Can @RobMM17 or anyone else explain to me where it is published that a hang glider or paraglider is legally allowed to fly in cloud in the UK ? My understanding as a hang glider and microlight pilot is that to legally fly under IFR in IMC (in cloud) you need the correct instruments and a IMC rating. Simply flying with a GPS and ball compass does not legally entitle you to fly in IMC. I could be wrong but that's my understanding, please correct me if i'm wrong.
This reminds me of a flight that I had 20 years ago at Le Treh, France, on a Magic 3. I had been circling with another glider under the only cloud above TO and had the bar pulled into my knees to get away from it, with my vario beeping constantly at 3m/s. When all went white I slowed down to a reasonable speed, then got thrown around, also nearly losing the control bar, ended up clamping myself in one corner and spiralling out, what a relief! You have no orientation whatsoever in the clouds.
Thanks for posting this video. Scary stuff. It has made for a lot of conversations about what to do and what not to do. Glad you came out of it okay. Looked like a nasty place to come down under canopy. Funny you say that beyond the cloud there wasn't a cloud in any direction for 15-20 miles. Just that one cloud in the way.
@tontar Hi Aaron, as an aerobatic pilot you're just as much an expert on these things as anyone. What do you think the outcome(s) might have been if I chose not to deploy?
I am a PG pilot and it was fairly terrifying listening to the vario as our hero went closer to that giant sucking thing! I've watched my vario go nuts, even with big ears, near those things but we don't have the speed to easily fly out of them. Glad all was well....
@NevilleStyke I usually have my GPS set on ground speed, altitude and distance from launch. Once I entered the cloud I looked over to change the page to compass. When I couldn't read the display of the setting it was on at the time, I didn't think it was worth letting go with one hand to change it.
One of the nicer aspects of flying a para-glider. The higher stability and better decent methods make them much less stressful in situations like that. Not so much fun in high winds though.
@drbobbeattie You need to rethink your philosophy on flying so much in clouds if I may speak frankly. The cloud this guy got stuck in was a cumulonimbus cloud and he's lucky that he didn't continue going up even with his reserve chute. Flying in or near cumulonumbus cloudsis WAY more dangerous for paragliders- a hang glider can at least attempt slipping turns or possibly have a chance to penetrate out of the cloud. Just google cloud suck and read what it says- more dangerous for paragliders
@RobMM17 For the record I started hang gliding 16 years ago. I have been flying paragliders all over the world for the last 15 years. I know what a cumulonimbus cloud is. Out of interest, how many hours on a paraglider do you have exactly?
@drbobbeattie No need to flex your flying-ego here- I wasn't trying to insult you. It seemed as if you were blindly claiming that cloud suck was less dangerous for paragliders- hence my assumption that you were a novice who needed to learn about the potential dangers of that danger. I agree that the lift in this particular cloud must have been reasonable if he came down under canopy.
@RobMM17 Apologies if I seem tetchy. I just get annoyed about these discussions descending into paragliders are bad hang gliders are good type discussions. Also for the record, I much prefer hang gliders to paragliders, but where I live, it's all carry ups and side landing is essential so it's just not practical. The only point I am really trying to make is that loosing visual reference on a paraglider is, judging from what hapend to the poor guy in the video, less of a problem.
@drbobbeattie When I watched this video, a fellow pilot buddy of mine was showing someone the second half so I assumed he was inside of a cu-nim. That being said- these clouds can overdevelop quickly- which i'm sure if you are as experienced as you say, you know. While cloud suck is dangerous for both hang gliders and paragliders- strong cloud suck can be fatal for both- but is more dangerous for lower speed wings.
@drbobbeattie You need to rethink your philosophy on flying so much in clouds if I may speak frankly. The cloud this guy got stuck in was a cumulonimbus cloud and he's lucky that he didn't continue going up even with his reserve chute. Flying in or near cumulonumbus cloudsis WAY more dangerous for paragliders- a hang glider can at least attempt slipping turns or possibly have a chance to penetrate out of the cloud. Just google cloud suck and read what it says- more dangerous for paragliders
@RobMM17 Although, if I was being honest, I would not have flown into or under that cloud. It did not look like a cu-nim though.
