Airborn may 2018 issu

Issue 206; May, June, July 2018

Flying Bir, India Cecil Peak Mission Omarama XC Classic

7.50 Including GST

$

9 771170 992006

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING

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any pilots visit flying sites outside their own region. To ensure that you don’t jeopardise arrangements between land owners and local flyers you must ALWAYS check with local pilots BEFORE flying.

That way you won’t upset land owners or pilots, you will be shown all the best sites and will be welcome back. We don’t publish site names and locations

because flying sites have been lost by visiting flyers who have upset land owners. To assist travelling pilots, people wishing to learn to fly or to contact hang gliding and paragliding clubs, here is a list of people who can help you.

Those on the list or wishing to be listed, should contact their Club Secretaries who should keep Airborn and the NZHGPA website updated of changes of contact details.

NORTHLAND H.G.P.C. C/- Guntram Gross 1 Brook Road Whangarei Email: skywalk@igrin.co.nz Pres, Airsp; Shane Gross...............09 436 0268 Sec/Treas; Guntram Gross.............09 436 0268 PGSO; Wolfgang Harder................09 403 7594 HGSO; Stephen Chambers............09 430 3689 Herman Ahrens...............................09 432 9333

MANAWATU H.G.P.C. C/- Andrew Brownlie 11 Hollows Crescent Takaro Palmerston North 4412 Email: flyer.rosscoe@gmail.com Pres, Airsp: Ricky Winduss (Wanganui) .......................... 06 345 7659, or 027 447 4117 Sec/Treas, HGSO: Ross Gray......021 126 0892 PGSO: Andrew Brownlie ...........027 444 8911

AUCKLAND H.G.P.C. PO Box 47813 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144 Email: info@cloudbase.org.nz www.cloudbase.org.nz Pres: Stefan Sebregts .................027 225 2255 Sec: Graham Surrey ..................021 0262 5023 Treas: Malcolm Dawson...............021 052 1568 HGSO: Fraser Bull .......................027 801 4044 PGSO: Reuben Muir.......................09 446 0020 Airsp: Leslie Graham .....................09 579 6485 Stefan Sebregts ...........................021 266 1287 Steve Price ....................................021 781 828 Eva Keim .......................................09 446 0051 Skywings Paragliding ....................09 570 5757 Aqua Air Adventure Hang Gliding.. 027 288 0193 Wings And Waves Paragliding ......09 446 0020

BAY OF PLENTY H.G.P.C. C/-Dominique Le Sellin 41, Ririnui Place, Maungatapu Tauranga 3112 Email: bophangparaclub@gmail.com www.facebook.com/BOPHangGlidingParagliding Pres: Dave Washer.......................0275 992 934 Sec: Dominique Le Sellin...................... 021 617 111 PGSO: Darrell Packe........................027 249 2702 HGSO: James Low.......................021 102 5004 Airsp: Rhys Akers.........................021 177 7563 Sites: Dave Shaw...........................07 575 9560 Kiwi Air.........................................021 1046 208 Mount Paragliding........................027 249 2702

WAIKATO H.G.P.C. Inc. C/- Ian Manton PO Box 131, Matamata 3440 Email: ian@imatec.co.nz Pres: Mark McDonald...................020 444 9995 Sec/Treas: ................ Ian Manton 027 546 2832 PGSO: Bruce Vickerman ...............07 868 4991 HGSO: Rick Hawkeswood.............07 868 6250 Airsp: Neil Howe.............................07 304 9631

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KEY Pres; .............................................. President

Sec; ............................ Secretary/Treasurer PGSO; ............. Paragliding Safety Officer HGSO; .......... Hang Gliding Safety Officer CFI;...........................Chief Flying Instructor Airsp;.................................Airspace Officer

AORANGI H.G.C. C/- Tom Knewstubb PO Box 5976 Dunedin Pres, Airsp; Kevin McManus........021 134 0463 Sec, HGSO; Tom Knewstubb (wk) 027 289 6103 PGSO: Lisa Bradley......................021 156 3256 SOUTHERN H.G.P.C. C/- Mark Hardman PO Box 1122, Queenstown 9348 Email: admin@southernclub.co.nz www.southernclub.co.nz Pres; Tim Brown...........................021 182 4243 Sec: Melanie Heather...................021 204 0163 Treas: Kat Cerna.........................021 0291 0851 PGSO: Blake Round.....................027 367 7679 HGSO: Pete Helliwell .........................................

Sites: Cathal McLoughlin...........021 024 00350 Events: Chris Shaw......................021 051 2905 IT/Web: Daniel Diaz Rizo....................................

Airsp: David Hansen...........................................

Craig Smith...................................027 343 3537 Helen Jeffery................................022 303 2738 Mark Hardman................................021 809 275 Coronet Peak Tandem PG & HG..0800 467 325 Skytrek Hang Gliding & Paragliding.0800 759 873 Extreme Air............................ 0800 PARAGLIDE Infinity Paragliding School..........021 0228 2939 Paraventures Paragliding...............021 809 275

Photo; xxxxx xxxxx

TARANAKI FREE FLYERS C/- Dennis Green 38 Kaitake Rd RD4, New Plymouth Pres, Sec, HGSO, Airsp; Dennis Green .......................................................06 752 7618 John H. Morgan..............................06 759 4262

MARLBOROUGH H.G.P.C. C/- Richard Evans PO Box 546 Blenheim Email: evans.r@xtra.co.nz Pres, Airsp: Jason Gluer.............021 0824 7543 Sec/Treas: Richard Evans..............021 648 783 HGSO: John Urlich: .......................03 577 8886 PGSO: Russell Read....................027 448 0888

CANTERBURY H.G.P.C. Inc. C/- Cliff Swailes 22 Hemingway Place, Spencerville, Christchurch 8083 Email: cliffflyer@gmail.com www.chgpc.org.nz Pres: Simon Corbett.................... 021 205 0878 Sec/Treas; Cliff Swailes................021 204 9960 PGSO; Sam Bartholomew .............021 819 755 HGSO; Max Gebhardt................. 022 159 6101 Sites PG; Rob Kennedy................021 220 7993 Sites HG; Reece Fisher..................021 806 390 Airsp; Peter Taylor........................021 066 9886 Website; Stephen O’Shaughnessy.03 326 7373 Canty HG School; Bill Degen.......021 247 2676 Cloudbase Paragliding.................027 532 4874 Nimbus Paragliding......................027 432 4874 ParaPro.........................................0800 548 323

xxx xxxx

HAWKES BAY H.G.P.C. Inc. 30 Kaweka Place Havelock North 4130 Email: hbhgpc@gmail.com www.soarhawkesbay.co.nz Pres, Rebecca Rae.........................021 605 204 Sec/Treas: Duncan McNab..........027 624 6434 Airsp: Shaun Gilbert.....................022 477 8804 PGSO: Sam Elkink..........................06 824 3123 HGSO: Ross MacKay.....................06 877 2052 Sites Liason; Euan Talbot ..............06 877 8999

WELLINGTON H.G.P.C. PO Box 9824 Marion Square Wellington 6141 www.whgpc.nz Email: info@whgpc.org.nz Pres: Chris Connolly ....................022 676 5599 Past Pres: Kris Ericksen...............021 116 4558 Sec/Treas: Grant Firth................... 021 422 698 PGSO: Adrian Watts.......................021 981 855 HGSO: Grant Tatham...................027 636 3491 Airsp: Ian Miller ............................022 176 8205 Communications; Vincent Audebert .....................................................022 186 8452 Oceania Paragliding School.........022 676 5599

TASMAN H.G.P.C. C/- Annett Teichner 1137 Motueka Valley Highway, RD1, Motueka 7196 Email: thgpgclub@gmail.com Pres; Josh Benjamin ....................021 136 5405 Sec; Annett Teichner..................021 0231 0755 Treas; Brian Erasmus .....................03 545 1003 PGSO; Greg Benjamin....................03 545 1543 PGSO; Pete Polansky ...................03 528 7374 HGSO; John King..........................03 548 8263 Site Owners; Tim Percival .............03 548 7397 Site Maintenance; Frog Twissell ....03 538 0339 Airsp; Claus Petry.........................021 250 4836 Nelson Paragliding.........................03 544 1182 Adventure Paragliding....................021 762 769 Hang Gliding NZ.............................03 540 2183 Tasman Sky Adventures...............027 229 9693

ISSN 1170-9928

printed on recycled paper

Magazine of the NEW Zealand Hang Gliding & Paragliding Assn. Inc. Published every three months for hang gliding and paragliding enthusiasts in New Zealand and abroad ● Subscription is by membership of NZHGPA (a

legal requirement for all hang glider and paraglider pilots in NZ) ● For non

flyer and foreign subscriptions please contact the NZHGPA Administrator for current rates, or see advertisement in this issue ● Opinions, claims and advice

expressed by authors and advertisers in this magazine are their own and are

not necessarily shared by the NZHGPA or the editor ● All articles, photos

and graphics are copyright to the author, photographer, editor or designer and may not be reproduced without their permission

Contributions All articles, photos, news items, press releases, safety tips and letters will be

gratefully accepted for publication ● Articles should preferably be computer text files in any unformatted word processor file. Airborn can use Apple Mac,

or Windows text files. You can send them by email, on flash drive, floppy, CD or DVD disc ● Printed, typed or written copy should be neat and legible, leaving space in margins and between lines. Please print/write on one side of the page

only ● Photos, discs, flash drives and articles will be returned if clearly marked 'to be returned' with your name and postal address

Advertising All advertising enquiries and payments to the editor ● Classified

advertisements are $0.50c per word to commercial operators and non-

NZHGPA members, personal classified advertisements are free to current

members who quote their PIN number ● Classified advertisements are

automatically deleted after each publication, for repeats please re-send or quote identifying words and phone number ● Advertisements for new hang

gliders and paragliders must state certification status and meet our standard

conditions ● For display and other advertising rates and conditions please contact the editor

Editing, Graphics; AeroDesign, Bill Degen

N.Z.H.G.P.A. INC., 46 Quail Rise, Stoke, Nelson 7011, New Zealand www.nzhgpa.org.nz

Administration and Licensing Chief Executive Officer

Evan Lamberton, 35A Manly Esplanade, Browns Bay, North Shore City 0630, 09 478 0063, 021 407833, ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz Administrator

Nicky Hamill, 46 Quail Rise, Stoke, Nelson 7011, 027 202 1806, admin@nzhgpa.org.nz Executive Committee President

Kyla MacDonald, phone 021 056 2320, president@nzhgpa.org.nz Vice President/Secretary

Derek Divers, 106 Lachlan Avenue, RD2, Wanaka 9382, 03 443 7190, 027 493 1112, vice-president@nzhgpa.org.nz Hang Gliding Operations Manager

Mark Alton, 167 Mahoenui Road, Coatesville, Auckland 0793, 022 195 5746, hg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Hang Gliding Training Manager

Grant Tatham, 4 Phillip St, Carterton, 5713, 06 379 7322, 027 636 3491, hg.training@nzhgpa.org.nz Paragliding Training Manager

Mark Hardman, 021 809 275, pg.training@nzhgpa.org.nz Paragliding Operations Manager

Blake Round, Queenstown, 027 367 7679, pg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Executive Member

Duncan Mcnab, 43 Guthrie Road, Havelock North 4130, 027-6246434, Duncan@magnificent.co.nz Appointed Officers National Airspace Officer

Nick Taber, 27 Strathaven Place, Dodson Valley, Atawhai, Nelson 7010. 03 545 0766, 021 420 742, nicktaber@hotmail.com Website Manager

Adriel Kind, 027 964 5397, adriel.nzhgpa@gmail.com Chief Medical Advisor

Samuel Bartholomew, 3A Dalleys Lane, Lyttleton, Christchurch 8082, bartholomew.sam@gmail.com Internal Auditor

Kris Ericksen, 11 Koromiko Road, Aro Valley, Wellington 6012, 04 938 6539, 021 116 4558, audit@nzhgpa.org.nz Disciplinary Committee Convenor

Kyla MacDonald, phone 021 056 2320, president@nzhgpa.org.nz Bookshop Manager

Evan Lamberton, 35A Manly Esplanade, Browns Bay, North Shore City 0630, 09 478 0063, 021 407833, ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz Hang Gliding Competition Committee

Mark Alton, 167 Mahoenui Road, Coatesville, Auckland 0793, 022 195 5746, markalton@yahoo.com Dennis Thorpe, dennis_thorpe@hotmail.com Max Gebhardt, 03 312 7899, 022 159 6101, aerosm@gmail.com Paragliding Competition Committee

Johnny Hopper (chair), 021 056 2275, nzhgpapcc@googlegroups.com Tim Brown, 03 442 5319, 021 182 4243, nzhgpapcc@googlegroups.com Wayne Rohrs, 021 663 383 nzhgpapcc@googlegroups.com

In This Issue...

