Hang Gliding, 1960's style

[sevtecsev]

Basic design: Wingspan, 32 feet, 22 foot boom and spar lengths, empty weight 40lb, max weight flown 40 lb plus 140lb = 180lb, glide ratio 4.5, better than usual parawings due to flatter lobes, larger aspect ratio, smaller pilot relative to the large wing, no wires. The craft was flown at many other configurations, 25 to 45 lbs. 17 feet spars radically curved outwards to 27 feet spars, which was too flexible for good flight, but could fly all alone quite well!

Barry Palmer, for Sevtec.

[ScenicZipaloot1]

can you give me the length wingspan, maximum weight, glide ratio, and minimum weight please, thank you.

[highmountain0]

ya!... fly chicken fly!!!

[rentatrip1]

buy the complete DVD Big Blue Sky towatch the fun

[jwm239]

...I like that little red flag at keel rear, that in effect says, "Don't follow me too closely."

(grin)

[sevtecsev]

@jwm239 How about the second red flag sometimes hanging out of my back pants pocket. "Do not kick here." You needed two of them to carry this glider on my '60 Corvair.

Barry Palmer, for Sevtec

[sevtecsev]

The low aspect ratio wings are more docile than the high aspect wings, as a much greater angle of attack variation is used for the low aspect wings, which would give more docile pitch handling.

Barry Palmer, for Sevtec

[leviterande]

I just wonder which type is more "docile" for a beginner. IS tit this old fashion long rogallo hang glider or the slim high aspect ratio hang gliders

[joefaust777]

PART VIII:  We invite further posts for the site: RogalloHangGliders DOT com that unfold the full leadership of Francis M. Rogallo that furthered hang glider mechanical arts that were invented before 1961, and surely before 1963.

[joefaust777]

PART VII: So, with all the arts already mechanically invented and demonstrated, then it is very unfortunate for one man to keep claiming that which others had already done in mechanical invention.

[joefaust777]

PART VI: Mark W. has yet to face the historical facts. Barry Palmer hang glided as pioneer in a renaissance movement being leadership pushed by Rogallo that resulted in many kinds of hang gliders before 1963.

[joefaust777]

PART V: The effort of trying to put JD at the center of mechanical invention for hang gliding by Graeme Henderson is fully usurped by the facts.

[joefaust777]

PART IV: JD invented zero mechanical art in the ski-kite glider; the Palmer, Rogallo-NASA, Ryan, Paresev, and builder John Worth had all the arts going. Swing seats were used in early 1900 patents.

[joefaust777]

PART III: The very cable-stayed triangle control frame (TCF) was in a demonstrated hang glider in Breslau in 1908, the first decade of the 1900s; the very functional art was in patents; and when powered aircraft was emphasized, the same structure was used almost universally while the pilot moved up while having aerodynamic controls and a need to give the power unit room.

[joefaust777]

PART II And earlier flexible wing hang gliders that that were known; the Ulysses Lee and Darrah bi-lobe was already known before their patent; if they have a detail claim of pilot-position control, then that is another matter.

[joefaust777]

PART I: Recall the Beeson and the Breslau. Recall the LEADERSHIP of Rogallo to move things forward. Recall F.M. Rogallo's demonstration of man-doll flying model of a manned hang glider using the William Beeson US Patent 376937 has the keeled bi-lobe pendulum weight-shift control functions fully evidently known.

[weflyuniv]

Barry, I do acknowledge that you preceded Dickenson. I respect and admire the visionary work you did in creating a never before seen, amazingly simple, car top-able, and lightweight package. The exceptional athleticism, engineering, daring and tenacity that brought you to success was then a rare skill set and even rarer today. What you accomplished is nothing less than extraordinary. Only a rare few ever had the courage to run into flight without seeing someone else do it first.

Ken de Russy

[weflyuniv]

For details regarding my previous comment see the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association's "Skywings Magazine" June 2010 issue for a detailed study of how Rogallo's patents relate to the modern hang glider. The Hang Gliding Federation of Australia's "Soaring Australia" May 2010 and June 2010 issues which are available on line provide a comprehensive chronology of the Dickenson Wing development and trace the worldwide "pandemic" spread of the Dickenson viral template.

