Powered parachute, trike, gyroplane...Â* All better than a glider for low
altitude skimming and, at your age, how much time do you want to spend
building?

I'm 72 and recently completed building a gyroplane kit which I've now
flown about 70 hours.Â* It's such a pleasure to skim along the ground,
well, high enough not to get caught by power lines, but low enough to
see the prong horn antelope in the vast open spaces to the east of
Moriarty.Â* Tomorrow my wife and I will be launching around 0630 with a
plan of flying east to Santa Rosa and then following the Pecos River up
to Pecos before coming home.

Oh, and it took all of three intense weeks to build the kit.

On 8/20/2020 9:59 AM, Herbert Kilian wrote:
On Thursday, August 20, 2020 at 8:36:46 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 6:59:00 PM UTC-6, wrote:
How do you intend to launch it? If it is the Sands Primary glider (as suggested in a previous post), foot launching is not an option (especially at age 71.) Aerotow from either the commercial operator like Sundance Aviation or the Albuquerque Soaring Club in Moriarty is also a non-starter, as the speed and controllability is not compatible with the 265 HP Pawnee, Callair or AgWagon. Not to mention the 6,200 ft. field elevation with density altitude above 9,000 ft. in the summer.

I flew hang gliders in New Mexico for almost thirty years before switching to sailplanes in 2000. I can assure you there are no sites accessible for a Primary glider and bungee launch. And there are no winch launch operations. Looks like auto tow is the last option, and that presents a whole new set of challenges.

Think carefully before embarking on this endeavor.
There are places here near bluewater lake.... it's doable plus a easy launch site up near Crownpoint. Other than my back i am in very good shape... ultralights could be an option too... i dont care if i only fly a few hundred feet above the sagebrush. One way or another i will do it. I have zero interest in the absurdly expensive soaring high end stuff. Not what im looking for. I want to skim the tops of the sagebrush not much more than that.... don't care about thermals ushering me up to 40,000 feet, just a nice fun glide.
Bluewater, you may want to consider a powered parachute. "Skimming the sage brush' in any kind of glider is a recipe for disaster.

--
Dan, 5J