NZHGPA Airborn #199

Issue 199; August, September, October 2016

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING

Dumb Flying Hang Gliding Canungra 7.50 Including GST

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9 771170 992006

Epic Southern Alps Round Trip

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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 careless visiting flyers. 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: Graham Surrey .................021 0262 5023 Sec: Paul Henriques ......................021 310 779 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: frogiwi@xtra.co.nz www.facebook.com/BOPHangGlidingParagliding Pres: Dave Washer.07 544 2951/ 0275 992 934 Sec: Dominique Le Sellin.07 544 2951 / 021 617 111 PGSO: Wayne Roberts.07 574 4223 / 021 668 852 HGSO: James Low.......................021 102 5004 Airsp: Rhys Akers.........................021 177 7563 Sites: Dave Shaw...........................07 575 9560 Geoffrey Christophers ...................07 576 5744 Levitate Paragliding........................07 542 0098 Mount Paragliding..07 574 4223, 027 643 6529

WAIKATO H.G.P.C. Inc. C/- Ewen Tonar 23A Brookview Court Hamilton Email: etonar@infogen.net.nz Pres: Neil Howe..............................07 304 9631 Sec/Treas/Airsp: Ewen Tonar.........07 855 3969 PGSO: Bruce Vickerman ...............07 868 4991 HGSO: Paul Brydon.......................07 825 9161

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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 Email: admin@southernclub.co.nz www.southernclub.co.nz Pres, Mark Hardman......................021 809 275 Sec: Melanie Heather...................021 204 0163 Treas: Kat Cerna.................................................

PGSO: Blake Round.....................027 367 7679 HGSO: Ian Clark.............................03 442 3992 Sites: Cathal McLoughlin...........021 024 00350 Events: Dan Pugsley..........................................

IT/Web: Jim Rooney...................020 4010 1926 Airsp: Keri Mapperson....................021 530 950 Craig Smith...................................027 343 3537 Derek Divers...................................03 443 7190 Helen Jeffery................................03 3409 8328 James Mitchell...........................021 0244 7875 Coronet Peak Tandem PG & HG..0800 467 325 Skytrek Hang Gliding & Paragliding.0800 759 873 Elevation Paragliding....................0800 359 444 Extreme Air............................ 0800 PARAGLIDE Infinity Paragliding School..........021 0228 2939 Paraventures Paragliding.............0800 809 275

Photo; Richard Simson

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/- Mike Lowe 4 Meredith Street, Addington, Christchurch Email: mike.j.lowe@gmail.com www.chgpc.org.nz Pres: Dan Campbell.......................021 980 635 Sec/Treas; Mike Lowe....................03 339 8176 PGSO; Robert Kennedy.................03 329 3339 HGSO; Eddie Pearson..................021 280 0599 Sites HG; Reece Fisher..................021 806 390 Airsp; Peter Taylor..........................03 338 6287 Website; Stephen O’Shaughnessy.03 326 7373 Canty HG School; Bill Degen.......021 247 2676 Nimbus Paragliding......................027 432 4874 ParaPro.........................................0800 548 323

Flying at Kariotahi, Auckland

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 Sec/Treas: Grant Firth................... 021 422 698 PGSO: Georges Larras ................021 186 4646 HGSO: Grant Tatham...................027 636 3491 Airsp: Ian Miller ............................022 176 8205 Communications; Anthony Chalhoub .....................................................027 734 5768 Oceania Paragliding School.........022 676 5599

TASMAN H.G.P.C. C/- Olly Barrett 1/160 Collingwood Street Nelson 7010 Email: thgpgclub@gmail.com Pres; Peter Allison .........................03 546 5242 Sec; Annett Teichner....................021 272 3236 Treas; Brian Erasmus .....................03 545 1003 PGSO; Greg Benjamin....................03 545 1543 PGSO; Pete Polansky ...................03 528 7374 HGSO; Mark Patton.......................03 548 7944 Site Owners; Tim Percival .............03 548 7397 Site Maintenance; Frog Twissell ....03 538 0339 Airsp; Ian Wood............................027 245 1851 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

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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

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N.Z.H.G.P.A. INC., 23 Covent Drive, 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, 23 Covent Drive, Stoke, Nelson 7011, 03 547 4845, admin@nzhgpa.org.nz EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President

Ross Gray, 7 Nathan Place, Palmerston North 4412. 06 351 8193, president@nzhgpa.org.nz Vice President

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

Glenn Meadows, 8 Brook Tce, Nelson. 03 548 9151, 027 275 1022, hg.training@nzhgpa.org.nz Paragliding Operations Manager

Kyla MacDonald, 021 056 2320, pg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Paragliding Training Manager

Alan Swann, Rapid 115, Arthurs Point Road, Queenstown 9371. 03 442 5145, 021 0228 2939. pg.training@nzhgpa.org.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

Tony Cowley, 021 138 4422, 2ftagl@gmail.com Chief Medical Advisor

Paul Brydon, 1431 Main Te Pahu Rd, RD5, Hamilton. 07 825 9161, 021 253 5264, paulbrydon@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

Dean Straker, 35 Seymour Avenue, The Brook, Nelson 7010, 03 545 7511, 021 545 7511, dean@verticallimits.co.nz Bookshop Manager

Ewen Tonar, 23A Brookview Court, Hamilton. 07 855 3969, 021 041 1418, etonar@infogen.net.nz Hang Gliding Competition Committee

Mark Alton, 167 Mahoenui Road, Coatesville, Auckland 0793, 022 195 5746, markalton@yahoo.com Dennis Green, 38 Kaitake Road, RD 4, New Plymouth 4374, 06 752 7618, 021 430 436, dennis-green@clear.net.nz 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 Peter Taylor, 021 066 9886, nzhgpapcc@googlegroups.com

IN THIS ISSUE...

Southern Alps Hike & Fly Epic.....................................................4 Canungra Hang Gliding Classic................................................11 Dumb Things to Do While Flying...............................................14 Flying Close to the Ridge...........................................................18 Safety Checks.............................................................................21 2015/2016 Milestone Flights......................................................23 Paragliding Competition Committee Report...........................24 Hang Gliding Records and Comp Ladder....................25, 27, 29 Cross Country Champs Scoreboards.................................26, 28 Classified Advertisements.........................................................30 FRONT COVER: Heading south down the Southern Alps from Nelson.

Photo: Antoine Girard

NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE: 1 OCTOBER 2016 A

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Hike & Fly in Kiwiland Antoine Girard relates the epic round trip of the Southern Alps that he and Benoit Outters made between December 18th 2015 and January 6th 2016

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he NZ South Island is quite well suited for bivouac flights; green and desert mountain tops, huts every 20 km for rest and a huge alpine playground.

Nevertheless, it isn’t that easy.

Trails don’t exist and it is difficult to move at an average of over 3 km/h. Grassy mountain tops are often guarded by thick woodland and extremely strong valley breezes.

The land is untouched and you could cross the whole island without meeting anyone.

The idea and ethics of our trip was to cross the island fully selfsupported. We start with survival food for 20 days, with rations averaging 250g per person per day. We will enjoy semolina, cereal and pasta. Our rucksacks weigh around 22kg.

This is a summary of our discovery of the beauty of the crossing and the troubles we went through.

Day 1: We arrive late at Lake Mavora and bivouac on the lake shore with the sand-flies; the local mosquitos!

After a nice morning, the sky is overcast. It only took minutes at take-off to switch from blue skies to opaque. Take-off was at noon on the west slopes to stay on the windward side, where instability compensates for lack of sun. We manage to fly a difficult 30 km with a small flatland session. Flying up the Greenstone valley is impossible with a 30 km/h headwind as the wind slides past the mountains without generating lift.

Trails through the forest are scarce to access a potential takeoff and it is better to make ground by foot. We walk 20 km until 9pm.

We spend another night “a la belle etoile”[under the stars]. It is difficult to sleep as everything is wet in this damp climate. We don’t even have a mattress or a tarpaulin. The driest

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Our first day, and the sky is changing

Below; Rations for 2 to 20 days, it is basic but not too heavy

Above; Benoit and Antoine starting on their trip. After the the X-Alps, how hard can this be...

Below; Hiking up to to find a place to launch

Right; The western side of the island is still wet and windy spot is the trail itself, so we lay down on the trail which is just the width of our shoulders.

Day 2: We wake up with the sun at 5am.

We climb 2000m to reach a pass which should allow take-off. The sun is with us in the fantastic scenery of mountain lakes, but the wind is strong and the wrong way. We finally find a take-off with headwind and get around the mountain to keep going. A leeward side flight session is inevitable. Who cares? We don’t want to walk down! The rucksacks are too heavy.

We already are exhausted.

Admittedly, we barely had any food for 2 days. We are saving it for the rest of the trip. Only 100g pasta the day before, a couple of nuts and 8 bits of chocolate we were given yesterday that we are snacking during the day.

The air is very stable and we cannot do more than 15 km flying… End of flight. We lack the glide to cross the river in our path. A quick glance at the map shows we will need to walk 40 km to find a bridge… Three boats pass by to batter our morale.

Hoping to cross a ford by foot, we explore the riverbank for an hour to find a shallower area that we dare attempt to cross. We first test the crossing without the rucksacks.

Then with our equipment.

First problem solved, we need to think about the next step. The 20 km remaining to the next hut. The people we met told us bad weather was coming for tomorrow. Outdoors bivouac tonight? No way!

We hit the trail to the hut. It is the last valley we need to cross before we start on the really uninhabited areas. And that motivates us to make ground.

The trail stops pretty early. The mountain on the other side has collapsed and an avalanche of stones stops the river on the valley floor. The river has changed track has eaten part of our mountain, including the trail!

Scouting a little, we manage to cross the river and come back to the right bank thanks to a lucky bridge

of trees that the power of water has created for us.

After the crossing we discover the valley narrowing due to the rock avalanche has created a lake, ranging several kilometres. We start wondering if the hut is above or below the water level.

It is an ordeal to keep going in the forest. We constantly need to climb and walk down, climb over piles of tree trunks, cross rivers, etc… We move at an average of 1 km/h over several hours.

Finally the hut appears just beyond the new lake. We arrive at night.

During the last hours I vomited a couple of times. Too much effort, too little food. My body is exhausted. I can’t even drink water. Benoit finds the strength to eat half a ration at night. I will see what happens tomorrow. I cannot take the chance to puke the little food we have.

Day 3: I’m feeling better this morning. I can eat yesterday’s ration and dispatch today’s ration as I wish. It’s lightly raining and the lack of potential take-off areas convinced us to walk 20 km to the next hut.

We take our time. But it is always an adventure to walk in NZ where there is no path. We need rest. Fortunately the hut keeper tells us there will be stormy winds and rain for the whole day tomorrow.

Right; Benoit collecting water nuts when we see the food that they have. For starters they eat what we have for a whole day! We had better stay in bed…

We have serious doubts of our capability to succeed with this crossing regarding energy. In 4 days, despite 2 sunny days, we haven’t even moved 100 km of the 700 km of the trip. The next 20 days may well be a little short. Not to mention the exhaustion. We better start tuning our effort for the rest of the road.

The hut keeper boosts our morale announcing 2 sunny days with average winds (30 km/h).

Day 5: Wake at 5am to climb up the Dart Glacier. Ice is found as low as 1300m altitude! We cross a pass at 1800m and decide to find a take-off.

Seagulls and parrots [kea] show thermals and soaring lift. That’s

Below; A bridge made of fallen trees

Day 4: We stay in bed almost the whole day. Lack of food starts to be noticeable. We had expected to feed by fishing! Unfortunately we are on the glacier side. No fish to catch here. Trekkers at the hut drive us

Left; Bivouac on the trail day 2

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how it is in NZ: these kind of birds are showing the way.

There is more than 30 km/h of wind. Also the wrong way. And it gets stronger close to the pass (venturi effect). Leeward launching is not possible here. It is too strong.

We follow the ridge for one or two kilometres to where the breeze bends the wind to allow take-off. The sky is beautiful, with lovely cumuli.

D-Day! Thermals are rough, and usually on the leeward side.

After 20 km and 2 hours flying we cross a first scary pass at 1600m, but happy we have reached today’s goal. We keep flying, hopping from one valley to the next in ‘Lord of the Rings‘ scenery and top altitudes of 2500m.

We realise these mountains cannot be passed on foot. It would need one day per mountain ridge. And we cross 6 of these during a 120 km flight...

It is impossible to follow the valleys as we do in the European Alps. These NZ valleys all finish at a dead-end or require too much of a detour.

At the last mountain, cold and sleet drive us to land. The Dobson Valley has a strong valley breeze. The GPS indicates 65 km/h, then 70 km/h and 75 km/h. I don’t want to land here.

I look for a dynamic soaring ridge but the breeze only slides past the ridge. I have trouble controlling my canopy. Benoit is just behind and has managed to reach the middle of the valley.

We need to land going backwards.

I make a big mistake: pushing the speedbar to maximum and releasing it when my left foot touches ground.

The wing pulls me up 2m and drags me 20m backwards. I end up hanging in a tree with my canopy flapping behind me and my feet are 50cm from the ground. I escape the harness as fast as I can to show Benoit that everything is ok.

Benoit manages far better than me

and lands almost normally.

However my glider is almost cut in two. Only 20 cm of the trailing edge has survived. We need to re-sew inner and outer surfaces as well as change a couple of lines.

At home, with proper equipment it would be quite difficult. But here, in the middle of nowhere with only a couple of centimeters of rip stop tape for repairs, the next steps seems complicated.

We decide to check that later on and to walk the next 15 km to the next hut.

Right; my torn paraglider Below; Flying over mountain ranges

Left; the solar panels charge as we hike Day 6: We spend most of the night trying to fix my wing. Missing rip stop has been replaced by stitched tape. The canopy is put together with tiny little rip stop pieces and finally stitched on top. Ending the work at 3am, the trip can go on.

Small showers this morning and overcast sky allow us to inflate the glider and check it. Clouds disappear fast and we start walking towards a take-off at 9am.

