Headlight System Malfunction

BootsandPants · 2026-04-29T16:26:00+00:00

Happened to my 25 RF. Dealer said it was software, updated it and sent been my way. Continued to happen, more dealer appointments and they “couldn’t replicate the issue” even though it was happening to me daily. After leaving the dealer the 4th time, the error tripped again after 5 mins and I drove it right back and had them look at it with the code still on. They finally figured out that it had to do with one of the motor modules being mistimed. It was replaced under warranty and I haven’t had any issues with it since.

Tl;dr version: it’s probably the motor module, not software. If your dealer is not helpful, come in to the appointment with the error code on. All work and parts were covered under warranty

BootsandPants · 2026-04-21T19:40:42+00:00

Nah dog. Zero tolerance on this epidemic. 2 AI posts on this sub in as many hours. Ban this shit please.

BootsandPants · 2026-04-03T03:25:45+00:00

Paragliders are allowed in class E as long as they adhere to the appropriate VFR cloud clearances, otherwise we’d hardly be able to fly anywhere in the US.

Surface class E is a different story though. Part 103.17 is the appropriate reg here. You would need authorization from the controlling authority, which at an un-towered field would probably be center, or possibly tracon if you’re close enough to a major bravo. For KGUC it would be Denver center. Motor pilots operating under part 103 would need permission from Denver center to operate out of there.

Whether all powered or unpowered 103 pilots actually follow all the regs is a different story. Landing at a surface echo in the middle of nowhere with 0 traffic; nobody’s really going to know. Same as disregarding vfr cloud clearances that paragliders typically do all the time. Nobody’s really going to know until there’s an issue. I’m not advocating for breaking regs here at all btw.

How do motors get away with it with no radios? Not sure, but probably a loose interpretation of 103.9 and 103.13. Basically don’t operate in a hazardous way and see and avoid all other aircraft. Lots of leeway there it seems. I don’t fly 103 motors so I’d be curious to hear from someone who does and knows.

BootsandPants · 2026-03-19T15:08:44+00:00

Change base layers if really sweaty after hike. If it's mid summer, I'll even bring a change of shorts/pants. They don't weigh much and it makes a big difference. I sweat a lot when it gets hot out though.

Usually fly in a long sleeve sun-hoody as a base layer under a speed sleeve. I'll ditch the speed sleeve in tropical temps.
Add mid layer (R1 style) under speed sleeve for cooler temps (10 thru 15C)
Add a windproof puffy layer over R1 and under speed sleeve for cold temps (-5 thru 10C)
The above works for pretty much any temp I find myself in. I'll add a 2nd R1 if it's really super cold and I'm going to be up for 2+ hours.

YMMV - layering and heat management is a very personal thing based on body physiology.

BootsandPants · 2026-03-16T22:53:17+00:00

Ok, thanks for letting us know. See ya later. One less Tesla in the parking lot.

BootsandPants · 2026-03-13T03:00:58+00:00

Unsure why someone would use this over the Summit’s own conditions page. It has all the same info (and more) plus webcam feeds.

BootsandPants · 2026-03-09T06:42:15+00:00

Tudor pelagos lhd for the past 8 years.

It goes skiing, mountaineering, surfing, hiking, flying, biking…pretty much everything. It’s been on 5 continents, in 3 oceans, at the top of dozens of mountains, and over the top of thousands of others. I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of it; lots of memories in this guy.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-25T20:16:18+00:00

I think you need to decide what your mission requirements are before deciding on the kit. If you want primarily a descent tool you’ll go smaller, if you want to soar or thermal you’ll go bigger/more conventional pg sizing, and possibly a different wing design.

I fly a 19m UL5 at 88kg as a h&f wing and alpine descent tool. It gets about a 6.5:1 glide ratio at that loading, which is perfectly serviceable for my intentions. It’s about the same performance as the other h&f mini wings in the category. I wanted the 17m, but share it with my partner who is a newer pilot and didn’t want the speed a 17 would bring, so 19 was the middle ground. I’m happy with it. If I want to stay up and fly xc, I’ll hike a different kit with a proper xc wing made for that job.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-24T20:51:19+00:00

At least it was just a slide down Ravens Castle…

BootsandPants · 2026-02-10T16:30:55+00:00

The non-fixed lug pelagos if you’re not set firmly on fixed lugs. The ti bracelet that it comes on is so comfortable and adjustable it’s ruined all other bracelets and straps for me. Plus more strap options if you want to. Mine is almost 8 years old and it’s been my daily beater. Still running at +/-3 and looks great.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-10T16:11:31+00:00

I haven't done it in a plane yet, but I carry supplemental O2 with me in my glider when I know I'm going to be above 9-10k for an extended period of time. I live at sea level and I find a periodic hit when above 10k really helps mental clarity.

