Team Challenge/Gliders Available

[John Dullahan]

After agreeing to buy a Litespeed 4.5 S from David Giles (who got it
from Dean Funk) we arranged to do the-hand over at the Tennessee Tree
Toppers Team Challenge, run from 1 through 7 Oct. Dean Funk, comp
director, said we could free fly and help out by serving as wind
dummies, so Dan Tomlinson and I made hotel reservations in Dunlap
("Hang Gliding Capital of the Eastern US,") and drove down on 3 Oct.
We latched on to the Manquin group at the pilot's meeting the
following morning, where the atmosphere was still overshadowed by
Bill Priday's death on the first day of the competition. (Scott W.,
Rance, Hank and Karma Hengst, and Bruce Engin - but Scott left that
day).

I picked up the glider from David Giles, who has been doing extremely
well on a rigid wing ATOS, and everyone then headed to Whitwell, an
east-facing site (light NE winds all week meant pilots couldn't fly
the NW facing site of Henson's Gap owned by the Treetoppers).

While setting up the Litespeed S, I discovered the VG cord had
disappeared inside the downtube/upright. With the aid of Dan's
fishing line and a very patient Bruce Engin, I was able to dismantle
the upright, reinsert the pulley system, and eventually secured the
VG cord on the outside with a large figure eight knot. Dennis Pagen,
who also flys a Litespeed S, helped with some set-up tips, which
differed somewhat from my old Litespeed 4 system setup.

With a 3 - 6 MPH NE cross, getting up was a crapshoot. Dan
wind-dummied and sledded, and nobody else moved toward launch (Where Randy rigidly-enforced hang-checks). Most pilots also later sank
out, but some, including two pilots flying rigids, David Giles and
Ollie, made goal, along with Kevin Carter. During my sled, as
expected, the larger Litespeed 4.5 S had a slower roll-response than
my old Litespeed 4, but a noticeably better sink rate, longer glide
in ground effect, and a nice long flare window. (I noted Kevin C.'s
flare advice for Litespeeds and had a decent landing)

Wednesday's conditions were similar, and the task for A, B, and C
pilots (advanced, intermediate, and novice) was an airport 15 miles
to the south on the ridge - a difficult task considering the light
conditions and very large gaps on the ridge to the south. By early
afternoon, with nobody in the air, Dean asked me to be a "wind
technician." I sledded, landing in a large slightly-downhill field
with a quarter VG on, and went for a long way in ground effect, but
with a longer flare window, had a good landing.

Thanks to Dan and Karma who retrieved me, I rejoined the waiting
pilots up top. As on Tuesday, when the rigids flew, the comparative
advantage in sink rate over the flex wings was evident. Again, most
pilots sank out, but some, such as Dennis Pagen and others who
launched late in the afternoon, and the rigids, got soaring flights.

Being just a free-flier, I waited until all pilots launched, then
joined about seven who climbed to about 500 over just to the left of
launch. Eventually about six of us went down the ridge, and pilots
began landing after failing to cross the increasingly-wider gaps.
After getting low, glided towards a large field in front of a gap,
unzipped the harness, and found lift about at about 500 ft, climbed
out, and continued down the ridge. By this time there were just two
of us, but a few miles further on I finally lost it and the other
pilot continued. I landed behind one of the many Baptist churches in
the area for nine miles. Did not find out that day's results, but
Kevin was among those who landed in the main LZ, and Dennis Pagen,
the rigids, and others may have made goal.

(I just called Bruce Engin for an update. I believe the pilot who continued down the ridge was Dennis Pagen, and the gliders landing in front of the gaps were his team, which won the competition. There was no more flying after Wed).

Unlike Karma, who used an opportune light-wind time to take an
extended sled, neither Dan or I were able to launch from the
radial ramp at Henson's Gap. The rain moved in on Thursday, and Dan
and I headed home. We are indebted to Dean Funk and other pilots who
allowed us to free-fly (three-day Treetopper flying fee is $25), to
Hank and Karma for retrieves, to Bruce Engin for assistance with the
errant VG line, Dennis Pagen for Litespeed set up tips, and to our
Kevin C. for a tour of the main LZ and Litespeed landing tips.

With the acquisition of the Litespeed 4.5 S, I now have a problem
with glider storage space. In addition to my Litespeed 4 and MK IV
17 which are listed for sale for $1,800 and $800 respectively on
CHGPA's Marketplace, I have Steve Kinsley's Pacific Airwave K4+, and
a Wills Wing HPAT 145. Both are in good condition, but since they
haven't been flown for a while, could do with an inspection and
flying-wire replacement. Both are available for free to a good home,
though I would like to be able to borrow the HPAT if having work done
on my Litespeed. These were among the best of the kingposted gliders
in the 1990's, and many are still flying. For additional info do a
Google search on "HPAT 145" and "Pacific
Airwave K4."

[hepcat1989]

John, I can give the airwave k-4 a good home.....Spark, and I can go over it. Let me know....... Shawn.