A valley breeze is strong already at 11 am. It goes opposite to the sun, which forces us to fly on the shaded side. Low saves are stressing us but every time, the scarce thermals we find, allow a top exit with +6 m/s and 1000m climb, well above the breeze.

Mount Cook appears. The splendid

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Right; the West side is always under clouds

scenery fascinates us and we forget to focus on flying and moving forward. We just stay there, circling.

These high altitude, mountaineering sights left us speechless. A 100 km flight with top altitudes of nearly 3000m, and wild valleys passing below our feet.

Later we even have the luxurious pleasure to have a late afternoon landing, close to a hut, with finally, an acceptable breeze.

Day 7: Managing the solar panels appears to be quite easy. We usually succeed in charging all our batteries between 6am and 11am, fixing the panels to our rucksacks. We only had to fly with the panels open on our cocoon harness when the sun was obscured in the morning.

Take-off is on a westward slope, facing the breeze. There is a difficult exit before we access a magnificent flight in the middle of the glaciers.

The breeze stops us after a 35 km flight. This breeze must be around 50 km/h. Slamming the speedbar, I still go backwards with my LM5! Luckily, the gradient is strong enough to allow vertical landing. You just need to choose your landing area looking backwards.

It’s Benoit’s turn to have a rocky landing; a full collapse 30m from the ground. He needs to release the speedbar, is thrown 100m backwards and ends up above large rocks close to the river with nowhere to land safely. I rush to help him for the final touch-down, trying to stop him from being dragged by his wing.

All ends happily.

We think the breeze is pure wind as it is blowing the opposite way it should blow (if it were a true valley breeze). Yet it is a valley breeze.

When we arrive in a new valley, it is impossible to guess which way the breeze blows. Next day it goes the other direction!

Day 8: There are little or no take-offs in this area. We decide to walk 20 km in the flatlands this morning to access an easterly facing slope with 1000m height difference. Take off is at 11:30am in light conditions.

Winds are strong at high altitudes and push us in the right direction.

We move at 90 km/h without using the speedbar above 3000m. As usual in NZ, air is stable at low altitudes and quite unstable above.

Flights are summarized as battling in stable conditions, moving forward, jumping from wind facing ridges to wind facing ridges until one finds a +6 to +8 m/s thermal shooting you into the higher air level. Apart from those strong thermals there are very few normal ones.

A small error forces us to land

again. Backwards in the breeze of course.

We are on a trail. The breeze comes sideways, but not completely. We try to start from the ground. There is a 10m high hill (or call it terrain) in front of us. If we can make 30m on this hill, we might be able to catch lift on the mountain behind it, well angled across the breeze, but full of nasty prickly bushes.

There is only one solution: start from the road with a side wind which might slide along the terrain. Benoit has the first try but cannot find lift.

While I cut some brambles with my knife, I must have mistaken my thumb for a bramble branch as I cut it well. The wound is serious and quite deep. We need to set a compression point and put on a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Stress comes in. We are in the middle of nowhere. I decide to escape this place by flying. I can only control the glider with my wrist but I manage to climb from the small hill, helped by the stress. I wait for Benoit at the top of the thermal. Cold helps dull the pain.

In the evening, after 120 km, we land close to a hut. Luckily a first aid kit is waiting for us. The first we have come across. We should stitch the wound, but here; no way.

The first aid kit allows to take care of the wound properly. We will need to be careful with it over the following days. It is difficult to use my thumb as I cut the sinews and cannot feel what I’m doing. The good side is that I don’t feel too much pain. My thumb’s sense of touch has still not returned.

Above; Cold and wet weather, all our layers of clothing are used have a bite of our portions when our feet simply refuse to move.

Lack of energy decides the daily ration. Usually the ration is enough for the full day. If not, wait until next morning!

It is fine weather again! Take off is simply 1000m above the hut, walking through pastures. We chose this hut exactly for this reason. Flight is difficult, requiring use of dynamic lift from the breeze, avoiding woody

Below; A good flying day gives us many kms

Day 9: Food is seriously short, even though we haven’t walked that much in recent days. Hunger has never really hit us through stomach ache, but we have the feeling it is time to

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Above; Benoit and Antoine celebrate in Nelson

Above; We race against the bad weather that is following behind us

valleys to escape tree landings. We fly 50 km without getting decent height. Breezes truly wash out the valleys.

Finally we find a real thermal propelling us to 3000m and all becomes magic. Winds push us at 70 km/h and high altitude thermals are strong enough to stay airborne without circling in them. Just holding our brakes in the +6 m/s, we fly 50 km without a turn until St Arnaud Lake where the breeze grounds us (backwards) after a 120 km flight. We are 50 km from our goal and have no more mountains to cross. We still have 10 days of food and at night we gobble 5 full rations. We should arrive in less than 2 days.

him to do the necessary shopping “just in case“.

We go to a barbecue at night with Nelson’s paragliding club. A fabulous evening on the seashore.

The club is going to fly tomorrow and offers to bring us along. This

Day 10: Back in civilisation. Roads, trails, tourists! It changes our lives. We climb to take off overlooking a lake through a good forest trail. We share an hour soaring with local pilots before we continue north bound on our track.

The flight is tricky. It is stable weather and the breeze is blowing in our face. We work close to the

trees on every breeze-facing ridge to move forward. Landing after a 40 km flight. We give flying a last try to gain distance. A couple of km further, we find a field at the bottom of a mountain well set across the breeze. Opening our canopies, we climb 700m, but can’t get higher. It is too stable.

A last glide finishes the crossing.

We still have 15 km airspace before hitting Nelson’s CTR, so we end our trip walking.

finally convinces Benoit to have a try at the return route. Our decision to go is taken at 9pm.

Day 12: The club cancels its flying because the forecast is not as good as expected. We are grounded in

Day 11: A rest and food orgy! We have lost a lot of weight. We are walking skeletons. There are still 10 days before our flight back home. I have a glance at the weather forecast. There is a possible window to try to return part of our track. The trouble is we need to go tomorrow morning. Bad weather is on its way. If we succeed in our first flights, we may stay ahead of the rain. If not we will be grounded for some time!

Benoit refuses to restart tomorrow.

We are too exhausted and starved physically and mentally. It is more reasonable to rest, but I can convince

Above; Lots of trees in the Nelson area Left; Heading South Nelson because the decision is late and the first take-off 30 km away.

Fortunately, Tim [Percival] offers to drop us at Inwoods take-off. That’s coooool!

Take-off was at 12pm in stable air.

But the breeze pushes us forward.

By chance, we take off just above our last landing during the first leg of our trip.

As soon as we hit the high ground, the thermal ceilings rise end we progress without too much trouble despite the headwind to over 90 kms, before landing backwards – is there another way to land?

We walk 10 km in 4 hours to find a hut. Thunderstorms develop behind us. The forecast was right. If we continue to fly well, we should stay ahead of bad weather.

Day 13: We need to start early. There is a

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Above; Hiking again 10 km walk to the first take-off. And a small forest on the map which troubles us. This was our most challenging day, both physically and morally to access a take-off. A river forces us to do some mountain climbing; sideways, above the water.

Hungry sandflies drive us nuts.

Massive broom and towering ferns disorientate us. Swamps where we walk with water up to our knees and a frightful smell almost knocks us out. Finally we had 150 meters of almost impenetrable forest, which alone took us 2 hours, crawling over animal trails. The remaining 900m climb is a lot easier despite our bloody, scratched legs.

Our bodies are totally exhausted.

We are starving despite the increase in rations on this second leg of the trip.

The sky is overcast but we manage to fly 60 km in 5 hours. Every flight is well deserved in NZ. There are a succession of hurdles to overcome, each of them taking a lot of time and effort with wind and breeze.

We land in the breeze close to a hut. It rains overnight.

Day 14: Everything is wet. Low clouds surround us. Clouds are 200m above the take-off ridge. We need take our time flying, bouncing on the small thermals. Curiously there is no breeze today. Not in any of the valleys. It is stable at low altitudes.

We manage to make 90 km flying, despite some low saves. Landing is at a hut.

Being two pilots for such flying is interesting as the flight pace is set by the slower pilot. The faster one tries to help the other, showing him the thermals. It is true team work, and our roles change constantly.

Above; Bad weather at the pass at 2100m, take-off was from the scree just visible below left of Benoit We take off before 10am. Gusts exceed 45 km/h and it soon will be impossible to launch. We fly and wait a little at the ceiling for conditions to set. Headwind is noticeable. We move slowly on eastward slopes.

The first real glide is difficult with the headwind. Arrival at the other end is chaotic, it is difficult to get lift in the uncontrollable air.

After lots of effort, we circle up to 2500m to set our next glide. A glide ratio of 3 ends up 200m from the ground in even rougher air. We are holding our grips tight. Letting them loose is not an option. We doubt we can cross the next 2500m high ridge today and consider landing. Finally giving it a try, we cross the pass very low and on the other side we find that the air is totally different. Nice with no wind.

I have a low save where 3 valleys meet. It is difficult to find lift. The breeze is washing out all thermals.

At the top of a little rocky outcrop indicating a breeze confluence, a dust devil hits me and I have a helicopter-like session with a fully collapsed glider. Soon I am twisted with the lines. Exit is surprisingly smooth and I have no other option but to stay around, a little nervous, scouting for the confluence.

We are orbited to 3600m today

Below; We fly past Mount Cook

despite the cloud cover. We move forward easily, our eyes wide open catching the fascinating beauty of glaciers and mountains around Mount Cook. Landing is to the south of Mount Cook after 140 km in the air.

The targeted hut has been washed away by the river, so bivouac tonight.

We are a little nervous due to the rain forecast for tomorrow which we

had seen when starting our return flight. That forecast is 4 days old now, so not so reliable.

Day 16: Wake up at 5am. We start walking before the rain comes, then decide to try to cross a pass at 2000m on foot.

Otherwise it is a 60 km walk around the mountain. We don’t know if it is even possible to reach the pass. The

Day 15: An early morning walk to a take-off with more than 1000m height. It’s a difficult walk as we are crossing a thorny forest. The only solution: crawl and pull the rucksack behind you. The slope is very steep and the breeze is strong as early as 9am.

Right; Approaching Lake Coleridge and Mt Hutt

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Left; Crossing Lake Pukaki, just South of Mt Cook

map shows a less steep section and there is only 1200m height difference to reach it.

The pass is reached quite easily moving between snow, scree and cliffs. On the other side it is steep with cliffs everywhere. There is a short stop in the rain. Time to find a take-off. A steep scree on top of a cliff will do. Enough room to hope for a safe launch.

We launch one canopy right after the other as the risk of rolling stones is high given the slope. Take offs are ok and we land close to a small hut where we rest all afternoon.

Day 17: The rain has gone. We decide to move 30 km to reach a hut close to an accessible take-off. Well, we decide to try. It is Benoit who is motivated. I’d rather stay at the warm hut and rest. Benoit tried hard and eventually succeeded. We start to walk in shorts and sweatshirt. We rapidly wear trousers to end up with anoraks, goretex jackets and gloves.

Cold hits us with rain and wind. We have all our equipment on us and freeze despite walking for 7 hours.

Furthermore we need to cross about fifteen rivers with water coming up to our legs. My fingers are so cold I can’t even unlace my shoes or drop my trousers to cross these freezing rivers. Benoit finally resigns and does the same.

Arriving at the six place hut has only a pseudo relief. For the first time there are people there. Enough to fill the place. Fortunately there are two spare mattresses and we can sleep on the floor. The oven is already warm and we can dry all our equipment. Tonight we take double rations to compensate for all this lost energy.

Day 18: It is far too cold in the air, and an

Right; Approaching Wanaka

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ordeal to fly. We are airborne quite early and there are many passes to cross. It is a stable day with low ceilings. Every crossed pass is a victory for us. Every time it is 30 minutes of effort to climb the last 100m. In this temperature, the flight seems endless. It is a different view of the NZ alpine scenery; flying low between the mountains instead of high above. We are in the middle of glaciers and peaks. It’s a new atmosphere for us.

We still manage to fly 100 km thanks to an easier end to the flight. We have arrived close to Wanaka and civilisation.

But civilisation sure is a headache: there are farms, sheep and cattle everywhere which cause large detours. Some mountains have forbidden access, no hut and no drinking water due to animal farming.

We bivouac at a camping area and ask for some water to drink and cook.

Our neighbours offer some cheese and wine! What a feast!

Day 19: 30 km to go to reach Queenstown, the end of our round trip. Crossing the airspace around Queenstown is forbidden, but we are satisfied.

It is almost certain that tonight or tomorrow it will all be done.

The air is stable at low altitudes.

We need to wait until 1pm on the eastward slopes to find a high enough flying exit because we were just too lazy to walk higher.

Headwinds are 30 km/h so moving forward is difficult. But the thermals are strong enough to allow hiding from the wind behind them.

Our arrival in Queenstown is magic.

The end of our adventure, the end of starvation. What a treat after so much effort!

New Zealand has conquered us. The scenery is breath-taking.

Nevertheless, bivouac flying is only

possible for hardened paraglider pilots.

Winds and breezes are strong. The commitment is high and weather difficult. We were lucky to have an almost perfect weather situation.

Trails don’t exist and it is not always possible to find a walk-able path.

On the other hand, huts are almost everywhere and allow bivouac flying. It is relatively easy to escape mountain areas in case of trouble.

There are often trails running to civilisation.

It is easy and safe to discover usual flying sites such as those in Wanaka, Queenstown or in the Nelson region and probably elsewhere to have a nice look at the country.

The adventure has worn us out but above all it has let us dream and has motivated us to do it again, elsewhere.

Many thanks to our partners: Adidas, CAN, Kortel, Syride, and Ozone.

Flight tracks are at: www.syride. com/fr/pilotes/antoineg

Useful information: Flying in NZ requires a local licence.

See: www.nzhgpa.org.nz/ Airspace: http://nzairspace. appspot.com/ To cross the Mount Cook area one needs a radio and a licence to get proper authorisations.

