Way Up High - A Cross-Country Hang Gliding Story

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and wishes. I spent months delaying the upload of this as I worked on the list, all the while fearing (and knowing) I would forget someone. But I didn't imagine I would forget someone like Larry Tudor. Of course, there is no one like Larry Tudor. Apologies to all I missed. My time living close to Elsinore was 1980 - 1992 and 2002 - present, so big gaps in my flying there regularly. Lots of people flew Elsinore before I. I was wondering if Carl Boenish had ever flown hang gliders when I ran across this clip from "Playground in the Sky" kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4eUYqpsmNaGnM0 in which Carl, Chris Wills and Dave Kilbourne were shown making, ostensibly the first-ever flights at Elsinore. It looks like they launched off the fire road up to Rad Dan's place (Bedrock) long before Dan was there of course. Here is Carl's film of the Half Dome flight: vimeo.com/160704545 This and "Playground in the Sky" set Carl apart as one of the best documenters of early hang gliding.

[@mobiltec]

I've seen all of those films and they are all great. Did you ever see Rich Piccirilli's "Save My Pussy"? LOL. Great film where Rich launches from the home he used to have up next to the Lookout Restaurant before it burned down. He flies down and saves the day. Must see.

[@alanmydland5210]

Great job

[@yukonrick1130]

Fortunate to have flown at Lake Elsinore thanks to my hang gliding instructor, John Heiney. One flight there in particular, we flew in evening glass off, smooth air for over two hours. I had to land because it was getting dark. Fond memories. Thank you John for sharing this cross country flight of your and Chris". How wonderful.

[@mattcolver1]

Beautiful video. I remember the early days with Bob Wills and sled runs in my tiny 17 ft. Eipper standard. We all laughed when Bob Wills decided to fly Ernest Feher's polyethylene sheet 15 footer. Bob's glide ratio was about the same as the slope. Hang Gliding in the early 70s, what it lacked in performance it made up for in pure joy.

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thanks Matt, When I look at the old films, it looks like you early pioneers were having max fun. Thanks for your trail-blazing. Cheers, John

[@mobiltec]

Thanks for the memories John and thanks for remembering me in the list. (Larry Walsh) This video makes me want to take up flying again at 70 years old. I still have my harness. Maybe I should think about that. I remember one day at the E, we got to 11 thousand feet and it was just one of those can't get down days. After a few hours of flying around I decided to go to the landing area and land to have a beer. But getting down was near impossible. I kept trying to find sink and circling in it until I got to within a few thousand feet of the ground and then lift everywhere would take me back up. I noticed another pilot having the same problem but I didn't recognize him. He yelled at me, "How do we get down?". Both of us kept getting lower over the lake only to drive in towards the hill and go up again. This went on for about an hour until finally both of us were able to land. I went over and met the new E pilot. That's how Ed Pollitt and I met. We became great friends for years to come until his illness took him from us. I'll never forget that day.

[@JohnHeiney001]

Nice to hear from you Larry. Would be nice to see you on the hill.

[@stevenkampmann9680]

Hey Larry wow you made it to 70, I never would have guessed!! Caveman

[@mobiltec]

@@stevenkampmann9680 Amazing eh? How ya doing Steve? Long time.

[@hangglideutah]

Angie and I started flying in 86, and would pull up into the old LZ at Elsinore. Loops, spins, out and back XC flights, and of course WHACKS! were always exciting to watch. The late Keith Lamb deployed his emergency parachute over the LZ on a hot thermal day, due to forgetting to put the heart bolt in for the X-bar, of his UP Axis. He didn't want to be on final approach when, if, the glider folded up. Rollie Collins took his 4x4 and ran over one of the couches in the LZ, and took out his drive line. Some one took up a mannequin and dropped it from a few hundred feet, impacting the highway. This caused panick among the city wuffos, resulting in police and fire trucks. An ambulance arrived at the scene. Wuffos didn't know any better. And there were tumbles too! Sooooo many stories!!!! Good times, and bad too.