Cloud shaddow was to small, and the lift must have been reasonable if he came down under the reserve. I have been sucked into clouds like that in the past though, when I was younger and less cautious.
It's a bit scary, but far from fatal. Big ear's, speed bar and follow the compass. You pop out eventually.
@drbobbeattie The glide of the aircraft is what matters. An aircraft with a higher top speed has a better chance of escaping cloud suck (this cloud wasn't tall enough to take this pilot up so high that he would pass out or freeze and he probably should not have thrown his chute- although I might have done the same in a situation like this out of confusion or panic). The lack of penetration a paraglider has would make it MUCH more unsafe in this type of situation. That is science, not my opinion
@drbobbeattie I'm happy you have not flown in big cumulonimbus clouds before- and if you even see them on the horizon you should definitely land. Not only would cloud suck be a danger- but often there are serious gust fronts associated with them- sometimes 10, 20 or 30+ miles in front of the systems. A strong gust front can keep even hang gliders from moving forward- a paraglider would not stand a chance and would probably have a canopy collapses.
For what it's worth, the only injury I sustained was a wire burn along the back of my neck; I'm not sure which one caused it, but I swapped out my racing wires just two flights earlier.
i can see your plan and where you were aiming to fly. I also see that you turned away a few times before getting to the cloud out front but its that one above that always grabs you. Could just hear the vario screaming and for those of you who cant see how rough this is, watch the visible part of the wing and think about how much movement extopaflyer is trying to compensate for
One other thing I want to mention pertains to our instruments. They aren't back-lit so they were almost impossible to read under the darkness of the cloud. Having fogged up glasses didn't help. On a lighter note, I held on to those glasses all the way down and am still wearing them today.
@extopaflyer Your account of your experiences has been a learning experience for us all. I expect you will have many more revelations about the events as time passes. Thanks for sharing. Glad you came out okay!
@extopaflyer This is really a concern that I hadn't thought about before. I always thought to myself that when in a cloud look at my GPS to help fly out. Maybe the backlit feature can be looked at by manufacturers (obviously it only comes on when you press a button, otherwise the battery will drain)
This not an excuse for my bad decision, but I just want to point out one thing: flying toward the cloud my focus was on the edge of the dark area; as you can see in the video things went to hell before I reached that point. Perhaps that's something someone can learn from. People have asked why I didn't just turn around once I started to go into the clouds. My instinct was to fly straight, thinking that I would become even more disoriented by turning.
This is a good video and a lesson to all that watch it Don't ever remove it it could SAVE MANY LIVES. Don't worry about the Monday morning Quarter backing. Still would like you to write more about your thoughts during to whole thing?
This footage is not only an example how not to fly on strategical level, but also how not to steer in a cloud. First thing you have to do is stay calm on the speedbar. Most of those sudden forces you are writing about were probably self - generated. And the worst mistake - was the parachute. In a stronger cloud this would be a death sentence. This may not come as an obvious thing right away, but take time to think about it. Stronger clouds lift you faster than a free fall speed.
@msmyk2 The reason I let off the VG was to do exactly what you write about: to fly straight and calm. The camera didn't capture the surges of lift I was experiencing. This wasn't a cunim; the tops of the clouds were no more than 4k over base. Before deployment I no longer had control of the glider (another thing that doesn't show up on camera) and the Gs were building. Do I bank on not passing out and or having the glider break or do I try another option before either one happens?
@extopaflyer A hangglider with a sack of potatoes doesn't tend to break in mid air or make loops by itself, even in fairly turbulent conditions. I happen to have some experiences with flying in clouds (shame on me, I know), and that's what I try to do, when diving for safety is no longer an option. I try to be a sack of potatoes, with my basetube around my nipples. On this film you really, really, are not trying to be a sack of potatoes, thus contributing much to the G's. You look surprised...
