First Flight in my New CG-1000

Nice harness. I laid in it at Mark Windsheimer's Airtime Above Hang Gliding sail loft and found it to be really comfortable. My first flight, I launched off Villa, zipped up and climbed up through smooth lift to 12,400ft agl. The harness was comfortable and the back plate slider mechanism was very smooth and easy to use. All is good. I turned NW to head toward Whale Mtn and felt some cold air making it's way into my legs at the top of the harness boot. I pulled the zipper cord again and the zipper slider split into two pieces and opened up completely. I climbed above and away from the Sangre De Cristos, let go of the glider and started fumbling with the zipper to see if I could fix it, but after several minutes it was clear the boot zipper experienced a total failure and the harness would remain open with no support for my legs for the rest of my flight. I turnd back toward Villa Grove and decided to prepare to land.

After landing it was clear the zipper slider broke in two at the junction of the upper and lower pieces. Mark examined the broken slider and will replace it and make a small modification to pull cord that will make the whole mechanism smoother. These changes will be incorporated into new CG-1000 harness as they are developed.

The failed zipper slider was frustrating, but much like a broken zipper on a winter jacket, was easily replaced and not indicative of the harness itself. The workmanship, attention to detail, fit and finish of the CG-1000 is top notch and I highly recommend this harness to any recreational XC pilot wanting a single dangle harness.

Catching Up

This year has been great at Villa. There have been a few times I've driven up to launch and didn't fly. But everytime I ran off that rock this year I've soared. It's been a great spring and early summer and Villa has delivered BIG!

Did a short XC almost to Crestone but couldn't get around the corner at MT Gibson to the Crestone Bowl. After flying back several miles it was clear I wasn't going to make it back to Villa and comitted to landing out. I came out over the San Luis Valley to what looked like a road from above but turned out to be two tire tracks through the desert. Landing conditions were good and I landed and parked my glider on a nice flat spot near the "road." The sun had set and I couldn't raise anyone on the radio and started to prepare a camp site under my glider when Grant F. saved the day. He responded to my radio transmissions and relayed my landing position to Larry at Villa who came and saved me from a long night in the desert. Sweeeeet!!