A short five minute video highlighting my first Hang Gliding experience at Lookout Mountain, GA. Music written and produced by me, myself and I. If you enjoy please like, share, subscribe and comment.
I made my first launch from the same spot at Lookout Mountain 20 years ago. There were no GoPro’s to capture it back then. Thank you for posting this, it felt like I was watching myself and brought back great memories.
I taught hang gliding at Lookout for years... When this popped up in my feed I still instantly recognized that launch ramp! So many great times there! I've had 8 hour+ flights, and 10,000ft+ altitude gains above launch... It's quite a place to fly, and that landing field now has a sand volleyball court with lights, and an inground pool, so many hours spent after flying all day, watching new pilots just like this come in for their first mountain flight landings... Then you yell over and make sure they're ok, then it's back to volleyball until then next one drops in!🤣 Way to go man!
@@abbeyroad430 you would love the training hills! I was just out there a couple of days ago. I'm the guy with the white beard that launched these guys off the mountain. I just found this video. don't hesitate to go to the training hills and learn how to fly it's a blast! It'll change your life
I earned my MONGO AVIATION sticker a few years ago on my first and ONLY attempt to loop my glider at LOOKOUT MTN FLIGHT PARK. Made it half-way around, broke the glider and came down under parachute. Now I'm the guy that repairs the gliders and launches newbies off the mountain!
Just as you went to the uprights, I saw the nose of the glider come up. That often happens when people are concentrating on getting their hands on the downtubes but not keeping their body forward enough to maintain air speed. Best of success in your flying, and may all your landings be safe!
Can't wait to get into this. I just turned 40 and need something EXHILARATING to do. I have always dreamed of flying... I've been looking into paragliding, BUT after do research, hanggliding is alot safer bc you don't have to deal with collapses, or stalls, no parachutes to deploy if something goes wrong. Awesome video, nice job!
No parachute to deploy when going in? What do you do at that point? Pray? Try sports cars. They have air bags. I got to admit I like watching others do it. But I’ve seen the wings collapse on hang gliders too. I used to live near lone pine California, those guys jumped off the Sierras into the desert valley
I went to Lookout Mountain for 10 days. On a few days a lesson was cancelled because of wind or rain. Began at the training hills. Flew 30 (12-second) flights from 60 feet up the Small Hill. Wonderful sensations. Overwhelmed. Gripping to control bar too tightly. Overcontrolling. Klutzy. Gradually more relaxed. Instructors were patient and gave good advice. Improvement with almost every flight. Foot-landings after a few days. At the airfield--went up on three flights with an instructor. We were towed at 35 mph on a 250-foot rope behind a 115-horsepower airplane. The 1st times taking off and climbing out felt scary! Loved it! Climbed up 2000 feet. After release I did most of the flying. --Good for learning to roll into a banked attitude, to steady the bank, and to roll back to wings level. [This is a safe way to learn rolling, banking, and turning. Practice enough that you have some good turning habits before going to the Big Hill]. The descent and maneuvering into the landing pattern familiarized me with what I'd later do when flying solo from the ridge. --Advanced to the Big Hill to learn turning. --Flew from 80 feet up the Hill. Got better at it, but regressed one day. Shouldn't have done 2 lessons and a tandem flight the previous day; or should have done all that then taken a day off. Anyway, by the time I'd flown fifteen 15-second flights from the Big Hill I felt confident about controlling bank angle; confidence in rolling in and out is a great sensation! The flying was great fun after that. Took another 15 flights to get approved to launch the next day from the ramp 1340 feet up on the Ridge. I was accustomed to running a few steps and flying, so I felt confident and eager up on the ramp. Within a few steps I was flying, just as when I had run off the training hills. Gliding down to the field was great. Stayed on the downwind leg too long--got a bit low. Didn't give myself enough of a final leg. No speed run. Don't make that mistake; you'll lose 50 feet in the turn from downwind to final; so turn from the downwind when you're supposed to! If you want to hang glide, don't put off learning this. Do it! Otherwise you might look back decades from now--not having done what you wanted. It's not a thing to avoid, so stop delaying. You want it? Do it.
Glad to hear about your experience! And I hope not, but I got the impression your flight ended badly. I hope you walked away from it ok. I will heed your advice.
Thanks for this write up. I've always wanted to fly and finally found a school and started two months ago. Progress is slow, because I can only fly once every two weeks due to work schedule and weather. I can't imagine ever flying solo ....
I used to live right down the street from here on the mountain. We would watch the hangliders many times at sunset. I miss it. Beautiful beautiful place. I’m trying to make a life change right now that makes me feel like I’m about to run off the side of a mountain. So it made me think of this.
I learned hang gliding in the late 80s in Southern California at Crestline from the guru Rob McKenzie. Landings are more or less always exiting, you are lucky you have such a large and unobstructed field to land at. Our final crossed a dirt road and ditches before the actual field. Today the Andy Jackson Flight Park in San Bernadino is one of the best landing sites in the world. Is it obvious I miss flying hang gliders ha ha. Oh, you were a newbie back then, I am shure you have improved since so I will not bore you with suggested improvements.
