Please help rebuild the historic TTT launch ramp!

Greetings foot-launch soaring enthusiasts!

Please help us cover the costs of revamping our hang gliding launch ramp.

Who We Are

The Tennessee Tree Toppers is a non-profit soaring club dedicated to hang gliding and paragliding in the beautiful Sequatchie Valley in southeastern Tennessee. The club has worked diligently since 1977 to provide and preserve soaring opportunities for hang glider and paraglider pilots from all over the world. We are a registered chapter of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA), the national self-regulating body for our sport. The TTT is designated as a non-profit 501(c)(7) social and recreational club but please know that donations are not tax-deductible.

Why we are posting a ‘Go Fund Me’

We are in the early stages of repairing and upgrading the launch ramp used for launching hang gliders from the Henson Gap flying site and we are looking for donations to make this massive, labor-intensive task happen as efficiently as possible. Pilots from all over the world have been using this uniquely designed ramp for almost 50 years. We want the ramp to provide another 50 years of safe, dream-like flight for future generations of hang glider pilots and also allow the non-flying public to watch the peaceful soaring activities above the Sequatchie Valley.

Our Goal

We would like to raise $10K specifically for the materials and tools to ‘revamp the ramp’ so that it provides a safe structure for foot-launching a hang glider, for years to come. Any size of donation will help with this intensive project. We are not hiring any contractors to perform this difficult work, but we have dedicated club members and supportive friends working their muscles to make this happen. Working on the ramp brings us closer together as a club and a sense of accomplishment is being felt by everyone involved. Even if you are not a soaring pilot, please visit our area and see where your donation goes. The view is spectacular, and the flying is some of the best in the country.

Ramp History

The history of the Tennessee Tree Topper’s radial ramp goes back to the autumn of 1978, a year after the Window Rock Rd. property was purchased. A large rectangular ramp was constructed to extend out from the rock face into the airflow. Rectangular ramps were the standard design for launching hang gliders in those days, but these ramps create turbulence due to their flat shape. Dennis Van Dam conceptualized a radial shape for a new ramp design in 1981 and construction of the new design started in the spring of 1982. The completed ramp was a true wonder in the world of hang gliding. The completed project was an elegant design and recognized by pilots from all around the world as improving the safety factor for foot-launching hang gliders from a mountain.

The underlying structure required upgrading from wood to steel and in 1991 the rear section structure was replaced with steel trusses. In 2007, the radial portion of the structure required expensive curved steel struts to improve the longevity of this critical apart of the ramp structure. The deck boards were degrading and needed replacement at this time as well. The cost was immense ($32,000 then, $50,000 in today’s dollars) but contributions from American and Canadian pilots and a matching contribution from Jim Lamb made this major ‘Revamp 2007’ happen.

Revamp the Ramp 2025

The ramp is now 47 years old, and the primary steel structure has aged well. However, hundreds of pressurized decking boards are breaking down and need replacement. There are also a couple thousand stainless steel bolts securing the boards that need replacing (the old bolts have to be individually ground off). The manual labor is massive and is being performed by volunteering club members and friends.

Thank You!

Thank you for considering a donation to this important project. You can keep track of our ‘Revamp the Ramp 2025’ effort and learn more about our free-flight activities by visiting the Tennessee Tree Topper's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Tennesseetreetoppers

and our club website: https://tennesseetreetoppers.org/