What's the minimum clearance you have to maintain above or below a cloud?
a) 500 feet
b) 1000 feet
c) 2000 feet
d) 5000 feet

What's the minimum clearance you have to maintain horizontally from a cloud?
a) 500 feet
b) 1000 feet
c) 2000 feet
d) 5000 feet

Can you define the types of airspace?

Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E
Class G

How late in the day can we fly hang gliders, paragliders or ultralights?
a) Till sunset
b) Till a half-hour before sunset
c) Till a half-hour after sunset
d) Any time there's a full moon

How can we fly later?
a) Throw a flare
b) Throw a smoke bomb
c) Throw a fit
d) Carry a strobe light
e) Tell them to turn on the car lights in the LZ

FAR Part 103.11 DAYLIGHT OPERATIONS
A. No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except between the hours of sunrise and sunset.
B. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, ultralight vehicles may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset or, in Alaska, during the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac, if:
1) the vehicle is equipped with an operating anti-collision light visible for at least 3 statute miles; and
2) all operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace.

From: http://www.ushga.org/documents/sop/sop-12-04-02-02.pdf
-Dallas Willis

We can fly under 103 until official sunset (Approx 4:50 MDT right now) without strobes active. That's the legality. The strobes let you go 1/2 hour after. Right now, I can fly with strobes legally until 5:20 MDT. Powered Ul's and hang gliders fall in the same category, makes no difference in time of flight.
-Frank Dempsey

HG question: You're flying in high wind ridge lift and want to top land downwind in the flats . What do you need to do? Include "minimum altitude", "distance" back to LZ and "speed" to fly.

a - Minimum altitude
b - How far back
c - bar position
Frank
Fri, December 19, 2003 12:49 pm

Frank, from what I have learned on my last two horrific siutatuion I would say the following A- high enough to be on final past the rotor, B- far enough that you are out of the rotor by the time you are on final C- WAY BACK! REALLY, REALLY fast. The gradient, the speed loss in the turn etc is amazing and before you (I) know it the landing is cross or down wind. The specifics on numbers, I belive would depend on site conditions cliff vs slope, wind speed, distance to LZ etc.
andrew

Hey Frank, Good question. This may not be the right answer, I am not sure that there is even a single correct answer as we all know wind speed and direction dictates energy associated with rotor and the shape of the slope is also a variable as to how ferocious a rotor is going to be but here are a few general guidlines. I almost alway's want to be at least half the height of the slope before going back, example: Sandia is 4k high, I want to be 2k over before going over, more if the relative wind is strong. I am talking wind not thermal gusts.
As far as how far do you go back the same variables dictate different answers. Generally speaking, 5 times the height of slope. Example: La bajada is 600 ft so you want to go back 3000 feet or somewhere between 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile. More if it is really strong, less if it is really lite.
Now, what do once you go over. Best results I have experienced is make any turns high, long strait final into the wind, extra speed to compensate for gradient and allow maximum manuverability without causing PIO's. Trim speed plus 5-10 mph is my preference. A good way is to keep one hand on base tube and one on the downtube so that you still maintain good pitch control while still getting partially upright until you enter ground effect. Using this method will help you maintain good speed and directional control when you get hammered by the inevitable rotor scraps you will encounter. No matter what you do, keep it pointed into the wind and don't use your face as the landing gear. Other than that, just expect to get tossed and be ready to react.
lemon

To top land far back on flats:
All you need to do is:
- get as high as you can
- slow down a little on the way back so you cover more ground

But to find out if you'll become a Christmas ornament on a big tree:

- If you aren't sure you are going to make it, you can find out quick by looking at your last high obstacle. After 3-5 secs you can see if the obstacle is rising or sinking (in the angle of 90 degrees from the horizon in front of you, Zero degrees is straight down). If the obstacle starts at 60 degrees and moves down to 45 degrees, you'll make it over that obstacle. If the obstacle rises to 70 degrees or does not move either way, you must immediately hunt for a bail out LZ.

And this does not rule out you may hit hard sink after it looks like a sure thing.

I once went over those very high cross country power lines with about 30ft of clearance using this method.
zolt

What types of airspace surround the Sandia Mountains, including our LZs?