@msmyk2 ... panicked maybe - so it's understandable. Next time, hopefully never, try to remain calm, and stable on the basetube. No matter the forces, hold your body straight, right above the middle of the speedbar, speed by the chest (not the belly button). Be patient. If it's a medium cu, you can survive hours in it, provided you have warm gloves ;)
JCorry14 - aren't you the clever one! I don't think extopaflyer needs you to point out where he went wrong on this one, and certainly doesn't need you to broadcast how you would never have made the same mistake. That sort of attitude does not encourage people to share their mistakes for the benefit of all.
I know that we shouldn't fly close under big clouds... And now I know why. Thanks for sharing the video, man. Truly terrifying. Like others, I am curious about what you were thinking when you deployed. The video showed that it was white, scary, wet, and cold, but what about the situation made you think that being under canopy was preferable? Was it that much more violent than the video shows? Keel cams can make things look more stable than they really are. Very glad you're ok.
I don't get how I was able to see this coming, but you weren't. You're at cloudbase, flying directly toward the thickest, highest part of a HUGE cumulus cloud...isn't it obvious that you'll encounter strong lift underneath it? Seems like it would've been a better decision to alter course and go around the cloud. You had what looked like PLENTY of altitude to work with and there was apparently abundant lift. Lucky you get to live to fly another day.
@jcorry14 The bulk of the development was over the top of Frazier Mountain; I was flying 1-2 miles south of the ridge. Like I say below the line I flew into ran perpendicular to the main development over the top of the mountain. In my mind the large shadow below was being generated by the lift over the mountain top not what was in front of me. Beyond the line ahead there wasn't another cloud for 15-20 miles in any direction, which perhaps gave me a false sense of open space.
Noticed the bridal was attached to your harness rather than your carabiner, which was responsible for the violent deployment. It looks like the control bar collapsed as a result of the deployment. Before entering the cloud, you should have altered your direction of travel to the nearest edge of the cloud and flown fast toward it. Then if you still were sucked up, continuing (hopefully) in the same direction would have given you the best chance to exit the side of the cloud.
Glad you are OK. If you could sometime I would like to read about your thoughts before deployment. Also what maneuvers you where making trying to get out of the cloud. Would be good info for other pilots.
Ouch...thanks for sharing this for the education of everyone and I'm glad you got out in one piece. Looks like you were getting close to blacking out in the white out...were you at hypoxia altitude as well as pulling big G's in the spiral attempt?
That is in sane man! LOL Glad you made it out alright.. how long did it take for you until your feet were on the ground again. Could cloud suck be powerful enough to still you up with your reserve?
The after deployment footage before the GoPro cuts out gives you an idea of what happened for a good portion of the way down. I (and the glider) got tossed around pretty good. It wasn't until about half between the clouds and the ground when things calmed down. At that point I unzipped my harness to get my legs out. After doing so I climbed over the trailing edge to get to the top surface side of the glider in order to get away from the broken control bar and undersurface wires.
I was running along the south edge of a large cloud street that ran NE from Lockwood Valley to the east end of Frazier Mountain. The line of clouds in front of me ran perpendicular to that street. From my vantage point it didn't seem like the line was that wide. Not in lift at the time I thought that by the time that I reached the cloud line I'd be far enough below it to scoot past. But before I even reach the dark stuff I found myself whited out.
so whats the story here - could you not see the dark line, big cloud in front - or turn back - or am I missing something here - the terrain looked less that friendly how was your landing... thanks for posting, interesting to see...
respect man! im sure i would have panicked. especially if you dont know your altitude.. was it possible to ball up and dive at any point?
