Ready to try supine?

First let me say that I'm not a super authority on supine, but then again I don't know anyone who is.  I've been flying supine for 18 months.  I fly a topless glider (Airborne REV) and I've only ever flown it supine.  I've got a couple of thousand hours in HG and about 500 in PG.  I've also flown trikes.

Please post your questions to me here:
jerryf1956@yahoo.com

I'll try to answer them here on this blog.

1. Best harness?
   
   In my opinion, it is the Advance Lightness with the inner foam removed.  There are probably some more aerodynamic harnesses such as Gin Genie Race 2 which I've used, but they are heavier and don't hold their shape with the back protection removed.  There is also the slight issue with the harness catching on the back wires.
   
2. What else do you need?
   
   You'll need extension handles if you intend to use a harness where you lay fully back.  If you use a seated paragliding harness you are only semi-supine and may not need the handles.  I love the handles as they make landing a cinch.
   
   I've built over 15 handles from a range of materials including lightweight steel, plastic pool furniture tubing, electrical conduit, and various alloys.  Currently I use double sleeved lightweight aluminium alloy.  The handles are tailor made to suit my REV.  They are attached with reinforced velcro and a single pin.
   
   It took multiple attempts until I was satisfied that my handles are super light, strong and rigid.  They attach quickly and don't move about in the air.  I can pick the glider up with them if need be.  I use a plumber's pipe bender to shape them and tennis racket grips to make them warm and comfortable.  Making a good set of handles and fitting them to your glider will be the single most time consuming job you'll face.  Good luck!!  Please don't ask me to make you a set.
   
   You'll also need a spreader bar.  At first I made my own and even designed it so I could raise and lower my height in flight.  This isn't necessary.  I use a spreader bar made by finsterwalder-charly which you can see here:
   
   http://finsterwalder-charly.de/finster/html_eng/gurtzeuge/hg_supineintegral.php
   
   If you want to order it, send them an email.
   
   Here is another one: http://www.avianonline.co.uk/spreader-pr-1882.html
   

Aerotowing in supine.

First you'll need a modified dolly.

The modification is simply to go up 12" so that your feet can go over the front of the dolly and so your harness doesn't drag on the ground.  The modified dolly is still perfect for towing in prone.

VG settings will vary with make and model of glider, but 1/3 is fine for towing in smooth air, and 1/2 is better for rough air.  The reason is that in rough air you may need to come down to the tug quickly and the extra VG enables this.  Prone harnesses have the advantage of being able to stuff the bar while supine is restricted to 80% downward pitch.

I use the pro-tow system attached to the carabiners on my harness.

Launches

How to fly supine.

Flying in supine feels very much like flying in a trike.  It definitely feels different to flying prone but the actual conversion process is fairly natural.  I'd suggest doing it with a floater first and then try it in a more advanced glider.

Launching and landing is in a natural hang position and feels identical to a prone harness.  You hang a little lower so you have more roll authority and it makes landing easier.

Launching:

I like to start with my shoulders behind my risers and the spreader bar behind my head.  The launch run is identical to any other.  If you can launch well in prone you'll do well in supine.  Once in the air, its only a matter of hooking your heel into the harness and then sliding into it.  That takes some practice but it's a lot easier doing it on a hang glider than on a paraglider.  There are no zips to do up.

Flying:

Easy.  It feels very coordinated.  Maybe this is a feature of the REV but I don't need to high-side when thermalling or if I do, I'm totally unaware of it.  If anything, I have to concentrate on flying slower in light lift.  Again, it gets better with practice.  I tend to sit up more in my harness when thermalling.  It feels better.

On glide I'll lay right back unless the air is rough, in which case, I'll be forward.

The VG works normally.  The base bar does move back towards you (or you move towards it) as you pull on the VG.  At full VG I can fly with my hands on the base bar or lean right back and use the handles.

Landing:

There are no zips to undo.  If there is plenty of wind then you can land in supine and rotate out of the harness at the last second to land on your feet without much need to flare.

Otherwise I prefer to get my shoulders in front of my risers so that I can initiate a full flare using the handles.  I prefer to get into hang early and use one hand up, one down so I can accelerate to the ground.  Once I'm in ground effect I drag my feet to establish a constant and suitable height off the ground.  I try to maintain this height while feeding the bar slowly out and moving both hands to the handles ready to flare.  My cue to flare is when both hands are back on the handles around my waist and then I simply raise them up to achieve a very full flare.

Landings

Advantages and disadvantages of supine flying.

Advantages:

• Comfort x 10.
• Continue hang gliding when flying prone is too painful and not an option.
• Good for people with back/shoulder/neck problems.
• Easier to see other gliders around you.
• Easier to sight and analyse clouds.
• Easier to sight instruments. They're in your lap.
• Can adjust instruments - especially useful to change VHF channels.
• Room for more instruments, room for both a VHF and UHF radio within reach.  Ever wanted to turn one down or off?
• Lightweight harness.
• Better roll control.
• Can wear paragliding boots - great ankle support in rough paddocks.
• No zip to jam on your clothes or to jam before landing.

Disadvantages:

• Slightly more drag from harness, spreader bar and extension handles, but no drag from instruments.
• Less pitch down = lower top speed.  
• More time needed to put on the harness.
• A special dolly is required for aerotowing.

Other:

• Personally I find it easier to land using the handles to flare.
• It's debatable as to whether the glider is more or less susceptible to that very rare event; tumbling, or simply the same.  I've flown in some pretty rough air without incident and it isn't a pleasant experience but then again being in prone wouldn't make it any less so.

Modifications:

• Glider is completely unmodified.
• Lightweight extension handles are added with velcro and a single pin.

Why fly supine?

I've been flying hang gliders for over 30 years.  I'm addicted.  I don't do drugs, never have, but I can't image that getting high on drugs comes anywhere near as wonderful as getting naturally high in a hang glider.  It's a rush.

Hang gliding began with people flying in a seated harnesses.  They soon switched to a "Superman" view in prone.  I flew that way all my life until age caught up with me and it started to become painful to fly that way.

Five years ago I decided to give paragliding a go.  Great fun, easy and comfortable.  After a few years I decided it was simply too risky to keep flying that way and I considered returning to hang gliding but what was I to do about the comfort?

For hang gliding purists I was about to commit sacrilege and combine the best of PG with the best of HG.  I was prepared to sacrifice a little performance for a lot of comfort.  How comfortable?  Well, it's the fly all day comfort that all PG's do and only the elite HG's are fit enough to do.

99% of my flying is for fun.  1% for competition (fun too).  I may not be as competitive in a supine harness but I can fly every day and never really tire or get sore.  Flying a hang glider is supine is first class comfort.  I can't think of any other good reason to do it.