Ken de Russy

[sevtecsev]

@weflyuniv I think Dickenson actually flew a hang glider around 1965 or later, check out the websites and in particular, images of hardware corresponding to claimed dates. I would look to the Aussie "Aerostructures" for crafting well beyond my rusty aluminum tube, drafting tape and polyethylene film. But, I flew a successful, easily managed including folding hang glider perhaps a half decade earlier and transmitted the evidence to the California bunch by around 1962.

Barry

Barry Palmer

[weflyuniv]

@sevtecsev By 65 the Dickenson wing had accumulated at least 30 air hours.

By Oct 63 the Dickenson Wing was 98% developed to the version that eventually served as the world template and by mid 64 was developed so thoroughly that it is reasonable to say that there is no appreciable difference between it and the 20 to 30 thousand carbon copies that were made through the late 1970s. It was those 20 to 30 thousand carbon copies that created the sport we know today.

Ken de Russy

Anacortes, WA

[sevtecsev]

@weflyuniv In all of the images I have seen on the websites, the Dickenson wing is a water ski kite, very common around here in the '50s! You should know. A hang glider is foot launched, not towed under power, nor are takeoffs and landings on skiis, even though this might be currently done. I am judging 1965 use from such a hang glider use that is being used as a ski kite, that might, but not necessarily, fly as a hang glider.

Barry Palmer, for Sevtec

[weflyuniv]

@sevtecsev It was indeed launched on water skis by boat tow in the beginning to reduce hazard during development. Towing also provided unlimited airtime. The original size which proved ideal for foot launching years later was reduced to produce a higher take off speed more compatible for ski speeds. Although it is true that it was not foot launched until years later it was fully capable. The successful formula needed only replication to sweep the world and spawn the modern sport.

Ken de Russy

[globalhghproject]

@sevtecsev "Even though that might currently be done?" What do you mean? Towed launches hardly disqualify an aircraft from being a hang glider. The term "Hang Glider" is defined by the FAI, it is an official definition that is recognized around the globe. By the official definition of a hang glider the aircraft that Rod Fuller flew on the 8th of September 1963 was a hang glider. It used a Lee and Darrah / Lavezzari, ? Tosa Dako sail, like the Indo WS kites in the 50's

[globalhghproject]

@globalhghproject. I must also point out that the aircraft I flew in breaking the NZ XC record, and the Lightspeed I own now are the direct evolution of the 1963 Dickenson Wing. When you have John and Bill Moyes together you have the entire history in one place, right up until today. I had been led to believe that you had been involved in that evolution, but it turned out that you were not. That is no slight on you, simply reality.

[globalhghproject]

We were all fooled by Rogallo, it was actually nothing to do with him, so your connection to Rogallo has no relevance to the history of todays hang gliders. What concerns me, is that in making claims that have no basis in fact, and in presenting Dickenson's role in a disparaging light, you run the risk of diminishing your own good name, and that would be a shame. I ask you to take a look at the evidence, and to think carefully about what you say, you have much to loose here.

[globalhghproject]

Barry, to make this clear, I set out not to promote John Dickenson, but to find out where the aircraft I love came from. No one is more startled than I am by what I uncovered. I have been fortunate to have had the advice and co-operation of many experts from around the world, my articles have all been subjected to peer review. I set out only to find and publish the truth. I did not take John Dickenson's word for granted, I cross checked everything.

[globalhghproject]

I spoke with Rod Fuller, without consulting John, I spoke with Mike Burns, without consulting John. I have a great friendship with both of these men. Nothing that anyone knows about Aerostructures did not come via me. I laugh when I see what Faust writes about that, ask Faust what Mike told him when Faust contacted him. I discovered things about The Dickenson Wing that John did not know. I do not work for John, I am independant, I don't care who did what, I just want to know the truth.

[globalhghproject]

Barry, To make this clear. As a pilot I regard your feats in building and flying your wings in the highest regard. I have to admire your ability in launching and flying a wing you designed and built. It is great stuff and you have a honoured place in the greater story of hang gliding flight that began with Otto Lilienthal. In aviation history you have few peers, but your efforts did not play a role in the invention of The Dickenson Wing.

[ogdemigod]

cool story bro

[jhd841]

What has failed to be mentioned was the fact that a NASA engineer by the name of Francis Rogallo was responsible for the delta shape of the early hang glider, or better known as a Rogallo wing. It was a designed that was tested for Space capsule recovery but was never inplemented. Even today, not many people know of this and should be credited as the first hang glider pioneer - at least responsible for the legacy.