[@mitchellmcaleer2969]

that was me, not Keith. I was testing a proto UP Elsinore Axis 15, top landing 3X adjusting reflex bridles, on the 3rd relaunch forgot to pin the top of the bar. Climbed to around 5 grand ASL, pulled VG, went to Edwards, attempted to release the VG near the Lookout, it was caught between the bar and keel. As I attempted to climb the bar and fix the VG, I pulled the top of the bar out of the bracket to the rear and was pinned to the bottom by the lower wires. As the glider nosed down and accelerated, I pushed away from the sail and threw my ESS 25 out the back. It opened immediately, was thrown over the trailing edge as the glider inverted and stabilized intact, inverted in a spiral with my head and helmet caught under upper side wire. I pulled the wire from behind my head, the glider leveled and stopped spinning with the king post in front of me like upside down joystick. I had minimal control hanging straight down under the reserve. Stood up the landing in a canyon below the Lookout, then slid down the side of the canyon, landed on the glider, broke a couple spars.

[@airmagic2199]

FANTASTIC!!! LEGENDS!!! 🪄

[@Rmack137]

I flew from Elsinore to Orange County back in the day. Ray McDonough.

[@mobiltec]

My all time favorite place to fly. Good job John.

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thanks Larry. I wish all of us hang gliders could live in Elsinore. It's the best!

[@foesfly3047]

As an Arizona pilot, I have flown Lake Elsinore only once and flew Torrey Pines several times but during a trip to fly Crestline around 1991/1992 I met you, along a dirt road in the mountains near that area, where you had bought property to build a house. You were riding a custom chopper, motorcycle. At the time I knew of you as the world record holder for the performing the most loops in a hang glider. If memory serves, it was 52 in a row, after being dropped from a hot air balloon. I’m so glad to have found this excellent video and to learn you are still soaring. Stay Awesome Brother 😎🎩♠️💙

[@JohnHeiney001]

I have never had enough money together to buy property. I do have an old red Harley chopper. Good to hear from you. Tell me your name and I'll put you on the list.

[@foesfly3047]

@@JohnHeiney001 Dennis Tubbs

[@danfitzgerald5515]

Awesome video John! I first flew Elsinore in the early '70's while on a Eipper-Formance production glider test flying trip with Dave Muehl. We flew standard Rogallo Flexi Fliers from The Lookout launch. Flew there countless times through the following years from Edwards Bowl, soaring the Santa Ana winds, and later shear line thermal flights from the E. Many years later I took lessons and got my pilot's license at Lake Elsinore Soaring Club. Oh man, the memories come pouring in. Thanks for that. Dan Fitzgerald

[@JohnHeiney001]

Hi Dan, You just jogged my memory about Eipper pilots. Perhaps Rick Lesh should be on the list? Any others?

[@danfitzgerald5515]

Yes, certainly Rick Lesh. Ron Gonci, Glen Sweet, Mark Tolar, Ken Steinmetz, Tom O'Brien are others that come to mind. Oh, and Ford Walters.

[@mitchellmcaleer2969]

@@danfitzgerald5515 before my time, perhaps you can verify the glider and pilot, I heard it was an Eipper tumbled at the E that gave the canyon the " tuck zone" reputation, the area on the south side of the E cone.

[@GustavoFujiwara]

What a great flight, John! Can't wait to go back and fly Lake Elsinore again with you! Thanks for all your kindness in taking me there and giving me such a nice site intro, hopefully next time we can both share the sky at the same time!

[@someguydino6770]

Wow, great flight and commentary! Well done guys! I had the pleasure of making the same flight a few years ago; there's definitely something magical about flying a glider from an inland launch site and then landing on the beach where the land ends. Look at Chris' Freedom X glider! Hard to believe that it's A SINGLE SURFACE GLIDER! Kamron at Northwing really hit a homerun with that design strategy; How to get the widest possible, USABLE speed range while retaining glider stability and INCREASING FUN? Instead of designing a double surface glider that can go fast, is marginally stable and struggles to fly well slow; he designed a super stable, single surface glider that fly's well slow that ALSO performs surprisingly good at higher speeds!

