Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 3: March 2014 | Page 7

FLIGHT PLAN
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artin Palmaz and I recently attended the Outdoor Retailer show,
which offers a peek at the plethora of
gadgets retailers will stock on their shelves
in the coming year, and where trends in the
outdoor industry are debated, and, some
suggest, formed. One aspect of free flight
often considered a negative when discussing our sports as they relate to other recreational pursuits is the time commitment.
For example, pilots get to the hill but are
unable to participate in the activity due to
a various number of reasons ranging from
weather to land-use issues.
But (yes, you knew there would be a but),
don’t the "times in between" add significant
value? Assuredly, the peak experiences of an
activity are what deeply satisfy our needs on
a number of levels, but I postulate the times
in between are when the deepest reflection
and growth occur. These in-between times
are when we develop and share our common
history in a sport that is essentially a solitary
endeavor. Hang gliding and paragliding do
take more time to participate in, generally,
than many other sports, but that should not
necessarily be considered a weakness. In this
increasingly high-paced world in which we
reside, a sport that demands more time and
commitment might be just what the doctor
ordered.
The March issue features C.J. Sturtevant's
annual USHPA awards article, a rundown
of who went above and beyond in free
flight, and in our association, for 2013. As
always we hope you’ll take a look to not only
celebrate 2013's winners but also to consider
who in your community would be a worthy
nominee for 2014.

This issue is focused around education,
mentoring, and competition. Ryan Voight
continues his HG401 series, this time offering insights on transitions, or working from
prone to upright. Dennis Pagen chimes in
with the fifth installment of his Thinking
Outside the Blocks series, this month demystifying the principles of MacCready’s
speed-to-fly theory.
Jug Aggarwal provides the details on
last season's Northern California League
Meet, which has been successfully running
for years now. Jug does one of the best jobs
in the world at hosting informal, fun, and
competitive events on weekends all through
the summer. If you live anywhere near these
events, make a point of taking advantage
of these unique opportunities to fly with
friends on the weekend while getting an
informal thermal clinic from following the
gaggle around the course.
On the competition scene, USA team
member Arnie Frankenberger sends a
synopsis of the 2013 Paragliding World
Championships in Bulgaria where our team
struggled in tough conditions, and Michelle
McCullough reports from the Point of the
Mountain, Utah, where a new race series is
taking the North Side by storm.
We've packed this March issue full of
stories that can teach, inspire, entertain or
inform. Hopefully something resonates, and
sends you on an adventure or sharpens your
skills or helps pick an award winner from
your community who we can celebrate on a
national level in 2014!

Photo by USHPA's award-winning
photographer Rebecca Bredehoft.

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