Hut Pass available from DOC: NZ$90 Downloadable island map (with huts): www.linz.govt.nz/land/maps/ topographic-maps

Equipment: Gliders: Ozone LM5 and Alpina Harness and rucksack: Kolibri by Kortel Design Electronics: Syride Sys’Nav 3, Asus Nexus 2012 tablet Solar panel: 24 watt with battery.

Canungra Classic (October 22 – 29, 2016)

By Geoff Christophers

F

or all you hang glider pilots out there who have been dreaming of competing in an international competition, or any of you intermediate and experienced pilots who just want to do some great flying in the company of some top competition pilots, then you really need to look at booking out a couple of weeks in October and heading over to the Canungra Classic.

I was going to write an article on my previous trip to the Canungra Classic in 2015 but then I thought better of it. I came to the conclusion that it would be as boring as looking at your Aunties holiday pics and would just

Above; Gliders in the air over Beechmont Photo; John Burton Right; Jonny Durand and another pilot climbing out above launch Photo; Mike Zupanc bore the tits off you all. So instead I thought I should just try to write a general article on the Canungra Classic and what you should expect if you decide to make the trip.

Background Canungra is a great little onehorse town in the hinterlands of Queensland, Australia, only 45kms or so inland from the Gold Coast.

The main flying sites used for the Canungra Classic Competition are Mount Tamborine and Beechmont.

Both these sites have great grassed set-up areas and a superb gentle grassed launch. Down below there are large grassed landing fields.

Below; Gliders rigged under the trees on launch at Beechmont

The Tamborine LZ is owned by the local Canungra Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club with their club rooms right on site. The Beechmont launch area is also owned by the club ensuring the ability to fly even in the event of the ever expanding residential development.

The flying, once you are airborne, is awesome. Tropical mountain ranges, rolling hills, open farmland and an abundance of thermals.

There are ceilings of 7,500ft around the launch at Tamborine and 6500ft at Beechmont but this quickly increases to 8,500ft as you head inland where most of the flying is Photo; John Burton

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Above; Launch assistance at Beechmont Photo; John Burton Right: A gaggle above launch Photo; Mike Zupanc done. Be prepared to constantly hit your head on these ceilings as base can regularly exceed 9,000ft (so I have been told!!!)

The thermals are nice and strong but surprisingly smooth. The competition caters for both the serious competition pilots as well as recreational and intermediate pilots and the entire atmosphere is unbelievably relaxed and friendly.

Name dropping It is always good to drop a few names, especially for those of you who enjoy rubbing shoulders with some of your flying heroes, with the hope that at least some of their flying talents will rub off on you.

It’s like being at the Worlds without the stress. Last year we had Jonny Durand, Attila Bertok, Paris Williams, John Smith, Steve Blenkinsop, Corinna Schwiegershausen, (don’t ask me to pronounce that one) just to mention a few and heaps of friendly Aussie pilots. There was a great turnout of kiwi pilots, with both ex-pats and the ones like me who made the trip across the Ditch just to fly the Classic – 12 kiwis last year.

What to expect The first thing you will notice is that you have left behind about 6 months of cold, wet, miserable weather with next to no flying, or at best, crappy

flying. After only a 3 hour flight to Brisbane you will arrive to stunning weather and the knowledge of a couple of weeks of awesome flying.

This alone is worth at least half your life savings. As you head inland the weather just gets better and better. I can tell you now – leave all your black tee-shirts at home. The temperatures down at ground level can melt your shirt to your body!!!

It is surprising how cooler you can stay in light coloured clothing. You will also need lots of water. Once you are in the air though you will need to wrap up just a bit as the temperature is a lot cooler at 8,000ft. The terrain is stunning.

Forget the flatlands where you suffer in the dirt and dust and rely on tugs to get you airborne. You will be pleasantly surprised how lush and green everything is. It is the tropics after all. As you head inland, on course line, the tropical rainforest mountains changes to rolling and flat grassland and it becomes noticeably dryer. There are landings everywhere and an abundance of roads. This really helps calm the nerves when you take your first mission inland.

The competition itself is extremely well organised with a big emphasis on having a great time. There is an organised pig-out and party every

Right; Geoff Christophers about to launch

Photo; Mike Zupanc

Below and right; Tamborine launch and roadside rigging Photos; John Burton

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Right; Climbing out at Beechmont Photo; Mike Zupanc second night and if you decide to also join in on the X/C training clinics the BBQs just keep on going. ‘Red Faces’ night is a night to remember (or forget) but you will learn more about it if you decide to make the trip. The competition tasks will really test your skill level but goals are very achievable if you don’t fluff around too much. Getting up from take-off can be a bit tricky on some of the days so be prepared for the odd bomb. If you are organised you can be back up again and on course before you know it.

Also make sure your nil-wind launches are up to scratch. The nice grassed launches are not that steep and many a day the wind is light to non-existent so a well-executed launch is imperative. The best way to explain the awesomeness-nessness of the flying is by saying that Beechmont has the Australian distance record and until very recently it also had the World foot launch record. What else can I say???

Australia. This always makes the second trip over that much easier. If you do want to transport your glider over and back you need to get onto a freight forwarder. It is cheaper the more you freight so team up with a few others if you can. Don’t think the glider will travel with you, because it won’t.

What you need to do;

∙ Transport

If you are contemplating making the mission to this year’s Canungra Classic you need to start planning and arranging things now. I will endeavour to cover some of the basic requirements that need to be arranged well in advanced;

You need to team up. Don’t gamble on just arriving and hoping you can get into a team for pick-ups because it may not happen. Even once you arrive at Brisbane you can’t just jump on a bus or train and get to Canungra. No public transport goes anywhere near Canungra. There will be a couple of teams going from New Zealand so you need to make contact with them and see if there is room for you if you have not already sorted out a team. Hiring a cheap station wagon is not expensive and it’s all you need. The sites are sealed and there is no need for a 4WD. My team is hiring a car and GPS at the

∙ Airfares There are some relatively cheap packages offered to Brisbane so shop around. Only Qantas and Emirates offer the 30kg luggage limits. All other airlines are 23kgs.

∙ Glider It is not cheap to ship your glider over to Australia and back. Many of us have a second glider over in

airport and we will be slapping on some racks. Other than organising a driver, we are sorted. You do need to have a driver if you really want to make the best of your trip.

a few others have posted videos on YouTube and the Canungra Classic 2015 Facebook page has some great videos. You will even get to see ‘yours truly’ on a few of them!!!

∙ Accommodation

Conclusion

There is a campsite at Canungra (no cabins), a pub with accommodation attached but that’s about all. We stayed in a caravan last year that John and Lisa had available but I am not sure if this is available again this year. Otherwise I suggest getting onto the inter-web thingy and start looking – Stayz, and Airbnb is a good start. There seems to be a fair few homes available on Mt Tamborine but bugger all in Canungra itself.

It’s simple, if you want to make a hang gliding trip to Australia one of your ‘Bucket List’ things to do then I highly recommend the Canungra Classic. All the plusses add up to a great time. Foot launch, great flying over stunning terrain, well organised, very social, no dust, no aerotugs, and close enough to the Gold Coast beaches if you need a break. On top of all that, the Canungra Classic is on when the weather is still crap in New Zealand and for those pilots who need their flying fix; the thought of 2 weeks of stunning flying in October is just too good to turn down. It’s a no brainer.

If you want to pick my brain further you can always give me a call on 027 872 3387. Don’t expect the information to be worth much!!!

∙ You are nearly there All that’s left is all the little, but important things; memberships to the HGFA and the local Canungra club, enrolment of comp, radio, mobile phone, passport etc.

Check it out There are quite a few videos on the web to check out. John Burton and

Below; A good run launching a Sonic at Beechmont

Below; Loading tasks onto flight instruments at briefing

Photo; John Burton

Photo; Mike Zupanc

Gliders at goal

Photo; Mike Zupanc

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Dumb Things A ustralian musician Paul Kelly once confessed in a song that he had “done all the dumb things”. My own flying career, which stretches back through the mists of time to the early 1970's, nicely reflects this sentiment.

Caught the fever My first glimpse of a hang glider was in Paekakariki on the Kapiti Coast, around 1974. It was right next to the main highway. It sat fully rigged in a paddock in front of its owner's house for weeks and weeks because we didn't have to worry about UV degradation in those days. I was magnetically drawn to this contraption and ended up buying another one that had been constructed by the same guy.

He had spared no expense. I remember my seated harness was a piece of plywood covered by some padded vinyl and I knew I was safe because the belt across my lap was a seat belt recycled from a wrecked Holden Kingswood. The purchase

Neil Brown recalls some memorable times from his flying career Above; Neil flying a rogallo hang glider circa 1974. This was at Paremata price was steep at the time and my funds didn't quite stretch to buying a helmet of any kind but that was OK because no-one else had one either.

Instruction largely consisted of other guys at launch saying “Try this” or, more importantly, shouting “Don't do that. Someone was killed that way last week.” Local lore had it that a guy had bought a glider, taken it that same day to the Pukerua Bay

cliff tops and launched without even the vaguest notion of what the heck he was doing. He promptly blew over the back, crashed into someone's house and ended his flying career as quickly and ignominiously as it had begun.

I get all your good advice / It doesn't stop me from going through these things twice You could argue, and many of my friends have, that the biggest dumb thing in this early phase of my fascination with flight was getting started at all. I reckon I got away lightly when I broke my leg in the process of re-connecting with the ground early one Saturday afternoon.

This was my first encounter with that vital aviation maxim that the number of landings must always equal the number of launches.

A brief flirtation with skydiving in Western Australia in 1977 was good grounding for my later love of paragliding. My logbook for Day One reads “Jump #2. Canopy streamered. VG reserve drill.” I still wonder how the entry might have read if the reserve drill had been only average, but I do remember I didn't have to buy any drinks in the pub that night.

I melted wax to fix my wings In the days pre-mortgage I took up fixed wing flying with the Canterbury Aero Club.

A sojourn with aerobatics meant re-learning with an instructor and a specialised plane – in this case a Beagle Pup. I was walked through the pre-flight and recall Mr Instructor being summoned by someone else, just as he was explaining that the oil

Left; State of the art paraglider, 1989. Taylor’s Mistake

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dipstick had a threaded cap on it so you didn't lose your engine oil when flying upside down.

“Did you screw that dipstick back in?” These words crackled in my headphones at 8,000 feet over Birdlings Flat, after some minutes of loops and inverted flight. My response in the negative had him whip the plane back to straight and level, make a quick call to the tower and land us back in Christchurch in record time.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wiping oil off the entire underside of the aircraft.

I also had first hand experience of the “cascading chain of events” theory of how things can sometimes go badly wrong. This perspective has been used to analyse many accidents as being the result of a series of poor small and superficially inconsequential decisions which accumulate with catastrophic results, rather than being the consequence of one spectacularly dumb decision.

I planned a trip to the North Island from Christchurch not long after I had got my PPL. It was May, the weather was fine but the days were very short. I was cleared to fly only to Wellington initially as no-one wanted to take responsibility for a longer trip by an inexperienced pilot. So in Wellington I had to seek out another instructor to clear me to go further north – eventually getting permission only to go to Napier. Ditto from Napier to Taupo with similar dramas steadily eroding the remains of the daylight.

Take off from Taupo was rushed and we hadn't closed the door properly, so I handed the controls to my wife, shut it (this was harder than you might think) and got back on the job, only

Bir, India, October 2015. An unidentified Russian pilot was injured during an attempted top landing. No roads or easy emergency access for his broken leg. He had to be loaded back into his harness and launched off the hill again, to fly back to the town and land by the ambulance. On one leg. From left; another Russian pilot, Shane Hill (Aust), Grey Hamilton, Ross Johnstone, the injured Russian and Phil Hystek (Aust) Photo: Steve Cawte to realise that actually now I wasn't sure where we were any more. Long anxious story short, we landed safely at our destination in very dim evening twilight, accompanied by a silent prayer of thanks.

I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings So paragliding appeared for me at a time when my newly acquired mortgage was costing 21.5% in interest and (foolishly) I thought this might be a cheaper way to fly.

I might have reconsidered if I had known of such things as porosity and the dramatically steep development curve wings would undergo over the next few years. I am now on paraglider nine.

Again, there must have been instructors around in those days but when I bought the first glider in partnership with a friend, the vendor met us at Taylor's Mistake, showed us how to lay it out, told us to run hard on launch, pull right to go right, left to go left and both brakes down hard to land.

Then he pocketed the cheque and left.

That first paragliding flight was in 1989 and I won't bore you with details of every dumb thing I have done in the intervening years. Yes, I have

launched from high mountains and realised I hadn't clipped in properly.

Yes, I have stood on the ground when I could have been in the air and found myself flying in conditions where really I should have kept both feet on the dirt. But let's focus on the interesting stuff here.

One of my favourites was a trip to the Craigieburn Range, inland from Christchurch. We stopped for coffee in Springfield and I bought a new 9V battery for my vario – the type of battery with both poles at one end.

Being the cheapskate I am, I was loathe to throw out the old one as it still had some life, so into the jeans pocket it went.

Fast forward to the flight, suited up and gloved with both hands firmly on the brakes and all of us some distance from the ground. The car keys are safely in the same pocket as the battery... but wait! Why is my leg suddenly so warm? This was my first and last demonstration of the perils of a short circuit within the confines of one's own trousers.

A delight of living in Canterbury in winter is the ready accessibility of lots of ski-fields. Concluding a day on the slopes with a flight down to the bottom of the mountain is a

Below; Micro lines and matagouri - never a good combination! 2016

special treat, particularly when you recognise that it is not you who has to drive down the long rough road, remove chains now covered in mud and thaw out the frozen hands inevitably acquired in the process.

I remember being determined to fly down one day, despite the deep new snow and lack of uphill breeze. “No problem,” I announced, “I'll stamp down a runway and do an alpine launch.” The result? A sprint down the newly-stamped ramp, an extra step into waist deep snow, a sudden halt in forward momentum, a wing that overflew me and smacked into the hill and then a sloooow but scary movement of all this loose white stuff into the paraglider now lying beneath me like an empty bucket, waiting to scoop up as much as it could and take me with it to the bottom. Extra dumb.