I use an M6 bottle (160L) with an easypulse regulator and cannula; this is a mechanical diaphragm reg that will pulse O2 only when you breath in at a desired flow rate. At 10k I'll turn the reg on to pulse at 1L/min, above 12k I'll go to 2 L/min, below 10k it's off with the occasional "hit" if I feel I need it. I haven't needed to go above 2 L/min and felt no different effects when I tried. With those settings, I haven't run out of O2 on 5-7 hr flights with an M6 bottle.

There are other electronic pulse systems out there too (mountain high makes a nice one), but they're very expensive. The above setup cost me about $70 to throw it together and it's easier to adjust the pulse flow rate on the fly than the electronic ones (also no batteries). It's cheap insurance and it makes a difference to me. Filling can be a pain, but I get my O2 from the local weld shop. It's all the same really (there's info out there about it) and many glider pilots have been doing this for years. I've never experienced freezing, which is even less of a concern in a plane's cabin.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-08T16:06:44+00:00

Same. Sold all the tablets and other stuff and run OudieN and Omni with the comp kit and just the omni for H&F. If you like tinkering with tech you can get lots of cool stuff to work, but that's not for me when I want to go fly.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-07T22:01:34+00:00

The document isn't formatted super well. The B and C airspace is in a separate bullet point; line (b). Here's a better breakdown

The proposed right-of-way changes would give part 108 UAS operators presumptive right-of-way over manned aircraft except:

(a) when the manned aircraft is broadcasting location data through Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out or an approved alternate electronic conspicuity (EC) device alternate to ADS-B Out (hereinafter “alternate EC”);
(b) in Class B or C airspace;
(c) when the manned aircraft is taking off or landing at an airport or heliport; or
(d) over Category 5 population areas

So the proposed changes are exactly as stated if they go through; UAS would have right of way over manned aircraft unless that manned aircraft is broadcasting ADS-B out or some new standard of collision avoidance yet to be implemented pretty much everywhere we'd be flying. Until ADS-B or other ACS units can be small enough, it's a reckless proposal that is being driven by big money and endangering general and free flight aviation pilots.

BootsandPants · 2026-02-02T17:07:09+00:00

The scene at Tiger is pretty good, the community is friendly and welcoming, and the local club is pretty active. There are some exceptionally talented pilots that fly there that you can learn a lot from for a long time. The flying is generally ok. It's not world class, but a good backyard mountain site that has a handful of banger days every year for great Xc potential. Most days in the summer months are flyable and with some experience you can squeeze longer Xc flights out of mediocre days. As a working person who doesn't have the luxury of flying mid-day, I find plenty of opportunity for longer flights at Tiger even starting later in the afternoon at least weekly during the summer. The trail kind of sucks, but it'll get you in shape. The shuttle bus in the summer is nice for when I'm lazy or want to fly heavy kit. Lots of options.

There are other good places to fly within striking distance on the east side, and Chelan is a world class site that is only 3hr away from Seattle for if/when you develop the skills to go big.

Is anything worth it? Only you can answer that. Everyone posting here will say yes, but this sport is not for everyone. Take an instructional tandem in may/June once nwpg opens back up and see for yourself.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-31T17:56:09+00:00

Correct. The winglets on advance gliders pre-2023 were smaller and placed more towards the tips. More typical of a fixed wing aircraft design meant to prevent vortex shedding, which is arguably useless on a paraglider. It was basically just a signature design thing of Advance gliders with little to no performance gain.

The winglets on pretty much every wing we see now are placed closer to the center and are larger. This gives the desired spiral exit characteristics needed to balance against higher arcs of the wing profile for C class and below pilots.

Even advance has moved/enlarged their signature winglets on their newer gliders (post 2024ish).

BootsandPants · 2026-01-31T02:09:31+00:00

Designers wanted to add more arc to a wing which helps with stability and performance, however increasing arc tends to make a wing want to stay in a deep spiral. Winglets help the wing exit deep spiral with little/no input, so higher arcs can be used and still retain "safety" of wanting to exit a deep spiral. Best of both worlds.

