Welcome to the Kitty Hawk Kites  Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games news updates section. Here you will find the latest news items and also an archive of all news updates! If you would like to post a relevant news update with us contact Bruce Weaver.

2008
March 2008

2007
May 2007
March 2007

2006
March 2006

2005
February 2005

2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004

2003
October 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003

2002
November 2002
October 2002

News Updates

March 2008
03/18/08
This years Kitty Hawk Kites Film festival will feature the "private pre-release screening" of "Big Blue Sky" a history of hang gliding documentary by Bill Liscomb. The screening will be open to all who attend the Spectacular.

The 2007 instructor reunion attracted over 60 instructor alumni (the largest reunion yet), thanks in large part to the efforts of Billy Vaughn tracking everybody down and G.W's website. They came from all over the U.S. and even Europe!

2007 Spectacular information:

2007 Advanced Division winners
1. Billy Vaughn 2. George Reeves 3. Ryan Voight

Novice Division winners
1. Dylan Sirbaugh 2. Chuck Sinon 3. Travis Hall

2007 Advanced Division Fact:
Billy finally won after coming in 2nd like 6(?) times.

2007 tie results:
There was a 6 way tie for 2nd that was decided with a fly-off. Those tied for 2nd after regulation= george reeves,Peter Dreher, Rob Bachman, Ryan Voight, Steve Wendt, and Tom Webster.

2007 Novice Division Fact:
Dylan and Travis are both form Oklahoma.

Remembering Gertrude Sugden Rogallo
January 13, 1914-January 28, 2008
(ninety-four)

May 2007
05/14/07
Some new updates for the 2007 Spectacular have been announced.
-The Rogallo Dinner on Sunday will not be a barb-b-Q. It will be a buffet sponsored by the Weeping Radish!
-The street dance will have a beer tent by the Weeping Radish, and hamburgers and hotdogs by Sooeys!
-At 11am on Friday, we will be dedicating the wooden life size kite flier that is out by the road at Nags Head!

March 2007
03/01/07
There is a new instructor reunion website for those who have taught hang gliding at Kitty Hawk Kites. 2007 plans to be the biggest and best reunion ever. If you were ever going to come back, do it this year! Check out our site here. http://www.khkalumni.com

March 2006
03/22/06
Spectacular website updated. Please let us know if there are any errors or changes needed.

February 2005
02/24/05
Spectacular website updated. Please let us know if there are any errors or changes needed.

April 2004

04/30/04
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Johanna Stein (252) 441-1719 ext. 208
jstein@kittyhawk.com

April 26, 2004
FLASH BACK TO THE 70?s WITH THE HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR STREET DANCE

NAGS HEAD, NC ? Break out the bellbottoms and grow your sideburns because it is time for a Spectacular 70?s Street Celebration sponsored by Kitty Hawk Kites, OBX, and Beach 104 FM. This groovy gathering is part of the 32nd Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular, which flashes back to the summer of 1973. Get down and boogie Saturday May 16th at Kitty Hawk Kites Nags Head MP 12 ½. This free funky concert is open for all to get their groove on with 70?s sensations the Johnny Rocket Band from 8 PM to 11 PM and a ton of prizes for the foxiest 70?s lady and the grooviest 70?s man in our costume contest with a grand prize mini adventure vacation courtesy of the Ramada Plaza Nags Head.

The Hang Gliding Spectacular competition begins on the 14th of May where over 40 competitors from all over the world will travel to Kitty Hawk Kites in the Outer Banks of North Carolina to fly for three days on the dunes at Jockey?s Ridge. Then the event moves to the Kitty Hawk Kites Flight Park at the Currituck County Airport for one day of aero towing competition, which is a mix of duration and altitude contests. During this portion of the event there will be seminars and hang glider demos.

Other portions of the event include the Just Fly Film Festival and the World Wide Terry Sweeny Hang Gliding Video contest for the year?s best hang gliding footage at the Pit on Friday May 15th starting at 8pm. But for those who want to get funky head down to the Woody Jones Memorial Street dance and 70?s costume contest hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites, OBX, and Beach 104 FM.

For more information about the Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air games go to the official home page at
http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/ . Kitty Hawk Kites, the world?s largest hang gliding school, operates 16 locations on the Outer Banks from Corolla through Ocracoke and has been teaching the world to fly since 1974. For more information call us at (877) FLY THIS or check us out on the web at www.kittyhawk.com .

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04/05/04
The requests are coming in for a single surface 70's style division and the good news is the will be just that! Bring those old Standards or any single surface 70's hang glider and compete around a special course just for the old gliders! We're talkin' low and slow earth momma! There will be some groovy awards just like the other divisions! If you've never seen a bunch of old kites fly with people strapped in on a swing seat, then this years competition is for you!

March 2004
03/08/04
Everyone is getting ready for this years "Classic" Hang Gliding Spectacular with people bringing old glider's, old equipment, long hair, lava lamps and anything from the "old" days of hang gliding! It's rumored that Doug Haber AKA (Houg Daber) and Kenny Brown AKA (Benny Krown) are not cutting their hair until after the event so it should be quite authentic! Stay tuned for updates!
Update 2007: Doug did, Kenny didn't!