[sevtecsev]

@jhd841 : A minor search on the internet (look up Barry H Palmer on Wikipedia, for instance) will connect Rogallo with my efforts. Hang gliding was done near 1900 before powered flight, Otto Lillenthal obtained the most publicity although there is prior art (Lord Cayley) and no doubt other art never mentioned . After all, we each add our little amount to a concept, leaving in question just what "invention" consists of.

[weflyuniv]

@jhd841 A review of Rogallo's patents and work at NASA reveals there has never been any such thing as a Rogallo hang glider. Rogallo never created a hang glider nor was there anything created or patented by Rogallo that was used as the basis for a hang glider design. The configuration that is commonly referred to as a Rogallo Wing is the creation of John Dickenson of Australia. Nearly every hang glider described as a Rogallo Wing should be properly described as a Dickenson Wing.

Ken de Russy

[arpnlaei]

The stall at 1:07 would have been horrible at a higher altitude.

[onlinesniper]

i was covering my eyes at 0:23 nearly stalled

[ADIBAL77]

simply AMAZING!!

[SDLPSH]

净外文的评论，国人呢？

[Buddha2707]

Great video

[mjok2004]

Looks like a kite I have

[Fekmann]

Cool! A guy with something similar to this kept flying down the hill behind my high school in Soquel, California, in the mid-70s--really distracted the students!

[trombonebassguitar]

looks fun

[Twinhit]

Gosh that looks like all work and no play.

Duct tape??? There ought to be a law against the trashy white boy magic trick.

[zappr5]

Thanks for posting! I built one and my Mom drove me to Marina Beach, Ca. to fly. Later, a Wills Wing Raven 229. Me first to fly NORTH of parking lot to Salinas River and back.(1981?) Passed my shadow over a couple doin' it on the beach on that trip. "Crazy Norm" first to fly cross country from sheer at Marina, home, what, 6 miles away? Donny,Larry (Dr. Pepper), "Marina Steve" and Norm. Good times, huh? Miss you guys, "Floato"

[69NOMAN69]

i still fly mine in the owens valley i got 100 miles on bambo ya baby

[a04tbaba]

I want one =)

[damunchiman]

Thanks to them, we are here now! Ripping the sky.

Great video - Thank You!

[acrazedmaniac]

wow...did i hear 1960??

hard core. your own thing....right on man!

[MasterRackRuss]

Nice, it was a kite like this that I saw in a film clip, when I was 11, that inspired me to mow lawns until I could buy an 18' ragollo wing at 14. By 16 I was flying off the 5000' Sandias in New Mexico. Thanks for the memories! ~Russ

[GunzWorrior]

wowo nice video dude im going to try build one :) hmmm is that a good idea ?? lolz ok well im trying some day anyway :)

[hgldr]

When did you film that? Had to be 50 years ago!

[hgldr]

Just kidding about the 50 years. It reminds me of my bamboo butterfily in '71. After a few flights off a hill by the HS track we took it water-skiing and all the duct-tape came off!

[mrdelmar]

Ha! Advancements in orthoedics indeed! Nice films. I wanted to build a bamboo bomber (I think that I still have the plans that I bought from Popular Science), but never did, and maybe that's why I'm still alive today.  I met a guy in Chattanooga who flew a Batso off of Mt Washington in New Hampshire. Talk about cojones!

[sevtecsev]

I never had a real crash while gliding but it should be noted that when I hooked a swinging seat to the craft so that glides could be extended it became no longer reasonable to stick the clear polyethylene with masking/drafting tape, and I was going to have to upgrade construction materials. The craft with the seat was never videoed, and was soon dismantled as it had curved leading edges and was a problme when folded an cartopped for transit.

Barry Palmer

[midtoad]

Back in '74, there was a young guy in Ottawa that built a bamboo bomber with ski-poles for downtubes and yellow polypro rope for flying wires. We told him to never fly higher than he wanted to fall, and for a while he did. then one day he flew from the TOP of the ski hill, got about 20m off the ground, hit a gust, the thing folded up, he plummeted to the ground, broke his arm, and that was the end of his HG career.