Camera On, Pilot Not

A discussion restricted to the topic of hang gliding.
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The Oz Report
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Camera On, Pilot Not

Post by The Oz Report »

<div id="1609206981"><i>Falling quickly</i><br><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/ozreport/posts ... 1085"><img border="0" src="../pub/images/cameraon.JPG" width="640" height="363" style="width:auto;height:auto;max-width:100%"></a></p></div>
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Harry Martin
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Location: Casper, WY

Post by Harry Martin »

I lift my glider so that I can feel the straps get tight.
If you can't feel the straps go tight, how else do you know you are hooked in?
Pilot just lets the glider rest on his shoulders. Bad form.
Harry
https://HarryMartinCartoons.com
Casper, Wyoming
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Andrew Vanis
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Post by Andrew Vanis »

anyone else notice the model of the glider ;-)

I shouldn't be smug, all of us are available to make a mistake
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Davis
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Post by Davis »

Lie down in the cart. If you hit the ground you are not hooked in.
Joel
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Post by Joel »

It disturbs me that no one stopped this guy from launching. There were other hangies around, probably watching the launch. I think I would have noticed and said something if I had been there.
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DougM
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Post by DougM »

It's very sad that the guy standing on the aft-port (4 oclock) position of the PIC was just whistling Dixie rather than paying attention to what the situation was directly in front of him.

We almost had a similar situation involving a H-5 pilot about to launch. Thankfully [someone] was a bit more attentive to my brother-in-flight's poor situation. His side flying wire was kinked around the LE tang as a result of a poor (or non-existent) pre-flight. While he was waiting for a good cycle off the mountain launch, I did him the favor of doing quick pre-flight like I do with everyone else when I'm not busy with my own gear. At the very last second I found the kink just as he was uttering "CLEAR!". I loudly exclaimed "ABORT!!" before he acted on his decision.
I don't know if the kink would have terminally fatigued and put him into a near-vertical trajectory at some point in his flight, but at least he had some confidence that his good brothers had his six.
I am always amazed at pilots that merely stand around the launch, thoroughly entranced and enchanted by the vista without observing the life and death actions that are being acted upon right in front of their noses. So many of them stand about acting like wufo-zombies.

When I'm on launch assisting or merely observing another pilot launching, the very first thing I look for is the hang loop and it's attachments. Then I consciously move my eyes over the craft in a similar manner to my own pre-flight check, but at a physical position that doesn't hinder the PIC's operation. If something appears even slightly amiss, I move in for a closer look to verify and immediately notify the PIC of my concern. Once in a while I find something that doesn't look correct from ten feet away, but upon closer inspection it is verified as proper. Sometimes the PIC has a disgusted look on his face for someone interrupting his concentration, but at least he has a bit more piece of mind.

I wonder if people don't alert others to possible follies merely because they believe it wouldn't be PC or they are too timid and unsure of themselves? To hell with that PC logic. And grow some balls, otherwise you shouldn't be on launch.

I'm not trying to be holier than thou, but it really pisses me off to see wufo-zombie-pilots not actively participating in the life-or-death matters at the most extreme moments of the flights of their brothers and sisters.
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winDfried
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Location: Mainz, Germany

Post by winDfried »

Andrew Vanis wrote:anyone else notice the model of the glider ;-)
I shouldn't be smug, all of us are available to make a mistake
Glider is a master, the pilot not so
and neither his launch assistants ...
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UnTuckable
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Post by UnTuckable »

Look before you leap
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