timmay301 3 weeks ago
Can @RobMM17 or anyone else explain to me where it is published that a hang glider or paraglider is legally allowed to fly in cloud in the UK ? My understanding as a hang glider and microlight pilot is that to legally fly under IFR in IMC (in cloud) you need the correct instruments and a IMC rating. Simply flying with a GPS and ball compass does not legally entitle you to fly in IMC. I could be wrong but that's my understanding, please correct me if i'm wrong.
markyp1968 4 months ago
why didn't you dive as soon as you started entering the cloud?
kokalti 4 months ago
Thanks for posting this video, it is fantastic, shame about the vario the data would have been interesting to have a look at, glad you walked away
don
donliddard 5 months ago
This reminds me of a flight that I had 20 years ago at Le Treh, France, on a Magic 3. I had been circling with another glider under the only cloud above TO and had the bar pulled into my knees to get away from it, with my vario beeping constantly at 3m/s. When all went white I slowed down to a reasonable speed, then got thrown around, also nearly losing the control bar, ended up clamping myself in one corner and spiralling out, what a relief! You have no orientation whatsoever in the clouds.
skyout19 5 months ago in playlist More videos from extopaflyer
@skyout19 that's a good idea, i will think about that if im ever in a cloudsuck situation
timmay301 3 weeks ago
Thanks for posting this video. Scary stuff. It has made for a lot of conversations about what to do and what not to do. Glad you came out of it okay. Looked like a nasty place to come down under canopy. Funny you say that beyond the cloud there wasn't a cloud in any direction for 15-20 miles. Just that one cloud in the way.
tontar 6 months ago
@tontar Hi Aaron, as an aerobatic pilot you're just as much an expert on these things as anyone. What do you think the outcome(s) might have been if I chose not to deploy?
extopaflyer 6 months ago
When I watched this for the first time...I could only think of a quote from Daffy Duck.
Mmmmother!
Glad you're ok.
LABUSTO 6 months ago
I am a PG pilot and it was fairly terrifying listening to the vario as our hero went closer to that giant sucking thing! I've watched my vario go nuts, even with big ears, near those things but we don't have the speed to easily fly out of them. Glad all was well....
infidelmeister 6 months ago
Did you try to fly a compass heading?
NevilleStyke 6 months ago
@NevilleStyke I usually have my GPS set on ground speed, altitude and distance from launch. Once I entered the cloud I looked over to change the page to compass. When I couldn't read the display of the setting it was on at the time, I didn't think it was worth letting go with one hand to change it.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
@extopaflyer Ah. I still have a large magnetic floating ball compass on the basebar; visable in most light conditions and no batteries to go flat.
NevilleStyke 6 months ago
One of the nicer aspects of flying a para-glider. The higher stability and better decent methods make them much less stressful in situations like that. Not so much fun in high winds though.
drbobbeattie 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie Not so much- that would have been way more stressful in a paraglider/ probably fatal.
RobMM17 6 months ago
@RobMM17 Why do you say that? A reserve comes down < 7ms. You can get that in the gentlest of gentle spirals. Even a beginner can get down at 14ms.
I fly in clouds all the time on my paraglider. It's fun. I like the way the world opens up when you pop out the side. It's not illegal in the UK.
Why do you think it would be fatal?
drbobbeattie 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie You need to rethink your philosophy on flying so much in clouds if I may speak frankly. The cloud this guy got stuck in was a cumulonimbus cloud and he's lucky that he didn't continue going up even with his reserve chute. Flying in or near cumulonumbus cloudsis WAY more dangerous for paragliders- a hang glider can at least attempt slipping turns or possibly have a chance to penetrate out of the cloud. Just google cloud suck and read what it says- more dangerous for paragliders
RobMM17 6 months ago
@RobMM17 For the record I started hang gliding 16 years ago. I have been flying paragliders all over the world for the last 15 years. I know what a cumulonimbus cloud is. Out of interest, how many hours on a paraglider do you have exactly?
drbobbeattie 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie No need to flex your flying-ego here- I wasn't trying to insult you. It seemed as if you were blindly claiming that cloud suck was less dangerous for paragliders- hence my assumption that you were a novice who needed to learn about the potential dangers of that danger. I agree that the lift in this particular cloud must have been reasonable if he came down under canopy.