[@drhungerford]

WOW! John Heiney! you were the man when I was flying in the 90s and here you are still doing it! good for you

[@pubu2010]

Nice job John. Seeing some of those names with (D) after them hurt inside. So many great pilots and people. Its been a while since I ran the HGMA meets out of the "E" and flew across the Lake to Soboba, tested the UP gliders with Mitch, et al. Definitely a place that takes some time to learn to fly well. Glad to see you doing well and flying better. All The Best Brother. Remember the Cartoon I created and had Harry Martin draw up with you and "Match Muck In Your Ear"? You were sitting next to "Mr Death" and said "Nice Job, Could change those shorts though." Man, so many memories.

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thanks Don, I have no memory of the cartoon. Do you have a copy?

[@contrerasnathan]

Beautiful video 😎

[@ayev8tor]

Many years ago you were on my nose wires and gave me advice for my first launch at Elsinore. Thank you!

[@rogermoeder3226]

Roger Moeder, enjoyed the flight. Flew Edward's a few times in 77, during my early learning days. Reading through the comments sure brings back a lot of memories. Left the area before I was able to get some of the great thermal flying. Remember 1 flight that was just so easy to stay up in the ridge lift and looking up and seeing a few gliders several thousand higher. That was before I knew about how to fly thermals. Didn't like the down sloping landing field, but made it work. Haven't flown for 22 years now and still miss it so much. The body could not handle it anymore. Now in early my early 70's and body failings would never allow it. Watch it a lot here on KZbin. Appreciate the trip down memory lane.

[@chickenman151]

We always look forward to your flights John. Thank you for the commentary. Looks like an epic flight, very inspirational. Hope to see you in the sky. Great flight! ♥️🦅. Love the history of the site too. Haven't flown there.....yet. Dave Brose

[@oldwaitekauri]

Flew there in 94 - from New Zealand (Dennis Thorpe). Met the one-legged pilot and slept in my van on the airstrip carved out on top of the ridge to the north - the one-legged guy was living in the caravan there. Hung out with the E Team in the LZ. A sterling bunch of characters. Still have the shirt ☺

[@JohnHeiney001]

Hi Dennis, You are speaking of Mickey Sarraille. Those were great times and great guys.

[@oldwaitekauri]

@@JohnHeiney001 yep - that was he!

[@nickcaci7238]

Excellent! Mr. Heaney, you have been one of my long time hero’s in my 50 years of on going hang gliding. In 1987 I was a visiting New England pilot and had the privilege to fly the -E- and managed to get 4 fine soaring flights there. - Nick Caci

[@GlideLA]

Wonderful to see this John! I noticed Wolfi and Jonas about a half mile ahead of you at one point in the film. Wolfi nearly died there the following day: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHSmh3V5a6yYoLc How on Earth did you ever put that list of HG pilots who've flown Elsinore is a wonder to behold. Oh, that typo of Tom Peghiny as 'Tom Pighiny'. I'm sure that was an honest mistake. :-D I'll have to re-edit my one trip to Doheny State Beach from Edwards. Cheers, Jonathan

[@waynewilliams8554]

Thanks for the tandem John!!

[@no_elzee]

One of the best HG videos I've seen. Well done John!!!

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thank you.

[@jonlindburg3277]

I really enjoyed that!

[@tommybryson2311]

I love this film .. I am a Paraglider pilot 32 years in … 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@davidwayne6318]

Another great video John, I really appreciate how you always bring so much rich history for all to enjoy.

[@alanaldpal950]

Learned to Fly HG in Elsinore at Edwards/The E with Kelly Harrison almost 30 years ago. For some reason I have spent more time flying sailplanes there over the years, although I prefer HG to all other flight. John I remember doing some acro in my Pilatus sailplane with you at 10 to 12,000 MSL over the center of the lake when you were helping with Wolfgang’s Rhythm of flight videos. I think that was the day he tumbled over the spine after launching the E. You also helped me launch my Super Floater a couple of times at Torrey including a less then perfect one that I am sure you remember 😮 Hope to get to share some airtime with you again in the future. Alan Coffield.