India, Bir Billing Paragliding........................................................4 Rigid Wing Dream Machines.......................................................9 Cecil Peak Paragliding Mission.................................................12 Thrills, Risk and Dying...............................................................18 Omarama XC Classic.................................................................20 Accident Summaries..................................................................24

Printing; The Caxton Press

Safety Checks.............................................................................22

Airborn Magazine

Cross Country Championships...........................................26, 28

Please send advertisements, photos and articles to the editor:

Events, Site Notices...................................................................25

Classified Advertisements.........................................................30

Post:

Email:

99A Panorama Road Christchurch 8081 New Zealand

aero@xtra.co.nz

FRONT COVER: Flying the new Skywalk Tequila 5. Photo;

Skywalk

Next issue deadline: 31 June 2018 A

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India, Bir Billing

from a

First Timer, a Paraglider Pilot’s View by ‘Robbo’ Robinson

“H

ello!”

A boys voice bellowed out. I turned expecting to find a young man either wanting to start up a conversation to practice their English or someone putting their hand out for ‘a donation’. Nope, he was answering his cell phone. How times have changed!

There are different parts to this article, one is the paraglider flying I experienced and the hoops you have to jump through to fly and holiday in India, then there’s the ‘India’ factors. I want to keep it as brief as

Above; Friendly Tibetan Vultures Left; No words needed, the sign says it all Below; Dry, dusty, busy multi cultural take-off

possible (going to be hard) and with a higher number of NZ pilots travelling there each year you can easily find someone who lives nearby to talk to and share their knowledge and advice. I started asking two pilots who had been there recently which helped greatly with suggestions of airlines and travel to Bir, plus

Below; Downtown Bir, note many Taxis

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accommodation options. So thanks Bryan Moore and Anand.

We decided to fly Singapore Airlines, with an arrival time at New Delhi at 0510 hours this puts you in a good position to arrive in Bir that evening after the 10 hour taxi ride north.

Other local India travel options

Right; ‘Dharamsala City’ 50Kms from Bir

are available like National Airlines and buses but with excess weight costs and having to transport your gear through New Delhi, Pauline and I elected the taxi option with a direct pick up outside the airport arrival hall and a fare of 8000Irp. It was a small price to pay for the convenience. (note: 45Irp = NZ$1) This was our first introduction to the chaotic driving habits of Indian car, bus, motorcycle and truck drivers, this experience was to remain the ‘norm’ for the whole trip.

Visually sadly, India is very impoverished and polluted, rubbish is discarded everywhere, add air and noise pollution and it can be a bit overwhelming. You have to get used to being approached by beggars of all ages, but remember this is the ‘India factor’, (a term many tourists and pilots alike used to explain a difficult situation or ‘can’t explain that one’ moment).

The further north out of New Delhi we went, it seemed to calm down a bit but the driving habits kept you awake with many facial cringe moments had. In fact we were hit by a motorcycle (no one hurt) but after a two hour delay at a police station we were ready for some much needed

sleep when we finally reached our destination of Bir at 10pm.

Bir Billing Bir is the main village with Billing a short distance up the road, the latter being your first port of call if you wish to fly, as you need to register your details at the local government office.

This is a simple task if you have all the required documentation with you, this consists of two passport photos, copies of your NZ PG licence, passport, travel insurance, an indemnity form they supply and 500Irp per seven days flying period.

Although for some reason everyone

states they are there for only 7 days!

This documentation may seem a bit much but the Indian Government wants no responsibility or liability if you crash and injure yourself.

Within the first week of arriving an English pilot crashed with severe head injuries, luck would have it that a Russian pilot saw the event, landed and stayed overnight with him otherwise he would have died.

An army helicopter reached him late the next day, flew him to Dharamsala, then a week later another flight to New Delhi and yet another flight back to UK. Approximate cost

US$120,000. So yes you need Insurance.

With this documentation completed you may now legally fly!

The township of Bir is surrounded by tiered fields that look spectacular from above, the main road that splits the town centre is concrete with the landing field at one end and after a 1.5km walk (dodging moving vehicles and curious wandering dogs) to the other end there is one of the very few alcohol outlets.

Either side of the road you are well catered for with many food outlets, both local, European, Tibetan. Also

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Above; Late afternoon tandem with Pauline, Take-off behind

Above; On route to Dharamsala

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Below; Pauline pointing at Take-off from LZ

here you will find wide selection of accommodation choices.

The Indian Government has put in place a permit requirement if you wish to stay in certain hotels run by Tibetans. Everyone understands the unfairness of this permit because you need to travel to Dharamsala some 50kms away to apply for it.

Many visitors feel this is too hard and therefore choose to stay in Indian run accommodation instead, which is a shame as the local Tibetan run guest houses are quiet good. Try and make the effort if needed to gain this permit as it helps the Tibetan community greatly.

Do your accommodation homework, it is possible to contact your chosen guest house by phone and pre book. Complete this a few months prior to your departure if you want to stay at a specific place, (they get booked out quickly over the main flying season which is October to mid November). But don’t worry if you find yourself just turning up there, at the time of writing there was plenty of accommodation available even if you did have to move around a bit day by day to allow pre booked occupation.

We chose a guest house at the far end of the township, this was very quiet (no late night dogs barking) and the bottle shop was only 100 meters away). Prices range from approx 500Irp to 4500Irp. There are also many clothing shops on the main road so if you need some additional warm clothing it can be readily purchased. A paragliding shop is up a side road that can repair and replace paragliding equipment if needed. Note that if you intend on taking a gas cooker for bivouac

Above; Second passion, motorcycling flying many gas type canisters are not available locally so try another form of fuel burner.

Let’s go Flying When talking to Bryan he stated that Bir in his experience was the best place for any pilot to learn to thermal well or to start their flying career in cross country. Even after my first flight I could see what he meant and fully agree.

Sadly the taxis from the past (Austin Cambridge replicas) have all but gone and replaced by Suzuki Alto which with roof racks fitted will take three or maybe four pilots and gear up the 17km winding under reconstruction (means bumpy) road for a small cost of Irp 500. Most pilots get the phone number from their first taxi ride up the hill and call them as needed, this includes retrieves.

Blind corners and big drop offs are the norm as you ascend to the takeoff and with many taxis making this trip some hairy moments and heavy braking with close shaves are had but the drivers all seem to have an understanding and some how it just works with no accidents or scrapes.

Once at the top a short walk is required to the actual two take-off points, which until you have adapted to the high altitude takes your breath

Above; Just behind Take-off

away. A ‘Char’ (tea) room is there and you are greeted by a very happy proprietor whom has been there for over 30 years.

Having visions of high snow topped mountains and completing overly outrageous flights in my mind I was surprised to see bush covered mountains and a peek of the higher ranges beyond. I would describe it as a combination of the Kaimais and Treble Cone but much bigger if that makes sense. The range travels from east to west for what seemed forever but in fact really the flyable part is approx 100kms. 50kms to Dharamsala and 50kms in the other direction to Mandi.

Each large spine which reaches out into the flat lands from the mountains acts as a chimney for thermals. This means if you wanted to fly for 6 hours you could as these funnels of hot rising air are continuous. Pauline and I if we wished could have flown every day for the four weeks we visited India and we met many pilots having ‘days off’ because they were overly tired from the last few days flights.

After some mountain front face flying where I was able to achieve 110km flights I finally succumbed to the fact I did not feel comfortable ‘going over the back’ on my own

as if unfortunately you landed out it was possible a two day hike to the closest road was your reward. I came to the decision that this site caters for a great many varied pilots, both inexperienced and experienced.

1. Those that are new to thermalling and are happy flying around the take-off all day.

2. Those that want to carry out consistent large distances but with safe bale out options.

3. Overnight bivouac pilots.

4. Those comfortable flying big mountains.

I consider myself a number 2 but next time I travel there I would like to go with a group and extend myself to become one of the number 4 type. In saying that Pauline and I had a great time and the opportunity to reach 11,200ft with the tandem 12,500ft solo and fly with Tibetan vultures and eagles (friendly ones, not like Australia) was mind blowing, this experience is accessible to any pilot flying there.

When I sat down to write this initially I thought I would be writing about

the flying experiences but there is so much more to this site and country you personally need to go searching on the net for stories and articles of which there is many. One I enjoyed was, “Tips and Tales from Bir Billing”

by Ruth Jessop.

I am trying to put on paper what to expect and not to be afraid of going to: India and the high mountains of Bir Billing.

I will be going back (as have many Kiwi pilots, we met approx 12 Kiwis and Aussies this time) and trying to extend my flying career and experiences.

There is sooooo much more to being part of the flying, multi cultured community within Bir. The variety of foreign languages spoken there like Russian put a smile on my face and to think I was a part of it, was great.

While there some 100 pilots gathered in the landing paddock one night to watch a locally made film about the region called ‘Glide Bir’, it contained spectacular flying footage and also talked about the many issues like politics, legislations

Left; Bruce Mill held in high esteem Right; Char House at takeoff Below; Horse hire to snow line

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Bir LZ after 110km flight etc that Indian Paragliding Sport is trying to resolve.

Part of this film was dedicated to Bruce Mill, a New Zealand pilot who recently succumbed to cancer.

I was a bit overwhelmed, surprised or even embarrassed that I was unaware of Bruce and his massive contribution he made to the Bir Community when it came to the paragliding scene there. In fact the paragliding shop has a large framed portrait of him with a flower wreath draped over it, he is identified there as a bit of a legend. Could I ask that some of the people who knew him

�Cafe� refreshments on LZ

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draft something together for us to remember him by. He needs to be remembered and recognised in my eyes by the New Zealand HG PG Flying community.

There is so much more that could be written, but best you hit the keyboard, talk to fellow pilots and look for flying articles on Bir Billing.

My advice is get a group together and go! Stretch your abilities as the conditions for thermalling are awesome, but in saying that, fly safe.

Enjoy your path to a full life containing many enjoyable flying experiences.

I think this family wanted to adopt me!

AIR’s New Dream Machines

A

IR have some very desirable gliders for pilots to salivate over;

The Atos VR and VQ Race rigid wing gliders have been reduced in weight by about 1.5 kg, resulting in more agile handling and easier launch & landing characteristics.

The Atos Silent motor glider (above right) has the tail elevated above the propellor and the Silent pilot pod comes with choice of a petrol or electric motor. Rather than an A-frame it has either a control column (see photo at right) or a conventional joystick.

The propellor folds when power is off and wheels retract into the pod for soaring.

Project Atos Wing (right) features; a 16kw electric motor, pilot seating in the wing with or without canopy, a glide of 28 and sink rate of 55m/s (108fpm). Max climb using power is about 3.5m/s (688fpm).

The front propellor and wheels retract for sailplane efficiency. It has an emergency parachute for both pilot and aircraft together.

Launch and landing on short airfields is possible and range can be approximately 300 kms.

It is 5.2m packed and transported by trailer or in 3 parts on a car roof. Updates at www.a-i-r.de

FLIGHT PIX Crossing Lake Ohau after getting thermals to 12,000ft.

Photo; Bill degen

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Dc ShC nNzZ dD eE aA l eL rEsR S a nAdN s oH oO l sO L S

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ozone new zealand - raglan KITEstore SCHOOLS & DEALERS flagship www.ozonenewzealand.com info@ozonenewzealand.com +64 211 702 472 1: NZ BOARDSTORE +64 22 415 0331 5 RAYMOND ST POINT CHEVALIER AUCKLAND 1022 WWW.NZBOARDSTORE.CO.NZ kite schools & dealers 09 815 0683 2: nz2:boardstore JC KITESURF AND SUP auckland 79 GAUNT ST www.nzboardstore.co.nz WESTHAVEN 09 815 0683 AUCKLAND 1010

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gliders available for demo

all products available in store 9 bow st • raglan

w w w . o z o n e n e w z e a l a n d . c o m

It started with a brush, some wet paint and we took it from there..

THE JOURNEY SHARED

ONE

Inspired by nature, driven by the elements..

‘Hey mum look at me’

Some of the Ozone bros celebrating the opening of the store..

A little burn across the Raglan mouth..

R A G L A N

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O Z O N E

F L A G S H I P

I N F O @ O Z O N E N E W Z E A L A N D . C O M

S T O R E

A Relative Back Yard Making the most of the last long Summer days in Queenstown with an overnight hike & fly

W

e’re lucky in Queenstown to be so close by to some awesome paragliding sites. Coronet Peak and Treble Cone are clearly the go to’s but when it comes to town itself, with the exception of the Gondola, we’re pretty locked down with the presence of our busy airport.

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With the extension of the operational hours in 2016, It became clear that only small windows of opportunity now exist in which flying can take place in the central Wakatipu basin, and even then they’re not guaranteed. This made the challenge of flying from some of our closer peaks appeal more, to achieve something that can only be done with the right timing and conditions.