RobMM17 6 months ago
@RobMM17 Apologies if I seem tetchy. I just get annoyed about these discussions descending into paragliders are bad hang gliders are good type discussions. Also for the record, I much prefer hang gliders to paragliders, but where I live, it's all carry ups and side landing is essential so it's just not practical. The only point I am really trying to make is that loosing visual reference on a paraglider is, judging from what hapend to the poor guy in the video, less of a problem.
drbobbeattie 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie When I watched this video, a fellow pilot buddy of mine was showing someone the second half so I assumed he was inside of a cu-nim. That being said- these clouds can overdevelop quickly- which i'm sure if you are as experienced as you say, you know. While cloud suck is dangerous for both hang gliders and paragliders- strong cloud suck can be fatal for both- but is more dangerous for lower speed wings.
RobMM17 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie You need to rethink your philosophy on flying so much in clouds if I may speak frankly. The cloud this guy got stuck in was a cumulonimbus cloud and he's lucky that he didn't continue going up even with his reserve chute. Flying in or near cumulonumbus cloudsis WAY more dangerous for paragliders- a hang glider can at least attempt slipping turns or possibly have a chance to penetrate out of the cloud. Just google cloud suck and read what it says- more dangerous for paragliders
RobMM17 6 months ago
@RobMM17 Although, if I was being honest, I would not have flown into or under that cloud. It did not look like a cu-nim though.
Cloud shaddow was to small, and the lift must have been reasonable if he came down under the reserve. I have been sucked into clouds like that in the past though, when I was younger and less cautious.
It's a bit scary, but far from fatal. Big ear's, speed bar and follow the compass. You pop out eventually.
drbobbeattie 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie The glide of the aircraft is what matters. An aircraft with a higher top speed has a better chance of escaping cloud suck (this cloud wasn't tall enough to take this pilot up so high that he would pass out or freeze and he probably should not have thrown his chute- although I might have done the same in a situation like this out of confusion or panic). The lack of penetration a paraglider has would make it MUCH more unsafe in this type of situation. That is science, not my opinion
RobMM17 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie I'm happy you have not flown in big cumulonimbus clouds before- and if you even see them on the horizon you should definitely land. Not only would cloud suck be a danger- but often there are serious gust fronts associated with them- sometimes 10, 20 or 30+ miles in front of the systems. A strong gust front can keep even hang gliders from moving forward- a paraglider would not stand a chance and would probably have a canopy collapses.
RobMM17 6 months ago
@drbobbeattie probably have canopy collapses**
RobMM17 6 months ago
For what it's worth, the only injury I sustained was a wire burn along the back of my neck; I'm not sure which one caused it, but I swapped out my racing wires just two flights earlier.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
i can see your plan and where you were aiming to fly. I also see that you turned away a few times before getting to the cloud out front but its that one above that always grabs you. Could just hear the vario screaming and for those of you who cant see how rough this is, watch the visible part of the wing and think about how much movement extopaflyer is trying to compensate for
thecartel69 6 months ago
Would you consider posting a screen still of your flight track in google earth? Im assuming you use a flytec...
jtc125 6 months ago in playlist jtc125's Favorited Videos
@jtc125 I have a 4030 race that for some reason didn't save the data from the flight and I lost my GPS after deployment.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
One other thing I want to mention pertains to our instruments. They aren't back-lit so they were almost impossible to read under the darkness of the cloud. Having fogged up glasses didn't help. On a lighter note, I held on to those glasses all the way down and am still wearing them today.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
@extopaflyer Your account of your experiences has been a learning experience for us all. I expect you will have many more revelations about the events as time passes. Thanks for sharing. Glad you came out okay!
