Calvert Cliffs

[runningon1960]

Who has flown Calvert Cliffs in Southern MD? I have seen allot of youtube. flyers taking off through a small cut through. anybody fly a para glider from this site? The cliffs look to be 120 ft drop off to the water's edge.
I would like to know if this has been done.

[dbodner]

Check out this conversation. Generally, Gary makes the call for a Calvert Cliff's day as the launch is on his family's property. The site also goes by Gary's Beach, though not by Gary.

http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.p ... ffs#p35698

[George]

Hi Doug,

I have not flown Calvert Cliffs myself but it is defo flyable with Paragliders. Some friends of mine have done it. It's a tricky site with a kite eating tree right where you wish there wasn't one. Conditions have to be perfect and low tide sure helps with safety. The people there are charging a little "day use" fee the last I heard. It's listed in our site guide with more details in the members area if you were interested in joining our club...

George

[Dan T]

i've flown it in a pg one time, a sled. most of the time when the winds are strong enough for soaring flights they are probably too strong for a pg, although there will be exceptions. it's a fairly technical launch site but a greater threat to your wing than your body in the event of a mistake, as noted in an earlier post. it's a special site unlike any of the others in our area and is definitely worth the visit

i know gary s well and i would not consider going there without making arrangements with him first. he usually posts on here the day before conditions look suitable.

dan t

[runningon1960]

I am a PG instructor and having good kiting skills, it looks like a reverse launch with a extremely quick turn around or maybe a forward launch and hold for few seconds to ensure good inflation. Just cause I have the experience doesn't mean the PG pilots who have launched can provide me heads up on launching. and if the speed up towards water and back to trim along side hill/trees I like to know the best way they fly. I never stop learning and always listen to good advice!!1

[garys]

Hi all;

The PG launch is right in front of the main house. My nephew Brandon Barney and his wife Jennifer live there so please check in with them first. If the wind is cross from the North at all it is a challenge with the glider eating tree although Steve K has dramatically cut back on the number of branches that actually eat gliders (in said tree) and he has purchased a ladder and left it at the camp for future extractions so he has paid his dues so to speak. Maybe Steve and the PG pros can give you some pointers.

[jimrooney]

I've soared a PG there. Quite a nice place to fly but yes, the takeoff is a bit challenging even with good kiting skills.

The primary thing that I figured could improve the takeoff ease there would be the removal of the albatross post (not inhabited). Without the post, you wouldn't be pushed up against the aforementioned glider eating tree. I asked Gary about it at the time and he said that his folks wouldn't be bothered if the pole got removed. I just never had the time to do it. This was years ago, but it would be worth asking again.

The takeoff when I was there was not straight forward. This was not a matter of finding a clean spot and then doing a well controlled inflation. The place where you could inflate was not the place where you could launch, so you needed to inflate in one spot, then do a little dance (with the glider eating tree) to get to an other spot, then jump over some vegetation as you launched.

With the removal of the post, you'd have a "clean" inflation-to-launch area. The vegetation was more of a mental barrier as if it's strong enough to soar, you have no issues popping over it.

Jim

[jimrooney]

Hey cool... Gary's here...
Would your nephew still be ok with that post being removed?

[garys]

I will check out the osprey nest post removal the next time I am at the cliffs. It has been there for about 10 years and all those darn birds do is fly right by it.