On Monday, November 2, 2015 at 6:47:32 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
On Monday, November 2, 2015 at 5:57:35 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Monday, November 2, 2015 at 5:19:40 PM UTC-5, wrote:


The geometry of the site at HH is not suitable for bungee launches unless one wants to crash in the scenic overlook.

I was hoping that a bungee launch would clear the scenic overlook and put you 700 feet above the valley floor.

Thanksgiving weekend, downwind take-off (towards the valley), 1-26 behind a Pacer........ we were mid valley before the "cheering crowd" saw us visible again above the trees blocking their view.
Many years ago, there was a metal post near the brow of the hill @HHSC, it had a pulley for auto tows........ I never saw it used.
Frankly, (regardless of what I've done in the past), not quite sure I would do a bungee launch from there...... even in a very light sailplane.....

Ask Corky, Heinz (either one), Tim Welles, Dave Welles, etc. to see if they remember a bungee launch off HHSC.

I vaguely remember watching an attempted bungee launch on Harris Hill during the 1946 Nats (I was 8 years old). It did not go well & the pilot was injured.That same year there were demonstrations of troop glider snatch pickups by C-47s. Contest launches in 1946 were by winch, the last time winches were used in U.S. national contests. In earlier Elmira contests before HH was developed, bungee launches were made from the Rhodes Farm, South Mountain, East Hill & a couple of other locations.