As with a lot of plans, the idea to hike and fly

Cecil Peak had been suggested back at the start of Summer, but had never gathered much momentum. It wasn’t until late January that a fellow pilot, Manuel Terzer, picked it back up with a higher sense of urgency due to the days getting slowly shorter and our opportunity to give it a crack disappearing. The response from the group was strong and after a few weeks, a perfect weather event appeared on the charts - a high approaching

Jesse James almost looking as if he’s going to cross the lake...

Adventure mission from Cecil Peak

the South Island, forecasted to reduce winds at all altitudes to light.

After discussions with the Air Traffic Control tower, the land owner and our club’s safety officer, we were given the all clear to fly after the Morning Civil Twilight time of 0619 but before the airport opened at 0645. It was on!

We met at the jetty for our booked water taxi across the lake at 1800 the evening before, earning

Words and photos by Luke Welch

Pilots: Luke Welch, Manuel Terzer, Jesse James, Andrew Rankin, Daniel Innes, Joe Bradshaw, Nico San.

a, “Woah, you guys are bloody keen!” from our skipper as we loaded the boat and explained our intentions. Within 15 minutes we’d blasted across and were on the shore of Cecil watching our transport leave us behind, not to be seen again until the next morning.

With water bottles topped up, we set off up the steep matagouri covered slope. Two and a half

hours of hard work and little conversation brought us up through the bluffs to the ridge line offering a spectacular view in all directions just as the sun began to approach the horizon.

We continued upwards and made the call to climb as far up the ridge as we could before the light diminished, and at around 2200 reached a perfect flat spot for a bivvy just next to a smooth

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Setting off open grass slope to launch the next morning. Nothing but silence existed as the stars twinkled above and Queenstown shone brightly way down below.

0545. The abrupt alarm sounded, ushering the slow emergence from our sleeping bags. The morning was cold, but the wind was perfect - a smooth laminar flow coursing up the slope.

Packing up was quick, but the game of laying out a glider and fiddling with tangled lines in head torch light was not one I’d played before. Eventually with everything clear I clipped in and made my way over to launch alongside the others.

Once spread out over the hillside, a reminder was issued of our time constraint, “What’s the time now!?”

“0620.”

I was first to get my glider in the air, immediately I was taken up into the flow and began to soar the ridge above our night’s resting place. The sky glowed purple as the pre-dawn

Reaching the ridgeline with Queenstown down below Taking a break on the ridge

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Joe and Nico taking a break Star lit bivvy colours began to appear over the mountains. I wondered if any early wakers in town could see us buzzing around the mountain across the lake, although I’d probably just think I was seeing things if it were me!

I looked down and watched two little dots whizzing down the western aspect of the mountain - the guys that had chosen speed over flight time. Inevitably they reached our landing first, a small strip of gravel beach close to where we’d been dropped off only 12 hours earlier.

One by one we all proceeded to make our approach to the beach and just as the final glider touched down, our curfew alarm sounded. We’d done it, the most had been made of our small window of opportunity.

How lucky we are to have these mountains as our relative back yard!

Flying around Hidden Island

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Thrills, Risk and S

o who is Jeb Corliss? Only about the world’s most well-known proximity (yes, that means close to things) wingsuit pilot.

In January 2012, just seconds into a flight off South Africa’s Table Mountain, about two metres off the ground and doing 193 km/h, Corliss clipped some rocks. He was critically injured and had he not been able to deploy his emergency chute, a spokesperson later said, he would have surely died.

Corliss claims that 10 years earlier, he’d almost died jumping from the same mountain.

What is it about certain pilots who willingly edge closer and closer to catastrophe in the pursuit of a thrilling flight?

According to a 2017 literature 1 review for the CAA’s safety investigation unit, it’s a combination of things.

Firstly, a certain part of the brain of the most extreme risk-takers appears to lack effective dopamine ‘receptors’, which help control the brain’s reward and pleasure centres.

Risk-takers don’t get the same buzz as the rest of us from enjoyable activities, so they up the ante.

Secondly, according to a 2004 study of skydivers, risk can become ‘normalised’, the more flights that are successfully completed. Risk doesn’t stand out as risk any more, it’s just part of a great flight.

Thirdly, a study in 2010 published

by The Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport found extroverts tend to tolerate more risk for the psychological arousal they seek.

Neurotic people may accept a higher degree of risk in an activity that counters stress or tension.

A 2011 study of hang glider pilots by the New York Academy of Sciences found a significant factor in the pilot weighing risk and reward of a certain activity was being able to enhance their reputation with their

1.

“Fear is a super important thing, man... without fear, you will die.” -Jeb Corliss, 2016 flying peers. This is particularly the case in what have been described as “hyper masculine” extreme sports groups. In these groups, it is not uncommon to find participants regarding their peers who die in the sport as ‘heroes’, who lived life to the full.

This philosophy is expressed by a 31-year old climber whose friend had died in a mountain climbing accident.

“People spend their whole lives, maybe, doing something they don’t want to do. .. instead of dying at 25 and doing what they want to do! I do see merit in that. .. dying at 25 doing what you really want to do, eyes open.” - Creighton, 2015 That someone can be so enchanted with a sport that they dismiss any consideration of risk, was highlighted to the CAA’s safety investigators a few years ago.

Watching video of a fatal paragliding flight they were struck that, despite the paraglider being at times only a few centimetres from the ground at an estimated 50 or 60 km/h, the only expression on the pilot’s face was sheer exhilaration.

Now CAA safety investigator, Steve Rogers, and Jim Burtenshaw, the CAA’s manager of safety investigations, are making a plea to such pilots to always build a margin of safety into their flying.

A Literature Review of Risk Taking Behaviours and the Regulation of Private Hang Gliding in New Zealand, Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, E Duggan, 16 June 2017.

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It’s not that Jim, a former Muriwai surfer, and Steve, a former hang glider pilot, are without sympathy for chasing the thrill.

It’s just that they’ve had to investigate a few fatals in their time.

Steve has even witnessed the death of a parachutist as she tried to carry out a steep turn, low to the ground.

“She stalled, and fell from about 20 or 30 feet.”

He investigated the death of a glider pilot who, looking for lift, got in very close to a hill without a clear escape path.

“Suddenly there was a downdraught,” says Steve, “and there was nowhere to go.”

“If you look at the safety net around a major airline,” says Jim, “they have layers and layers of procedures and training, and all the airspace they fly in is regulated, and they’ve got people watching them and controlling them, so their safety net is huge.

“But the safety net around people jumping off the side of the cliff, for instance, is, ‘Did I check my rig properly? Are the weather conditions

okay? What is my alternate route if the wind changes?’ Their safety net is them, and maybe their mates.

“If they choose to reduce a safety margin that was kind of minimal anyway, they’re bound to have an accident.”

Someone who now understands how intoxication with an upcoming flight can blind even an experienced pilot to risk, is a hang gliding instructor with 14 years of flying under his belt.

Normally subjecting himself and his rig to a thorough risk assessment before each flight, in October 2017, he nevertheless “missed a step”.

“I’d discovered my brand new glider had a tendency to pull to the left. I’d done two flights in it, but was able to fly in such a way as to make up for that. I’d been in touch with the manufacturer so I was taking steps to remedy the issue. In the meantime I was still flying. The tendency to fly left didn’t make for ideal flying but I could manage it.

This article is reprinted from the March-April issue of Vector magazine.

If you would like a free regular issue of Vector magazine, you can fill out a Part 149 Vector subscription form 24149/02. Go to www. caa.govt.nz/forms and scroll down to Part 149 Aviation Recreation Organisations – Certification.

Hang glider flying at Hawea

Photo; Kris Ericksen

Dying “So, along with all the talk about edgy flying, there should always be the question, ‘And what have you got up your sleeve in terms of margin?’”

“The conditions on the day of the accident were perfect for a great cross country run, possibly the only opportunity in the season for a flight like that.

“I ran off the hill, and the glider sunk slightly – maybe there was a little lull in the air coming up the takeoff – and lost a little bit of height. I skimmed a fence – just – but the left tip of the glider caught it.

“The glider spun, which initiated a stall that was irrecoverable. Because the hill was dropping away, I ended up falling with a stalled wing and landing on a big rock, which broke my right femur.

“And I’m an instructor and warranted to check gliders. I’ve got more than a thousand hours flying.

But I’m in that group that suffers from what we call ‘intermediate syndrome’ – you sort of get to a point where you go, ‘Hey, what can happen to me? I know everything.’

“So that day, I’d become obsessed with the potential of the day and I almost negated, or forgot, that there was a risk with the wing.”

Four months after the accident, the pilot was still not back at work and flying was out for at least another two months.

That’s if he decides to fly again. ”I’m questioning myself,” he says, “if it’s really worth it.”

Always, a Margin How do you build a culture of ‘always, a margin’ when so many participants in the more extreme flying sports may be neurologically 2.

or characteristically resistant to it?

Jim Burtenshaw believes there’s a crucial part to be played by training organisations and their instructors.

“It would be great if they could focus on instilling in novice pilots from the outset, the absolute necessity to have some wriggle room should things go wrong.

“There are many instructors and senior pilots who do that, of course, but they – and their organisations – need to foster a total safety culture, including leading by example.

“So, along with all the talk about edgy flying, there should always be the question, ‘And what have you got up your sleeve in terms of margin?’”

The safety investigators would be very happy to see such messages in all communications, from instructorstudent conversations to marketing material and community newsletters.

“That’s particularly important with the more accident-prone sports like 2 paragliding ,” says Jim. “Some of the would-be pilots

2017 – Twelve reported paragliding accidents, two deaths, six serious injuries, five minor injuries.

Paraglider flying at Mount Ida

Photo; Alan Swann

‘educate themselves’ watching YouTube videos. They then set out to emulate what they’ve seen, without realising – or perhaps even caring – that the pilots they’ve been watching have years of experience.

“They need a reality check, in the form of someone more experienced, asking them what they’ll do if things go pear-shaped.

“It can be done. Look at the attitudes towards drink driving. A generation ago, it was ‘one for the road’. Now it’s ‘who’s the designated driver?’

“In the same way, if everyone is saying the same thing, ‘What’s your out?’ it just becomes part of the flying culture, rather than a slightly tedious add-on to exhilarating flying.”

“It’s in the interests of the training and membership organisations to lead that,” says Steve. “Sure, exciting flying is good for business, but injuries and deaths aren’t.”

After his near-death experience on Table Mountain, Jeb Corliss

spoke about fear. He said in a later promotional video for GoPro, that his biggest mistake in South Africa was that he had “lost fear”.

“I’m actually pretty happy this happened. I think in the long run, it saved my life. I feel very fortunate that I was able to make so many mistakes and then have such a catastrophic accident, and not die.

And get an opportunity to live again.”

Jim and Steve want that message out as well.

“Future chute and aircraft design may well increase the rush of a great flight,” says Jim. “But if someone ends up a statistic, they’ll never discover that.”

Steve agrees. “Why only have this many thrills,” he questions, with his hands close together, “When you can exercise just a bit of caution, and have this many?” he finishes, grinning, with his hands wide apart.

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Omarama XC Classic 2018

T

he storm finished as forecasted; Saturday 3 February was just 18 degrees but it was sunny and I was the only hang glider pilot on Magic Mountain.

It had been a long drive up to launch with just myself and Pipe shovelling the track clear. But by then the southeast launch had thermal cycles and clouds looked better for my 4pm launch time.

A slow climb got stronger and rougher to base at 8000’. I’d been spoilt the week before with easy thermals to 12,000’ so was cautious on the glide to Snowy Top, but I got no sink and was in time for the easterly convergence.

The snow on the Ohau’s helped the lapse rate and a ratty thermal got me up to and above base. There were a few handstands and wire slaps on the way up. I cruised over to the main Ohau ridge but found no workable lift in all the usual spots all the way past the ski field and even to the end of Shingle Hill. I dropped in to land near of Ram Hill for 38 kms.

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Flying the east side of Magic, with Buscot in sun under gliders left tip

Photo; Bill Degen

Sun 4 Feb; The day was blown out with low black clouds and wave. Pilots started arriving at the free camping site but the river was already high.

I wondered how the they would get on during the rain that was forecast for the next day.

Mon 5 Feb; It was blown out again but that didn’t stop last years winner Derek McKee driving up Magic to see if there was a chance of launching into wave again. No luck this time.

The camp ground at the river was at last filling up with pilots.

Tues 6 Feb; South west 10-15 knots on launch and most pilots opted for the shallow west runway at Magic. It was scratchy broken thermals at first but most got 7-8000ft eventually.

Thermals over the flats were much smoother but Derek went for high ground and lee side thermals along the east of the Ben Ohau’s. Ollie was following the road to Cook and radioed that he was coming in to land many times but kept finding lift and getting up again.