[@JohnHeiney001]

Hi Alan, Nice to hear from you. Thermalling with you in your sailplane at 11 grand over Lake Elsinore was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I was worried that you might be offended as I dove at you, but I had a camera on-board so wanted to get some great footage for Tony Ritter's film. I remember the incident at Torrey very well. I have always felt that I should have run over to you to get our signals straight when you dismissed me instead of just obeying the pilot's command. I was glad to see you flying later. You can see a short bit of the footage of our thermalling over the lake in this video around the 52 second point: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZyzlJuFh9mHmtk Cheers, John

[@chuckr3398]

Hi John, Great video that brought back great memories of flying Elsinore back in 1983-86. Can you add My name to the list of Elsinore Pilots please. My best flight there was in 84 when flying my Mitchell Wing, previously George Worthington's FAI World Record wing that I bought from him in 1982. That day was strong Santa Anna wind 25-30mph! Launched around 5 p.m. Rapidly climbed in ridge lift to well above take off. Then everything started going up! I was in the Elsinore Wave and climbed in smooth air to 12, 500'. By then sun getting low over Pacific Ocean so started descent. It took a long time spiraling down way out over the lake and using the outer wing panel spoilers to aid in descent. Was almost dark when I landed. Luckily several pilots cars turned on headlights to illuminate the Elsinore LZ. Fantastic flight I will never forget at a fantastic soaring spot! Chuck Rhodes

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thank you for the story of your great wave flight. I remember your flying that rad rigid-wing. We were so fortunate to live in those great decades of hang gliding. Apologies for missing you on the list. Cheers, John

[@chuckr3398]

​@@JohnHeiney001Thanks John! We were indeed lucky to have lived and flown during that time. I last flew a hang glider in 2005, but when the towering white cumulous clouds fill the blue skies; I am always up there still soaring high above in mind and spirit.

[@SkidzFPV]

Very nice flying, enjoyed the voice over. I’ve been flying paraglider’s for almost 2 years now, mostly flying Tollhouse, Dunlap, and a little known site above porterville, on the way to an old hang glider site called slick rock. I fly with some old timer hang glider pilots turned paraglider pilots, and love hearing their stories of flying XC and doing big flights from more than 3 decades ago. Happy and safe landings to you.

[@markorsborn3274]

Awesome Video John! Thanks for helping get back in the sky after a long, out! I’ve really appreciated all your help & support man!! I’m glad you made a connection with Abigail! Her music fit nicely in there! Let’s fly the-E this year for sure!! See you in January!

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thanks for introducing me to your daughter Abigail and her wonderful music.

[@ericoschmitt]

I love to see both you and this wing still going strong and looping!

[@JohnHeiney001]

Thank you. The "Trapezoid Wing" is getting pretty old. I too, but I'm still hooked on hang gliding. Cheers, John

[@ericoschmitt]

@@JohnHeiney001 them baggies are missing out for sure!

[@trikeit123]

John….outstanding video!….oh my my, do I miss flying the E….I remember those days well…warm air, fat thermals and nothing but blue sky…😃.. hope to fly it again soon……Stay safe..Be well……🇺🇸

[@mikemarcott1141]

John you always be the best dude in my book buddy great video talk to you later man Mike!

[@dennydavitt8968]

Excellent video…I’m Dennis Davitt and was a part of a group of Spokane flyers who traveled to Elsinore for a couple of winters. Camping in the olive groves and showering in the state park…great memories…John if you would please also add Bill Plank and George Alexander as they were well known and both passed recently…Thank you for a nice trip down memory lane…

[@fly1327]

Jeez, this brings back memories flying the E. Bill Soderquist, I had forgotten his name until you mentioned it, what a character. I learned from Dan Skadal. A name missing on your list is Robert Pellitier (sp?) who helped Dan and I flew with. Of course, Rob and Di at Crestline. My favorite memory at the E is training XC with Jon Pitt. Good teacher. I was one of the last to see Bob McKensie near Hemet, us departing toward Soboba and he toward Strawberry, hearing on the radio driving home he had died. After HG, of course, sailplanes and power followed. Never as fun, who knew? Happy to see you flying John!

[@dkjens0705]

Wow. all those names ring bells in my head. I didn't know Rob has passed, so sorry to hear that. He was my instructor in 1988 I believe. I showed up with a WW Duck180 and learned on that ha ha. Rob and Di were my substitute parrents for quite some years. I remember Dan and Robert. I would hang with Bob Nagy a bit and later fly with Rob Tuttle in Owens Valley a few times. I once got to 12.5k at Marshal, hardly recognized anything. I had very few flights at the E, always found it a bit tricky, especially that downhill LZ.

