Hang Gliding Worlds 1975 Escape Country California

[cdnskydog]

Maybe we bumped into you.

Skydog Bob

[californialawyers]

1975 I was flying my Seagull 3 :-). Moved on to a Mark IIB Dragonfly. No parachutes but lots of good luck!

[joaopaulo946]

i like hang glindin vere beatifull

[CDickFly]

I was sleeping in the van when Brian Porter shoves the LA Times sports section in my face, and they had photos of both of us across the top of the front page hitting the bull at this meet!

I see my brothers glider in your video, and maybe me in the gold UP standard.

Escape Country was so much fun,and I really missed it when it closed.

[cameronfraserLB]

As a kid I used to race BMX at Escape Country. I remember watching the hang gliders. You guys really have some guts.

[iflyphantom]

I believe that the blue and white glider at 5:04 is myself on my Plyable Moose.

Loren Shelby

[vintagemxr]

Great fun to see this. At 2:14 the guy launching in the thunderbolt kit is Rob McCaffrey of Free-Flight Systems. I don't recall if I was at the 1975 meet or not as in March of '75 I was injured flying an Icarus V.

Like others I have a bunch of Super-8 film of hang gliding in the early '70s that I need to do something with. I copied it to video years ago but cannot find the tape now. Still have the original film though.

Doug K.

(formerly with Free-Flight Systems, Inc.)

[menamiketrx]

The Red and White Stripped glider with the Phoenix on it was a Delta Wing Kites and Gliders Phoenix 6 proto-type. The Pilot is Zane Wadley. Shortly after this, I bought my first Phoenix 6.

[iflyphantom]

Had Zane quit those stinky cigars by then?

Loren

[menamiketrx]

Lost track of Zane.

[menamiketrx]

The Red Green and Black glider is Lavern Deshong on a Free Flight Systems.

[menamiketrx]

Oh man.... this is great stuff...

I also have some footage from that event, and will have to get on the stick and present it on YouTube, to go along with this video.

I can name a few gliders and pilots.

[menamiketrx]

First up... right after your picture of your awesome ride, you pan left and dang! There is my 1974 Subaru.

First Pilot to Launch was me. Mike Kelsey flying a Sierra 1 by Free Flight Systems. Second Launch is my brother Larry Kelsey on a Free Flight Standard. Larry is also seen later in the shot from the 500 ft launch of the glider landing downwind to the right of the bullseye.

[menamiketrx]

Changing my mind on the 2nd glider launch. Not my brother. Not his helmet style. And I do not think the downwind landing is his. I will review some of my footage and see if the colors match.

[cdnskydog]

Hi Rick:

 I only wish that I had the professional equipment to get my old Super 8 stuff onto digital.

Bob

[menamiketrx]

Hey Bob. I converted hundreds of feet of super 8 to digital through the Home Movie Depot. Do a search on that name in Google.  They did an excellent job with all my footage of my decade of 1970's flying in Southern California. They area affordable as well. Get you stuff converted as the quality will continue to degrade with time.

Mike

[Pudpilot]

Bob,

This is GREAT!

I got started in hang gliding about the time of the '75 Escape country champs..Remember seeing the coverage in the old "Ground Skimmer" mag!!

Seeing some of these guys brings back a LOT of cool memories!

Thanks for your great videos!

Rick