On another occasion I found myself in rotor behind a hill with a breeze that was steadily stiffening. My whole attention was directed towards keeping the wing open and flying into the wind, and I was only partially successful. I remember being able to form a perfect mental picture of the rotoring air as it dragged me in to the back of the slope. At one stage I was lowered vertically into a large old oak tree with perfect delicacy and precision, and just as I considered throwing my arms around the branch directly in front of my face, I was flicked skywards again. It seems extraordinary that not a single part of the glider or its pilot had actually touched that tree and during my tree-time, there was not a hint of a collapse.

My landing was backwards, hard and it ended in a somersault.

As I slowly regathered myself, I remember thinking “I've really done it this time” because there was a warm, gooey mush running down my face and I was briefly convinced it was my brains flowing out of my skull.

Luckily, it turned out to be cow shit.

I find it vaguely reassuring that I have not single-handedly cornered the market on dumb things. Other creatures have talent in this area

too. A pilot I met had landed out in the middle of nowhere in Manilla. At some stage in the process of packing up in this large paddock, a small Australian rodent decided to scuttle into one of the paraglider's cells and take refuge there. This was clearly a dumb move. However, the following day there was light at the end of this rodent's dark tunnel and it decided to make a break for freedom when the opportunity presented itself.

Sadly, the paraglider was nearing cloudbase at the time and the pilot only clicked on to what was happening when the unfortunate creature dropped out of the opened cell in front of him and descended rapidly towards the surface of the earth.

In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream I don't want to leave you with the impression that I have had forty years of flying and all I got out of it was a string of silly incidents and a depleted bank balance.

What remains most vividly from those years is not the disasters and near-disasters, but the incandescent moments of pure joy that we all experience from time to time in this game. Hearing the vario beep cautiously as you search desperately for a low save. Taking that low save to cloudbase. Whirling in a thermal, synchronised perfectly with another glider across from you and suddenly feeling the wings have become still and together you are actually spinning the earth around you. Feeling the first wisps of the underside of the cloud on your face, cool and damp after the sweaty heat of launch. The deep breaths and the peaceful glide off to look for another thermal. Circling with a raptor and marvelling at the way it trims its feathers so perfectly as it eyes your clumsy equipment from your wingtip.

Landing safely and enjoying the ringing silence in your ears when the vario and instruments are finally turned off. Finding a retrieve.

And then re-living it again and again with other people who understand.

Happy flying!

Below; Overlooking the Matukituki River and Lake Wanaka, 2016

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Models for racing to recreational.

The ultimate race harness TENAX 4 with tilt control options and removable skin.

FLEX2 AERO and Flex2 ACRO (right) with footcone, neoprene shoulder covers, strengthened risers & back supports. An aerodynamic harness that’s flexible, faired for speed but gives easier landings and a much more convenient packed size.

www.willswing.com

www.woodyvalley.eu/eng/

AeroDesign APRON The most comfortable and practical harness for training and dune flying.

Unrestricted vertical/prone transitions, strong webbing and cordura fabric for maximum strength and durability, parachute container, stash pocket, storage, plus autolocking carabiner, stirrup and instructions included.

DROGUE CHUTES www.willswing.com/Accessories/drogue.asp Turn your race wing’s glide into a skyfloater’s for small landing areas.

The PDA and short bridle with swivel gives the smallest, safest and easiest to use drogue. At low speed it has little effect, but speed up and your height disappears with little excess speed to burn off. The safest and most versatile drogue system.

FULL BACKUP SERVICE Glider & harness repairs, stripdown checks & trim/tuning. Student pilot instruction

H A N G G L I D I NwG w &w . hP gA pR gA.GcLoI. Dn IzN G S U P P L I E S Phone 021 247-2676 (021 AIRBORN), a.h. 03 326-6411 email aero@xtra.co.nz

post 99A Panorama Road, Christchurch 8081

The Best Gear at the Best Price http://www.brauniger.com/ www.brauniger.com/en/products/flight-instruments.html en/home.html

INSIDER & NO LIMIT Helmets by

AIR The ultimate flight computer.

99 channel GPS, 5D Glide Display, G-meter, 3 Accelerometers & Gyros, Compass, SD card, Bluetooth output & optional Pitot Airspeed, Live Tracking.

LEONARDO PRO; 20 channel GPS, high sensitivity Intellivario, Speed to Fly, FAI cylinders, turnpoints etc. Thermal centering, Total Energy, 3D flight track in GPS & baro alt. Bluetooth option (to PDA, smartphone, PC etc), Up to 200 hours on rechargeable battery with backup, 240gm.

Everything for comps & XC. ARCHIMEDE; Easy operation, Sensitive audio & digital vario, 3 altis with Averager, Barogram, Time, etc. 200 hour AA battery.

50 flight memory with PC flight analysis. Optional airspeed with stall alarm. Feet & meters. 144 x 72 x 25 mm, 160gm. Perfect first instrument. www.digifly.com

WIND METERS

Aerodynamic helmets with 96% field of vision & strong, light kevlar/aramid reenforced shell weighing just 650gms to save your neck muscles. Shock absorbing EPS liner for maximum brain protection.

Breathable inner fabric. Scratch resistant colours including metallics, matt & carbon.

Sizes 53 - 62 cm head circumference.

EN966 certified for hg & pg.

No Limit has faired back and optional polycarbonate visor for wind protection & aerodynamics, gives 100% UV protection and is anti-reflective, lours and anti-fog & antiRange of co k scratch. in sizes stoc http://finsterwalder-charly.de/en.html

Read the true wind speed so you can tell how strong or gusty it really is, indicating turbulence or whether it is safe or soarable.

Essential for safe flying.

WEATHERFLOW WIND METER A compact, accurate, affordable wind meter that simply plugs into your Apple or Android device showing wind average, lull & gust, plus direction from the device’s compass and GPS. You can share info by SMS, email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Weatherflow etc. Reads in meters/sec, miles/hour, knots, kilometers/hour, & beaufort.

HALL compact (11.5cm) ‘Small Hall’ is the best priced airspeed meter available. Simple and accurate. Brackets for hang or para. Never needs batteries!

PLUSAIR Helmet; tough ABS shell, matte rubber coating & EPS liner with 11 passive air vents & Hydro-Cool lining. Removable ear covers. Certified EN966 for free flight & ski. 470g. Optional chin guard.

SNAPLOCK PG carabiner 3,000 DaN, break load, 30kN. Drop forged Titanol and a 5 year fatigue cycle.

Easy twistlock gate, just 76gm.

PIN LOCK PG carabiner 2500 kg break load, drop-forged, not bent, a third of the weight of steel without the fatigue problems.

QUICK OUT carabiner 4000 kp break load, Can be released under load. With safety lock.

Valuable for windy landings.

COMPEO+/6030; GPS/vario/alti/flight computer. 16 channel GPS, Speedto-Fly, Wind direction, position, compass, glide to goal, 3D track log, PC Downloads, Customisable display & audio, Total energy, Airspeed pitot, Thermal location, Airspace, backup batteries. Flarm option. For top comp & XC pilots.

CONNECT 1; GPS/alti/vario/flight recorder. touchscreen, Wifi, SD card, USB, Airspace, Free wifi updates for maps, routes, pitot airspeed and more as features are released.

ELEMENT; vario/alti/flight computer with 20 ch GPS, Wind direction & speed, 3D track log, PC USB downloads, Customisable display & audio. Colour options, Compact, easy to operate & affordable.

IQ ALTO/6000; digital & analog precision vario, 3 altimeters, to 11,500m/37,729ft, 40 flight memory, Clock, Temp, Customisable audio, Battery last 250 hours+, Compact, light, simple.

IQ SONIC; Mini-vario (audio only) Ideal as a back-up or combine with an alti-watch. Small, light, simple; just switch on and go.

All switchable metric/imperial. Mounting bracket options.

Fabric and perspex covers for insulation and protection.

PG Front Chute Container; Your parachute mounted where you can see, reach & deploy fastest with either hand. It’s less drag and has a handy flight deck for your instruments that zips off as a protective carry bag.

THE VERY BEST SECOND CHANCE!

Many accidents happen close to the ground, so a fast, reliable opening is most important. The dual canopy, pulled down apex system opens fastest and most reliably.

Leading German manufacturer Charly makes Revolution double canopy PDA reserves. Many top NZ pilots have been saved by their reserves; even with deployments below 50ft !! which shows how fast these can really open.

Hang glider model to fit all harnesses has 6m long, UV shielded bridle to clear your wings. An optional swivel can be included.

Paraglider model fits all built in harness containers or can be supplied in optional front mount cockpit or side container.

Reserves for Tandem to lightweight. Tested to DHV certification and proven.

Over 30,000 rescue systems sold world-wide

http://finsterwalder-charly.de/en.html

Fly with confidence knowing you have the best back-up available.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED A PARACHUTE, YOU ONLY WANT THE BEST www.plusmax.de/products/helmets/plusair-i.html

Most items are in stock for overnight courier delivery. Call or email for more information. Dealer, School and group order enquiries welcome

Over 25 years of free flying experience and quality service

More information, reviews and specials at;

www.hgpg.co.nz

phone 021 247-2676 (021 AIRBORN), a.h. 03 326-6411 email aero@xtra.co.nz

post 99A Panorama Road, Christchurch 8081

FLYING CLOSE TO THE RI

By Bruce Goldsmith, from FIFTY WAYS TO FLY BETTER

W

HEN you’re ridge soaring and trying to get up in a thermal, how close in to the ridge should you be?

You could be soaring in the morning, looking to get away on a big XC, or working an Alpine spine in the afternoon valley breeze, but the dilemma is the same: should you stick your wingtip right in among the grass blades, or should you be hunting way out front?

The Inn Valley study In the mid-2000s meteorologists investigated the upslope thermal wind in the Inn Valley in the Austrian

Thermalling over cliffs Alps. Often, people think that the closer to the ridge the better, but this study revealed otherwise.

Thermal updraught is caused by the sun heating the sun-facing slope, causing convection up the slope. Close to the slope the friction between the slope and the air causes the updraught to rise more slowly. The study showed that the best distance is between 20 and 30 metres out from the ridge.

(lucky you!) what can be true one day, can be completely false the next because the weather changes. This is particularly true of the distance you should fly from a slope. Some days you climb best by clinging as close to a ridge as you can, and other days the best thermals can be found 100200 metres out in front of the ridge.

But there are some main common factors to consider.

No such thing as average

The smoother the slope the less the updraught will be slowed by the roughness of the slope. For example, if a ridge is tree-covered then the lift will be better further from the ridge. If the ridge is smooth grass, skimming along close to the grass could well be the best way to climb.

On an average summer day in the Inn Valley I’m sure this holds true.

However, the beauty of flying is that every flying site is different from one day to the next. Even if you fly the same ridge every day of the year

Slope smoothness

The features below

The Inn Valley Study showed that in this instance the best lift was 20-30m out from the hill

18 A i r b o r n

If there is a small break in the slope, or even a hedge-line or a line of trees, then this line of trees can kick off the thermals before they arrive at the part of the ridge where you are flying. Many ridges are double ridges, and the smaller lower ridge can often produce better thermals than the upper bigger ridge, therefore you can climb better by flying further from the main ridge.

Small cliffs with their mini venturi, produce extra lift, and are also usefull thermal triggers that you can often climb away from vertically So, imagine that you’re thermalling over the peak of the lower ridge, rather than soaring on the upper ridge.

Small cliff bands When a ridge has a small amount of vertical in it the lift is always much better precisely at this vertical part of the ridge. Typically, this would be a cliff or rock outcrop. Often you can stay up where the ridge is vertical,

IDGE

but you can’t where the ridge is less than vertical. I think part of this is that you can get your canopy close to the area of best lift without the pilot being too close to the ridge.

Little cliffs also create stronger lift because they produce a kind of mini venturi in front of the top of the cliff as the air accelerates past it. The result is you often find much more lift off a small cliff than you’d expect from its size.

The level of turbulence

Available from www.xcmag.com for £24.95 plus postage.

Safety is always the prime consideration when flying and how close you dare go to the ridge must primarily be a safety decision. If the air’s really rough then obviously you can’t fly as close to the ridge as when the air is smooth. This decision also depends on your pilot skill and the kind of glider you have. You may feel

happier to fly closer to the ground on a glider you feel more confident on.

When I fly in England in smooth dynamic ridge lift I feel quite safe and confident flying close to the ridge.

As the thermals start popping then I venture away from the ridge and start hunting for thermals further out.

NEED TO KNOW • Where to fly can depend on the wind and the day.

• Ground cover matters: smooth grassy hills or covered in trees.

• Look for breaks in the ridge-line lower down, thermals will kick off

from there.

• Cliffs are soarable when other parts of the hill aren’t - tuck in close.

• Stay safe: if it’s rough, fly further out.

EN-C BEAT THE BUG Net weight: 4.2 - 5.4 kg

There is only one cure to the “flying bug”. Maybe it is about time to ask your dealer about the new EN-C CURE.

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19

EVENTS Hang Gliding Events for the 2016-2017 season Date

Location

Contact

1st flyable weekend of 5/6, 12/13 or 19/20 Nov 2016

Far North XC Open Distance

Tom Kellner; tkmechanical@vodafone.co.nz

1st flyable weekend of 26/27 Nov or Dec 3/4, 10/11 2016

Kaimais League

Geoff Christophers; Geoff@tradeupjobs.co.nz

1-4 Jan 2017 Adv. & Int. classes

Sterling Big Sky

Wellington Anniversary Weekend 21-23 Jan 2017

Wellington

tathams@xtra.co.nz

18-25 Feb 2017 Reserve day 26 Feb 2017

NZ Nationals, Paeroas/ Kaimais

markalton@yahoo.com For Nationals updates and info http://nzhgnats.blogspot.co.nz/

Sat 4 Feb to Sun 12 Feb 2017

Omarama XC Classic

Bill Degen; aero@xtra.co.nz

1st good weekend in March 2017

Auckland League

Les Graham Mackie@vodafone.co.nz

To be advised

Murchison

Glenn; gmeadows@clear.net.nz

Max; aerosm@gmail.com

Omarama Hang Gliding Classic Cross Country Camp Saturday 4 February to Sunday 12 February 2017

O

n as always during the week of Waitangi Day. Last summer’s event saw many get memorable flights to Mt Cook and South past Roxburgh with the best distance 131kms, just 12kms short of the site record. It should be hot again this summer with great flying expected.

