Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 2: February 2014 | Page 15

tions in the summer, not in spring.
I flew away from the mountain
to get out of the lift. This helped,
but I was still getting popped up. So
I turned a few 360s to increase my
sink rate, which helped. Keeping in
mind the gravel lot where my car was
parked, I moved in that direction.
I’ve landed there many times from
the south; it is a tight LZ with trees
on three sides and a road and power
lines on the remaining side. As I
approached the LZ, I used my vario
instead of my instincts (as I usually
do) for wind direction. It indicated
east, but then switched to north,
causing me to question my approach
for the first time. I headed east, in
close to the corner of the LZ.
Weeks later, I spoke with the
legendary XC pilot David Prentice,
with whom I had completed an SIV
course in Florida. He suggested I
might have picked the worst spot to
come in from, stating “…that corner
of that LZ acts as a collection point
for all the wind, thermals and turbulence.” He felt my approach should
have been more to the middle of the
tree line. He also noted that doing
my “S” turns over the tree line was a
good tactic to use, because “…if you
do have a collapse, the trees can help
soften the landing and maybe save
your ass.”
On my final approach, I started
my “S” turns and, pop, up I went.
No big deal. I just needed to take
my “S” turns deeper back. Then, my
approach would be about 50 feet over
the final tree line, and I could drop
in, flare and land. Everything was
looking good. As I began to stand
up in my harness, I was halted by
another pop, sending me up again.

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