My Third and Fourth Hanggliding Flights in Santa Barbara

[@jackhoholick4035]

this is so sick John

[@j2dagriffs]

Thanks!

[@brianpeck697]

Awesome views of Gibraltar!

[@andymccann2716]

This really is a brilliant video, the commentary, seeing the telemetry on screen and hearing the instructor etc. superb, keep them coming. It makes me super excited to start my course in March

[@j2dagriffs]

Thanks! Good luck in your course.

[@Vl7248]

Nice to see new HG pilots!! Congrats!

[@j2dagriffs]

Thank you!

[@liviob100]

Nice flight! The wheels are a good idea.

[@j2dagriffs]

Yeah those ones are a great! All plastic so I don’t have to worry about them deflating.

[@stevevandyke2743]

I'm looking to learn, and your vid's are a real help! Thanks

[@j2dagriffs]

Good luck with the journey!

[@boblatkey7160]

For my birthday present my girlfriend bought me a tandem ride off of that very spot and we also landed at Parma Park. I also love Gibraltar Road, I go ripping up it on my electric unicycle. Super fun up there. I lived on West Camino Cielo for almost 10 years.

[@j2dagriffs]

yew! That’s a wild unicycle ride

[@guidanceandlight]

man thats awesome. I have always wanted to experience this. Next time you fly I would love to come check it out if you are ok.

[@j2dagriffs]

Roll through on most sunny weekends at Parma Park and people are usually landing there!

[@guidanceandlight]

@@j2dagriffs thank you, I will try to come and check it out.

[@SVSky]

@guidanceandlight go and experience it. You can tandem with Willy.

[@boblatkey7160]

Go do a tandem with somebody else. I did it and it was the time of my life, super fun

[@chadmaytrix]

I really like your style here... narrating in such a way that it will be beneficial learning material for someone else. Keep up the good work! :) Greetings from the pilots at Lookout Mountain Flight Park outside of Chattanooga!

[@j2dagriffs]

Thank you!!

[@XzX-7]

Watching you from Carpinteria this evening. "Carp" is between Santa Barbara and Ventura for those unfamiliar. Nice flight btw.

[@j2dagriffs]

Nice spot to watch from

[@WeFlyUniv]

Lovely! I haven't enjoyed that perspective for 26 years. Great camera angles and displayed info. Very little has changed there in 50 years. It is so great to see that site is still secure. Has anyone explained why it is called The Eliminator?

[@j2dagriffs]

Thanks! I haven’t heard the breakdown on the eliminator name, I would assume it used to take some pilots out when hang gliding was just getting started with older glider designs?

[@WeFlyUniv]

@@j2dagriffs Yup, that is pretty much the reason. Standards were flown off both Upper (The Antenna Farm at 2100' MSL) and Lower Rock (the 1250' elevation of Gibralter Rd) in 74, possibly in 73, and used to make the first flights off La Cumbre. When we moved up to the so-called "Advanced Standards" we looked at what we later named the Eliminator and decided that the newer wings could make the glide but that Standards had an insufficient glide angle. The name was intended to suggest that the lower-glide-angle-Standards were eliminated as a choice of wing at that site but not, as some might assume, because anyone was eliminated. But watching this video with your wonderful real-time numbers reminded me how often I had to calculate what might cause a dangerous proximity to those death cables. Air can rise at various rates and at times it can be quite still. It should also be obvious that air can go down, sink, and logically just as fast as it can go up. It takes about 1:40 to reach the wires which are 400' to 500' lower than takeooff depending on where you cross. If you encounter sustained 300 fpm sink, not at all an uncommon occurrence, you would not clear the wires. Most days the normal upslope flow helps out. But edge meteorological cases can catch us off guard. There is a small bailout field if you can't clear the wires but it's very difficult to hit. Thanks for your fine videos. It is a joy to see my old stomping grounds. Stay safe!

[@maebnus46]

@@WeFlyUniv I flew off that spot with RC glider, would launch out take a circle checking for lift, if none I would come back to the launch spot. The HG guys would watch and see if I found lift.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Both pretty good flights, nice launches, you could go a bit later on kicking out of the harness. Second landing was a nice approach, but don't forget to come in slightly hot for the uphill and the wind gradient, which will always be a bit lull in the LZ, then you will have enough left to flare. Much better altitudes overall on both flights.

[@j2dagriffs]

Thanks!

[@oldwave6106]

SB… home sweet home 👍

[@j2dagriffs]

Sure is!

[@danielpablogonzalez8144]

La velocidad es con respecto al viento ?

[@j2dagriffs]

Nope, just pure speed over ground. Not airspeed.

[@SVSky]

Nice job! I love how the Alpha is so slow I can hear you talk

[@j2dagriffs]

Yeah it's a pretty mello ride.

[@MarkRabe-fp9sp]

Congratulations in learning to fly

[@j2dagriffs]

Thank you!

[@MarkRabe-fp9sp]

@@j2dagriffs When in Doubt .pull in

[@MarkRabe-fp9sp]

& don't forget to level the wing

[@cuccatalon]

I flew in Santa Barbara in 2015 Nice place ❤

[@j2dagriffs]

Sure is!

[@chamarystigers8731]

You love flight long trips fun

[@markhoffmann5941]

Hey. I think your the pilot i just met at AJLZ today ...

[@j2dagriffs]

Hey Mark! You are correct.

[@markhoffmann5941]

@@j2dagriffs awesome flight videos... i will try to fly there some day!

[@maebnus46]

Those are some assume power-lines you went OVER ! I have flown RC gliders from the same launch site, Difference is I would have caught ridge lift then thermals or more up slop and climbed to 3-4 k ft.

[@j2dagriffs]

Hope to see you out there some time! RC gliders sounds fun to fly.

[@mikebarbee2217]

First and foremost...FLY YOUR GLIDER!!! Getting your feet into the harness is secondary. Don't look down at your harness or feet while close to the ridge. Fly safe brother 😊😊 I'm an instructor at Lookout Mountain Flight Park in Georgia

[@j2dagriffs]

Thanks so much for the feedback! Will do.

[@leobislig6190]

lmao. that crotch landing!

[@ranarai1484]

You want fly bro big world top hight mount Everest 😊

[@j2dagriffs]

Sounds chilly!

[@KlingbergWingMkII]

Always, step one, fly the aircraft with full focus, then fix problems. Too much messing around before aircraft was fully under control. Risky

[@j2dagriffs]

🫡thanks! Keep in mind this was my 3rd and 4th time flying outside the training hill.

[@uriben-dor1001]

you are way too high above the base bar, your chest should be roughly a fist from it

[@j2dagriffs]

100% agree. This isn't my gear but once I own some it will look a-lot better and be within that 1 first range with a better body angle.