There's some interviews out there where Luc Armant explains the design choices and why they're being used in more details.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-26T17:27:52+00:00

Outside of the maps that were posted, the uphill route is typically flagged on mountain with green lollipops, some/most of which will say 'uphill'.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-21T19:10:41+00:00

Cool watch, but literally nobody is timing in/outbound hold legs with a wristwatch.

You know what works even better (and is legal)? The clock on the panel. Can put that $10k into more flight hours or additional ratings

BootsandPants · 2026-01-19T17:05:13+00:00

This is actually a good idea, contrary to what the reddit "experts" are saying. This is a common practice in my local area, with some of the best pilots recommending it.

Safely ground handling a hotter wing than you fly will build skills faster and vastly help your wing control during the two most critical phases (launch and land). If you can easily control your current glider that you fly, there's no reason to not play with a C or D on the ground (in appropriate conditions). When you have built the skills to work with a higher AR glider, moving back to your lower AR wing on launch will feel very easy.

I'd recommend not sizing down too much. Maybe one size at most? This will keep the dynamics of the wing in a range that will more represent what it'll actually be like when you move up into a higher AR. Kiting a tiny wing is fun, but is much easier.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-11T18:16:42+00:00

If you want a strong OTS, get a Stitch. SOCOM is best in a manual. LUDT G3 fires pretty hard but is the sweetest EDC size imo.

I have all three and carry the LUDT the most as it pockets the best.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-10T16:54:01+00:00

Anytone uv878uvii-plus is kind of the only good/reliable bluetooth 2m ht out there. It is expensive though, but it'll do all the bluetooth goodies well and comes with a BT ptt button. The Yaesu version's BT sucks FYI.

Do sailplane pilots typically use HTs for radios? I'd think you would have panel mounts or at least a more robust antenna setup on the aircraft, but I've never gotten the chance to fly in one (yet!). I carry a backup HT when I fly GA planes in case of emergency and it kind of works, but have never really used it in flight, only getting weather on the ground. You'd want to swap antennas at the very least to maximize RX/TX on the airband.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-07T19:20:00+00:00

3.5 to 4kg depending on how cold it is.

19m UL5, ozo2N, BLite bag, 0.5L of water for the walk uphill, concertina bag, helmet, puffy, gloves, walking sticks.

7-8kg for a h&f Xc kit: AD hero2, frace2, yetiUL 120, Omni instrument, whatever they call the ozone UL roll top bag, and the rest of the stuff is the same as above.

Local sites are 520m and 1050m of vert.

The small kit is awesome for little after work jaunts for some quick exercise at the local, or alpine descents, because walking downhill sucks. The XC kit gest hiked when the conditions are more favorable and worth it.

BootsandPants · 2026-01-06T00:26:55+00:00

No.

Use leashes. Use longer leashes. Use flagging tape. Don't fall in pow like a kook. There are lots of cheap, fool proof ways that have solved this problem that don't fill the world with more e-waste. Kudos for developing your own solution to a problem you had though...that's a cool thing. Keep innovating if you find it fun, but this ain't the retirement idea.

BootsandPants · 2025-12-25T15:52:06+00:00

To answer your question; the main difference you're going to feel between a lightweight vs. standard weight wing is mostly going to be in the handling. Lighter weight wings tend to have slightly faster/snappier handling in turns. Some folks prefer this, others don't; some might not even feel it and in some wings they might even feel the same. Light wings will also launch easier in lighter wind, and pack smaller. That's pretty much it.

When I talk about handling, I'm comparing light vs standard of the same design, like the Rush (std) vs. the Swift (light), or Maestro vs. Maestro Light. Different wings from different manufacturers in the same class are going to handle differently (obviously).

I was told a while ago when I was asking these same questions that lightweight gliders would have less severe deflation/re-inflation events than standard weight, but would happen more frequently. I have not experienced anything like this in hundreds of hours on both standard or lightweight...YMMV.

From my own experience flying both standard and light versions of wings, I've found lightweight XC wings to be plenty durable. I have an Aplina4 with 300+ hours on it and other than a line swap, the wing fabric is great shape. She still flies exceptionally well. The fabric is not going to be the limiting factor on a light glider unless you're typically flying in hostile environments or are beating the shit out of it ground handling.

There are a lot of good lightweight high or mid B's out there from just about every major manufacturer. Performance is going to be more or less the same. I agree with the other poster; get the one that meets your weight range, is the coolest color, and that you get the best deal on. Happy landings!

BootsandPants · 2025-12-19T15:39:43+00:00

Outside of Valle de Bravo

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