At this time of year, Omarama gets the most flying days with the least turbulence and strong winds so 11,000ft over Killermont looking up the Ahuriri January 2016 Photo: Bill Degen has the most cross country flying opportunities. It can be hot, maybe windy and A satellite messenger such as a Spot is sometimes rough (thermals up to 3000 fpm+) recommended for pickups as cell reception but the competition format is stress free. varies. An extra sim card for the other phone Fly the whole week, just the weekends or network that you use is cheap and will get just fly the best days. It will be spectacular; you better coverage. An Emergency Locator expect to get 9 or 10,000ft and an easy 20 to Transmitter may be useful too. Note that over 100km depending on your skill and luck. airband radio (118.6 Mhz) is mandatory for You’ll probably beat your Personal Best; height, flying North of Ohau if you head for Mt Cook. distance etc, and move up the XC Champs Bring a brave but careful 4WD driver, and a table, or maybe fly to Mt Cook! spade is essential for clearing gravel slips off The road up Magic Mountain is less stressful the road. If you don’t like driving up mountains, at present but still limited to 4WDs with low bring your aerotow or car tow set-up. ratio gearing, especially for descents. To help All types of accommodation are available; maintain the road we’ll ask everyone for a free camping, cabins, caravans, motels and small donation. There are other sites nearby luxury hotels. There’s hot pools in Omarama too which are less demanding on vehicles. for after flying too.

THE MISSION; fly open distance, in any For more information, site briefings, maps direction from the Omarama area that you etc; contact Bill Degen aero@xtra.co.nz or choose. Enter any number of flights. Take any check www.hgpg.co.nz for updates days off, only your best 3 flights get scored.

Flights can be entered each evening at the cottage next door to Omarama Hotel or at the camping area entry boards.

REQUIRED; Advanced rating with mountain/ XC skills. Pilots with lower skill ratings may fly It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to; only if under supervision and if conditions are 1. Obtain a list of current members from the suitable. Printed site briefings are available.

Administrator.

This is mountain high desert country so essential equipment is; a 2.5m rope for 2. Ensure every competition entrant is a securing gliders during dust devils, radio, current NZHGPA member. cellphone, maps, GPS, water, survival gear 3. Sign up any non-members. (can be over 30°C daytime with frosts at night), Any competitors found to be non-members basebar wheels, spare uprights, glider fully will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’. checked and a repacked chute.

NZ Comp Organiser’s Responsibilities

20 A i r b o r n

XC Clinic for Novice and Intermediate Hangies (and old digs if you’re interested): I need a show of hands: I’m looking to find numbers of Novice and Intermediate Rated Pilots (or higher) that are interested in attending a Cross Country Clinic at the Paeroas for two days immediately before the Nationals. Dates are Thurs, Fri 16-17 Feb. We need to know numbers to organise instructors. Please pass this on to all those around you that may be interested as I don’t have everyone’s email or network.

The clinic will include things like thermalling skills, instrument setup, choosing a landing area, crowd flying etc. You then get to use these skills for the next week at the Nationals! (technicality: Novices can participate in the Nats but not compete).

From personal experience, I highly recommend attending the Nationals as a Novice, you’ll learn more in the space of a week than you will for the rest of the year! For those that are interested can you: a) officially register your interest by emailing Mark: markalton@yahoo.com, and b) ask the other pilots around you who may be interested and get them to register as well.

If you’d like to read more on what it’s like as a Novice at Nationals, check out the articles on page 10 and 11 of issue #194 (May June July 2015) of the NZ Airborn Magazine found here: www.nzhgpa.org.nz/airborn-magazine - Aaron

Mt Murchison HG Meet 26th Nov 2016 in Murchison Site: Mt Murchison. Landing beside the river at camp. 5 days from Saturday through Thursday. Prize for Longest flight.

Great swimming in the mighty Buller River.

Camping by the Buller River contact 800 523 9591 riversideholidaypark@ xtra.co.nz Tent sites available $12.50 pp.

Cabins are only $25pp but they could run out so pre book now.

Shane Mckay Peloruseco@gmail.com Phone: +64 (03) 574 2212

NZ Paragliding Open returns North in 2017!

Save the dates, the NZ Paragliding Open will be heading to Rotorua from 26 February - 5 March 2017.

With easy access to the North Island’s premier XC sites at the Paeroas and Kaimais, as well as the multitude of non-flying activities on offer in Rotorua, it’s sure to be an epic event!

Hosted by the Auckland Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, this will be the only round of the Paragliding Open for 2017, so you won’t want to miss out.

Further information, including instructions on how to register, will be available at www. pgopen.org.nz

Red Bull X-Alps returns in 2017!

Being selected to compete in the 8th edition of world’s toughest and most prestigious adventure race is an achievement in itself.

The race committee selects only the world’s best athletes, based on mountaineering and trekking experience, endurance, fitness, mental strength and flying ability. Only the most skilled and adventure-tested athletes will be considered.

The level of competition is intense for the 1,000km race from Salzburg to Monaco and in the last race two-thirds made goal.

Race rules will be updated for 2017. Among changes, and in order to make the race safer, gliders permitted are only those that are EN certified and only harnesses with certified protectors. Details of the race route will be revealed in Spring 2017.

Applications can be made on the official website, www.redbullxalps.com, from July 01 to August 31, 2016.

SITE CLOSURES

In Springtime throughout New Zealand, farms are expecting newborn sheep, cattle, horses, deer and other animals.

Your presence on or flying over farmland could frighten or injure pregnant or newborn stock.

Even at places that you usually fly without problems, please check with the farmer if it is OK to fly. This is a difficult time for farmers and they do appreciate your consideration. Not asking has resulted in the loss of many flying sites while asking has earned their friendship.

If in doubt or if any stock are present DO NOT FLY without asking.

Safety Checks Harnesses equipped with Finsterwalder CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles Safety notice from 04.06.2016 In the past three months, there have been two incidents involving older paraglider harnesses equipped with CLICK-LOCK buckles (HSi10) in the chest strap.

The buckles had opened unintentionally during flight while they were under load. In one of the cases this happened during a SAT manoeuvre (spreading of the chest strap due to the pilot resting on the riser), in the other case the reason was presumably the load applied by the body weight of the pilot who was hanging only in the leg straps.

Finsterwalder has conducted a technical investigation and found the following: The hooks of the metal tongue can wear out through the frequent diagonal load changes the chest strap is subject to. This might lead to decreased load capacity and – in the case of sufficiently high diagonal load transmission – the buckle might open unintentionally.

As a consequence of this finding, Finsterwalder has limited the respective buckles’ service time to 4 years if they are used in paraglider chest straps. The harness manufacturers have already been informed accordingly.

To date, there have been no unintentional openings of T-LOCK buckles. However, since their mechanism resembles that of CLICKLOCK buckles, the problem is likely to be the same.

Finsterwalder calls on all owners of harnesses equipped with CLICKLOCKs (HSi10) or T-LOCKs in the chest strap to determine their buckles’ previous usage time by checking the routine test date on the sample inspection label. If this date indicates a usage time of more than 4 years, the harness is not airworthy for now and may not be used for flying anymore. Affected owners should contact their harness manufacturer.

The ser vice time limita tion applies only to CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles that are used in paraglider chest straps. When used for applications where only static loads are involved, the CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles’ service life is 10 years.

Affected harnesses include models

by Advance, Aerochute, Aeroman, Aeros, Airbulle, Air Heart, Akyuez, AVA Sport, APCO, Carona, Ellipse, Easy Fly, Finsterwalder & Charly, Flight Design, Fly Castellucio, Fresh Breeze, Gin, Independence-Skyman-Flymarket, Ochmann, Onda Enterprises, Sky Paragliders, Fly Products, Karpo Fly, Lookout Mountain, Madreiter, Moyes, Nenerotor, Cwudzinski, PXP, SE-Wing, Sigma, Sitec, Skylotec, SKY Paragliders, SkyTrekking, Supair, Paravis, SOL, Vonblon, Wallend-Air, Wills Wing, Woody Valley, Yamamoto

and other manufacturers. The buckles are used in paramotor harnesses of several manufacturers.

- Finsterwalder GmbH Pagodenburgstr. 8, 81247 Munich, Germany

Harnesses equipped with Finsterwalder CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles Safety notice from 04.06.2016 The following products by Finsterwalder & Charly are equipped with chest strap buckles of this type, which is why we issue a safety notice for all of the following products: Titan 1 + 2 DHV GS-03-0316-05 (Titan 3 not affected), Air Tube 1 + 2 DHV GS-03-0293-04 (not affected if equipped with SIL (Safe-In-Lock)!), Duplex 1 + 2 DHV GS-03-0292-04, Tube 1 + 2 DHV GS-03-0290-03 (not affected if equipped with SIL (Safe-In-Lock)!), Zip 1 + 2 DHV GS-03-0289-03 (not affected if equipped with SIL (Safe-In-Lock)!), Index DHV GS-030234-01 (not affected if equipped with SIL (Safe-In-Lock)!), Striker DHV GS-03-0235-01, Slider DHV GS-030229-00 (not affected if equipped with SIL (Safe-In-Lock)!), Cruiser DHV GS-03-0212-99, Booster DHV GS-03-0211-99, Zoom DHV GS-030176-97, Elite DHV GS-03-0170-97, Easy DHV GS-03-0157-96, Novum DHV GS-03-0154-96, Primus Pro DHV GS-03-0152-95, Primus DHV GS-03-0147-95, Streamer DHV GS-03-0150-95 Finsterwalder & Charly limits the service life of CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles to 4 years when they are used in paraglider chest straps.

Such harnesses may not be used for flying anymore if their delivery dates back to more than 4 years.

There is a general ser vice life limitation to 10 years for Finsterwalder CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles, independent of their context of use in paraglider- or hang glider harnesses.

Finsterwalder, the manufacturer of the mentioned harnesses, offers as a gesture of goodwill to rework their harnesses’ buckles free of cost at their Munich headquarter or at their branch in Seeg. The shipping costs to Finsterwalder must be paid but return shipping within Germany is free of charge.

Despite all efforts, delivery times are expected to be longer. After having been inspected and reworked, the

buckles’ service life extends by 4 more years to a maximum of 10 years.

Whether reworking other manufacturers’ harnesses is possible and at which costs must be requested from the manufacturer of the respective harness.

Finsterwalder & Charly (headquarter): Pagodenburgstr. 8, 81247 Munich, Germany Phone: +49 89 8116528

Update on the safety notices about CLICK-LOCK and T-LOCK buckles in paraglider and hang glider harnesses After having informed 43 paraglider harness manufacturers about how to rework their grounded harnesses, we would like to give you an update.

CL and TL buckles have been developed 30 years ago. Due to the latest insights on their use in paraglider chest straps, we had to limit their permissible service life for this kind of application. The reason is that CL and TL buckles installed in paraglider chest straps are under permanent load and subject to frequent diagonal load changes. They are, however, not optimally designed for this kind of stress and the effects of wear play a role. When a plug is worn out, the buckle’s closure might gradually be pushed open against the spring pressure of its lock buttons.

In the case of heavy wear, the plug can be pulled out by force. Our later developed P-LOCK buckles do not have this disadvantage.

When the buckles are used in paraglider and hang glider leg straps, they are subject to such

dynamic loads only during take-off and landing. However, wear after a longer time of use might lead to failure here too. We therefore limit the service life to 10 years also for this application.

Hang glider harness manufacturers have the possibility to rework their harnesses’ CL and TL plugs and thereby extended the buckles’ service life from 10 years to a maximum of 20 years in total.

We can only rework other manufacturers’ buckles if a manufacturer authorises us to do so and if we accept their order. At the moment, we rework only Charly harnesses and Advance harnesses from Germany. In any case, we need a signed order from the harness owner.

Order form for reworking is at h t t p : / / f i n s t e r w a l d e r- c h a r l y. de/images/stories/startseite/ downloads/cl-t-locknachbearbeitungsauftrag.pdf Please print the order form and enclose it in the package with the harness or the chest strap plugs that are to be reworked. Usually, we charge 38 Euro for the service. This price includes VAT, the reworking and return shipping costs within Germany. As a goodwill gesture, we offer the service free of charge for our Charly harnesses. We can only start reworking after we have received the original signed order. The processing time currently takes 4-8 days but might become longer.

How long the service life of inspected and reworked buckles can be extended depends on whether they are used in chest or in leg straps. The respective harness manufacturers will provide this information in their safety notices.

Harnesses with expired service lives can temporarily continue to be used when a webbing loop is installed as a provisional backup security.

Woody Valley and Advance made this suggestion.

The harness manufacturers are responsible for the authorisation and control of the rework service workshops. For reworking, the plug heads are clamped vertically aligned

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21

Safety Checks Continued from previous page in a vice (see photo below) and filed according to the rework instruction using a half round file. We recommend the file article no. 525000 150/0 by Hoffmann tools. www.hoffmann-group.com/DE/ de/hom/search?type=product&search þile+525000+150/0

True up in a vice Please note: The manufacturers of the affected harnesses can provide for airworthiness within the stated period only if reworking was done by themselves or by an authorised third party.

In the meantime, the DHV has reworked the SAT harness whose buckle which could be opened by force according to our instruction and in the presence of Turnpoint. Afterwards, pulling out the plug by force was no longer possible.

The manufacturers were informed accordingly by the DHV. - Finsterwalder & Charly Some manufacturers have come up with their own solutions, so please contact your harness manufacturer for advice. - Ed

Gingo 3 paraglider harness rescue container A Gingo 3 harness was found to have the rescue pin loop stuck in the eyelet due to being pulled too hard during packing.

