature of habit and to follow Benson's folly "just pull it up and see if it feels good" as just that.... folly. Finally, after much consideration up comes the wing and with some trepidation I decided that I am not comfortable and I stand still wishing to abort the flight thinking the wing will fall over my shoulders like a sheet with no wind to hold it up only to be treated to a wing that said not today you are flying. I was literally pulled by the wing with it's own mind down the hill. I was dumbfounded by the pull exerted on my meager body by this wing that did not want to give up.

I decided that continuing with this precipitous event called launching was the better format so I ran down the hill only to end up in the bushes then to be spun backwards thru the fauna with branches and leaves being ripped off the local oak brush with the realization in the end that I was really flying. Backwards that is. I was not about to be overwhelmed by this cascading event. The next thing I knew after turning around in the acceptable flying position (unless you are wrong way Faoro) was that the wing was making a wild bank into the fauna again. Since I had done this same routine on Tuesday (planting myself in the bushes at launch) twice in the same week was unacceptable. So, I grabbed at the wind tossed brake handle to my right and pulled down hard. The wing righted itself and I was in the acceptable flying configuration. I heard hoots of "approval" from RF once he realized I was not ambulance material.

Later with much admonishment at Parma by fellow pilot Benson, whose concerns may have been towards his new wing rather than my physical safety, he told me I had a 50-60% asymmetric on launch. He told me it was due to the "safety" of his new wing rather than my cool headiness (if I can coin such a word), in recovering from such a spectacular launch that the wing righted itself.

All things considered it was your more than average launch from Skyport. Once I was "in control" (was I out of control? That is subject to speculation...personally I will lean toward moderate out of control). I look at it this way if you do not crash at launch you have some control. A partial crash is just weed abatement.

Wing assessment of Benson's new sport... I made it to Parma and had a good landing. More in the future.....

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