[@fly1327]

Nope, Rob is alive and well last time we talked! BOB McKensie was killed in a freak landing accident.@@dkjens0705

[@oneflyinggirl]

Thanks for the ride and I sure miss flying that Freedom!

[@danharding4794]

Myself "Dan Harding" and Jeff Bowman used to travel south from Washington state during our winter months and fly the California sites. We always included the "The Big E" as a must fly weather permitting.

[@javaddeh]

beautiful flight John, thanks for sharing

[@The1KDog1]

Had tons of altitude at goal/the beach. What a day and nice to see you fly XC John. I always wondered in the early 90's what a great XC pilot you could be.. I mean, all I ever flew was XC from mountains

[@mboerschig]

I flew the E in 1981 on my first trip from Ohio to fly in the magic air we had read about in California. I weighed 150 lbs. and was flying a 215 sq, ft. WW Alpha at the time. My log book says that the local pilots were helpful and friendly and that I thermalled up to 3600 ft. above takeoff. I fell in love with the western thermals and in 1982 I got a 165 Comet and made my first hundred mile flight in the Owens valley. -Mike Boerschig

[@JochenZeischka]

Love your passion for flying, John. Thanks for sharing.

[@diablo5152]

Beautiful flight..A hug from Italy ♥️

[@Petoven1]

Hi John, great video! , yours is a long history on HG. It is funny how you can loop your glider like nothing. Jejjeeee. Legend. I'm an old HG pilot flying again after 30 years of retirement. Feels so good to be in the air again together with my sons....

[@justinf1343]

Thanks for sharing. Love the soundtrack too 👍

[@georgehunter2813]

Chris Bolfang. Righteous pilot.

[@JimWoolery]

Great video John, Thanks for sharing. Jim

[@Skip_McGee]

Epic!! Thanks for putting this together and sharing it!

[@alvaroniemeyer3060]

John, great flight, great video and good comments. It was a fantastic idea included the name of all the hang glider pilots that one day flew Elsinore. Thanks

[@HANGMAN126A]

Great video. Great memories of soaring and camping in the Olive Groove at the LZ in the 80"s. I soar the ridge sometimes now with my motor glider. Seldom do I see hang gliders.

[@chuckpal]

Another great video. Thank you John.

[@gregmeierhoff3421]

Wow, great video, So good to see so many names. Loved the days in Elsinore, miss many!!!!!

[@davidwhitehall3850]

Thanks John , great vid . so much fun .

[@boringsoaring]

Thanks John, I always try and get to Elsinore when down south . First time there Saw Mickey hop off in 1 to 2 and climb right up. Another trip I enjoyed a great Thanksgiving dinner when Bill Soderquist invited a bunch of us over. I've never hit it in classic conditions, did arrive just 15 minutes late one day and fetched McAleer . Have made it just short of I5 on a day we were barely getting above 7k. Steve Forslund

[@SparkyReid]

I enjoyed this very much. Thanks!

[@TheFjordflier]

Great video Mr Heiney. Both the flying and the filming👌

[@bobhunt5997]

thanks John for the video and all your expertise and help and a grt glider cheers

[@thevampirehunter8965]

THE OLD "CONDOR" FROM CALIFORNIA ,...👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍🇵🇷

[@bobhunt5997]

thanks again John enjoyed seeing ths again cheers Happy New Year

[@willswingmexico1684]

Thanks for the video John, beautiful view, Jorge from Valle

[@ericoschmitt]

Thanks for the video, please post more!

[@postfrontal]

Hi John, Great video and synopsis of the E. We would visit Crestline most springs and one time the winds changed and we came over to Elsinore. Probably 15 years ago you and Beardsley gave us a nice site intro and we had great flights too. I sure appreciated getting my claw. I know/knew many E Teamers and to finally fly there was a great thrill. While by no means a local I'd love to be on the list. Greg Billow

[@johnnycarpenter1744]

Great video i have lived in Elsinore all my life and have always wanted to learn how to fly just never had the chance thanks for the ride . Hopefully 1 day i will find someone to train me

[@JohnHeiney001]

Hi Johnny, I do training. Look me up at www.johnheiney.com

[@vancetilley7942]

Great video, John!! I miss flying SoCal. I've no Elsinore footlaunch stories, only balloons and sailplanes.