I trained at LMHG but ran out of money before getting off the bunny hill. (I am a slow learner). Had one good flight on that low slope, gonna hold that memory forever. 🧡💚💙🪁
You should go back to the hills and continue training. I was just out there a couple of days ago, people were having a blast! I used to work out there. It's some kind of paradise.
I lived in Lookout Mountain Tennessee on West Brow Oval. One day I was in my front yard raking leaves and heard "Hey" I looked around and saw nobody until i heard "Hey look Up" A hanglider was about (I guess) 20 feet over my house (probably more but it was amazing)!!!!
It is! Just getting off from the ground from a little hill is exhilarating. My first real mountain flight was amazing. I did this in Dunlop California. You think when you start out you'll be doing acrobatic flips and stuff like that but it's just so beautiful, it's fun just to boat around. I used to ski a lot, lost interest once I flew.
@@Qartoffeln1 I'd recommend it, but under two conditions: 1) do NOT fly tandem. It's too dangerous because of the weight. 2) If you don't have mountains and have to be towed up by a plane, don't do it - there's a condition called "lock out" that if you end up there, you're dead. Another thing, this sport is dangerous, but most deaths are caused by simple mistakes. One of the most common ways to die is that you forget to hook in to the glider, and them jump off the mountain, and fall to your death. Always check and double check you're properly secured, and if you for ANY REASON don't feel comfortable flying on a particular day, don't. You have to take safety seriously in this sport. But it's very beautiful and it was worth it for me to do it for the years I did. Be safe!
@@richardwicks4190 thank you for your conscientious reply and advices. I was not aware about the lock out condition and will do some research on it. I meant the feeling of first solo. You on your own with your glider, knowing that you made it. I actually did fly tandem in Switzerland 11 years ago and it was a blast. If you’re interested, I flew with a company called Hanggliding Interlaken and they were super professional and thorough from the pick up to wing assembly (they tell you to assemble the wing together with them with two purposes: ease you into the experience and ensure that you see how safe everything has to be) to flight. I remember laying prone while still on the ground to precisely check what you mention: that I was hooked on. We picked up a thermal right after take off and we climbed like a rocket. It sounds like a hurricane. We got out of the thermal and it was so beautiful and peaceful that I shared some chocolate cookies with the pilot. I told the pilot “birds do this every day” and he replied with a grin “I do this every day” 😎 Safety is first and foremost. Keep up the good vibes!
@@Qartoffeln1 Picking up a thermal is awesome. There's what's called the inversion layer just below the clouds - this is where the thermal disperses. I hit cloud base on my first flight, not expecting it, but everything got foggy and as I recall a bit cooler (you're all gloved up an in a bag so you're well insulated). You wouldn't know about a lockout unless you were in a flat area. Flying is EASY, landing is hard. You have to judge the angle to the landing zone. If you're too low, you won't make it, and you decide to land in a tree (never saw this happen but it has happened.) On my first flight my instructors warned me was was dangerously low, and they were right, I made almost a straight flight into the landing zone. I think I circled once to land. If I was another 30 meters lower, I probably wouldn't have made it. Get any criticism from an instructor, listen. I had accidents too when I was training. One one hill (about 500 feet) we took the same route, over and over again to land and we are reminded, at least 30 degree angle to make it to the landing zone. A test is, instead of going left, go right, and chose an entirely different flight path. I did that, missed the landing zone by 100 meters easy the first time. I got into the habit of being in the air for a particular length of time, and wasn't paying attention to the angle. It's easy to screw up but when you screw up, you learn a lesson. It's pretty safe, as long as you treat it seriously. Took me about 10 lessons to get my license but those 10 lessons are grueling. We carried our gliders up the hills, we disassembled and reassembled them and in a typical day I'd climb something like 500 meters ascent. Glider isn't light..
Nice job. I’ll never forget my first mountain launch there. It was at the old launch site just north of where you took off. Mid seventies (45 years ago, my how time flies). My legs felt like rubber bands. Before you know it you’ll be at cloud base heading to the point! 👍
I did my first mountain flight off the radial ramp at Hendson's gap (further up the valley from Lookout) back in 1985. I flew off Racoon Mountain during that same trip. What an experience! Thanks for posting your video and nice job!
@@skyhighflyguy6986 definitely look like a left turn in that glider all the way down. Great flight though! I'm the guy that launched you off the mountain with the white beard. That GoPro cut out just in time didn't it? I hope you're still flying!
1983 was my first flight here, having trained at Crystal Flight Resort, operated by Dan Johnson, B.J. Shulte was my instructor for my first mountain launch at Raccoon Mountain. Bill and Steve Moyes were there on occasion. The world was much nicer back then. I flew Lookout dozens of times over the next 20 years, lots of flights over 4 hrs. in a Flight Designs Demon 175, and most of my X-C activity was in Alabama at Chandler Mtn. No fun in life compares to soaring in a hang glider.
This is where I rode tandem twice. LOVE IT!!! I just wish it wasn’t as expensive. If it wasn’t, this would be the first thing I’d want to do when I rolled out of bed in the morning.
