Mark Taggart <> writes:

A wheel pain!! – don’t let this happen to you.

I have been hang gliding now for over ten years and regard myself as a safety aware, advanced/intermediate pilot. Like many; I want to live long and get old. To achieve this, I need to take steps to minimize risks and danger where possible in all my adventure sports. An accident the other week has proven that my perception of being really safe and conscientious is far from reality.

It might be worth checking that you are not in a similar situation. Here is what happened to me.

Three years ago I moved to Saint Andre Les Alpes for the amazing flying that happens here. During maximum heating in the summer out and return flights of incredible distance can be made. In the late afternoons/or the evenings it is still possible to put in 150 KM out and return flights in the smooth, easy going, glass off. During this time I have never broken an upright and feel happy with my landing ability and delighted with the Tsunamis flying and landing characteristics.

My Tsunami came with a streamlined base bar a few years back. I could not get my old wheels to fit and so removed them not really thinking about the consequences other than the benefits of drag reduction and my good landings. I have just re-discovered how wheels can save money and most importantly time, aggravation and a great deal of pain!

Many of you will know Saint Andre and the reputation of the main LZ. To help make it a safer place, I installed three large bright orange windsocks allowing me to determine (while still high) how turbulent conditions were on the ground. If they looked bad and the windsocks pointed in different directions or were switchy, I would land a couple of kilometres up the valley at the emergency sailplane landing field of La Mure.

On Monday 11th of June as I approached the main landing LZ after an epic flight:

· 1hr and 20 mins

· 87 KM flight out and return

· ridge racing with my buddy

· at constant high speed - Max = 167 KMH

The day was windy and thermic. From up high it was clear that conditions in the field were mildly turbulent. But, because I needed to catch a flight that night for work and because I have been landing so well, I decided to push on and land, using my skills and experience to combat conditions.

Unfortunately, as I made my final approach I realised that I was heading towards a thermal as my ground speed rapidly increased during my approach to flair and land. A downwind landing as the glider A frame hit the ground at great speed.

The result:

· a broken arm. Fixed with new metal pins and plates

· a trashed glider – €5,000 vs. €75 wheel investment

· Seven days in hospital – poor quality grub – and snoring bedfellows

My great mate Colin, was right behind me, suffered the same conditions and landed his Atos on the wheels without incident.

In hindsight, I realise that not flying with wheels was really a result of laziness in not trying to find a “wheel” solution for my streamlined base bar am not truly thinking through the consequences that one day I might need this important piece of equipment.

This got me thinking, was there anything else I had missed?

· Take off – has been recently cleared

· Landing – we have the 3 large windsocks and back-up field

· Gliders – both Tsunamis serviced in 2007 – wires and lines changed

· Harness – skyline – still new regularly inspected

· Helmet – in good condition, visor replaced last month

· Reserve – three years old in great condition –

· Reserve repack? – oops – never!!!!

This last point is crazy! Especially embarrassing as I was one of the founders of the UK, big fat repack event that highlighted the issues and the need for our annual, airings, checks, practice throws and re-packs. – which proves that while I think I am super safe I still let some important things slip.

I am now starting to carefully check my other toys and to validate my perception of safety and condition of equipment vs. reality.

I hope that you will take a second to do the same and share this lesson with your friends and get members of your club spending a few minutes to do likewise.

If you need wheels. A quick call to your dealer will do the trick or alternatively visit: http://www.plastiqual.be/pages/pagmodem.html#distrib

Best wishes and safe playing.

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