Derek won with 59km, then Ollie at 51km beside Pukaki, me to Monument Hut 50.8kms then back to Ram Hill via the Naumann’s and the Ben Ohau’s. While waiting I saw lots of dust devils in the Hopkins Valley, sometimes three at a time. I made a mental note to not land in there when the wind is SW. Meanwhile John Smith launched at Coronet and passed by the late launchers at Magic, flying on to land near Tekapo!

Wed 7 Feb; We met Marty coming down the narrow Magic track as we were driving up, neither of us wanted to do a long reverse back to the next corner so Marty drove up the bank while we went along the edge. When Marty had his wheels about a metre up the shingle bank he hit a rock.

His truck tethered a bit then came to rest on back on the bank. Phew!

Sunny with a light southerly was forecast but the wind on the southeast and southern launches kept veering off to east. In spite of good clouds above, there was a lot of waiting. Initially it looked scratchy but soon we were at cloudbase and away to Snowy Top, where we navigated around clouds with base around 8000ft.

Next it was onto the Ohau’s which gave some good climbs but I landed at 41.29km by Ram Hill. The Hopkins was in the lee again. At least there’s (Spark only) phone reception for pick up there.

Niall landed a few kms back.

Evan Smith a bit further along the Ohau road.

Thurs 8 Feb; Most opted for Buscot but on Magic we had 5 pilots on the east launch with a 15 knot wind

High over Magic with the new U2C and good looking clouds. By the time we launched it was blue and thermals were hard work. I got up, flew back over the west launch, got nothing where the resident thermal should have been then went to the Lindis, working up the Ahuriri before heading south.

Climbs were often slow but I got through the Lindis and up on the Pisa Range, then had to dive down to stay out of airspace. I got up at Cromwell as the sea breeze came in but couldn’t quite get high enough to cross from Bannockburn to Alexandra.

So 86kms for me but Derek McKee also made Cromwell from Buscot which is 5-10 km further north, and he went to the north end of the Benmores before heading south and won the day with 112kms.

Guy Williams flew to Killermont, along the St Bathans, then to the Hawkduns where he battled a seabreeze and still made it through to his hut near Mt Ida with 61kms.

Ollie whacked his arm on landing so Marnie drove him all the way to Timaru hospital. Marnie got the well deserved the driver award for that and Ollie is back in action now.

Friday 9 Feb; The forecast was the same as the day before but it was quite different; lots of cumulus developed by midday. At Magic we had strong cycles at the NW launch and were quickly up to base at 10,000’ and climbing even higher on the NW side of the clouds.

I went for a nice line of clouds In the Lindis with sunshine below.

After reaching the third cloud it got scratchy as the sunshine disappeared. I grovelled for a couple of hours in shade, eventually making it to the south of the Lindis Pass and returning to Goodger Flat airstrip.

John Smith flew from Buscot to the north end of the Benmores then down to Bannockburn with a distance of 112kms. Derek followed a similar route but ended up at Goodger Flat with 66kms.

Proving that you don’t need a topless glider to go cross country, Adriel Kind flew his Sting from Buscot to Bargour (near Goodger) for 57kms.

Sat 10 Feb; Lots of high cloud but thermals were soon popping. Unfortunately they were low, especially at Buscot.

At Magic we had a 10-25 knot

Photo; John Collins

easterly with none of the nice looking but low cu’s that Buscot had. We launched as soon as the sun came out and worked light thermals and ridge lift north to Snowy top.

I got to about 6300’ and crossed to the Ohau’s arriving at under 4000’ which though in shade, provided ample lift in light but large thermals.

Back to 6000’ I worked along the Ohau’s until I was flushed at the skifield.

I made a dash for the end of Lake Ohau which now had whitecaps and there were dust devils on the riverbed ahead. No lift this time and a turbulent but easy landing in about 15-20 knots for 33kms.

At Buscot the easterly and low base made it tough and most bombed but Pete Halliwell made it 23km to Killermont which was second best and the only other xc entered that day.

Derek had best total overall and John Smith took longest flight so their names go on the cup and shield.

Another successful event, maybe not as easy this time but for those trying hard, some great distances and plenty of flying for the 20 or so pilots that came to get high.

Hopkins valley dust devils Pilot Derek McKee Bill Degen Pete Halliwell John Smith Adriel Kind John Collins Guy Williams Oliver Derry Rod Stuart Kevin McManus Marty Smith John Urlich Morgan Knoessen

Photo; Bill Degen

Flight 1 Flight 2 Flight 3 Total 112.4 66.9 59.3 238.6 86.0 50.8 41.3 178.1 52.2 42.1 23.6 118.0 114.5 114.5 57.5 16.9 4.2 78.6 27.7 22.7 17.5 67.8 61.7 61.7 51.0 51.0 20.2 12.6 7.9 40.7 20.2 20.2 40.4 23.2 12.6 35.9 12.4 12.1 10.4 34.9 23.2 23.2

A

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21

Safety Checks Independence Evo Cross, Annular Evo, Annular Evo HG, Annular Classic 36 and Smart L reserve parachute deployment bags

At the seam-line of the isolated upper loop, which is used to attach the deployment handle, a perforation could possibly cause a material weakening of factory delivered deployment bags.

This seam-line, if properly processed, has to be able to bear a load of 70 daN. Yet it was proven that a lower strength of this component can occur.

Please check immediately whether your deployment bag is part of the concerned production lot.

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Deployment bag for: Smart Large Evo Cross 100 Evo Cross 120 Evo Cross 160 Evo Cross 235 Annular Evo 20 Annular Evo 22 Annular Evo 24 Annular Evo 22 HG Annular Evo 24 HG Annular Evo 30 Annular Evo 30 HG Annular Classic 36 Annular Classic 36 HG

Certification number EAPR-RG-7584/12 EAPR-RG-7441/12 EAPR-RG-7443/12 EAPR-RG-7442/12 EAPR-RG-0466/16 EAPR-RG-7052/08 EAPR-RG-7053/08 EAPR-RG-7057/08 EAPR-RG-7054/08 EAPR-RG-7062/08 EAPR-RG-7056/08 EAPR-RG-7055/08 EAPR-RG-7129/08 EAPR-RG-7140/08

Manufactured as of 04/2017 01/2017 02/2017 08/2016 06/2016 01/2017 06/2017 01/2017 02/2017 01/2017 11/2016 11/2016 09/2016 09/2016

Starting at serial number 58292 55438 55888 55988 54623 57008 57058 57108 56038 56058 55373 55373 56098 56098

CONCERNED DEPLOYMENT BAGS The affected deployment bags can be distinguished either by the year of manufacture or their serial number. The best visible indication which distinguishes concerned bags, is their silver-coloured coating on the inside of the deployment bag, if it does not have a reinforcing strap (as can be seen below).

DEPLOYMENT BAGS NOT CONCERNED Not concerned are earlier items which can clearly be recognised by the missing silver-coloured coating on the inside. Not concerned are all items which have been delivered as of February 2018. These new deployment bags are clearly marked with a check mark (OK) and can be recognised by the additional reinforcing strap on the inside. Furthermore deployments bags which have been delivered as component of a harness are not concerned.

order to be able to carry out the replacement correctly, the model as well as the serial number need to be quoted.

Time limit for procedure: Check before flight (see Identification, earlier in notice)If concerned: If the isolated upper loop is in use, immediate replacement is obligatory!

If one of the lower 3 loops placed in a row is in use: Replacement should take place latest during the next re-pack of the reserve.

- Stefan Kurrle, managing director, Fly-market Flugsport-Zubehoer GmbH & Co. KG, Am Schoenebach 3, D-87637 Eisenberg, eMail: info@independence.aero 26 February 2018

OZONE OZIUM 2 paraglider harness

Concerning all Ozium 2 harnesses manufactured during 2017 and early 2018.

For harnesses delivered after March 2018, no further action is required.

There have been several reported cases of a potential problem with the reserve deployment system of the Ozium 2.

The reserve bridles connect the parachute to the shoulder attachment points and are routed within a self-opening zip compartment on the right hand side of the harness.

During practice deployments it has been found that it is possible for the bridles to rupture the stitching of the self-opening zip compartment, rather than open the zip as intended. This does not adversely affect the deployment of the parachute itself but can cause non structural damage to the harness. In the case of a real life deployment, there is also the potential for the pilot to be left in a compromised body position.

To rectify the issue it is necessary to modify the reserve deployment container with an adhesive reinforcement panel. The reinforcement panel, when correctly fitted, ensures that the bridle is directed through the self-opening zip during the deployment process as originally intended.

The reinforcement panel will automatically be sent to your OZONE dealer. The modification is simple to do and will take only 5 minutes so it is possible to perform it yourself. However, if you are unsure or do not have the confidence to do so, please consult with your dealer.

Action Required: Contact your local OZONE dealer to obtain the reinforcement panel.

Remember to thoroughly check your harness and entire reserve system on a regular basis.

Modification instructions can be downloaded at; www.flyozone.com/gallery/main.php?g2_ view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=138816

Advance Progress 3 paraglider harness (PH_206.2017)

Before flying with the Progress 3, Advance recommend that you familiarise yourself with the reserve throwing technique that is described in the manual.

Procedure: The owners of affected deployment bags are obliged to check before flight, whether the isolated upper loop of the deploy- ment bag is in use. If it is in use, the deployment bag needs to be replaced immediately!

If one of the three loops in a row, which are placed between the labellings, is in use, the deployment bag does not nec- essarily need to be replaced. These three loops don’t show any faults and are not concerned by this safety note (see image on the left).

Of course we do replace all concerned deployment bags by reinforced items, even if the affected loop is not in use!

This free of charge replacement is carried out by us or by one of our distributors and paragliding schools. In

22 A i r b o r n

ADVANCE have been informed by a flying school that a deployment problem occurred during a compatibility test (test release of a reserve parachute).

A thorough evaluation in conjunction with flying schools and the DHV has not revealed a problem if the release technique recommended in the manual (pull to the side) is used.

If the reserve handle is pulled in a forward/upwards direction the force required to release the parachute is significantly raised.

If the reserve parachute is not pulled out of the reserve compartment in the correct direction, directly to the side, it can become wedged in its compartment. This can prevent deployment.

The manual expressly recommends a sideways pull.

For safety’s sake ADVANCE would like to emphasise this reserve throwing problem to Progress 3 owners if the direction of pull specified in the manual is not employed. Instinct may well encourage an upwards/forwards pull, in which case the above problem may occur. Advance therefore recommend owners of affected harnesses who have not carried out realistic compatibility tests i.e. effective reserve releases, to speedily remedy this situation (while sitting in the harness, leg straps done up, hanging from a harness stand). This will encourage confidence in the pulling technique recommended in the manual.

Team Advance Thun, 9 April 2018 Safety Checks continue on page 27

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23

Executive Repor ts

Selected Accident Summaries from January 2018 to April 2018 These accident summaries are a selection taken from members reports supplied via the NZHGPA reporting system AIRS. More detail on these and other reports can be found at www.nzhgpa.org.nz/safety

The information collected by AIRS is used only for safety purposes and is not used to apportion blame or responsibility.

HG reports will be published when the pilots are kind enough to supply them.

Date Region Injury Flight type 2/1/2018 Southern Fatality Cross country Pilot launched from Treble Cone and was heading towards Wanaka via Roy’s Peak. Glider suffered an asymmetric collapse close to the terrain on the North end of Coromandel and the pilot did not recover control before impact with the ground. Wind strength and turbulence was reported by other pilots to be increasing.

Injuries: Fatal.

Date Region Injury Flight type 23/1/2018 Southern Minor Injury accident Instruction Student pilot doing reverse launch and run in light wind did not use enough brakes resulting in a big overshoot and 70% collapse just after lift off then left 90° turn and impact with ground.

Injuries: Moderate. Twisted right knee resulting in torn ACL.

7/1/2018 Wellington Minor Injury accident Local recreation After touch down and when turning around and stalling glider the pilot got lifted up in about 1m and then hit the ground with right foot.

Injuries: Sprained right ankle.

23/1/2018 Southern Serious Injury accident Under Instruction Pilot was coming in to land on a long final glide. 1 meter from the ground pilot pushed through a strong flare causing the glider to pitch back at the same time the pilot flew through some very light lifting air. The glider was in stall as the pilot came down from about 2.5 meters landing feet first and falling backwards.

Injuries: Serious, Lower spine.

“Contributing Factors: Suspected previous spine injury due to a mountain bike accident.

Due to the very dry hot summer ground is rock solid with little to no grass left.

Early morning, conditions were light to no wind on landing.

29/1/2018 Southern Minor Injury accident Competition During a competition flight from Treble Cone the wind strength in the valley increased significantly resulting in cancelation of the task and a recommendation to land immediately. Pilot delayed landing to fly down wind to larger landing area but as wind increased the descent techniques were not executed in time and were not effective enough. Pilot was blown back into narrow area with turbulence in a venturi resulting in a hard landing through tree branches.

Injuries: Moderate, Lower spine.

