Ground launching for beginers

[northcave 0]

If i found a hill like here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwdLOUg9-7M

One with a good slope and clear from obstacles. Would be a good place to ground launch my canopy for someone who is just used to handling it from the usual 3.5k opening.

I feel comfortable with my canopy and confident but just wondering what other advice people had. I'm about 60kg on a fair docile F111 170sqf.

I assume a nice steady 10mph headwind would help when running down the hill trying to get airborne?

[BillyVance 34]

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If i found a hill like here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwdLOUg9-7M

One with a good slope and clear from obstacles. Would be a good place to ground launch my canopy for someone who is just used to handling it from the usual 3.5k opening.

I feel comfortable with my canopy and confident but just wondering what other advice people had. I'm about 60kg on a fair docile F111 170sqf.

I assume a nigth steady 10mph headwind would help when running down the hill trying to get airborne?

There is a ground launching school in California. A search online should find them. I would not recommend doing this on your own.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[homer 0]

I have done a few GL and from the video some of those guys are going to hurt themselves with the way they launch and fly their canopies.

When starting out I believe the steeper the hill to launch the better than you can progress to a hill with a slope similar to your canopies glide path. The hill I mainly launch from now is only a 1,000 vertical feet and gives me an average of about 1min 45sec of canopy time.

Do a search in the "swooping & canopy control" forum. There has been a great many discussions on GL. You will find an answer to all your questions there.

CSA #699 Muff #3804

[kleggo 145]

go for it
you may need a few friends to stretch out the nose and help inflate the canopy as you learn what to do.
it is VERY easy as long as you can run fast and your canopy glidepath angle will outfly the slope of the hill.

it's very easy.
my first square "jump" was a ground launch @ torrey pines CA when i had 6 SL (that's Static line) jumps.
i survived.
you will too.
don't pay for no stinking ground launch school.

sheeeeeeeeeeeesh

[remko 0]

Why not try paragliding? In stead of doing a 2 min or so glide you can pick up a thermal and fly around the mountains for hours!

Seriously, thinking about groundlaunching got me into paragliding and got me hooked. Gliding down the hill is boring. Flying into a thermal and taking the `elevator' up 3 meters per second is really exciting!

Have a go at it. I'm sure you'll like it.

Gr,

Remko

--
Everything you know is wrong. But some of it is a useful first approximation.

[northcave 0]

I'm sure i would like i but i'm just curious about maximising the potential of my current gear

[remko 0]

I understand. Be careful though. Taking a bicycle onto the highway can be just as dangerous as taking a formula 1 car into a pedestrian zone. Before you take a canopy into the mountains it would be wise to be well informed on the subject before you do so.

Do you know what mountain waves are? rotors? valley wind? Do you know how to predict dangerous turbulence around ridges? Do you know where to expect down drafts?

And there are legal aspects involved as well. Will your insurance cover your helicopter flight to the hospital when something goes wrong?

Make sure you hook up with someone smart, not just someone with a cool video.

Have fun!

--
Everything you know is wrong. But some of it is a useful first approximation.

[Jon26 0]

I've started taking an interest in ground launching lately too. I've watched some friends at the DZ getting into it.
I've not actually done it yet, but i've been having a go of just ground handling my canopy on the PLA (after hours) and also on a little hill on the edge of the lake here in Queenstown.
Just flying the canopy overhead and/or getting dragged around a bit :p really helps you get a feel for how your canopy responds to different inputs (toggles, lines, risers).
Maybe give it a go before you commit to a proper launch.
Have fun!

[headoverheels 333]

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If i found a hill like here:

What is the largest ground-launched CRW stack, anyway.

[pchapman 279]

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What is the largest ground-launched CRW stack, anyway.

First bid is at 3 if you allow paragliders --

The Renegades paragliding acro team in Europe. (Now with different sponsorship and a different name, which I don't recall.)

e.g., Planed at
http://members.aon.at/renegades/dd_3er_st._hillaire_dd.jpg

and death strap fun at
http://www.stubaicup.parafly.at/images/renegates_2.jpg

[chrisjudice 0]

C'mon Kleggo you should know that most people are not as talented as you!