Don't know why your video came across my feed. But, I clicked on it, liked it and really enjoyed the music so much as to click on description to see who it was and Wow! Multi talented. I dig it!
I soloed there in 08 I think it was . I probably launched there 40-50 times. I did a little videoing of some of my flights but that was later . You really documented this very well right from the start . LMFP might consider using this for future students to look at so that they can see what they're working towards. I haven't flown in about 5 years and watching this makes me want to take the 8 hour drive up there . Thanks , it was like reliving it again ! And congrats on your solo flight !
Thank you! And I’m glad you enjoyed watching/reliving lol. Do what you love! Let me know if you go back for some flying fun, I’d like to hear about it.
Thanks for sharing. I was contemplating paragliding, but I’m so glad I’ve spent the time watching and learning about hang gliding. Much safer and as you are on your belly when you fly, you must feel like a bird!
On the landing....I kept saying ' hands up, hands up hands up, get your hands up.... Nice sled run...enjoy while you can, because later you wont drive up or set, if a sledder is all the conditions allow. Would love to have flown there. I did most of my flying in Golden B.C... bought a motorcycle and havent flown since...maybe some day I will try again.
I had my first training hill flight there (LMFP) August 10 1986. USHPA #44332. The ramp has a beautifully curved apron now. Matt Taber and the family "pushed" me off the then cliff launch 6 months later. Still free-flying now. Don't get cocky😁
Nice vid I learnt in the 80's My 1st top to bottom was above Merthyr Tydfil in Wales and the landing area was right next to a grave yard. 🤣 The next flight was from 3000ft in Spain!! Happy days. I fly gliders now in a cosy cockpit !
Takes me back 5 years before Lookout Mountain opened. Up until then hang glider enthusiasts had to suffice with a 90 second run off Mount Aetna just across the valley in surplus NASA Rogallo satellite recovery wings. Training was done with the Rogallo attached to slim cable to limit climb and descent on the training hill. Many these days are unaware that Chattanooga has held a multitude of world competitions and many world records were set a the Lookout Mountain location. I got out of hang gliding before it was a civilized sport and took up powered flight. But it was a thrill!
Mt. Aetna was my first mountain launch after riding Tram to the top. Wills Wing SST was the wing. I bought a UP Condor 194 from Crystal Flight Resort, Dan Johnson had long hair!
No worries, we all love this tune, don't ever take this video down. I am now 52 and always wanted to have this as a hobby but never quite got the moon's in line, always a good reason not to. Have parachuted so perhaps not the fear, more the time needed to invest what with family etc and the risk. Age also against me. To my mind the taking off looks wonderful but the landing is the hairy part; that field looked mightily small, and you needed to plan very well/ perform some tight turns for a relative novice. Could've so easily overcooked a turn or ended up in a tree. Full respect.
Maybe it's just the camera, and I know nothing about hang gliding, but those treetops look mighty close right after launch. Seems like it wouldn't take much descending to be into the trees.
That's one of the best things about Lookout... It's a super forgiving launch with a cliff, and further from the trees than it looks. You can just about fall off the end of the ramp and still get flying before you hit anything. Some of the sites up there are just hacked out of the trees, one you have to run uphill towards a blind cliff edge you can't see over and even a perfect launch leaves you skimming treetops.. That was an intimidator the first time!
I like the ramp. May be a sweet design to build on my site, even though I'm a paraglider pilot we still need a ramp as my launch is like a table top and a bush fire took the old hangie ramp out years ago. I've recently realised how much we actually used the ramp to help launch on very light thermic days...maybe it's just that I'm getting older and a little slower.
Unless it's really calm, it sets a big vortex behind the ramp. The only guy I even saw fly a paraglider off that ramp was John Heiney... I was standing right below the ramp so great view, and even with perfect run he went off with about 3 ft of both wing tips still tucked under and not filled... Then plummeted about 30' till they popped open!
Just before the gopro cut out, it looked like you were left wing low in cross wind and probably touched you right wing tip on landing. You should have been aimed more left to get wings level. But by now I'm sure you've got this!!!!! Looked great on approach too.
It is hard to tell with the edit, how long would you estimate is the time you spent gliding down? How long does it take to drive up to the launch point. Just trying to work out an estimation of speed and by extrapolation, based upon the drive time, a guesstimate if one were to walk the distance from launchpoint to landing point. No particular reason, just a bit bored on a Wednesday afternoon. 🙂
Hehe, most of learning to fly is actually learning to land. Students tend to land better than people who have been flying for years, because as students, we repeatedly got on very short flights to land over and over and over again.
Batería que?!!😂😂😂 Con esa velocidad y la inclinación que tenias en esa ala... 🛩️💥!! 😂😂😂 Lastima no publicaste el final.. Sirve para pilotos no vicios ver donde estubo el error y como corregirlo.. Excelente primer vuelo de altura!!💪 ❤
Died to fly - I just watched an old documentary on RU-vid from the early days (1970's) of hang gliding. A lot of people died back then, even the really experienced flyers.