HamRadioFlyer 6 months ago
@extopaflyer This is really a concern that I hadn't thought about before. I always thought to myself that when in a cloud look at my GPS to help fly out. Maybe the backlit feature can be looked at by manufacturers (obviously it only comes on when you press a button, otherwise the battery will drain)
redozboy 6 months ago
I am very curios about how you hurt your hand, against the downtybe or against the cable? how bad was that hurt. at the end you are rigth. it worked.
manolo6061 6 months ago
@manolo6061 One of my wires wrapped around my left arm and pinned it against the keel. Eventually I was able to free it with no injury.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
I am very curios about how you hurt your hand, against the downtybe or against the cable? how bad was that hurt. at the end you are rigth. it worked.
manolo6061 6 months ago
This not an excuse for my bad decision, but I just want to point out one thing: flying toward the cloud my focus was on the edge of the dark area; as you can see in the video things went to hell before I reached that point. Perhaps that's something someone can learn from. People have asked why I didn't just turn around once I started to go into the clouds. My instinct was to fly straight, thinking that I would become even more disoriented by turning.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
This is a good video and a lesson to all that watch it Don't ever remove it it could SAVE MANY LIVES. Don't worry about the Monday morning Quarter backing. Still would like you to write more about your thoughts during to whole thing?
curtis517 6 months ago
This footage is not only an example how not to fly on strategical level, but also how not to steer in a cloud. First thing you have to do is stay calm on the speedbar. Most of those sudden forces you are writing about were probably self - generated. And the worst mistake - was the parachute. In a stronger cloud this would be a death sentence. This may not come as an obvious thing right away, but take time to think about it. Stronger clouds lift you faster than a free fall speed.
msmyk2 6 months ago
@msmyk2 The reason I let off the VG was to do exactly what you write about: to fly straight and calm. The camera didn't capture the surges of lift I was experiencing. This wasn't a cunim; the tops of the clouds were no more than 4k over base. Before deployment I no longer had control of the glider (another thing that doesn't show up on camera) and the Gs were building. Do I bank on not passing out and or having the glider break or do I try another option before either one happens?
extopaflyer 6 months ago 2
@extopaflyer A hangglider with a sack of potatoes doesn't tend to break in mid air or make loops by itself, even in fairly turbulent conditions. I happen to have some experiences with flying in clouds (shame on me, I know), and that's what I try to do, when diving for safety is no longer an option. I try to be a sack of potatoes, with my basetube around my nipples. On this film you really, really, are not trying to be a sack of potatoes, thus contributing much to the G's. You look surprised...
msmyk2 6 months ago
@msmyk2 ... panicked maybe - so it's understandable. Next time, hopefully never, try to remain calm, and stable on the basetube. No matter the forces, hold your body straight, right above the middle of the speedbar, speed by the chest (not the belly button). Be patient. If it's a medium cu, you can survive hours in it, provided you have warm gloves ;)
msmyk2 6 months ago
JCorry14 - aren't you the clever one! I don't think extopaflyer needs you to point out where he went wrong on this one, and certainly doesn't need you to broadcast how you would never have made the same mistake. That sort of attitude does not encourage people to share their mistakes for the benefit of all.
Cappiuk 6 months ago 5
I know that we shouldn't fly close under big clouds... And now I know why. Thanks for sharing the video, man. Truly terrifying. Like others, I am curious about what you were thinking when you deployed. The video showed that it was white, scary, wet, and cold, but what about the situation made you think that being under canopy was preferable? Was it that much more violent than the video shows? Keel cams can make things look more stable than they really are. Very glad you're ok.
kreebog 6 months ago
Why did the harness riser break off the glider and the down tube snap?