Gin Gliders recommend that all owners of the Gingo 3 open, inspect and re-close their rescue containers before their next flight. The rescue container flaps should be closed in the order shown.

Executive Repor ts Amendments to the PG2 certificate The NZHGPA is introducing a new PG2 certificate form. OPMF24 June 2016.pdf.

It is important that instructors take note of the following changes to ensure your students get their ratings processed as they expect.

Please take the time to read through and familiarise yourself with the new form as there are many changes.

Having said that, most of you teach to a good standard now so you probably won’t need to change much of what you do in practice.

If you are not sure of anything on the form please contact either the Evan Lamberton CEO NZHGPA ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz or Alan Swann PG Training pgtraining@nzhgpa. org.nz.

1. Membership There are three options for student membership; 1. Join as a student member online, pay the $20 fee online and get a 12 month student membership. This can be done on a computer or mobile device and the membership is normally active immediately. This membership needs to be upgraded to full member before applying for a PG2 certificate. They will show as a student member with no ratings on the NZHGPA Members directory at http://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/ directory.

2. Join as a temporary student member using the paper membership form OPMF01 available as a download in Admin forms at www.nzhgpa.org.nz/ members/opmforms. This can be authorised by an instructor and is valid for 3 days only. There is no fee for this 3 day temporary membership. All sections of the

Skinfit Hike&Fly World Altitude Record

If the rescue pin loop is too tight, excessive force is required to close the container and the black fabric may be pulled into the eyelet as shown below.

In this case, or if you have any other doubts, please contact your nearest GIN distributor. http://gingliders.com/company/ distributors/

- Gin Gliders

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A total of 9540m altitude with in one day!

Sat 18th June - 3am! Pascal Purin heads up to the Elferhuette in Stubaital for the first time.

He achieved 1060m altitude in just 1 hour 15 minutes, and repeated this 9 times! During the climbs he had an average pulse of just 135 bpm - this shows just how well Pascal prepared for this World Record. Descents were well deserved ‘breaks’ with his ultra lightweight single-surface paraglider - the UFO. The weather was very changeable, and the whole event was constantly under the threat of cancellation. Pascal had to often conquer the climb in pouring rain. Luckily however, it almost always cleared up each time he arrived at the launch site at 2030m.

On the eighth round, he had to sit out a thunder storm that had rolled over the ElferHuette at about 6pm. At the landing site, about 50 spectators cheered him on. As soon as the rain subsided, he started again.

Following his landing, he was still so fit that he started his 9th round - running!

Congratulations Pascal from all at AirDesign on your incredible, superhuman achievement!!

form must be completed including the medical declaration and liability waiver. This is for your protection as an instructor so don’t skip it. Within 3 days or before the student flies again they must join online as above.

The paper forms still need to be sent to the administrator for proof of membership for any flights done in those first 3 days.

3. Join as a full member online, pay the full fee (fees prorate for the remaining membership year) and get membership until Oct 30.

This is the best option for students who are sure they will progress to a pilot certificate.

Note: A student can join as a student member or a full member at any time but they must be a full member when they apply for a PG2 certificate.

2. Verifying the skills Students and instructors are both required to initial their agreement that each section of the certificate has been completed and enter the date of completion.

1. This can be used as a record of training but does not take the place of a student pilot’s own log book.

2. Students should be aware of the requirements for their licence and should agree that they have achieved them. A copy of this form will be sent to all student pilots when they join the NZHGPA as a student or full member.

3.

Instructors are responsible for ensuring the student pilot has demonstrated competency in each of the skills and understands each of the knowledge sections before signing the form.

3. Flight experience 1. The minimum total flight time is now 150 minutes.

2. At least 100 minutes of this time must be achieved in no more than 10 flights. This means sustained flight in soaring conditions or from high sites.

3. There must be at least 40 flights from authorised flying sites. At present all sites rated PG1 or PG2 by the local club are “authorised”.

Other sites that you wish to use for training may be added on application to the club, which must carry out a site assessment and provide an authorisation form to the NZHGPA. Ground training and short, low flights (less than approx 5m high) can be done from any suitable hill but these are not to be counted as part of the 40 flight minimum.

4.

The student must experience flights from at least 4 different launch sites and land at 3 different landing areas. At least one of these sites must be classed as inland so the student experiences a site assessment and flight which includes terrain upwind of the launch. You should try to include both plain soaring and thermalling sites if at all possible.

4. Log books A requirement for log books to be sighted has been added to reinforce the responsibility that all pilots have to maintain a log of their flights. This must be done regardless of any training records the instructor maintains although one log can serve both purposes if both instructor and student have access to it.

5. PG1 theory test This been added as a prerequisite for PG2 and should be completed in the early stages of training (in the first 6 flights).

Although most instructors cover all of the PG1 theory as part of a standard PG2 training course there was no requirement for this and no verification that all aspects were covered.

6. Completion 1.

T he instructor is required to verify that the student is a full member of the NZHGPA and has completed all of the flight and theory requirements before the form is sent to the NZHGPA administrator.

2. The administrator cannot process applications for PG2 certificates that are not complete or are from pilots who are not full members so this step avoids admin delays and disappointment for the student.

With the online membership system it is easy for instructors to check membership and for students to upgrade to full member.

3. The student pilot signs to verify that they have completed and logged all of the requirements.

Unlike the previous PG2 form it is now the student pilot that applies for a certificate with the instructor providing verification of completion. This helps to reinforce the concept of pilot responsibility and to ensure the student is fully aware of and engaged with the certificate standards.

In producing this updated form we have used the Parapro 2008 and other international ratings as a reference, we have given all NZ instructors an opportunity to comment and we wish to thank those of you who took the time to respond.

For an indication of the future direction for our pilot certificates please refer to the Parapro 3 rating Parapro 2008.

NZHGPA Discretionary Projects Fund The NZHGPA Discretionary Projects Funding Committee invites applications for funding of projects from clubs and NZHGPA committees. The criteria and process for making applications can be found here: http://tinyurl. com/DPFCapplication

Cross Country Milestone Flights - 2016 Season

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s a way of recognising and thus encouraging cross-country flying endeavours, the NZHGPA awards “Cross-Country Milestone Achievement” stickers the first time a member pilot surpasses the ‘milestone’ distances of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or 200km (open distance) on a hang glider or paraglider in New Zealand. (Flights are declared through the NZ Cross-Country Championships, or via participation and scoring in National or Regional competition-flying events). Pictured right is what one looks like.

Paraglider Flights Table 1 lists the pilots who achieved milestone paraglider flights during the 2016 season (through to the end of March). Congratulations to the fifteen pilots who bagged their 25km milestone flights! Of those pilots, John Smith and Stefano Gigli kept flying to achieve 50km too, while Doug Patterson and Kinga Masztalerz bagged 50km flights later on in the season.

It was a ‘bumper’ season for 50km milestone paragliding flights – the tally was ten, which ties with season 2014 as the most achieved in one season.

Go flying on the good days – for their 50km flights, John Smith, Aaron Ford and Brendon Sinclair were flying from Queenstown or Wanaka take offs on the same day – December 6. Of the other 50km milestone flights, Dylan Vickerman and Kinga Masztalerz carried on to surpass 75km too (Kinga’s flight of 83.4km being the new NZ female open distance record!)

50km open distance in NZ is proof of very good cross-country flying skills - I am predicting we’ll soon be seeing even longer flights from these pilots!

At the top end, Martin Kräemer and Michael Karnik complete the list of those achieving awesome 75km flights for the first time. Gert van Maren is the season’s new entrant to the NZ 100km “club”! (It’s now a group of 16 pilots). At the very top, Nick Neynens, as I daresay you will already know, added 40km to the NZ paragliding open distance record on Christmas Day (Dec 25) to bag NZ’s first ever 200km paraglider flight (before extending the record to a stunning 235km ten days later). On the same day as the 235km flight (Jan 5), Nick’s trusty European X-Alps race supporter, Louis Tapper, managed to venture out for some great flying of his own and became the fifth person to achieve 150km on a paraglider in NZ, flying from Cardrona.

“Plan to go flying on the good days, go to the best places, and be prepared!”

– Craig Collings Hang Glider Flights Back on a hang glider, John Smith, was flying on Christmas Day too and also extending a national record – his own flying 202km from Coronet Peak to north of Lake Tekapo, the first 200km class 1 (flex wing) hang glider flight of NZ! (In March 2003, Shaun Gilbert flew 230km from Te Mata Peak, Hawkes Bay on his “Swift” rigid wing hang glider).

A good turn out for the hang gliding nationals held in the Nelson region saw several 25km milestone flights achieved from Mt Murchison (or first recognition of such for a couple of ‘old hands’).

Table 2. 2016 Season Milestone Hang Glider Flights.

Pilot

Milestone Achieved (km)

Flight Date

Open Distance

Launch Site

John Smith

200

25/12/2015

202.3

Coronet Peak

Mark Alton

50

6/01/2016

54.5

Paeroa Range

Mark Alton

75

3/02/2016

75.0

Magic Mountain

Adriel Kind

25

15/02/2016

26.5

Mt Murchison

Andrew McKirdy

25

15/02/2016

26.8

Mt Murchison

Darryl Mackie

25

15/02/2016

27.0

Mt Murchison

Fraser Bull

25

15/02/2016

26.6

Mt Murchison

Mark Patton

25

15/02/2016

27.1

Mt Murchison

Derek McKee

25

16/02/2016

26.3

Mt Murchison

Milestone Statistics How good was the 2016 season for paraglider 50km milestone flights? For comparison, Figure 1 gives the numbers per year since the first NZ 50km flight was flown (Shaun Gilbert flying 59km from Te Mata Peak, Feb 11, 1994).

Figure 1. Numbers of 50km Paragliding Milestone Flights by Year.

Table 1. 2016 Season Milestone Paraglider Flights.

Pilot

Milestone Achieved (km)

Flight Date

Open Distance

Launch Site

Greg Benjamin

25

27/09/2015

25.1

Inwoods Lookout

Eva Keim

50

29/09/2015

51.8

Moirs Hill

Scott Arrell

25

9/10/2015

26.7

Moirs Hill

Dylan Vickerman

50 & 75

30/10/2015

78.2

Cairnmuir Spur

Doug Patterson

25

9/11/2015

45.8

Treble Cone

Rob Gillard

50

29/11/2015

52.9

Kaimai

Aaron Ford

50

6/12/2015

66.1

Coronet Peak

Brendon Sinclair

50

6/12/2015

66.1

Treble Cone

Helen Jeffery

25

6/12/2015

33.1

Treble Cone

John Smith

25 & 50

6/12/2015

54.9

Coronet Peak

Kinga Masztalerz

25

6/12/2015

37.6

Treble Cone

Michal Karnik

50

11/12/2015

55.8

Cairnmuir

Doug Patterson

50

23/12/2015

59.0

Coronet Peak

Guillaume Mora

25

23/12/2015

30.9

Treble Cone

Nick Neynens

150 & 200

25/12/2015

211.1

Ahuriri Eyrie

Johnny Hopper

25

28/12/2015

25.7

Kaimai

Martin Kräemer

75

31/12/2015

78.3

Moke Lake

Gert van Maren

100

5/01/2016

114.1

Pakituhi Spur

Kinga Masztalerz

50 & 75

5/01/2016

83.4

Cardrona

Louis Tapper

150

5/01/2016

159.6

Cardrona

Stefano Gigli

25 & 50

6/01/2016

56.6

Paeroa

Mark Curtis

25

16/01/2016

32.7

Kaimai

Robbie Kerr

25

4/02/2016

40.2

Te Mata Peak

Jakub Leder

25

13/02/2016

39.0

Treble Cone

Michal Karnik

75

13/02/2016

90.1

Sharks Tooth

Nick Buhaets

25

20/02/2016

29.6

Moirs Hill

Andrew Cavaney

25

2/03/2016

26.5

Mt Murchison

Mike Ferguson

25

2/03/2016

34.3

Mt Murchison

Of this season’s paraglider milestone flights, notably three pilots – Eva Keim, Rob Gillard and Stefano Gigli – accomplished their first 50km flights in the North Island, which is quite a rare thing. To show how rare, Figure 2 plots counts of milestone flights for each island. (Except for hang glider flights prior to 2003 for which the take-off site is not recorded/not available, somewhat hindering a worthwhile comparison for hang glider flights).

The data shows that more paraglider pilots have flown NZ 100km than have flown a 50km milestone flight in the North Island!

Figure 2. Numbers of Milestone Flights, South Island compared to North Island.

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23

The PCC Write up

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inter is boring, isn’t it? Watch out for new rules being posted on the NZHGPA website soon. Also, the ladder is ready for next season – you can find it on the next page… see if you made the cut and survived.

Mark Hardman had nominated the Rat Race (happened in Oregon in June) as an FAI comp that will count towards his ladder score – so expect Mark to jump up the rankings since he took out the Sports Class, really showing the Americans how it’s done. Sadly the WPRS calculations were not ready in time for this edition of Airborn so we are not sure yet how many points he scores. Well done, Mark (and Melanie who also did very well in the Rat Sprint).

Good news on XContest. It keeps getting more and more ready for us. There is still an outstanding bug regarding our weird NZ time zone but hopefully it will be fixed by the time you read this. We would like to officially invite you all to use the system, as a test, for the coming season at; www.xcontest.org/newzealand Create an account for yourself, and please load your cross country paragliding flights on to this system, as well as Leonardo (which remains the official system for one more season).

The way that points are awarded has changed as well. For the beta test the points are awarded as follows: XC Flight (i.e. over three turn points) is 1km = 1 point Open Distance (i.e. distance between furthest points) is 1km = 1.25 points Flat Triangle (i.e. triangle is not FAI compliant) is 1km = 1.5 points FAI Triangle is 1km = 2 points At the time of writing the icon for Open Distance shows the same as an XC Flight, but you can see the difference when you examine a flight – the optimal line shows which type of scoring was used. Clear as mud?

Press the red magnifying glass icon to examine a flight in detail… don’t forget to hit the little “High Definition Tracklog” button in the top left corner to see a beautifully detailed representation of your flight.

