Response to my segment of Jeff Shapiro's article in Hang Gliding
Magazine

In the current magazine 
https://old.ushpa.aero/member_magazine_current.asp Jeff quoted me as saying:
to pull the bar in and fly very very fast (given good conditions ahead).

I was assuming that the pilot was flying an advanced glider like the Wills Wing
T2C or Moyes Litespeed. You VG line is your speed control and when you pull in
your VG the glider wants to fly faster, the base tube comes back, and the bar
pressure is significantly reduced. The reduced bar pressure makes it possible to
fly fast without wearing yourself out.

 But there are gliders that have VG lines that don't actually reduce the
bar pressure that much. A Wills Wing Sport 2, for example, or the single surface
Northwing Freedom. I discovered this aspect of the Freedom when competing in the
Single Surface Shootout in Luling, Texas a few years ago.

A pilot flying a Sport 2 here at Quest Air took my advice to pull in the bar
with the VG on and got going fast, but still had a lot of bar pressure.

He wrote:

Second flight: 4100’, 45 min. Your advice in the Hang Gliding
magazine, spoke of fast flying between lift. On my many cross country flights in
the past, my interthermal speed was at best L/D. No, No, No! Speed up! Get to
the next lift quicker, mon.

So, I experimented some on this flight. I pulled the VG full on and flew about 2
miles. My max speed 42 mph most of the way. There was considerable pressure to
hold that speed and my arms did get tired. Had considerable finger and forearm
cramping in the evening.

Steven Pearson <<Steve>>
writes:

For sure he should use full VG on every glide. The pressure does
diminish with VG activation but it would still be quite high and relatively
fatiguing at 42 mph. I haven’t done the math but I think it would take pretty
strong conditions to justify flying that fast inter-thermal in a U2 or S2. I’d
recommend 35, or about best glide + <10.

U2 pitch pressures are much lighter, about the same or less than a T2. He can
also trim the glider faster or tie his glider bag to the front of the crossbar
to help reduce pressure—of course that means he has to push out more in climbs.

In strong conditions I'm flying 45 to 55 mph between thermals with
the VG full on. Steve agrees.