Equipment damage: Significant (glider requires repair before flying).

2/2/2018 Southern Near miss or Minor incident Competition Left-hand speed bar line from between two of the pulleys got caught in a buckle adjacent to the lowest speed bar pulley (level with the seat plate) and locked the left-hand side of the wing into full speed bar. Pilot was unable to get into the seat and flew out with the intention of landing, but after a few minutes was able to lever the buckle to release the line and continue flying.

2/3/2018 Southern Region Near miss or Minor incident Competition Pod and speed bar set came detached on left side of harness. Didn’t notice pod loop had dropped off my Ozone Forza harness.

28/1/2018 Southern Near miss or Minor incident Competition Flying from TC towards Aspiring. Above Mt Niger the left wing side collapsed and wing started to dive and rotate left. Unsure what to do to stop the spiralling the pilot tried to pull reserve. The reserve did not come out. At that point the wing recovered, then had a big frontal collapse and started to fly normally.

The reserve handle was secured and pilot landed safely. Pilot has never practiced pulling the reserve or tried to throw it before. SIV course is planned.

29/1/2018 Southern Serious Accident Cross country On glide from End Peak, near TC. Pilot was at approximately 6500ft altitude, flying above the ridgeline at Pub Corner. Glider encountered strong turbulence resulting in a full frontal collapse. Attempts to stop the surge with full brake input were followed by a cravat in the glider and then a spin with riser twists. After kicking the riser twists out and stabilising the glider it was flying straight with the cravat when it was hit with more turbulence. At this point the pilot assessed his height and deployed the reserve. The landing was fast due to the strong winds.

Injuries: Serious, Fracture, Lower spine.

17/2/2018 Bay of Plenty Fatality Local recreation Pilot was flying a 19 m2 wing close to terrain near the north face of Mt Maunganui. After several passes, each getting closer to the terrain the pilot executed a more aggressive left turn resulting in height loss and subsequent impact with a rocky outcrop to the west side of launch. Following the impact the pilot was rotated 180 degrees to the wing which flew on towards the west and then south around the Mount with no further pilot input.

Injuries: Fatal.

13/2/2018 Southern Minor Injury accident Aerobatic maneouvre While performing wingovers close to terrain to descend pilot went high on one wingover, turned out of it early to avoid impacting the ground and then in the next wingover the glider went back behind close to stall and the resulting sink caused an impact with the hill on the swing through of the turn. A possible wind change to NE may have put the area in the leeside of the ridge.

Injuries: Moderate, Upper spine, Lower spine, Bruising of back muscles, no fractures found.

28/2/2018 Southern Near miss or Minor incident Local recreation Flying speed wing off the Skyline gondola, pilot realised he was not going to reach the main landing field so landed on the road beside the recreation field. Fortunately no traffic was on the road and pilot was unharmed.

8/3/2018 Canterbury Minor Injury accident Local recreation While forward launching from the Summit Road (Port Hills) to Lyttelton, pilot touched down at speed and was unable to remain on feet.

Injuries: Moderate, Lower limbs.

11/3/2018 Southern Minor Injury accident Local recreation Immediately after launch at Lake Hawea in strong wind the pilot realised the excessive wind strength and applied full bar and big ears in an attempt to land at the beach. During descent the wind strength increased and the pilot got blown backwards onto the edge of the cliff and was then dragged over the fence.

Injuries: Minor, Lower limbs, sprained ankle.

Glider damage: Significant (glider requires repair before flying).

8/4/2018 Auckland Minor Injury accident Local recreation Flying a mini wing in gusty conditions at Karioitahi high side the pilot misjudged an approach to top land and landed heavily. A gust or wind shift late in the approach changed the flight path to potentially collide with a person on the ground and the pilot was momentarily distracted from correcting to a safe path away from terrain. Pilot also felt they were not fully fit for flying due to fatigue. “I felt sluggish and tired that day (actually had a pretty silly top landing earlier too), and arrived with mild headaches and little motivation to fly. I only flew because everyone else seemed to have fun, but I was mentally absent.”

Injuries; Serious; Upper spine, Stable fracture T12.

Metflight Weather Access for NZHGPA Members

28/1/2018 Southern Near miss or Minor incident Competition Pilot was flying close to terrain attempting to find lift two thirds up mid triangle on the West slope of Mt Roy. Hit sink and clipped a matakauri bush which resulted in a 360deg rotation of the harness with twisted risers and a slow spin of the glider. Pilot decided to land immediately on the slope. There was no damage to pilot or equipment.

14/2/2018 Southern Minor Injury accident Local recreation Pilot was launching on the East launch of TC. Canopy collapsed on launch, pilot rolled down the hill and landed heavily on her feet on the road cutting just below launch. Injury resulted from pilot landing hard on feet and shock loading being transferred through straight legs to her spine rather than landing on her backside.

Injuries: Serious (fracture), Lower spine.

10/2/2018 Southern Serious Accident Aerobatic manoeuvre Sat to Spiral to Wingover, then Misty flipped into Helico (unintentional). Stalled glider into tail slide, checked altitude - good. Thought I released hands high, but obviously not high enough, checked altitude again, not high enough to throw, impacted the ground in tail slide.

Injuries: Serious, Upper spine, 30% compression of T11.

24 A i r b o r n

Metflight have a comprehensive aviation weather website that many of you have shown an interest in, at http://metflight.metra.co.nz/MetFlight.php We have access to that using the following log in details: Username eg - HP4567 (HP and your PIN, no space in between) Password - HGPGA (everyone uses the same password).

EVENTS Labour Weekend Hang Gliding League John Smith and Max Gebrhardt are organising a league to be held over Labour Weekend, 20-23 October, based in Cromwell. They plan to use sites on the Carrick Range near Bannockburn but may use Queenstown or Wanaka sites depending on weather conditions.

In the mornings if the weather is suitable they also plan to run a Speed gliding race at Carricktown ridge with the XC race in the afternoon. Permission is being sought to gain permission to use the Carricktown Ridge from the owner for this race.

There will be an entry fee for these events with the proceedings going to the land owners and to the scorer.

These events will only be open to pilots with high performance kingpost gliders and above as the glide to bomb out is not suitable for low performance gliders.

But if you are interested in coming along to the event they are looking for volunteers to help with the speed gliding event to check pilots pass control gates correctly.

Please contact John and Max to register interest in helping out and if you are keen to participate in this event.

Email: johnteddysmith@gmail.com or max.gebhardt@ideal.co.nz

Hang Gliding Worlds Team 2019 The Ozone Krushevo Open 2018 The first Ozone Krushevo Open will take place from July 22-28, 2018.

This competition is designed in the spirit and model of the Legendary Ozone Chabre Open, a stress-free paragliding cross-country competition with an emphasis on fun and learning through in-depth XC coaching and setting achievable tasks.

This event, like the Chabre, is aimed primarily at pilots with some cross country experience, who want to get more into competition or further hone their XC skills. Daily briefings and debriefings by Jocky Sanderson set the stage for a week of intense learning in a perfect location for fun XC flying.

Classes include Fun, Recreation, and Sport, which are governed by your wing’s aspect ratio.

There is also a Rookie, and Women’s class.

The Krushevo region has a long history of successful competition tasks. Late July is ideal for XC flying weather, and the history of the location suggests that many kilometers will be flown – join us!

Registration is open now at: krusevoadventure.com

Turkey to host FAI World Air Games in 2020

The NZ Team selection for 2019 Hang Gliding Worlds in Tolmezzo, Italy will be made after the next HG Nationals by the comp committee.

Please contact Mark Alton or Max Gebhardt if you are interested to be part of the team.

NZ Competition Organiser’s Responsibilities It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to; 1. Obtain a list of current members from the NZHGPA Administrator.

2. Ensure every competition entrant is a current NZHGPA member.

3. Sign up any non-members.

Any competitors found to be non-members will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’.

Site Notices Mount Maunganui

We had some visiting pilot flying the Mount and this could compromise our current negotiations with the local iwi. This is a reminder that Mt Maunganui is not currently open for flying, until further notice. This concerns paragliding, speedflying, hang gliding.

We cannot put a sign on the Mount, and we don’t want to make it too official, as it is only temporary. - 23/3/2018, BOP Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club, phone 021 617 111

Lausanne, Switzerland, 15 February 2018 – Turkey will be the official host country for the FAI World Air Games 2020, according to a contract signed yesterday by Kursat Atilgan, President of the Turkish FAI Member Tuerk Hava Kurumu (THK), and Frits Brink, President of the FAI, in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Scheduled for September 2020, the Games will take place in some of the most iconic locations in Turkey, with the event split between Ankara, Antalya, Eskisehir, Efes/Selcuk, Oeluedeniz/ Fethiye and Pammukale/Honaz.

The spectacular Opening Ceremony will take place in Turkey’s cosmopolitan capital city Ankara, while the Closing Ceremony will be in the popular tourist destination of Antalya.

Kuerşat Atilgan, President of THK, said: “More than 2 billion people from around the world can reach the centrally located tourist destination of Turkey in under four hours flight, making it an excellent venue for the FAI World Air Games 2020.

“We believe that holding the prestigious FAI World Air Games 2020 in Turkey will allow us to attract a younger generation of air sports fans, both within Turkey and worldwide.”

The signing of the contract naming Turkey as the FAI World Air Games 2020 host country took place at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

This location reflects the FAI’s status as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Recognised Federation, and part of the Olympic Movement.

FAI President Frits Brink said: “It gives me great pleasure to sign this contract naming Turkey as the host country for the FAI World Air Games 2020.

“A longstanding FAI Member, THK has a lot of experience in organising air sports competitions, not least the very first FAI World Air Games in 1997.

“I feel confident that the Federation will put on a fabulous show for the World Air Games – the biggest and most exciting event on the FAI calendar.”

Now the agreement has been confirmed, preparations for the event will begin, with THK planning a round of investment to ensure facilities are of the highest standard.

Atilgan added: “Since being set up in 1925, THK has invested a lot in air sports infrastructures.

“Over the next two years, we are planning to invest further. For example, by buying new equipment and creating new airfields for each sport.”

A

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25

N Ne eww ZZeeaallaann dd C rC ro os ss s - -CCoouunntt rr yy

a glli idding ing PP aa rr ag CC hampi h a m p ioonships nships

April 1st - March 31st. Sponsored by Wings & Waves

April 1st 2017 to March 31st 2018. Final top scores at 31 March/2018 Pilot, flight date/time

Site

Distance

Points

Total

Pilot, flight date/time

958.83 p.

Mark Macdonald [Brick] 1 26.01.18 12:30 Treble Cone 126.66 km 126.66 p.

2 23.02.18 13:35 Kaimai 63.73 km 79.66 p.

3 28.01.18 12:58 Treble Cone 43.77 km 65.66 p.

Nick Taber [MACPARA] 1 07.02.18 12:39 Mt. Murch...

84.19 km 105.24 p.

2 08.02.18 12:57 Mt. Murch...

77.05 km 96.31 p.

3 28.01.18 12:37 Treble Cone 70.31 km 70.31 p.

Wayne Rohrs [xcjunky] 1 28.01.18 12:35 Treble Cone 96.29 km 96.29 p.

2 30.12.17 12:23 Kaimai 71.42 km 89.28 p.

3 03.12.17 12:30 Kaimai 61.63 km 77.04 p.

Jan Zimmermann [xcimax] 1 28.12.17 13:29 Coronet Peak 100.09 km 100.09 p.

2 14.11.17 11:13 Mt. Chees...

61.42 km 76.78 p.

3 28.10.17 11:26 Mt. Chees...

73.15 km 73.15 p.

Elliot Revell-Nash [slowtypinguy] 1 03.12.17 12:33 Kaimai 71.41 km 107.12 p.

2 28.01.18 12:41 Treble Cone 46.70 km 70.05 p.

3 30.12.17 12:38 Kaimai 46.77 km 58.46 p.

Chris Connolly [OceaniaPG] 1 28.01.18 12:42 Treble Cone 97.74 km 97.74 p.

2 27.01.18 12:43 Treble Cone 41.11 km 82.22 p.

3 29.01.18 12:31 Treble Cone 52.01 km 52.01 p.

Henry Dumbleton [HenryD] 1 28.01.18 12:19 Treble Cone 88.19 km 88.19 p.

2 15.02.18 13:04 Kaimai 50.84 km 76.26 p.

3 27.01.18 12:31 Treble Cone 66.00 km 66.01 p.

Barry Baxter [BarryBaxter] 1 31.10.17 12:30 Mt. Murch...

72.34 km 90.43 p.

2 07.02.18 12:47 Mt. Murch...

62.79 km 78.49 p.

3 24.11.17 12:50 Kourarau 40.35 km 60.53 p.

Kris Ericksen [SKF] 1 07.02.18 11:34 Treble Cone 52.01 km 104.02 p.

2 28.01.18 12:33 Treble Cone 79.99 km 79.99 p.

