Jeff Hunt <<jeff>>
writes:

The days are past when hundreds of paraglider pilots were at
launch. Now hang gliders outnumber paragliders most days. Ok, maybe there are
ten gliders at launch and a few paragliders but the point is everybody shot
their paraglider wad in January and now there are not many pilots daily at
launch. Personally, I like it having been to the Penon launch almost every day
since mid November. January was pretty damn crowded. It's not that I don't love
paragliding, since I am an avid participant.

This is the first winter season I have seen rigid wings in Valle. There have
been three ATOS wings this season and all from Canada. It is very cool to see
new machines cruising around. There have also been a few flybys from a Stemme
motorglider based at the private airstrip at Valle.

Today was so "sabrosa" flying hang gliders that I had to write you. Sabrosa
means flavorful. We went up in the FlyMexico van with seven pilots, one of which
was a local paraglider pilot. There was two guys on Falcons, one on a Sport 2
175, one on his second flight on a T2C 144, a tandem hang glider flight and me.
There was a thin high layer of strato-cirrus for awhile and I mentioned that is
good as it helps put things on simmer instead of boil. The paraglider went,
cruised around and eventually left, no sweat. We'll get his landing report next
time we see him. The T2C went off and eventually disappeared west. The hang
glider in a Falcon 195 went eventually landing in the piano near three hours
later without connecting enough to leave launch area. He's a six month pilot
from Canada. Then went the tandem hang glider in the 225 Falcon. Fourth the
Sport 2, then the other Falcon, a 170. Everybody stayed up fine.

Sometimes I fly and sometimes not depending on many factors but today I decided
instead of riding down with the girls and all the gossip I'd take to the air. I
had the choice of a 155 Sport 2, a 160 U2, or a Falcon 3 195. The Falcon was off
the truck already and I had test flown it the day before so I went for it. I
also thought it would be good practice for the Texas Single Surface Shootout
getting organized for May in central Texas.

Launching stress free, climbing, getting high enough, crossing over to the
elbow, getting higher still, connecting with the tandem flight really high at
the wall (near 2000 meters over launch), starting the crossing to Valle itself
but changing tactics 90 degrees a third of the way there (just did not look
right for a slow craft) then catching good lift at Sacamacate, the fella in the
170 Falcon who was spanking high when I came over and later came under me a few
hundred feet at the most, then decided to go east while I was going west and
missed or ignored my radio calls and soon was thousands or so feet below my
altitude eventually landing at Pinitas after holding on for quite awhile after
his error.

I eventually cruised over to Valle and soared the small ridge near the lakeside
LZ as long as I wanted. It was maybe 100 ft. Over the lake level and I enjoyed
inspecting the weekend homes there carefully. Manuel in the T2C had landed there
at the LZ already. Vico was there too to borrow some gear so he could send his
son Nico in his first flight at altitude in a hang glider (he had already soloed
in a trike). It went perfect with 360's in the glassy evening air as they
related when they returned glider and equipment later that night.

We had my old speedboat in the water by the lakeside LZ since our top driver
Potro had gotten it ready for some clients. Manuel and I watched a powered
paraglider using the lakeside soccer field and we visualized approaches into it.
We finished the last of the beers and went back. We both commented on how nice a
day it had been flying. There were no cumulus anywhere in our vicinity, drifts
different at different altitudes, sometimes turbulent, sometimes not, a complex
blending of everything taking all to good heights and good landings.

Eight flights from El Penon today, one his first ever in a hang glider over 10
ft., others their highest in quite a while including me. It's got me stoked for
more!