Fatty drags himself into the air over Mt Borah

You will find that in some ways it is almost identical to Leonardo, but also has a different (sleeker) look a feel.

On the left you will notice various different competition formats to explore.

XC Championship – this is where the official championship will be displayed Wandering Kiwi – just for fun, this is similar to the championship but also includes overseas flights.

Club Competition – just for fun again, you can see which is the best club, based on ten flights from the best four pilots per club Open Distance – real open distance (between the two furthest points on the tracklog) flights can be compared here

24 A i r b o r n

XContest is not free. We are going to politely ask each pilot that uses it to make a donation to the PCC to cover costs. We suggest around $10 for a season but feel free to give us a little more. One incredibly generous pilot has pledged $500 per season from his personal funds. We will try avoid taking that, but we are incredibly grateful to you, Bryan.

We are also going to be releasing the ability to advertise your business on the XContest site, by the means of a small rotating advert in the right hand column. For this we ask only $200 per season so you can imagine that we are already getting a lot of interest in that. Please contact the PCC (nzhgpapcc@googlegroups.com) if you would like to get exposure for your business and help out the community at the same time.

So, please get on to XContest… look at the flights from last season, make yourself an account and explore. It’s a lot of fun AND any pilot that logs a flight in the coming season will enter the draw to win a spot tracker, kindly donated by Nick Taber of MacPara – very exciting! Thanks, Nick.

In other news – just one round of the PG Open in the coming season and it’s back in Rotorua to try out the fantastic new airspace allowances there.

It starts on February 26th, which is a Sunday and gives you the Saturday for a practise flight. Awesome. See you there, in the bomb out.

Cheers - Johnny and the PCC

NZ Hang Gliding Open Distance Records (Class 1) Kms Pilot 202.3 John Smith 177.5 John Smith 172.4 John Smith 169 Dave Newton 145.1 Matt Barlow 142.6 Ian Clark 132 Paul Chisnall 128 Jess Flynn 121.8 Graeme Henderson 82 Graeme Hull 71.7 Bernard Massey 60 Pat Driessen 50 Rick Poynter FAI World Champions Terry Delore Graeme Bird FAI World Records 30.81km/h Tish Lawry 143.8 Tish Lawry

Date 25-Dec-15 22-Dec-13 19-Dec-13 11-Jan-09 1-Dec-07 28-Jan-92 29-Nov-93 1986 23-Feb-85 23-Feb-85 Feb-84 6-Nov-79 1975

Launch Site to Landing Coronet Peak to Lillybank Coronet Peak to past Tekapo Coronet Peak to Tekapo Motueka to Springs Junction Linkwater to past Lake Tennyson Bridges to Lake Omapere Coronet Peak to Twizel Coronet Peak to Kyeburn Tara Hills to Palmerston Hospital Hill to Waihi Kamo to KeriKeri Te Mata Peak? to ?

Kario? to ?

Region Otago Otago Otago Tasman Marlborough Auckland Otago Otago Otago Bay of Plenty Northland Hawkes Bay Auckland

1976 1981

FAI World Champion class 1 FAI World Champion class 2

Kossen, Austria Beppu, Japan

31/12/98 0/0/2000

Female 100km triangle Female out & return

Australia Forbes, Australia

If you can correct, add information or any missing flights to these XC Distance records over the years, please contact Mark Alton markalton@ yahoo.com or Max Gebhardt aerosm@gmail.com The records will be saved on the NZHGPA website under HG competitions.

Pilots Weather App for Mobiles For weather forecasts and live weather, I’ve built this small web app optimised for mobiles: http://howwindy.com The idea behind this project is to have an easy and efficient way to check the live weather on site or at home. It’s a personal project that I developed for Wellington club and that I’ve now released to all NZ. I try to maintain it with as many accurate stations as I can/I know across all the country.

The default page is set to Wellington but then once you’ve picked your area, it will open directly on your area as long as you don’t delete your cookies. Same for the tab menus.

- Vincent Audebert vincent.audebert@yahoo.fr

Perf orm anc the e fo Rea r l Avail W able orld Now in NZ www .M nick@ ACPARA .c macp ara.c om o.nz

FLY IN PE AC E

EN-B

N NE EWW ZZEEAALLAA NN DD C RC RO OS SS S- -CCOOUUNNTT RR YY

PP AA RR AAGGLLI IDDI NI NG G CC HH AA MMPPI IOONNSSH HI PI PS S

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

April 1st 2016 to March 31st 2017 Regional Flight Focus 2016 XC Scores on Leonardo as at 10/7/2016 The Past: The ten longest open distance paraglider flights of Wairarapa-Wellington-Manawatu.

Best 3 flights Pos Pilot 1 Robbie Kerr 2 Shaun Gilbert 3 Gert Van Maren 4 Michal Karnik 5 Glenn Doggit 6 Nick Taber 7 Andrew Cavaney 8 Brian Erasmus 9 Alexander Ianovski 10 Jakub Leder 11 Joe Ward

Total 56.91 48.78 46.45 37.56 30.35 25.23 21.63 16.4 15.77 14.27 6.06

flight 1 48.58 48.78 46.45 13.75 30.35 25.23 21.63 16.4 7.1 14.27 6.06

flight 2 8.33 - - 12.49 - - - - 6.09 - -

flight 3 11.32 2.57 -

PARAGLIDING XC CHAMPIONSHIP RULES 2015 SECTION 6.CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP Each flying year a National paragliding cross country championship may be run.

An organiser of this championship (XC Champs organiser) may be appointed by the PCC in April of each year. This appointment shall automatically continue in the following years, until he/she is notified otherwise by the PCC, or he/she informs the PCC of their intention to stand down. If no XC Champs organiser is appointed the competition shall be administered by a member of the PCC. The flying year shall run from 1 April to 31 March the following calendar year.

6.1 Cross Country Championship Format A pilot’s Cross Country Championship score shall be the total of the score from their three highest scoring flights in one flying year.

Flights shall be scored in one of the following categories with points allocated as defined on the xc competition web site: www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo 1. Free Flight. (distance X 1.5) 2. Free triangle. (distance X 1.75) 3. FAI Triangle. (distance X 2.0) The definitions of these types of flight shall be the same as the definitions specified for records in section 6.6 6.1.1 XC Rover An XC Rover table may be part of the XC Championships at the discretion of the XC Comp organiser.

Flights for the XC Rover table must originate from sites more than 50km apart. Only one flight is scored per site to count towards a pilot’s total score.

A pilot’s XC Rover score shall be the total of up to 5 flights in one flying year.

A pilot must have a minimum of 3 XC Rover flights before scoring on this table.

6.1.2 Sub Classes At the discretion of the XC Champs organiser, sub classes may be collated and shown as part of the XC Championships. These may include: - Open - Male - Female - Tandem Class

- North Island - South Island - Rookie - Open distance 6.3 Flight Submission and Minimum Documentation Flight submissions are to be uploaded to the XC website (www.paraglidingforum.com/ leonardo) within 30 days of the flight, except that all March flights must be submitted by April 5.

Refer to the website for details. The competition website will be notified at the start of each competition season.

6.3.1 Basic Details for All Flights.

All submissions are to include: - the name of the pilot, - flight date, - take off site, - GPS track log.

To submit a GPS tracklog, the pilot shall upload a suitable format file to the nominated website.

6.3.2 Flights scoring 75 points and over, or flights claiming a “Record”.

All flights scoring 75 points and over, and those claiming a “Record”, shall be verified with a 3D GPS track log. i.e. includes valid height data in the log.

Refer to Section 2.6 for GPS track log validation criteria.

A “record” claim is for either a site record or a national record. If this flight is under 75 points and GPS verification is unavailable it may still be submitted to the XC Champs but it will not be awarded “record” status.

6.3.3 Flights scoring under 75 points.

Flights under 75 points may submit a 2D tracklog 6.4 Scoring Unless determined otherwise by the XC Comp organiser and published on the NZHGPA competitions page before the start of the next season the points allocated to each flight shall be as defined in the rules of the nominated website.

6.5 Challenging a flight.

Any flight may be challenged by the XC

Date

Site

Pilot

Dist.(km)

4/01/1997

Mt Climie

Gary Steele

49.5

3/04/2015

Kourarau

Mick Kennish

47.8

1/11/1997

Oyster Shell

Gary Steele

40.0

3/01/1997

Oyster Shell

Ian Bowie

33.4

9/03/2002

Kourarau

Gary Steele

33.0

1/01/2008

Dalefield Road

Barry Baxter

30.2

1/03/1998

Kourarau

Mark Bailey

30.0

22/02/2003

Heights Road

Laurie Ross

29.0

31/03/1999

Waikanae Hill

Russell Read

29.0

26/01/2009

Kourarau

Russell Read

25.4

2. Open Distance (OD): Straight line distance from start point to finish point. In other words, the distance between the two furthest apart points on the tracklog.

3. Out and Back (OB): Straight line distance from start point to any turn point, then back to the start point.

4. FAI Triangle (TR): The definition of an FAI triangle shall match the FAI definition at the time of the flight.

5. Declared Goal: Open distance from start point to a goal declared in writing to a witness before launch.

6. Female: Open distance flown by a female pilot.

7. Tandem: Open distance flown on a certified tandem glider with a passenger.

6.6.2 Mis-close of OB & TR flights An OB or TR flight may have a “mis-close” of up to 2% of the flight distance (or 400m for flights <20km). If the pilot returns to within that “mis-close” distance from their start point at the end of their flight then they shall be deemed to have achieved the OB or TR flight.

Diagrammatic examples of Open and Distance and XC Distance flight measurements:

6.6.3 Site Records Separate records for each recognised inland site may be claimed in each of the above categories.

6.6.4 In order to break an existing distance record, for the purpose of these regulations, the new distance must be at least 1% longer than the previous record if the flight is under 100km, or at least 1km longer than the previous record if the flight is over 100km.

For detailed Paragliding XC Champs flight information, see the 2016-17 PG XC Champs Table at Leonardo (Leonardo season name: “2016”) www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/league/world/season2016/brand:all,cat:1,class:all,xctype:all,club:0.9 (Note that for the NZ PG XC Champs, the Leonardo table is an approximate table only: international pilots are incorrectly excluded from the NZ ‘club’ competition, while a flight submitted more than 30 days after the day of the flight is incorrectly included). Check out the test version of XContest at www.xcontest.org/newzealand

26 A i r b o r n

Photo: Ross Gray

champs organiser or by any pilot competing in the XC champs. If a flight is challenged, initially the XC champs organiser or a PCC appointed scrutineer shall obtain and scrutinise the flight documentation.

If the challenging pilot or the challenged pilot is not satisfied with this outcome, a jury will be appointed by the PCC. The jury’s decision will be final.

6.5.4 Validation of Flight The flight is valid providing that: - the flight was flown in New Zealand, - at least 2/3 of the distance was flown inland (thermal flying rather than coastal soaring), - the pilot has at least PG2 rating or foreign equivalent, - the flight complies with NZ Civil Aviation Authority regulations for paraglider flight.

- The appropriate level of evidence is provide to the XC champs organiser (see 6.3) - The flight has not been challenged under 6.5 By entering a flight into the Cross Country Championships, the pilot confirms that these conditions have been met.

Foreign pilots may enter the competition providing that they have taken out temporary NZHGPA membership.

Note that the title of NZ XC Champion will go to the best placed NZ resident pilot.

6.6 Cross Country Records New Zealand XC records may be claimed by submitting the 3D GPS track log or IGC file to the XC competition organiser. These files will be examined and scored separately from the annual online XC competition.

6.6.1 Categories For all task types; start, end and turn points do not have to be specified before the start of the flight. The start and end points of a flight submission do not have to be the flight’s take-off and landing points, e.g. a flight’s first turn point may be used as the start point, and similarly, the flight’s last turn point may be used as the end point.

XC records will be kept in 7 categories; 1. Cross Country Distance (XC): The total distance over three turn points. So: - Start to turn point 1 - Turn point 1 to turn point 2 - Turn point 2 to turn point 3 - Turn point 3 to Finish

The Hang Gliding Competition Committee, Steve Dwyer, Tim Percival, Bill Degen and others, after much research have come up with the following site records. Most are documented from competition results or publictions.

If you can correct, add information or any missing flights to the XC Distance records over the years, or these site records please contact Mark Alton markalton@yahoo.com or Max Gebhardt aerosm@gmail.com The records will be saved on the NZHGPA website under HG competitions.

Region, Site Northland Kamo Auckland Bridges Moirs Hill Puketutu Mercer, Tow Five Fingers Muriwai Logans, Tow Kariotahi Maioro Dills Hill Drury Quary Bay of Plenty Kaimai Range Paeroas Hawkes Bay Te Mata Peak Te Mata Peak (Class 3) Hospital Hill Zola’s (Poukawa) Wellington Baring Head Kinnoull Dalefield Bull Hill Oystershell Kourarau Bennetts Hill Ocean Beach Mt Climie Paekakariki Heights Road Jury Hill tow strip Nelson Inwoods Lookout Sherry River Motueka airstrip; Tow Marlborough Linkwater Pelorus Canterbury Allandale (skyfloater) Cass Peak Cave Castle Rock (skyfloater) Little River Mt Alexander Mt Cheeseman Mt Cheeseman (Class 2) Mt Edward Mt Grey Round Top Taylors Mistake Wallace Peak Otago Coronet Peak Glenbrook Grandview (Class 2) Magic Mountain Mt Eric Little Mt Ida Tara Hills Treble Cone Mt Maude Overseas Australia, Dalby USA, Owens Valley

Km

Pilot

Date

Landing/max GPS distance

71.7

Bernard Massey

1/02/1984

KeriKeri

142.3 128.8 128 100 92 87 78 55 54 44.7 33

Ian Clark John Turnbull Steve Elliot Steve Dwyer Ian Clark Carl Driessen Geoff Green Ian Clark Ian Clark Steve Dwyer Mike Dwyer

27/01/1994 30/01/1994 1995?

1999?

28/11/1994 after Feb 2002 1999?

1999?

1998 22/03/2015 1982?

Lake Omapere Kawakawa?

