Scooter-tow hang-glider training in the Philippines

[mcelrah]

Mixed results on scooter-tow hang-glider training today at a newly opened flat cow pasture in Cavite. Wind 10 mph/16 kph - perfect! I took a short demonstration tow - Jonathan has tweaked the scooter motor and transmission so we can apply full (but limited) power. Alas, Faye had a spectacular crash (after a creditable launch) - got turned, distracted by a cow, impacted the planet with as yet undiagnosed damage to her left elbow - but no/no glider damage (spoken like a true guy...). Buko and Jonathan had successful flights, landed on their feet. We may have brought Buko, a paraglider/paramotor/speedwing instructor, to the true faith. Jonathan's flight was rather emotional for him: he self-trained on his home-built hang-glider 11 years ago, got injured, has been wandering in the wilderness of paragliding this long decade... The dream is still alive! Chris also crashed spectacularly on the small paraglider wing, got thoroughly mudded. Beng ground-handled that same wing. Buko tried towing the full-size paraglider, had trouble penetrating, so we decided to leave that aside in view of the powerlines downwind... We and all our gear got gloriously muddy after the Biblical rains of the last month.
- Hugh

[CraginS]

Hugh, from several aspects of your brief description, it seems you are not using the Steve Wendt / Wills Wing low and slow scooter training technique. Maybe you should consider converting to it - safer, better control, and fewer "spectacular" crashes.

[mcelrah]

Clearly we don't have the very big gliders he has. Nothing we can do about that. We had briefed that we would keep Faye low but the operator didn't modulate the power quickly enough. (previous tries on no wind day she couldn't get into the air.) Now that I have practiced with the two experienced pilots I will take over as operator when Faye returns to action. Will prefer training hill if we ever get east wind before NE monsoon sets up in the fall. It's all pioneering here...