3 03.02.18 13:41 Treble Cone 44.50 km 44.50 p.

Mark Hardman [mhardman] 1 23.12.17 12:35 Treble Cone 104.75 km 130.94 p.

2 05.10.17 11:59 Treble Cone 50.58 km 50.58 p.

3 01.01.18 11:58 Treble Cone 38.48 km 38.49 p.

Hamish Barker [ruthers] 1 28.01.18 12:16 Treble Cone 96.82 km 96.82 p.

2 23.11.17 11:55 Inwoods 62.91 km 62.91 p.

3 03.02.18 13:07 Treble Cone 57.08 km 57.08 p.

Dylan Vickerman [centralotago] 1 02.01.18 13:53 Treble Cone 73.99 km 92.49 p.

2 27.12.17 12:10 Treble Cone 64.00 km 80.00 p.

3 28.12.17 12:22 Hyde Rock 33.46 km 41.83 p.

Kat West [katwest]♀ 1 22.11.17 12:03 Treble Cone 38.89 km 77.78 p.

2 28.01.18 13:39 Kidd’s Bush 66.75 km 66.75 p.

3 28.12.17 13:01 Treble Cone 64.95 km 64.96 p.

Helen Jeffery [helenjeffery]♀ 1 28.01.18 12:49 Treble Cone 75.53 km 75.53 p.

2 18.12.17 13:39 Coronet Peak 54.91 km 68.64 p.

3 28.12.17 12:53 Treble Cone 56.64 km 56.64 p.

Ben Kellett [benjamin.kellett] 1 27.01.18 14:37 Treble Cone 56.85 km 71.06 p.

2 28.01.18 12:15 Treble Cone 70.70 km 0.00 p.

3 11.11.17 12:12 Treble Cone 58.67 km 58.67 p.

Andrew Cavaney [AndrewCavaney]

1 23.02.18 12:27 Treble Cone 75.12 km 75.12 p.

2 28.01.18 12:38 Treble Cone 70.92 km 70.92 p.

3 03.12.17 12:36 Kaimai 42.55 km 53.19 p.

Stew Karstens [nelpara] 1 31.10.17 12:24 Mt. Murch...

71.05 km 88.81 p.

2 28.10.17 11:57 Inwoods 54.95 km 54.95 p.

3 07.12.17 11:02 Inwoods 52.47 km 52.47 p.

Leighton Joll [Leighton] 1 30.12.17 12:20 Kaimai 70.17 km 87.71 p.

2 01.01.18 10:23 Te Mata Peak 56.88 km 71.10 p.

3 31.12.17 11:18 Palmers 36.88 km 36.88 p.

811.74 p.

716.51 p.

713.46 p.

456.89 p.

363.74 p.

351.49 p.

345.37 p.

345.26 p.

340.65 p.

340.50 p.

329.11 p.

316.50 p.

314.31 p.

311.08 p.

306.28 p.

293.65 p.

287.32 p.

Site

Distance

Points

The online web site for scoring and uploading your track logs is now XContest at: www.xcontest.org/newzealand/

26 A i r b o r n

Total 271.98 p.

271.86 p.

262.61 p.

250.02 p.

235.63 p.

231.97 p.

230.46 p.

229.45 p.

228.51 p.

220.01 p.

216.81 p.

214.32 p.

209.49 p.

200.81 p.

200.43 p.

199.23 p.

196.23 p.

195.69 p.

Photo: Ross Gray

Nick Neynens [nneynens] 1 03.02.18 09:42 NZ? 190.65 km 381.30 p.

2 14.02.18 10:17 Little Br...

183.21 km 366.42 p.

3 27.01.18 11:14 NZ? 211.11 km 211.11 p.

Glen Stevens [Glen_Stevens] 1 22.11.17 12:33 Treble Cone 149.30 km 298.60 p.

2 07.02.18 12:17 Ahuriri 143.13 km 286.26 p.

3 08.02.18 11:52 Roys Peak 113.44 km 226.88 p.

Louis Tapper [yakernz] 1 22.11.17 11:57 Treble Cone 160.94 km 321.88 p.

2 22.12.17 12:04 Coronet Peak 138.35 km 207.53 p.

3 28.01.18 12:28 Treble Cone 93.55 km 187.10 p.

Bryan Moore [bryanmoore] 1 26.01.18 11:16 Roys Peak 129.94 km 259.88 p.

2 27.10.17 11:53 Roys Peak 123.82 km 247.64 p.

3 28.01.18 12:45 Kidd’s Bush 137.29 km 205.94 p.

Gert van Maren [gvanmaren] 1 22.11.17 12:56 Mt Maude 92.83 km 185.66 p.

2 14.11.17 14:42 Pakituhi 111.99 km 139.99 p.

3 28.01.18 12:55 Kidd’s Bush 104.99 km 131.24 p.

Lauris Pumpurs [avio] 1 27.01.18 11:13 Treble Cone 70.39 km 140.76 p.

2 17.12.17 13:01 Kaimai 78.74 km 118.11 p.

3 26.01.18 13:44 Treble Cone 104.87 km 104.87 p.

Tim Brown [timbrown] 1 28.12.17 12:35 Treble Cone 65.92 km 131.84 p.

2 27.12.17 12:31 Treble Cone 61.54 km 123.08 p.

3 28.01.18 12:40 Treble Cone 96.58 km 96.57 p.

Michal Talavasek [Tala] 1 08.02.18 12:29 Woolshed ...

100.21 km 125.26 p.

2 27.12.17 13:19 Mt McIntosh 90.42 km 113.03 p.

3 18.11.17 13:02 Coronet Peak 85.66 km 107.08 p.

Aaron Ford [AaronF] 1 27.01.18 11:53 Treble Cone 73.18 km 146.36 p.

2 28.01.18 12:28 Treble Cone 51.35 km 102.70 p.

3 22.12.17 12:48 Coronet Peak 76.96 km 96.20 p.

David Watson [davidwatson] 1 14.11.17 12:32 Coronet Peak 122.96 km 122.96 p.

2 06.12.17 12:19 Mt Alfred...

115.79 km 115.79 p.

3 22.12.17 12:44 Coronet Peak 50.95 km 101.90 p.

Michal Karnik [miketech] 1 27.10.17 11:56 Roys Peak 62.95 km 125.90 p.

2 27.12.17 13:13 Mt McIntosh 90.56 km 113.20 p.

3 18.11.17 13:02 Coronet Peak 81.12 km 101.40 p.

Shaun Gilbert [q2qxc] 1 16.12.17 12:06 Te Mata Peak 103.65 km 129.56 p.

2 30.12.17 11:04 Turiri 87.19 km 108.99 p.

3 17.12.17 11:27 Te Mata Peak 72.45 km 90.56 p.

Stefano Gigli [stefanogigli] 1 28.12.17 12:50 Treble Cone 75.53 km 151.06 p.

2 28.01.18 11:40 Treble Cone 88.18 km 88.18 p.

3 14.02.18 13:54 Treble Cone 77.26 km 77.26 p.

Doug Patterson [dougpatterson] 1 26.01.18 11:56 Treble Cone 65.15 km 130.30 p.

2 27.10.17 12:54 Treble Cone 55.88 km 111.76 p.

3 27.01.18 11:57 Treble Cone 72.25 km 72.25 p.

Roy Tingay [royboy01246] 1 27.12.17 12:42 Treble Cone 59.07 km 118.14 p.

2 28.12.17 12:38 Treble Cone 48.69 km 97.38 p.

3 28.01.18 12:40 Treble Cone 95.56 km 95.56 p.

Rob Hughes-Games [robhughes-games]

1 11.11.17 11:50 Treble Cone 105.46 km 105.46 p.

2 28.10.17 11:54 Mt. Chees...

83.56 km 104.45 p.

3 28.01.18 12:25 Treble Cone 96.37 km 96.37 p.

Vincent Audebert [vatfr] 1 27.12.17 12:42 Treble Cone 58.37 km 116.74 p.

2 28.12.17 12:34 Treble Cone 54.49 km 108.98 p.

3 28.01.18 13:05 Treble Cone 67.92 km 67.93 p.

Rob Gillard [rob_gillard] 1 27.01.18 12:20 Treble Cone 112.47 km 112.47 p.

2 03.12.17 12:26 Kaimai 72.84 km 91.05 p.

3 28.01.18 12:40 Treble Cone 83.80 km 83.80 p.

NZ Paragliding Competition Committee Write Up

S

ince the end of the National Competition I sometimes sit here in my house outside Queenstown where I can see Coronet Peak and I watch all the guys do ‘sled rides’. Summer has passed us by. There’s not a lot of xc to be had but there are still some pretty good flying fun to be had none-the-less.

It was a good summer with some records broken. Since the last issue of Airborn, Louis Tappers Out-Back record of mid-December of 131.2 km was broken by Nick Neynens a few weeks later with a 137.3km OB and also a record FAI triangle of 190.6 km. Nick broke both records on the same flight in early February after launching from Earnslaw Burn near Glenorchy. Nick now holds the NZ records for OB, FAI triangle and Open distance. Well done Nick.

At the time of writing we are still investigating whether a new NZ FAI Triangle-Tandem was set by Stefano Gigli in Wanaka in late December.

The main paragliding event since the last edition of Airborn was of course the Nationals held in Wanaka from 28th January – 4th March. About 100 pilots from all over the world attended and four tasks were flown.

Having so many pilots created numerous challenges for the organizer; Mark Hardman and the scoring team. It also meant that numerous ‘curved ball’ situations arose that lead to a close scrutiny, and perhaps review, of the current Competition Rules. There were notification issues, GPS back-up issues, launching issues, airspace and cloud flying issues.

Some pilots missed turnpoints, there were broken track-logs and a lot of incidents (some resulting in injury) and reserve throws due to the wind conditions especially on Tasks 2 and 3. Wayne Rohrs sustained serious spinal injuries after losing control close to the ground on the northern slopes of Mt Roy, but then the final Task 4 was another Wanaka classic.

Louis Tapper was the best placed Kiwi, even after being penalized 1000 points for an airspace infringement on Task 1; he came third overall.

Eva Walton-Keim won it for the girls.

A great competition in a fantastic

Safety Checks Continued from page 22

Sol Calliplox and Calliplox Reverse paraglider harnesses

Problem: Rescue lines possibile to hook on zipper puller inside of the rescue compartment.

Procedure: All harnesses SOL Paragliders Calliplox and Calliplox Reverse must be checked before next flight.

Photo Rhys Akers

setting was wrapped up by a very charismatic Johnny Hopper as master-of-ceremony in a ‘cloud suit’ at the prize-giving event. With such a cross-section of pilots, this years Nationals lead to a contribution of nearly 40 points towards the WPRS rankings.

A sincere thanks to Mark and his team of helpers for organizing and managing that event.

As is usual at the annual national event, nominees are selected and elected for the PCC. Johnny Hopper was standing down after over 5 years in the role and he has done a fantastic job for which we are all most grateful.

Leighton Joll has come on board but because of Wayne’s incapacitation Johnny has offered to remain as a stand-in for Wayne in the interim.

Thanks again Johnny!

Wayne, as you may know was instrumental in setting up the new NZPRS scoring system and so it has not been updated recently as he recuperates and finds his feet.

The NZ X-Contest online competition has now wrapped up for the past season. It was a most successful season. Neil Howe won an XC Magazine subscription from Nick Taber at MacPara for the spot landing prize. A special thanks to Nick.

Nominations for hosts for next years National Paragliding competition are soon to be finalized and any club wishing to host that event must get their bids in as soon as possible.

Currently the Nelson Club has offered to conduct that event.

The latest NZPRS results have not been updated since the end of December due to Wayne Rohrs being incapacitated after an accident at the Nationals in Wanaka. Wayne is NZPRS guru and is currently the only person that is familiar with the NZPRS scoring program. He is still in hospital and a lot of his energy and time is involved in recuperating.

We wish him well.

Please bear with this unforseen delay. The NZPRS scores will be updated as soon as possible Best wishes. Keep flying and stay warm!

- Tim Brown and the PCC April 2018

Open the rescue compartment.

Check if the zipper puller offers risk to hook the line or cause malfunction of the rescue use.

1) If it is OK; following the normal rescue installing.

2) if it is not OK; You must use pliers to tighten the zipper puller: 3) Take the pliers and carefully try

to tighten nicely to not damage the zipper.

4) Another inspection is necessary until you install your rescue inside of the compartment.

This procedure should solve the problem, however if you still have any questions, please contact us: SOL Paragliders - SOL Sports Ind. e Com. Ltda.Rua Walter Marquadt, 1180 - 89259-565 Jaragua do Sul, SC, Brazil Fone/Faz (+55) 47 3275 7753 www.solparagliders.com.br info@solsports.com.br April 2018

Icaro 4Fight, SkyRunner, TZ helmets

We are renewing the EN966 certification of these helmets: The bureaucratic process is long and complicated. Unfortunately, we have gone beyond the scheduled times. For correctness we believe it is right to communicate it.