[@HGAviator]

Great video John...! Reminds me of Jonathan Dietch's flight to the coast from the "E". I've flown Elsinore a number of times with Jonathan Dietch, Gary Anderson, Shaggy and many others from Crestline Soaring Society/Andy Jackson Airpark. ~Mel Torres (aka HGAviator).

[@Plummit1]

Great video John! My friend Joe Basciano used to fly there too. Also Larry Dion.

[@thevampirehunter8965]

Next video,....Bob Thompson the Best supine Style hang glider pilot from Arizona & U.S.A.

[@SVSky]

Great flight! Hope to add to the list someday!

[@Vl7248]

Thx for sharing!

[@The1KDog1]

Well done John, hope you are well

[@chrisdrake7849]

WOW,nice flight!!

[@stevenkampmann9680]

Hi John long time no see since Kelly's wake paddle out at Dana pt. That's cool adding all the E Teamers names! Crazy Wayne should be on it, the last time I saw him he came down under canopy and landed next to me on the E launch. The second to the last time I saw him he came down under canopy on top of Mt. Laguna, he flew a Fledge. Keep up the good work brotha.

[@stevenkampmann9680]

Oops never mind, he's on it.

[@mikemarcott1141]

Hey John good morning haven't seen this one take care buddy!

[@chrisdrake7849]

Flew the heck out of the "E" had my take off yell and hand out "E" style many times, flew here with Mark Gibson once, I would fly here when Crestline was no good, I wonder if David Chadwick ever flew here........

[@iusethenamekalenallrightsr8023]

I'm going to have to mess up that 101 comments... I've always wanted to fly.... wanted to be in astronaut when I grew up... but low and behold, there is no outer space and earth is flat... Nice flight.

[@chrisdrake7849]

Loved flying "E"

[@rogeriolopes6297]

Nice video!

[@landrypoole]

Landry Poole. Well, I remember watching that crazy guy fly that T2C down the LZ and of course his energy and speed for so that he would have hit the fence, but as luck would have it, he just had enough left to clear the fence with a foot push off the top, and stick it on the other side….he sold the glider.

[@LeFraudHasChokedInSIXFinals]

Chris in a T-shirt...that must have been chilly at 12,500.

[@mitchellmcaleer2969]

Jim Carey, my cousin killed in 1979 flew Elsinore, had a Sensor 210 at the time of his death .

[@michaelbohlander6711]

Blue skies and Tailwinds stop by and fly 66il next time your in Town

[@JohnHeiney001]

Hi Michael, Nice to hear from you. I saw Jerry Thornhill this summer. He's hanging in there. I'll look you up next time I'm in IL.

[@kathleenmckeon9926]

Chris Mckeon here Yes i am going through the Longest down Time of mt hg flying. I will be heading down South where I will will begin my Pilgrimage back to the Sky, The Sky is My home. John says that He visits the Sly. Heck I want to establish residence up in the Sky.First UI will Fly Frank's 330 Condor. Then i will Fly John's North Wing T-Two. Then after john has Performed an IRAN on My Predator. I will Fly My Predator 158.

[@jimfcarroll]

What the hell was Chris flying ... with struts rather than side wires?

[@JohnHeiney001]

Freedom X

[@clydebennish2106]

great except for the music.... id rather hear the wind through the wires

[@JohnHeiney001]

You can hear the wind in the wires any time. You can't always hear a great song written by Abigail Osborn about her father's love of hang gliding.

[@clydebennish2106]

@@JohnHeiney001 Great song??? only for those who are easily pleased... :)

[@4881828]

Hey..Jeff Reynolds

[@rickyh9549]

🤭 ᎮᏒᎧᎷᎧᏕᎷ

[@JonMcG]

what a stunning vid , loved it

[@mikemarcott1141]

Awesome video John I'll call you sometime in the near future take care

[@mitchellmcaleer2969]

Ken Westfall's dead.

[@gregmeierhoff3421]

Many flights with you there, the good days. no old in that, LOL