Hang Gliders Return to Big Spring Skies!

After a one-year hiatus, hang gliding competition will return to the Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport this summer. There will be a practice day on August 4, with competition every day from August 5 through 11.

This year’s event is expected to draw about seventy pilots from all over the U.S. and such other countries as Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It is part of a series of competitions that will determine the 2018 U.S. National Hang Gliding Champion and is sanctioned by the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

The public is invited to watch the launch activity, which normally happens between noon and 1 PM, depending on the weather. Visitors can see the pilots getting ready and lining up, towing up behind ultralight airplanes, and circling above the airport to get high enough to start. It takes about an hour to get everyone into the air.

The City provides shaded bleachers at the McMahon-Wrinkle airport (enter through the terminal). There are restrooms inside the terminal, and there is usually food available for purchase. The airport is on the west side of town, near where Business 20 intersects with Interstate 20.

Belinda Boulter, Co-Organizer and Meet Director, explained that the competition is a race to a goal, with a different task announced at a briefing every morning. Daily tasks are designed to take three or four hours for the winner to complete, and often include turnpoints, so they might look like a dogleg or a zigzag or even a triangle. The longest task ever called at Big Spring was 215 miles, with five pilots making goal. But normal tasks are more commonly between 100 miles and 150 miles. During the competition the Terminal office usually has some information about daily activities: (432) 264-2362.

“There are two reasons we keep coming back to Big Spring: the weather, and the community,” said Boulter, noting that this will be the sixteenth time for this event. “There are very few places in the world with such consistent, excellent flying conditions. And the support of the community is unique — visitors from other regions or other countries are always amazed at the genuine welcome we find in Big Spring and will agree there's no place like it.” She pointed out that many local volunteers work hard to make the competition a success.

Giving Back to the Community
In fact, the pilots have shown their gratitude in recent years by raising money for the Rainbow Room, a project of the Howard County Child Welfare Board. By mid-June they had already raised over six thousand dollars to buy children’s beds, car seats and other supplies for children in foster care and other children in crisis.
The contributions are funneled through the Cloudbase Foundation, a charity organized by hang glider and paraglider pilots to give back to the communities where they fly.
“Every pilot who has been to Big Spring has great memories of flying there,” said Boulter. “They know this is not a wealthy town, and they see everything the local people do for us. Many of these donations are from people who can’t be here this year, but they still want to say thank you to the people of Big Spring.”

Tandem Discovery Flights
It's possible for spectators to take tandem "discovery" flights with a qualified instructor, and this has proven to be very popular. These flights take place in the early morning or the evening, before or after the other event activities and when the air is smoother. The cost is $125, with a souvenir video available for an additional $30. All flying is weather-dependent, and reservations are advised: call Lori Brown at 352-874-5742 or Russell Brown at 352-516-8616 (Eastern Time).

For more information on the event:
Contact:  Belinda Boulter, Co-Organizer 2018 Big Spring Nationals, at 863-206-7707 (Mountain Time) or email belinda@davisstraub.com 

https://airtribune.com/2018-big-spring-national-series/info/details__info 

For information on Tandem Discovery Flights:
Contact:  Lori Brown, Quest Air Soaring Center, at 352-874-5742 (Eastern Time)