Near Collision with Paraglider on Tow

Saw this a while ago, it's still a butt-clenching moment (butt-clenching is in the Firefox spell-check dictionary?!). A lot of luck involved.
 
From the comments it sounds like it happened in Europe, and I don't know the regs there.
 
Look at the video real close and use the pause feature on the slow mo close up. The rope goes through the wing?

Is it fake?
 
roncachamp said:
If you're correct you must know where this took place. Where?



Free airspace? What's that?
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iirc it was Sweden. Doesn't matter, paragliders, hanggliders, and sailplanes are winched up throughout the US. They are free to do so and motorplanes are free to fly by. The only thing that will save you is looking outside. Paraglider winches are such that any open road can be launched from with little set up time. Open your eyes man and point them outside, we no gots sponders, we invisible to pilot tv.
 
ClimbnSink said:
iirc it was Sweden. Doesn't matter, paragliders, hanggliders, and sailplanes are winched up throughout the US. They are free to do so and motorplanes are free to fly by. The only thing that will save you is looking outside. Paraglider winches are such that any open road can be launched from with little set up time. Open your eyes man and point them outside, we no gots sponders, we invisible to pilot tv.
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It does matter where it happened. In the US, the maximum altitude for the kite and the minimum altitude for the airplane are both 500' AGL. At least one of them would be illegal here, I don't know about Sweden.
 
It was a miss. Plane was low to avoid airspace, paragliding club has a usual winch operation from that field and had asked for airspace or notams of some sort after a previous near miss. They were ignored but are asking again now have some evidence of an issue.
 
roncachamp said:
It does matter where it happened. In the US, the maximum altitude for the kite and the minimum altitude for the airplane are both 500' AGL. At least one of them would be illegal here, I don't know about Sweden.
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Kite? What kite? There was no kite in the video. What do kites have to do with this?

Gliders getting launched on winches like this one can get over 1500 AGL.
 
roncachamp said:
It does matter where it happened. In the US, the maximum altitude for the kite and the minimum altitude for the airplane are both 500' AGL. At least one of them would be illegal here, I don't know about Sweden.
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Nope. There is no limit on how high we can winch gliders, paragliders and hanggliders in the US. Paraglider winches generally come with 5,000' of line, although half that is more usual tow height. You gotta look outside buddy there are things out there not on the charts, not on radar, and not on tv.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Kite? What kite? There was no kite in the video. What do kites have to do with this?
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§1.1 General definitions.

Kite means a framework, covered with paper, cloth, metal, or other material, intended to be flown at the end of a rope or cable, and having as its only support the force of the wind moving past its surfaces.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Nope. There is no limit on how high we can winch gliders, paragliders and hanggliders in the US. Paraglider winches generally come with 5,000' of line, although half that is more usual tow height. You gotta look outside buddy there are things out there not on the charts, not on radar, and not on tv.
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§101.13 Operating limitations.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate a moored balloon or kite—

(1) Less than 500 feet from the base of any cloud;

(2) More than 500 feet above the surface of the earth;

(3) From an area where the ground visibility is less than three miles; or

(4) Within five miles of the boundary of any airport.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to the operation of a balloon or kite below the top of any structure and within 250 feet of it, if that shielded operation does not obscure any lighting on the structure.
 
They are not kites and not limited to 500'
 
roncachamp said:
§101.13 Operating limitations.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate a moored balloon or kite—

(1) Less than 500 feet from the base of any cloud;

(2) More than 500 feet above the surface of the earth;

(3) From an area where the ground visibility is less than three miles; or

(4) Within five miles of the boundary of any airport.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to the operation of a balloon or kite below the top of any structure and within 250 feet of it, if that shielded operation does not obscure any lighting on the structure.
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Hmm, so I suppose by this logic gliders are kites, too. Heh, they need to change the name of the place to "kiteport" hahaha.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Hmm, so I suppose by this logic gliders are kites, too. Heh, they need to change the name of the place to "kiteport" hahaha.
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The difference between a glider and a kite is the tether.


§1.1 General definitions.

Glider means a heavier-than-air aircraft, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces and whose free flight does not depend principally on an engine.
 
roncachamp said:
Because you say so? They fit the definition of kites.
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I don't think they fit the definition of "moored" just because they're tied to something on the ground (i.e. winch or two vehicle). Moored generally implies a fixed (non moving) attachment.
 
gismo said:
I don't think they fit the definition of "moored" just because they're tied to something on the ground (i.e. winch or two vehicle). Moored generally implies a fixed (non moving) attachment.
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I don't think the FAA would agree with you.

§101.1 Applicability.

(a) This part prescribes rules governing the operation in the United States, of the following:

(1) Except as provided for in §101.7, any balloon that is moored to the surface of the earth or an object thereon and that has a diameter of more than 6 feet or a gas capacity of more than 115 cubic feet.

(2) Except as provided for in §101.7, any kite that weighs more than 5 pounds and is intended to be flown at the end of a rope or cable.

(3) Any amateur rocket except aerial firework displays.

(4) Except as provided for in §101.7, any unmanned free balloon that—

(i) Carries a payload package that weighs more than four pounds and has a weight/size ratio of more than three ounces per square inch on any surface of the package, determined by dividing the total weight in ounces of the payload package by the area in square inches of its smallest surface;

(ii) Carries a payload package that weighs more than six pounds;

(iii) Carries a payload, of two or more packages, that weighs more than 12 pounds; or

(iv) Uses a rope or other device for suspension of the payload that requires an impact force of more than 50 pounds to separate the suspended payload from the balloon.

(b) For the purposes of this part, a gyroglider attached to a vehicle on the surface of the earth is considered to be a kite.
 
Gliders are aircraft and hang gliders and paragliders are air vehicles(pt 103) none of them are kites even when on a string. You will find them above 500' and closer then 5 miles to an airport. The FAA is well aware of this and doesn't care because it is legal.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Gliders are aircraft and hang gliders and paragliders are air vehicles(pt 103) none of them are kites even when on a string. You will find them above 500' and closer then 5 miles to an airport. The FAA is well aware of this and doesn't care because it is legal.
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See message #27.
 
roncachamp said:
I don't think the FAA would agree with you.
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Cool.

I always thought I needed a glider rating to fly a glider, but since you don't need any kind of certificate to ride a kite, then I can fly a glider all I want as long as it is winch launched?

But it is strange that the FAA requires a ground launch endorsement when you don't need a ticket at all.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Cool.

I always thought I needed a glider rating to fly a glider, but since you don't need any kind of certificate to ride a kite, then I can fly a glider all I want as long as it is winch launched?

But it is strange that the FAA requires a ground launch endorsement when you don't need a ticket at all.
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There is much that is not as you thought it to be.
 
McNicoll knows not of what he speaks (types), re: gliders, hangliders, parasails and winching.

Unless he's just having a good chuckle.
 
Paragliders are not gyrogliders. So they don't fall under (b)
 
EdFred said:
Paragliders are not gyrogliders. So they don't fall under (b)
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And it is reassuring to know that Uboats can't tow their observation gyrogliders higher then 500' another win for US shipping.:lol:
 
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