Affordable Aviation

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Just as the October “Product Lines” was headed to press a last-minute update was inserted into the column by USHGA’s alert art director, Tim Meehan. At the end of last month’s column I was writing about Alan Chuculate’s paraglider aerotow trike, the SlowTow. A week after the deadline, Alan wrote, “The […]

St. Paul, Minn. — Wills Wing has released their new Sport 2 model in the 135 square foot size. The company says, “The Sport 2 135 is a high performance glider for lighter pilots that’s easy to fly and land. All of the HGMA vehicle tests are completed, and we are releasing the glider for […]

OSHKOSH, WISC. — Last month I was thrilled to report the Over Everest achievement of Richard Meredith-Hardy and fellow pilot Angelo d’Arrigo. Since then, I established contact with d’Arrigo for a story I prepared for Kitplanes magazine (Nov. 2004). After I investigated the project more thoroughly, I gained a clearer picture of the enormous challenges. […]

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Wow! Feel the chill! Am I nuts, talking about chill in August? Even in my home state of Minnesota (just south of the Arctic), it’s summer and steamy with mosquitoes the size of B-52s. However, the year-round conditions on top of Mount Everest never get steamy| except maybe when a powered […]

CENTRAL FLORIDA– At the start of the big Sun ‘n Fun airshow, I had the pleasure to fly John Dunham’s American Tug built for him by ultralight producer, M Squared of Alabama. This design resembles the popular Quicksilver ultralights that evolved from the original hang glider of the late 1970s. Beefed up for the hard […]

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Time is growing short! Perhaps by the time you read this, FAA may have issued their new rule called Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft (SP/LSA). Why should you care? Well, perhaps you don’t. If you fly solo in your hang glider or paraglider and are not towed aloft by a tug of some […]

St. Paul, Minn. — You’ll probably be amazed to hear that Wallaby Ranch and Quest have merged. Yes, unbelievably, the two rivals flight parks signed an agreement to become as one. This stunning development comes just after Wills Wing purchased Moyes “for a song” crooned WW president, Rob Kells. “It seemed like a good idea […]

ST. PAUL, MINN. — As I write this up here in the southern tundra, the wind howls and the snow flies and the joy of hang gliding or paragliding seems quite distant. Soon enough, though, the thaw will occur and life takes on a friendlier look that invites soaring flight. While huddled inside, I heard […]

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Happy New Year, all! Jon Szarek wrote to say, “I noticed that you lead off Product Lines [in October 2004 with] a bit about the release of the Sport 2 135. We have been looking for a medium to (low) high performance glider for my wife Toni for the last two […]

Lookout Mountain Flight Park sits atop the gaggle. No one questions it anymore. Lookout Mountain Flight Park-known as LMFP-is the country’s most active hang glider school and hang glider enterprise. A million-dollar-a-year business that defies the notion that you can’t make money in sport aviation, LMFP has survived and prospered for more than 20 years. […]