Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding

Hi! I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for a great time of flying last weekend. My husband and I love to come there (he likes to sit on the deck, drink coffe and watch everyone fly) and I always feel like everyone is cheering me on when I go up. I just started “learning” how to fly and still feel like a dummy but I know more than I did before last weekend!

My husband got tired of hearing me say I wish I could try hangliding just once and got us a weekend there last October. I went up on Saturday with Eric with no ponytail and then went up on Sunday with Eric with a ponytail. Because these two guys were so nice and did not think I was a foolish 53 year old who was too fat and too old to do this I came back readyto learn to fly on my own! (My pictures from that trip are my screen savers!) Last weekend I flew with Anders and the twoErics again. They all made me feel like I had truly caught on and were so supportive. Then when I came back for a second flight on Sunday after moving out of the cabin, the ground crew appeared to be so happy I was getting another flight in.

I cannot wait to come back!

Now I feel like we are coming home to friends when we get there. I have told everyone they need to come there and try this at least once in their life. I am sure there are nice people at the other places but I just cannot imagine them being as special as your guys.

If I had not had the two Erics to fly with in October and all the friendly folks in the office and at the ground launch I probably would have just chalked it up to something I did and left it at that. When my friends ask why I go to Lookout Mountain I tell them it’s because of the great people in the office and the guys you fly with.

Thanks to the Erics for that first flight. Your instructors are something to be proud of. After taking up 25 people that just want a chance to hanglide and then making me feel like I was the first one they had dealt with - that’s Customer Service! I own a company that deals with medical patients all day and I know how valuable good employees are. Your folks are worth their weight in gold.!

Thanks again for the oppoturnity to experience one of the most wonderful things I have ever done in my life!

Donna Roach

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We have a guest teacher this weekend.  Ollie Gregory will be teaching “Weather: Predictions and Conditions” at 1pm on Sunday August 2.  Please meet at the pro shop for this informatve clinic.  Ollie has been flying for many years and has served on task committees for various competitions (as well as flying in many competitions).

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Thanks Bjorn for the videos of Cindy and Jack’s first flights and…Congratulations Cindy and Jack!

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Please note there is a change in the clinic schedule:

August 9, 1pm at the tow pavillion, Aerotow Ground School.  Clinic on aerotow equipment, how to use it and aerotow techniques.  Taught by Matt Taber and Gordon Cayce.

August 16, 1pm at the lz clubhouse, Basic XC Knowledge: How to Run Away From Home. Taught by Claire Vassort and Terry Presley.

Sorry for any confusion!

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We’ve had some trouble with our online store, but we’re up and running! I mention the online store because that’s where you can register for the 2009 Women’s Hang Gliding Festival. Registration is only $25 and includes mountain flying, seminars, fun flying tasks, the event tshirt, and opening night festivities. You can also check out some info on the Festival on this website.

These are some photos from this morning. Come fly with us!

Angela gets ready and flies!

Theresa prelaunch, Paula and Jerry

Jodi’s launch

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This weekend’s free clinic will take place in the LZ clubhouse at 1pm. Please join us for Landing Clinic: Landings and Restricted Landing Fields.

Congratulations Sed on your first flights…

Sed’s first launch

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The following are the steps to be able to watch and vote for Lucas Ridley’s video (in Lucas’ words):

I have made a short documentary about a friend of mine and about hang gliding competitions. I am hoping to make it in to the top 10, but I need all the votes I can get!

Here’s how to vote:
1. Go to http://stellaartois.triggerstreet.com/ShortFilmProject/Intro
2. Click “Request Rating Assignment”
3. It will then ask you to register with their site to be assigned one to rate.
4. After registering, your assigned video should display, if it is not mine (”A Soaring Life”), then watch the one you are assigned all the way through.
5. After the video is done playing it will ask you to rate it with 1-5 stars.
6. Once rated you can click “Continue Rating” for another film to rate.
7. You can repeat steps 5 and 6 until you are eventually assigned mine to rate.
8. It may sound like a long process, but it would really make a difference since you can only rate a movie once for the entire contest.

To just watch it without voting (please vote!) click HERE.

This could be a great promotional opportunity for hang gliding. Thanks for your help!

Feel free to copy and paste or link to this post to your friends and family. As I did last time I will be donating some money back into the sport if I were to win. Thanks.

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Alicia’s launch

Left to right: Don getting ready to fly, Candace setting up her Sport2

Left to right: Rich is next up, Stacy and Matt on launch

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This weekend’s free Sunday clinic, Thermalling Techniques: Screwing Your Way Up To Cloudbase,  will be taught by Claire Vassort.  Claire is an excellent pilot who competed in the hang gliding world for many years.  She was on the Women’s World Team and was the top ranked female hang glider pilot.  Basically, she knows how to get up!

Please join us at 1pm on Sunday in the LZ Clubhouse.  This clinic will be valuable to pilots of all skill levels.  That is, all pilots who want to increase their airtime and improve their thermalling skills. 

You know when you land and look up and see the pilots who are still in the air and you think…”I want to be up there, I just couldn’t stick in that thermal.”  This clinic will help get you higher!

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It is so nice to get to work and see a bunch of happy pilots set up and ready to fly. It was a beautiful morning. Check out some photos from this morning. Oh, and don’t forget that tonight is the slideshow and Technical Q&A with Steve Pearson and Meier.

Left to right: Laura and Colby, Colin and Kent

Launch in the morning

Left to right: Denny Pistoll, Jack and Kim Mitch in front of Kim’s pretty glider.

Steve Pearson’s launch!

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