Bug4 & Bug2 in Action
Last Update: July 16, 2003

 

 

This is a composite (two photos of one glider) showing Bug2 launching at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California.

 
Here's another one glider composite photo, an on-top landing at Marshall Peak (Crestline) near San Bernadino, California. Floyd Fronius in Bug2 made good use of his nose skid to brake to a perfect stop, ready to launch again or load onto the truck. While the lift lasts, we can make as many flights as we want by landing on top.

 

Bug2, about a third of the way down the launch roll at Horse Canyon, San Diego, California.

(We still grab for the nose tube when excited, but this does not actually serve any purpose).

Bug4 is cruising the ridge at Otay Mountain, San Diego, California, above the launch slope, which is the green patch near the center of the picture.

Here we see the crusty homebuilder, myself, about a mile high over El Mirage Dry Lake near Palmdale, California, in Bug4.

It's hot on the ground, but it's cold at altitude, so that flight suit is a fine thing to have for any big air thermalling. The instrument strapped on the nose tube is a combination variometer and altimeter.

This beard was inspired by the film "Planet of the Apes".

 

In Bug4, waiting for an aerotow.

The hang glider next in line behind me is already on its takeoff dolly.

The Bug is a good towing glider for takeoffs from runways and open fields.

 

Here's the pilot's view from the airchair front office (Bug4) on aerotow.

That's the towplane behind the nose tube, and that green knob is the tow release, which I will pull to disconncet the tow line when the tow pilot waves me off. Release altitude should be about 2000 feet above the dry lake.

I'm a little low and maybe a little inside on this shallow turn. Ideally the glider should be level with the tow plane (tow plane on the horizon). In a turn, the glider should be positioned to the side so that the towline is pulling straight back on the tow plane (otherwise the tow pilot is feeling a yaw force and has to keep correcting with his rudder).

Take me to the lift!

 

Here's the pilot's view from the airchair front office (Bug4) while just flying around.

I usually hold my airspeed by keeping the top of the yellow tape aligned to the assumed horizon, as shown here.

The dangling green ball is the unsecured handle for the tow release, which is not used on these rolling launch mountain flights.

That little peak ahead is my altitude indicator for standardizing my landing patterns at this site. When the peak is visually on the horizon, I'm at pattern entry altitude.

 

 

Floyd Fronius, bold Bug test pilot (who might have been out hang gliding if it wasn't for that cast on his wrist), with gear down and locked in the takeoff position.

"Gear" as used here refers to the foot leverage being demonstrated in the photo, with which the wings can be held level for unassisted takeoff, followed by raising of the feet to the rudder pedals as the truck responds to the start call "All out!". The radio in Floyd's right hand is essential to clear communications with the tow truck.

Nose attitude is always optional in the Bug. I choose to do all my takeoffs from the nose down position. This is Bug2.

 

Taking out the slack for an aerotow at El Mirage, Rich Zadorozny keeps an eye on Hungary Joe in his tug.

In windy conditions the launch begins with the nose skid on the ground so the glider is not blown backwards. Above the tire the aileron bell crank is visible, tilted for a left roll, resulting in the raised left aileron. This is Bug2, not Bug4, as we see from the uneven strut spacing and individual cross rigging of each wing bay.

 

On the training hill, a novice pilot is ready to go.

Wing helpers hold back the glider, Bug2, which is trying to roll down the hill. Since the wind is light, takeoffs are being started nose up.

 
Bug2 on the training hill.

In the early days, we worked together to figure this thing out (and these are still the early days).

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