Keep in mind that this is just a mandatory renewal for helmets, already certified and tested since 2003. We expect that the new label will arrive soon.

We already developed a new free flight helmet too, and we are in the test phase for the En966.

For those interested in knowing more about the tests to obtain the EN 966 we have published an interesting and exclusive video at: https://youtu.be/Oq0BrxVgjEM 21 March 2018

Icaro Pandion M paraglider EAPR-GS-0632/17

We noticed on the PANDION M glider, that the main brake line is too short by 60mm (6cm).

ICARO recommends to change the mentioned lines on this model prior to the next flight.

Temporarily, the main brake line (brmain) can be extended by the pilot.

The new lines will be provided by ICARO free of charge. We recommend to contact your flight school or dealer to assemble the new lines, if you do not feel secure in changing the lines by yourself. Please feel free to get in touch with ICARO directly in order to find the best solution for replacement of the lines.

Ralf Groesel, Icaro Paragliders www.icaro-paragliders.com icaro@icaro-paragliders.com Tel: +49 (0)8034 909 700 9 February 2018

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N Ne eww ZZeeaa ll aann dd C rC ro os ss s - -CCoouunntt rr yy

HH AA NN GG gglli idding i ng CC hampi h a m p ioonships nships

January 1st to December 31st

H

ere is the latest XC Table featuring flight entries from the 2017 Nationals and Omarama XC Classic.

John Smith has both the longest flight and the best total so far with a flight from Coronet to Tekapo and two flights during the Classic from Buscot to Bannockburn and Cromwell. The rest of us will have to try pretty hard to even get close.

Only one person can be at the top of the table; sometimes they have better local sites, more time available or just better luck with the weather, but if you are improving your ability, your personal best, or your own distance total, you are winning too.

After last Summer ended abruptly, things have gone a bit quiet for xc entries. But if global warming keeps up, this coming Spring and Summer will have some great flights coming up.

Airtribune Live tracking For those who want quicker retrieves, get the Airtribune App for your Android smartphone.

Airtribune will track your flight and let your retrieve driver look you up on their smartphone to see exactly where you are. It is limited to cell coverage but apparently satellite trackers like Spot work with it too. It’s easy on the phone battery but it still pays to have a backup battery as well.

Note that Airtribune doesn’t calculate FAI Open Distance from the 2 furtherest points of your flight.

You still need a tracklog for that as explained in the entry section.

The Apple IOS version is hasn’t been updated for a couple of years and currently only works at Airtribune contests. Airtribune has recently been sold to a new owner so hopefully an update will come.

ONLINE RESULTS Latest results are posted as they come in at www. hgpg.co.nz and on the NZHGPA website at www. nzhgpa.org.nz/competitions/hg-competitions/ hang-gliding-cross-country-championships (but check if it’s been recently updated).

Online scoring? Not yet, but if you have a 3D GPS you can enter any of the online contests as well. If you do this, just let me know by emailing me a link to your online entry and I’ll copy the data to the NZ HG XC Champs. It should have all we need to enter your flight.

TO ENTER...

It’s free and simple; fly anywhere in NZ before midnight on 31st December, email or post in your flight details (and tracklog if you have one) before 30 days has passed and you’re entered. Enter as many flights as you like. Your shorter flights are automatically replaced by your longer ones. Only your longest four flights are scored.

For each flight entry, please supply; • Your name, email address and contact phone number.

• Flight date, take-off/release place, landing place, and flight distance in kilometres and 10ths.

• Tracklog file from a GPS that can be read by GPSDump, such as an IGC file. Best is a kml file optimised by GPSDump.

• If you don’t have a GPS tracklog, then please also supply; Start and landing witness/s name & contact.

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The 2018 Cross-Country Championships Table so far...

Name Flight 1 Flight 2 Flight 3 Flight 4 Total kms John Smith 163.3 120.5 114.5 62.5 460.7 Bill Degen 86.9 86.0 57.5 50.8 281.2 Derek McKee

112.4

66.9

59.3

238.6

Leslie Graham 52.1 46.3 32.2 30.8 161.3 Pete Halliwell 52.2 42.1 23.6 14.3 132.3 Adriel Kind 57.5 16.9 4.2 78.6 Geoff Christophers 39.7 35.5 75.3 John Collins 27.7 22.7 17.5 67.8 Guy Williams

61.7

61.7

Oliver Derry

51.0

51.0

Rod Stuart 20.2 12.6 7.9 4.2 44.9 John Burton

43.3

43.3

Kevin McManus 20.2 20.2 40.4 John Urlich 12.4 12.1 10.4 3.0 37.9 Marty Smith 23.2 12.6 35.8 Morgan Knoessen

23.2

23.2

Tom Mulder

12.3

19.2

A GPS instrument has many advantages for XC flying, but for pilots who don’t have GPS, you can still enter the NZ HG XC Champs without one, you’ll just need to provide take-off and landing witnesses.

GPSDump is free, comes in Windows, Mac and other versions and it reads GPS tracklogs from just about any instrument. It works out the best start and finish points for you automatically. It also works out if the flight fits any other FAI criteria such as out and return, triangle etc. It enables you to export it for viewing in Google Earth in 3D. Download GPSDump at; www.gethome.no/stein.sorensen Rules You must be a paid up NZHGPA member during all flights or you don’t score. Entries must be postmarked or emailed within 30 days of the flight or don’t score. This helps ensure accuracy and prevents pilots holding back flights until the end, so we all to know how everyone’s doing.

Please DON’T phone, txt, or tell me in the pub, all entries must be in writing (email preferred) with all flight details (and GPS tracklog if using remote launch and/or landings), or do not score. Don’t assume that because someone else was there or you were in a competition that your flight has been entered. It is each pilots’ responsibility to declare and enter full details of their own flight entries.

Measure your flights in kilometres and 10ths of km, straight line from take-off to landing. Or for often a few more kms, optimised flight distances with a Remote Start and/or Remote Finish are welcome, if you send in a valid GPS tracklog.

Aerotow launched xc flights are permitted, but your release altitude must be less than 5% of the flight distance (current FAI ruling) or does not score. This prevents super high tows followed by a downwind glide from scoring against pilots thermalling for xc.

The flight scores from tow release position (not tow take-off) and verification can be witnessed by the tug pilot, or confirmed with known landmark photo or GPS tracklog.

Out & return, triangle or multiple distances are not

6.9 ** Class 2 (rigid wing), * Skyfloater

eligible at this stage, however if a enough pilots enter them, I’ll table them as well.

Note: If you don’t follow the rules by providing all relevant flight details, (including valid tracklog for remote start or finish flights) you DO NOT SCORE. GLIDER CLASSES Same as FAI rules. Flex wings including kingpostless gliders are Class 1. Rigid wings such as the Atos are Class 5 and Swifts are Class 2 or Class 5 without the pilot fairing.

There is a special class for pilots flying skyfloater gliders such as such as the Fun, Falcon, Malibu etc.

30% double surface gliders such as Buzz, Gyro, Mars, Target, Ventura, Malibu etc can be flown in this class too. As long as it has exposed crossbars.

Don’t forget to point it out on your entry if you have an exposed crossbar glider or rigid wing. You can enter in as many classes as you like. Skyfloater flights can be entered in a separate class and/or included in your Class 1 score, whichever you prefer.

Classes can be scored separately if multiple entries are received. Meanwhile they will appear in the table above.

Let me know if your flight is a site record too.

SCORING The pilot with the best total of four flights is the NZ Hang Gliding Cross Country Champion for that year and gets first choice of prizes followed by pilots with second and third best totals. The pilot with the longest single flight gets fourth choice, then prizes go from fourth best total onwards.

Flights for each years XC Champs must be flown between 1 January and 31st December and entered within 30 days. This ends one contest while pilots have good weather and starts the next the contest while everyone’s still keen.

SEND YOUR ENTRY TO; aero@xtra.co.nz (Please write “XC Entry” in the header and please keep your entry separate from other emails) or post entries to; NZ Hang Gliding XC Champs, Bill Degen, 99A Panorama Road, Christchurch 8081

N Z H G P A B OO K ROO M The art of Paragliding

by Dennis Pagen. Instruction manual for beginner to intermediates. Large format 374 pages $80 Hang Gliding Training Manual by Dennis Pagen.

Ultimate guide to Beginner to Advanced hang gliding flying skills $80 Performance Flying by Dennis Pagen. Hang gliding for intermediate to advanced flying skills, includes competition, cross country, towing $80 Understanding the Sky by Dennis Pagen. Sport aviation weather and micrometeorology for hang glider, paraglider and microlight pilots. $60 PARAGLIDING, BEGINNER TO CROSS COUNTRY by Sollom Cook. From basic techniques to competition flying $60 A PILOTS TRAINING MANUAL (PG) Includes zone free, 80 minute DVD with 9 chapters including; forward inflation, reverse inflation, manoeuvres, soaring, flying thermals to landing methods.

Only $65!

NZ Hang Gliding Training Handbook Essential Beginner/ Novice instruction information for NZ hang gliding students learning to fly. $15 NZHGPA Hang Gliding Tow Manual All aspects of towing with clear photographs and step by step instruction $15 NZHGPA Aerotow Manual In depth detail of aerotow procedure as authorised by MAANZ and NZHGPA $15 NZHGPA Paragliding Tow Manual This manual outlines requirements and procedures for towing $15

NZHGPA Logbook With rating record $15

NZHGPA MOVIE LIBRARY FLYING OVER EVEREST, DVD, Angelo D’Arrigo and the story of his flight over Mt Everest.

PLAY GRAVITY, DVD, Extreme paragliding, snowboarding, BASE jumping, freeriding and speedflying in the most awesome settings.

EAST WIND, DVD, German pilots fly hybrid recliner bike/ paramotors 1632 kms across eastern Europe; Hanover to the Black Sea. DYNAMIC DECISIONS, DVD, Shows how different DHV paragliders react when flying the most dangerous manoeuvres.

THE RACE, DVD, A race between climber and pilot in the Italian Dolomites. Winner of 4 world film contests.

Paragliding Learn to Fly, DVD Tutorial for PG Performance Flying, DVD by Jocky Sanderson Never Ending Thermal Pura Vida Flying Security in Flight & The Speed to Fly Birdmen of Kilimanjaro The Red Bull X Alps Managing Risk in Aviation CAA Red Bull X-Alps 2005 Check the NZHGPA web site for the latest special offers In order to cover the high cost of importing HG and PG DVDs, cost of hire and postage is $10 for 10 day loans Postage and GST is included in price.

Please send your order with payment to;

Evan Lamberton, 35A Manly Esplanade, Browns Bay, North Shore City 0630 Ph 09 478 0063, 021 407833 ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz

Hang gliding, paragliding schools and instructors that you can contact for qualified flight instruction in New Zealand NORTHLAND HANG GLIDING Skywalk Guntram Gross, Herman Ahrens Phone: 09 436 0268 or 09 432 9333, 021 072 0357 Email: skywalk@igrin.co.nz AUCKLAND HANG GLIDING Aqua Air Adventure Paddy Monro Phone: 09 528 7594, 027 288 0193 Email: aquaair@ihug.co.nz www.gethigh.co.nz PARAGLIDING SkyWings Paragliding Alan Hills Phone: 09 570 5757, 027 498 2345 Email: alan@skywings.co.nz www.skywings.co.nz Wings & Waves Paragliding and Kitesurfing Reuben Muir and Eva Keim Phone: 09 446 0020, 027 472 7013 Email: info@wingsandwaves.co.nz www.wingsandwaves.co.nz WAIKATO PARAGLIDING Wings & Waves Paragliding and Kitesurfing Reuben Muir and Eva Keim Phone: 09 446 0020, 027 472 7013 Email: info@wingsandwaves.co.nz www.wingsandwaves.co.nz OMAHU, THAMES/PAEROA PARAGLIDING Bruce Vickerman Phone: 07 862 4919, 027 498 9941 Email: bruce.v@clear.net.nz HAWKES BAY PARAGLIDING Airplay Paragliding School Barry Sayer, Phone: 027 451 2886 Email: barry@airplay.co.nz www.airplay.co.nz BAY OF PLENTY PARAGLIDING Kiwi-Air Mike & Aniko Phone: 07 929 5807, 021 104 6208 http://kiwi-air.co.nz Mount Paragliding Darrell Packe Phone: 027 249 2702 Email:darrellpacke@gmail.com MANAWATU HANG GLIDING SkyVenture (Manawatu HG & PG Inc. Club School) CFI: Ross Gray Phone: 06 357 8996, 021 126 0892 Email: rosscoe@e3.net.nz WELLINGTON/WAIRARAPA HANG GLIDING Wellington Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club Grant Tatham Phone: 06 379 7322, 027 636 3491 Email: tathams@xtra.co.nz Oceania Paragliding School Chris Connolly, Phone: 022 676 5599 Email; school@oceaniaparagliding. co.nz www.oceaniaparagliding.co.nz

