Shameless request for entries to ECC!!!!

[Flying Lobster]

...a friggin' vario!

A friggin vario is one that measures both up and down in rapid succession--with increasing audio output as the optimal motion is achieved. The newest models will even deploy a lit cigarette when your done!

marc

[Flying Lobster]

...a friggin' vario!

increasing audio output as the optimal motion is achieved.

marc

which is called speed to frig...

marc

[XCanytime]

Now Pete,
Lighten up Francis . I was just quoting out of Pagen's old "Hang Gliding Techniques" book that preceded his "Performance Flying" book by over a decade, that's all. No plug for anything. In fact, you could have the most expensive vario that does just about everything like Marc hinted , and the pilot some distance away is climbing upstairs like a bat when you are not. That's the situation where the "best" vario is a lift indicator not on your control frame.

Bacil

[Flying Lobster]

Now Pete,
Lighten up Francis . I was just quoting out of Pagen's old "Hang Gliding Techniques" book that preceded his "Performance Flying" book by over a decade, that's all. No plug for anything. In fact, you could have the most expensive vario that does just about everything like Marc hinted , and the pilot some distance away is climbing upstairs like a bat when you are not. That's the situation where the "best" vario is a lift indicator not on your control frame.

Bacil

Bacil--do you still fly without a vario? Many pilots regularly practice flying without a vario--but i think it's an impossible arguement to make that you can fly consistently as well without one as you can with one.

marc

[jimrooney]

I love the idea of GPS training day!

One of the best things at one of our XC clinics was the Golf Cart GPS race. We setup a course and ran around on the ground "flying" it. We set it up just like a comp, so you had start times and waypoints, etc. We all went running around in circles till the launch window opened, then we went on course.

When we got back, we scored the "comp". Believe it or not, EVERYONE made it to goal! I can't remember who won.

It was great (and informative) to see all the parts moving. You got a real sense of how it all worked. It was a great opportunity to figure out how to deal with all the little problems that crop up too.

Jim

[Batman]

I was disappointed that we weren't having an XC Clinic at Highland this year. I'm attending the June 2 GPS familiarity training that Paul & Lauren are graciously providing, but the XC clinic would be a real benefit. Since I'm screwed out of attending the ECC due to work commitments, I can hope for an XC clinic!

[Lauren Tjaden]

Hey Batboy,
I'm no great shakes but if you want to come out to Highland before the comp we can set a course and go fly XC together. I'm happy to be on the radio with you. We do courses with a few buddies all the time at Quest (but not for the last week, we have these huge fires everywhere and I can't go out of the house without choking). It would be really fun to have the GPS day and also practice XC a few days with our friends.
Lauren
PS -- I can't wait to see your glider!
SP -- Don't put your tent by ours.... heeheehee (old joke)

[Batman]

Lauren -

I'm married now ... tents are for sleeping!

[XCanytime]

Marc,
Yes I still fly without a vario. That's by choice. Why do I continue to do it might you ask? Because it's fun and challenging. Yes you are correct when you say that with vario is better than without vario, but that's mostly when conditions are light, or you are so stinking high and the eyeball method is too difficult to use. You obviously need a vario for competitions. I don't do competitions, other than the Region 9 thing. But I rarely fly in light conditions, with the maximum wing loading that I purposely carry on my glider for more stability in the stronger conditions that I prefer. And my AVOCET altimeter watch helps out when my eyes cannot tell me I'm going up.
I'm still at a loss as to why not flying with a vario elicits such responses. Pagen, in his "Hang Gliding Techniques" book from the early 80's, professed admiration for pilots who totally eschew instruments in the pursuit of bird-like freedom. Many years ago one of our veteran pilots was being a pain in the ass to me as a Hang II, adamantly saying that I NEEDED a vario, claiming I couldn't go XC without one. His arrogant attitude pissed me off, and being the hard-headed cheap son of a bitch that I am, I was determined to show that the narrow-minded pilot didn't know what the hell he was talking about.
Fast forwarding to the September 1996 issue of Hang Gliding magazine, an article appeared on the World Hang Gliding champion at that time, Tomas Suchanek. I highly recommend reading this article "The Secrets of Suchanek". In one part of the article Tomas tells of the meet he won in Europe just using an AVOCET altimeter watch. No vario. Of course, pilots couldn't believe it, but considering all the time he spent without a vario (he couldn't afford one) it's easy to understand why he won the meet with his senses, using other pilots (the "best" varios) as lift markers, and the AVOCET altimeter watch. So I vowed to be like a recreational Suchanek.
And it's been so much fun ever since.

Bacil

[jimrooney]

I'll take a stab at the "why this question/debate illicits such responses" question.

It's bunk, but here's what I think it is...
People get caught up in this ego thing about varios... like you're somehow better if you fly without one, or you're just being arrogant. UHG.
All bunk. Egotistical bunk.

I like Bacil's explanation.
Thank you for sharing a refreshing point of view with us man.

I like to fly without one, I just can't always do it... but I like it. I like it because it's quiet and for no other reason. I'd just fly with the sound off, but then I'd stare at the damn thing. I like my old helmet vario cuz it's lost a lot of umph and I can't always hear it. I understand the "It's harder" thing... it's a good challenge for sure. I'm not big on challenging flying, but that's me... most pilots I know are. In the mountains, I very often don't take a vario... in the flats it's much harder.

Thanks again Bacil.
Jim

[Flying Lobster]

I'm decidedly neutral on this issue--and have in most ways admired those--including you-- who take a "mininimalist" approach to their flying. Doing the most you can with the least amount of resorces is admirable. Sometimes I feel like I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum--I have tons of modern high-end stuff but don't necessarily get the best results despite all that.

Your quote did seem to come across as a rather absolute one, and in the end an instrument can only provide information--it's still the pilot's decision-making and abilities that makes the difference.

There may possibly be a few exceptions--but in general there are factors involved with a wing flying through an airmass that are impossible for most humans to detect and be sensitive to without a vario. The question then becomes one of personal goals and how much you wish to exploit what's available to maximize your results and improve your decision-making.

marc