MrAndrew1101 6 months ago
I don't get how I was able to see this coming, but you weren't. You're at cloudbase, flying directly toward the thickest, highest part of a HUGE cumulus cloud...isn't it obvious that you'll encounter strong lift underneath it? Seems like it would've been a better decision to alter course and go around the cloud. You had what looked like PLENTY of altitude to work with and there was apparently abundant lift. Lucky you get to live to fly another day.
jcorry14 6 months ago
@jcorry14 The bulk of the development was over the top of Frazier Mountain; I was flying 1-2 miles south of the ridge. Like I say below the line I flew into ran perpendicular to the main development over the top of the mountain. In my mind the large shadow below was being generated by the lift over the mountain top not what was in front of me. Beyond the line ahead there wasn't another cloud for 15-20 miles in any direction, which perhaps gave me a false sense of open space.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
Thanks for sharing, good for learning. How fast in your Vario were going up?
pepeleyva 6 months ago
Awesome video! I he to read about it in the magazine some day soon. Glad that you are OK.
Philip56Morgan 6 months ago
Noticed the bridal was attached to your harness rather than your carabiner, which was responsible for the violent deployment. It looks like the control bar collapsed as a result of the deployment. Before entering the cloud, you should have altered your direction of travel to the nearest edge of the cloud and flown fast toward it. Then if you still were sucked up, continuing (hopefully) in the same direction would have given you the best chance to exit the side of the cloud.
rmmmm 6 months ago
Comment removed
rmmmm 6 months ago
so cam in such a hectic situation..good to hear you arrived back on mother earth in 1..flysafe and always.
taskmastaz 6 months ago
Glad you are OK. If you could sometime I would like to read about your thoughts before deployment. Also what maneuvers you where making trying to get out of the cloud. Would be good info for other pilots.
curtis517 6 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Could cloud suck be powerful enough to still you up with your reserve?
surokeen 6 months ago
Scary.
flytepark 6 months ago
Insane!!!
charlesglantz1 6 months ago
Wow! That's scary. Glad you are OK.
xcmag 6 months ago
wow - thanks for sharing
please post more info on your flight and deployment
so glad you are in 1 piece
judee1212 6 months ago
Who is this pilot?
sranch1 6 months ago
Ouch...thanks for sharing this for the education of everyone and I'm glad you got out in one piece. Looks like you were getting close to blacking out in the white out...were you at hypoxia altitude as well as pulling big G's in the spiral attempt?
christiesbythesea 6 months ago
so glad you are ok
Sparkozoid 6 months ago
That is in sane man! LOL Glad you made it out alright.. how long did it take for you until your feet were on the ground again. Could cloud suck be powerful enough to still you up with your reserve?
BroNizzle 6 months ago
Were you able to get back on top of the wing? Looked like you were about to when the videoi went out...
mellowmoods420 6 months ago
The after deployment footage before the GoPro cuts out gives you an idea of what happened for a good portion of the way down. I (and the glider) got tossed around pretty good. It wasn't until about half between the clouds and the ground when things calmed down. At that point I unzipped my harness to get my legs out. After doing so I climbed over the trailing edge to get to the top surface side of the glider in order to get away from the broken control bar and undersurface wires.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
Comment removed
FunAJL17 6 months ago
I was running along the south edge of a large cloud street that ran NE from Lockwood Valley to the east end of Frazier Mountain. The line of clouds in front of me ran perpendicular to that street. From my vantage point it didn't seem like the line was that wide. Not in lift at the time I thought that by the time that I reached the cloud line I'd be far enough below it to scoot past. But before I even reach the dark stuff I found myself whited out.
extopaflyer 6 months ago
so whats the story here - could you not see the dark line, big cloud in front - or turn back - or am I missing something here - the terrain looked less that friendly how was your landing... thanks for posting, interesting to see...
scottdougall 6 months ago
What happened? Tx for this video!
KrunoDr 6 months ago
Super scary. Sounds like extraction was a story too. Glad you made it out ok.
mellowmoods420 6 months ago
Glad you're ok!
topapilot 6 months ago