February 2004
02/11/04
This years event will take on the far out feel of the 70's!  Everyone should be prepared for a blast from the past. We are planning on having the entire Spectacular immerged in the look and feel of the early days of hang gliding. Everything from old gliders and equipment to a 70's style street dance and band. We encourage everyone to bring those old kites and be prepared to show them off or if your up to it, go for it and actually fly them. There will be old gliders from Moyes, Wills

October 2003 Back to top

10/07/03:
- New Photo of the month added to the Fun Page

- KHK instructor Mountain trip November 3-4 2003 (Monday and Tuesday)

Useful Mountain Trip Links
Woodstock (NW) directions and site info
Woodstock photo
Woodstock Approach photo
Daniels (SSW) directions and site info
HighPeak Flight Park 434-401-3434 Greg Mick
We could fly at this flight park if it's not flyable anywhere else. call Greg first.
Map to High Peak Flight Park 81 S to 64 E towards Charlottesville. 29 S towards Amherst and Lynchburg. You will need to make a U-Turn on 29 just after the 1st Amherst exit. Look for small green street sign: Airsports drive. Follow until you see the flight park. (If you get to Lynchburg, give up flying!)

The CVHGA waivers:

Woodstock/ Daniels wavier (Do not fly Daniels without permission!)
Pilots interested in flying CVHGA sites in central Virginia (such as Daniel's, Massanutten, Massanutten Peak, Tobacco Row, and Reddish Knob) must contact a member of the CVHGA in order to obtain the appropriate waivers and site protocol information. As of August 2002, these contacts were:

Greg DeWolf 434-293-9343
Rich Lawrence 434-361-1425
Nelson Lewis 434-977-3811(w) 434-977-1068(h)
Billy Vaughan 434-975-1134
Roger Ritenour not-provided
Greg Mick 434-401-3434
 

All instructors are invited. We will plan to fly at Woodstock and camp at Creekside campground 108 Palmyra Road P.O. Box 277 Edinburg, Virginia
22824-0277 Phone (540) 984-4299 or (540) 984-8471 or Mobile: 540-975-9274
e-mail: cscamp@shentel.net

Creekside directions: Located only 2 miles off Interstate 81!
From Washington, D.C. - take I-66 to its junction with I-81. Take I-81 South to Exit 279, Edinburg. Then take Route 675 East to Route 11. Turn right onto Route 11 South for approximately 3/4 mile, turn left onto Palmyra Church Road for 9/10 mile, then turn left onto Palmyra Road for 1/2 mile to Creekside Campground.

Note: Some people will be staying in this hotel 
Hotel: Budget Host Inn & 7 Bends restaurant
US Highway 11 S
Woodstock, VA 22664
Phone: (540)459-4086 Map | Directions
 

August 2003 Back to top

08/29/03: New Photo of the month added to the Fun Page

 

June 2003 Back to top

06/20/03: 2003 Spectacular Winners and photos
Here are the long awaited photos form this years awesome comp! Stay tuned for more.
2003 Photo galleries
 

May 2003 Back to top

05/18/03: 2003 Spectacular Winners and photos coming soon/ parachute clinic
This Year's Spectacular winners and photos will be posted on this website soon!
Parachute Clinic with Betty Pfeiffer
Tuesday, May 20 (Free for everyone)
Wednesday, May 21 (Available if you are signed up for the ICP)

05/12/03: What's in store for the 2003 Spectacular
This Year is packed with new action and excitement. We have planned the event to work with the advanced and novice divisions flying together with two courses set up at the same time. Weather permitting.

We also have a new event called the Wright brother's ring grab contest. We'll let you think about that one until the event. We also will be having team relay's with advanced and novice divisions working together.
 
So far the response has been great and it looks like we'll have a lot of new pilots this year. Also the Terry Sweeney video contest is shaping out to be a lot of fun!

Oh, One more thing. Doug and Shelly will be getting married on the dunes May 17th at 9:30! The reception will be at the street dance!


April 2003 Back to top

04/09/03: New photo of the month sent in by: Tony Verhulst
1975 Tactile Flight Meet sent in by:Tony Verhulst
See the Fun page for all photos of the month

04/09/03: New photo galley sent in by: Tony Verhulst
1975 Tactile Flight Meet dune competition sent in by:Tony Verhulst

04/01/03 *Beginning hang gliding student thermals out of Jockey's Ridge by accident!
Here's an unbelievable story about a friend of mine who recently became the third person to
thermal out of Jockey' Ridge State Park in Nags Head NC. The crazy part is that it was all by accident! http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/rodney/

March 2003 Back to top

03/30/03: New Story added on Spectacular stories page. New pilot profile added.
1975 3rd Annual Tactile Flight Meet to Grandfather Mountain By: Tony Verhulst. Spectacular stories page

03/24/03: New information added on Facts and Trivia page.
As of 2003 there is a tie for for the most Spectacular wins between Steve Wendt (4 wins) and Ken Brown (4 wins). Steve won 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991 and Ken won 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998. Facts and Trivia Page

03/21/03: World Record Loop Attempt
World Record Loop Attempt Details

03/14/03: Capital Hang Gliding Association event update article added CHGA Volume 41 number 1
Articles page.

03/13/03: The The Terry Sweeney Video Contest deadline date has been extended from April 1 to May 1, 2003. If you need more time than this, please contact bruce@kittyhawk.com. All VHS tapes must be received by Kitty Hawk Kites on or before the deadline dates to be eligible for the contest.

February  2003 Back to top

02/02/03: Videos are starting to pour in for the World Wide Terry Sweeney Video Contest! Remember our deadline has been changed to May 1, 2003.
Learn about the World Wide Terry Sweeney Video Contest
Winner receives $250.00 cash!

02/01/03: The world grieves for the 7 astronauts lost in the Columbia Space Shuttle Mission STS-107 disaster on February 1, 2003. As Hang gliding pilots we have strong roots in NASA and Mr. Rogallo who was a NASA Engineer and the father of the Flexible wing also know as the Hang glider. Below is a Yahoo group created about the STS107 Columbia Space disaster.

November 2002 Back to top

11/09/02: New pilot profiles added. Everett Bacon

11/06/02: Hang gliding loop contest to be held at the Hang Gliding Spectacular May 16-19, 2003
Details to be announced soon!