MARLBOROUGH PARAGLIDING High Adventure New Zealand Russell Read Phone: 027 448 0888 Email: russread@ihug.co.nz NELSON/TASMAN HANG GLIDING Nelson Hang Gliding Adventures Glenn Meadows Phone: 03 548 9151, 027 275 1022 Email: gmeadows@clear.net.nz www.flynelson.co.nz Tasman Sky Adventures Trevor Leighton Phone: 027 229 9693 Email: info@skyadventures.co.nz www.skyadventures.co.nz PARAGLIDING Nelson Paragliding Stew and Zanna Karstens Phone: 03 544 1182, 027 446 3930 Email: paragliding@xtra.co.nz www.nelsonparagliding.co.nz CHRISTCHURCH HANG GLIDING Canterbury Hang Gliding School Bill Degen Phone: 03 326 6411, 021 247 2676 Email: aero@xtra.co.nz www.hgpg.co.nz PARAGLIDING Cloudbase Paragliding Grey Hamilton Phone: 027 532 4874 Email: cbparagliding@gmail.com www.cloudbaseparagliding.co.nz ParaPro (Paragliding & Powered Paragliding) Dave Dennis Phone: 03 328 8255, 0508 548 323 Email: info@parapro.co.nz www.parapro.co.nz

WANAKA PARAGLIDING Paraventures Paragliding School Mark Hardman Phone: 0800 FLYSOLO (0800 359 765), 021 809 275 Email: info@paraventures.co.nz QUEENSTOWN PARAGLIDING Infinity Paragliding School Alan Swann & Blake Round Phone: 021 0228 2939 or 027 367 7679 Email: info@infinityparagliding.co.nz www.infinityparagliding.co.nz Extreme Air Hang Gliding & Paragliding School & Tandems Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 or +61 45 728 7200 Email: lisa@extremeair.co.nz www.extremeair.co.nz DUNEDIN PARAGLIDING Dunedin Paragliding & Hang Gliding School Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 Email: lisa@extremeair.co.nz www.extremeair.co.nz

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Photos: Neil Brown, Ross Gray

NZHGPA

B OO K ROO M

Learn to Fly

■ Paid up NZHGPA members may run one advertisement per classification for free in each issue ■ Please send your written advertisement to the editor, quoting your NZHGPA PIN number ■ Commercial operators, dealers, and non-members must enclose payment of $0.50c per word with their advertisement ■ All advertisements are deleted for next issue unless repeat request received ■ Buyers are advised that all used hang gliders and paragliders should have a NEW fitness check (WOF) when sold ■ It is dangerous to fly a glider or with equipment that is above your rated ability ■

APCO Lambada, medium (90-110 kgs total loading) 28.1 m2. Red. 80 cells.

DHV-2. CEN/AFNOR Performance Class. APCO’s top-of-the-line, crosscountry wing in 2006. manufactured Sept. 2005. Airtime:123 logged hours. originally guaranteed for 250 hours or three years. The cloth is 46gm/m2, zero-porosity ripstop with a silicon coating for extra life. The wing has split A-risers for “easy ears,” is in excellent condition, and has been well cared for.

Considering the condition of the wing now, I would consider 300, or more, eventual hours of usable airtime very likely. The wing has been carefully stored, flat and loose, in dry conditions, when not in use. Contact 021 153 3163 or email; helen.lagan@gmail.com MAC Para have an exciting NEW range of paragliders for the 2018 season.

Check out the awesome reviews on the ENB Illusion, Hike & Fly Paradis or Outback, Elan 2 ENC, Pasha 6 Tandem. Discounts may apply for first orders into NZ or social media pilots/adventurers. Tell us your plans contact Nick nick@macpara.co.nz facebook @macparanz tel: 021 420 742 PHI Gliders - www.phi-air.com - the revolution continues. Hannes Papesh and Mike Kung create the latest revelations in gliders - Symphonia - high B performance with EN A safety. Exclusively from SkyWings - email alan@ skywings.co.nz NOVA Paragliders - www.nova.eu - exclusively by SkyWings - www.skywings. co.nz - email alan@skywings.co.nz

OZONE Paragliders www.flyozone.com - Awesome new models - 25 years bringing you the best wings - email alan@skywings.co.nz

SPEEDFLYING specialists - and dozens of great XC wings - happy to trade - all kinds of harnesses in stock as well - www.skywings.co.nz or alan@ skywings.co.nz MOTOR Paragliding BLACKBIRD Paramotor. NZ designed and made. High performance comfort.

Intro pricing $9350 email: paradynamics@xtra.co.nz www.paradynamics. co.nz Phone 03 325 4540.

PARAMOTORING - exclusive Miniplane and PAP motors - SkyWings for courses and equipment - www.skywings.co.nz or alan@skywings.co.nz HANG GLIDERS AIRBORNE C4 13.5 For sale $1500 ono plus 1 spare downtube. 150 hours.

Good condition. New W.O.F, Txt 0204 126 1590 or e-mail alexcrawford291@ gmail.com SPORT 2, 175 2011, Grey leading edges with dark blue & grey lower, 15 hours still looks like new, Current WOF, Contact Andrew 0274 340 002 or andrewcares@xtra.co.nz

DESIRE 141, Very good condition for age, spare upright. Suit lighter pilot.

Nice handling, quick to rig up, none of those nasty curved tips to hassle with! Will consider trades on single surface gliders. $990.00 ono. Contact Peter on 027 752 9650

U2 160. Dacron sail, Mylar/Hydranet LE/TE, Mini battens, Flex-tips. 2012 great condition, has flown approx 300 hours. email - skyriderag@gmail.com, phone 027 670 8301

SKYFLOATERS; New and used; Fun, Falcon, fully strip checked, test flown and trimmed, trade-ins considered, contact Bill at 03 326-6411 or aero@xtra.co.nz HANG GLIDER HARNESSES WOODY Valley Flex harness XL, Contact Andrew 0274 340 002 or andrewcares@xtra.co.nz MOTOR HANG Gliding MOSQUITO harness, good cond, pod type, pull start. folding carbon fibre prop, and prop brake, $3000 ono. Phone 027 292 3928 or email trevvvster@gmail.com MOSQUITO NRG motorharness, very tidy with very low airtime, electric start, plus folding carbon propellor, stainless auto carabiner, extra fuel tank, and reserve parachute if required. Phone 021 247 2676, email aero@xtra.co.nz RESERVE PARACHUTES RANGE of reserve parachutes for hang gliding and paragliding. Bridles, Front containers, Maillons, Swivels, Hook knives etc, in stock at HG & PG Supplies, Phone 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz

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INSTRUMENTS BAUNIGER AV Pilot II vario, Contact Andrew 0274 340 002 or andrewcares@ xtra.co.nz NAVITER, Flytec, Digifly, Aircotec flight instruments, audio only mini units and simple vario/altis to full GPS flight computers and even compact flight computers. Large range and new models in stock now. Phone or txt 021 247 2676, email aero@xtra.co.nz ACCESSORIES ICOM IC T90A 6 meters, 2 meters and 440 MHz radio, Contact Andrew 0274 340 002 or andrewcares@xtra.co.nz CHARLY NoLimit Helmet with headset, Contact Andrew 0274 340 002 or andrewcares@xtra.co.nz Helmets, No Limit, Insider, Loop, Breeze (adjustable) and new better fitting PlusMax. Range of colours & sizes, No Limit has visor option, PlusMax has chinguard option, phone 021 247 2676 email aero@xtra.co.nz SUP Air 17 back protector. Half price $100 used but excellent condition. Contact colinstuart8@hotmail.com INSTRUCTION HANG Gliding/Skyfloating. Experienced instruction in Christchurch using the latest skyfloater hang gliders and equipment, Phone Bill 021 247 2676, 03 326 6411 a.h., email aero@xtra.co.nz and www.hgpg.co.nz EMPLOYMENT CORONET Peak Tandems Ltd, Queenstown, are looking for tandem hang gliding and paragliding pilots. Call 021 220 5932 SKYTREK Tandems Ltd, Queenstown, are seeking tandem hang gliding and paragliding pilots to join our growing tourism business. Please call Ian on 027 4301 741 or email ian@skytrek.co.nz

Keep in touch with the NZ hang gliding and paragliding scene, the latest developments, events, new and used equipment...

M a g a z i n e All hang glider and paraglider pilots in NZ are required by law to be members, and receive Airborn magazine as part of their membership but non flyers and overseas pilots are welcome to subscribe.

For Airborn SUBSCRIPTIONS please contact; NZHGPA Administrator, 46 Quail Rise, Stoke, Nelson 7011, New Zealand

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Feb/Mar/Apr May/Jun/Jul Aug/Sep/Oct Nov/Dec/Jan 205 206 201 202 203 204 197 198 199 200 193 194 195 196 189 190 191 192 185 186 187 188 - - 183 184 179 180 181 182 175 176 177 178 171 172 173 174

Feb/Mar Apr/May Jun/Jul Aug/Sep Oct/Nov Dec/Jan 2008 issue numbers 165 166 167 168 169 170 2007 issue numbers 159 - 161 162 163 164 2006 issue numbers 153 - 155 156 - 158 2005 issue numbers 147 148 149 150 151 152 2004 issue numbers 141 142 143 144 145 2003 issue numbers 135 - 137 138 139 140 2002 issue numbers 129 130 131 132 133 134 2001 issue numbers 123 124 125 126 127 128 2000 issue numbers 117 118 119 120 121 122 1999 issue numbers - - 113 - - 1998 issue numbers 105 106 107 108 109 110 1997 issue numbers 99 100 101 - 103 104 1996 issue numbers 93 94 95 96 97 98 1995 issue numbers - - - - - 1994 issue numbers 81 82 83 84 85 86 1993 issue numbers - 76 - 78 79 80 1992 issue numbers 69 70 71 72 73 74 A5 Issues below $1.- each (Prior to issue 69 all are the smaller A5 format) 1991 issue numbers 63 64 65 66 67 68 1990 issue numbers - 58 59 60 61 62 1989 issue numbers 51 52 53 - 55 56 1988 issue numbers 45 46 - - 49 50

For Back Issues; send your order with payment to; Airborn Back Issues, 99A Panorama Road, Christchurch 8081, NZ

- Sorry issues marked with this symbol are no longer available

PARAGLIDERS

FLIGHT PIX

Brooke Whatnall testing the first serial production of the U-Turn Joker 17m.

Photo; U-Turn. More onformation and video at http://u-turn.de/web/english/home

Everything you need • Ready to fly – no setup • Extremely responsive & accurate Vario assisted by inertial sensors • Sunlight readable LCD with Touch panel optimised for gloves • Long lasting battery with quick charger • Vector maps for the whole world pre-installed (towns, roads, rivers, lakes etc.)

• Airspace files for most of the world pre-installed and updated • Software fully supports Competition and XC Pilots • Barometric and GPS altimeters • Easy and free software updates • In-flight FAI Triangle Assistant • Customizable data fields • Multiple wing profiles • Thermal Assistant • Wind Assistant • IGC tracklogs • Lightweight • Perfect size • Available in Full or upgradeable Basic versions • And more…

www.naviter.com/oudie-4 http://www.naviter.com/oudie-4/ aero@xtra.co.nz aero@xtra.co.nz

03 326 6411 021 247 2676

PHI www.skywings.co.nz

www.nova.eu

Nova’s full range exlusively from SkyWings

ION 5 - EN B

https://phi-air.com

PHI - New Brand - The revolution continues.

The Dream Team, World Top designer Hannes Papesh and test pilot Mike Kung are shattering everything already with the new Symphonia - the best glider for most pilots.

Research it for yourself - this wing delivers on its promises

PHI SYMPHONIA - EN A New Class Of Glider Super high A. EN A safety with mid to high B performance, and best handling.

PARAMOTORING SPECIALISTS 27 years motoring & teaching. Our level of experience means everything when you learn to motor Miniplane - under 20kgs www.papteam.com NZ’s most popular motor www.miniplane.net

MINI WINGS

HARNESSES

Twice the fun, twice the flying, half the price!

Perfect your groundhandling skills. Huge fun for soaring and strong day thermalling. We are the specialists with 25 years on the smallest wings

We stock all Ozone Miniwings

- Ultralite 4 - Zero - Litespeed - Firefly 3 - Rapido - Fazer 3 Importer of Sup’Air, Nova and Ozone harnesses like the Ozone Ozium - 2.5kgs

PAP Exlusively from SkyWings

Ph: 09 570 5757 Cell: 0274 98 2345 email: alan@skywings.co.nz

www.skywings.co.nz

Visit our webpage for our weekly specials and list of gliders and harnesses in stock.

Don’t see what you want? We’re ordering all the time.