Rotorua?

Hauturu Rd ? close to Maramarua Ruakaka ?

Miranda Muriwai on way to Miranda

118.3 106.5

Geoff Christophers 1/03/2014 Grant Tatham 25/01/2014

Coromandel Coast National Park

75 230 82 66

Ross MacKay Shaun Gilbert Graeme Hull Fraser Bull

1998?

25/03/2003 23/02/1985 1990

Norsewood South Coast Wairarapa Waihi Dannevirke

4.79 4.96 44 22 64 51 53.8 35 51 83.5 87.6 55?

James Oakley James Oakley Grant Tatham Grant Tatham Grant Tatham Grant Tatham Grant Tatham John Ahearn Yasuo Hatano 12 pilots Colin Rhodes Guy Harding

1/03/2014 6/09/2015 ?/?/2002 ?/?/2012 ?/?//2011 ?/?//2013 15/01/2011 ?/?/1984 22/01/1992 18/01/1992 5/03/1994 2005?

to Turakirae Head & back. to Cave Bay & landed out.

6km short of south coast into Ponatahi Valley Tinui Ti Mai Station, Nth of Whakataki Puketoi Ranges Back to Featherston Wairarapa (Wellington HG Nats) Linton (Wgtn HG Nats) Akitio, East Coast. off aero tow to Mt Bruce ?

107 83 169.1

Dave Newton Tim Osborn Dave Newton

22/10/2004 1/01/1992 11/01/2009

Hanmer Island Saddle? past Springs Junction

146.2 17.5

Matt Barlow Ben McAlpine

20/01/2006 27/12/2009

via Picton to Lake Tennyson Linkwater

29.3 43.6 78.1 33.5 33.7 49.7 58 114.5 76.4 55 42 22.7 80

Bill Degen Bill Degen Bill Degen Bill Degen Bill Degen Warren Simonsen Bill Degen Mark Nichols Warren Simonsen Bill Degen Bill Degen Bill Degen Warren Simonsen

10/01/2004 6/02/1982 26/12/2002 ?/11/2000 ?/?/198?

22/02/2003 6/12/1986 4/01/2013 7/02/1998 1984-86 1990 ?

31/08/2012 24/01/1990

French Farm Akaroa Sefton past Ashburton River mouth Jubilee Park, Akaroa Gainsborough Rsv, Christchurch ?

Rotomanu, West Coast Hanmer approx 10km north of Waimate Leslie Hills Station near Oxford to Scrubby Bay then Brighton Molesworth Station

202.3 120 55.8 142.9 132.7 75.5 121.8 130 76

John Smith Warren Simonsen Mark Nichols Bill Degen Cris Lawry Guy Williams Graeme Henderson Niall Mueller John Collins

25/12/2015 5/01/2003 27/01/2011 8/02/2015 25/11/2009 29/12/2008 23/02/1985 25/01/2015 28/11/1982

Lilybank Haketere, Ashburton Gorge Omarama Rangitata Huts between Geraldine & Methven just short of Palmerston Palmerston Raes Junction ?

18 Mile Bluff, West Coast

335 250

Conrad Loten Dave Wellington

8/3/2009 8/1991

Mitchell Near Gabbs, Nevada

N Z H G P A BOOKROOM 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;

BOOKROOM

NZHGPA

Hang Gliding Site Records

Ewen Tonar 23A Brookview Court Chartwell Hamilton Phone 07 855 3969 ejtonar069@gmail.com

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January 1st to December 31st

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here’s not been much activity since the last issue as the NZ winter sets in and thermals become scarcer.

Don’t let that stop you though, if you can handle a little cold, there’s still good ridge flying to be had and some areas produce wave better in winter that can make for a good XC flight.

Looking through the XC site records in this issue, there’s been records set in August and October so it doesn’t have to be the height of summer at all.

The way to get those big cross country flights is to keep trying so you are flying fit when that good day comes up. You just need to be flying at the right place when conditions turn on. Often it’s the ordinary looking days that unexpectedly turn out best, and it’s those who are out flying on the day that get to take advantage of it.

There’s nothing like setting yourself a public goal to encourage yourself to do better, but the real challenge is to understand the weather and fly the best you can in the conditions you have available. Keep at it and regardless of your score, you’ll get some great flights and may even pick up a local site record.

There’s always time to improve your cross country skills and while doing that you could get that big flight that will top your personal best distance or best total of 4 flights. Only one person can be at the top of the table; sometimes they have better local sites, more time available or just better luck, but if you are improving your ability, your personal best, or your own distance total, you are winning too.

ONLINE RESULTS Latest results are posted as they come in first at www.hgpg.co.nz and at www.nzhgpa.org. nz/competitions/hg-competitions/hang-glidingcross-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 will 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.

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

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

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The 2016 Cross-Country Championships Table so far...

Name Bill Degen

Flight 1 131.6

Flight 2 93.4

Flight 3 90.7

Flight 4 77.2

Total kms 392.8

Warren Simonsen 86.6 81.2 75.4 55.9 299.0 Mark Alton 75.0 68.0 54.5 50.6 248.1 Mark Nichols

** 88.9 73.3 42.4 36.9 241.5

Cris Lawry 55.0 45.0 42.0 19.0 161.0 Niall Mueller 75.0 38.5 113.5 Kevin McManus 37.0 22.1 22.0 81.1 Guy Williams 20.7 20.7 20.7 18.7 80.8 Rod Stuart 21.0 16.5 16.0 16.0 69.5 Adriel Kind 20.8 16.2 16.2 8.8 62.0 Rick Hawkeswood

61.5

61.5

Neil Howe

61.0

61.0

Gary Turner

48.8

48.8

Andrew Blair 16.0 15.0 8.3 1.0 40.3 Aaron Darby 15.3 14.6 8.7 38.6 Shaun Ryan

18.0

8.3

26.3

Marshall Scrivenor

16.0

8.3

24.3

Marty Smith

15.1

8.5

23.6

Morgan Knoessen

12.7

4.6

17.3

Julian Sands

8.5

8.5

Quentin Doig

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

7.5

just need to give take-off and landing witnesses.

GPSDump works on Windows or Mac and reads GPS tracklogs from just about any instrument, then 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. You can even export it for viewing in Google Earth in 3D. You can download GPSDump for free at; www.gethome.no/stein.sorensen RULES You must be a paid up NZHGPA member during all flights or you do not score. Entries must be postmarked or emailed within 30 days of the flight or do not score. This helps ensure accuracy, prevents pilots holding back flights until the end, and we all want 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. Optimised flight distances with a Remote Start and/or Remote Finish are welcome, provided you send in a valid, GPS track log to prove it. Out & return, triangle or multiple distances are not eligible at this stage.

Aerotow launched flights are permitted, but your release altitude must be less than 5% of the flight distance (current FAI ruling) or does not score. Tow release position (not take-off) verification should be witnessed by the tug pilot, or confirmed with known landmark photo or GPS tracklog.

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’s a special prize 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.

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 the current years XC Champs must be flown before 31st December and entered within 30 days. This ends the contest at a good part of the season while it’s still hot for flying. Flights from January onwards will be entered in the XC Champs for the new year.

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

Hang Gliding Ladder 2015 / 2016 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 48= 49

Pilot Warren Simonsen John Smith Hagen Bruggemann Paris Williams Mark Alton Matt Barlow Simon Braithwaite Cris Lawry Conrad Loten Shane Mackay Derek McKee Max Gebhardt Guy Harding Ian Bowie Andrew McKirdy Mark Patton John Burton Glenn Meadows Shane Morton Tom Collett Fraser Bull Steve Cronin Rod Stuart Darryl Mackie Aaron Darby Gary Turner Clint Fraser Adriel Kind Toni McErlane Les Graham Neil Howe Rick Hawkeswood Bill Fisher Neville Marinko Geoff Christophers Grant Tatham James Oakley Tomas Kellner Alex Crawford Kim Pullan Dennis Green Dan Campbell Ian Miller Carlos Palmer Kenneth Mitchell Adrian Macnee Grant Firth Tim Butler Brendon Argos Piers Harrison

Nationals 2328 3088 2691 2514 1645 2300 1942 1901 1869 1704 1433 1344 1320 1038 1161 1152 736 1107 1008 993 973 505 945 940 648 883 881 872 765

SBS AKL No Scoring 880 2015/2016

WGTN

761

181

377 85

378

0 85

265

746 740 691 624 582 581 357 452 449 416 399

182 0

367 224 121

85 140

121

85 85 74 74 74 0

Total 3208 3088 2691 2514 2406 2300 1942 1901 1869 1704 1433 1344 1320 1219 1161 1152 1113 1107 1093 993 973 968 945 940 913 883 881 872 765 746 740 691 624 582 581 539 452 449 416 399 367 224 206 140 121 85 74 74 74 0

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 Web: www.gethigh.co.nz PARAGLIDING SkyWings Paragliding Alan Hills Phone: 09 570 5757, 027 498 2345 Email: alan@skywings.co.nz Web: 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 Web: 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 Web: 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 Web: www.airplay.co.nz BAY OF PLENTY PARAGLIDING Levitate Paragliding Ltd Shane and Summer Tims Phone: 07 542 0098, 027 649 2222 Email: levitateparagliding@hotmail.com Web: www.levitate.co.nz Kiwi-Air Mike & Aniko Phone: 07 929 5807, 021 104 6208 Web: http://kiwi-air.co.nz Mount Paragliding Wayne Roberts Phone: 07 574 4223, 027 643 6529 Email: thermalmonkee@hotmail.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 & PG 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 Web; oceaniaparagliding.co.nz NELSON/TASMAN HANG GLIDING Hang Gliding NZ Ltd Kevin Rooke, Phone: 03 540 2183, 0800 212 359, 021 762 769 Email: rooke@slingshot.co.nz Web: www.hanggliding.co.nz Nelson Hang Gliding Adventures Glenn Meadows Phone: 03 548 9151, 027 275 1022 Email: gmeadows@clear.net.nz Web: www.flynelson.co.nz

Tasman Sky Adventures Trevor Leighton, Phone: 027 229 9693 Email: info@skyadventures.co.nz Web: www.skyadventures.co.nz

PARAGLIDING Adventure Paragliding & Kiteboarding Kevin Rooke, Phone: 03 540 2183, 021 762 769 Email: info@skyout.co.nz Web: www.skyout.co.nz Nelson Paragliding Stew and Zanna Karstens Phone: 03 544 1182, 027 446 3930 Email: paragliding@xtra.co.nz Web: www.nelsonparagliding.co.nz MARLBOROUGH PARAGLIDING High Adventure New Zealand Russell Read, Phone: 027 448 0888 Email: russread@ihug.co.nz CHRISTCHURCH HANG GLIDING Canterbury Hang Gliding School Bill Degen Phone: 03 326 6411, 021 247 2676 Email: aero@xtra.co.nz Web: www.hgpg.co.nz

PARAGLIDING ParaPro (Paragliding & Powered Paragliding) Dave Dennis Phone: 03 328 8255, 0508 548 323 Email: info@parapro.co.nz Web: www.parapro.co.nz WANAKA PARAGLIDING Lucky Montana’s Flying Circus Advanced over water manoeuvres (SIV) instruction Rob Darby Phone: 03 443 1680, 027 220 1185 Email: lucky_montana@hotmail.com QUEENSTOWN PARAGLIDING Elevation Paragliding School Shai Lanuel Phone: 0800 359 444, 027 224 2121 Email: elevationpg@xtra.co.nz Web: www.elevation.co.nz Infinity Paragliding School Alan Swann & Blake Round Phone: 021 0228 2939 or 027 367 7679 Email: info@infinityparagliding.co.nz Web: www.infinityparagliding.co.nz Neverland Paragliding Dominic Eller, Phone: 021 314 730 Email: neverlandpg@hotmail.com Paraventures Paragliding School Mark Hardman Phone: 0800 FLYSOLO (0800 359 765), 021 809 275 Email: info@paraventures.co.nz Extreme Air Tandem Hang Gliding & Paragliding Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 Email: lisa@extremeair.co.nz Web: www.extremeair.co.nz Queenstown Paragliding School Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 Email: info@extremeair.co.nz Web: www.extremeair.co.nz Queenstown Hang Gliding School Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 Email: info@extremeair.co.nz Web: www.extremeair.co.nz DUNEDIN PARAGLIDING Dunedin Paragliding & Hang Gliding School Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 Email: lisa@extremeair.co.nz Web: www.extremeair.co.nz

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Photos: Neil Brown, Ross Gray

The HG Ladder above has been compiled according to the Hang Gliding Comps Manual you can find athttps://sites.google.com/a/nzhgpa.org.nz/nzhgpa/members/opmforms on our website.The 2015/2016 comp season was another sparse one - we had the Nats in Nelson and two leagues scored in the North Island; the weather won at the Sterling Big Sky and Canterbury Leagues.

According to the current manual, all scores (Nats and Leagues) are just added up, straight.

Thus Warren wins as he had a league as well as his Nats Score. It wasn’t always done this way.

If you care to download any of the older ladders from https://sites.google.com/a/nzhgpa.org. nz/nzhgpa/competitions/hg-competitions/hang-gliding-national-ladder - there are a bunch of spreadsheets at the bottom of the page - and are familiar with Excel, you can select the score cells and see the formulas used to work them out at the top of the spreadsheet. They are very complicated. Each task from the Nats and Leagues have their separate weightings, biased slightly for the Nats, with day validities added in. I’ll be surprised if anyone does. Formulae in Excel are tedious, and I do know how they work...

I don’t think that it needs to be that complicated, but my own belief is that the current system of equal weighting for the Leagues and Nats isn’t fair either. There tends to be 25 - 35 pilots at the Nats, and 5 - 15 pilots at any League - at least those who are interested in scoring. 15 would be a big League, these days.

Some sort of simple compromise would be easier - say - scale a league score according to how many pilots are present, compared to at the Nationals. So, if there are 30 pilots at the Nats, and ten pilots at a league, then the league score would be scaled down to one third of what the actual points are, and added to the Nats for the Ladder total. If you had a league with 30 pilots in it, then the points would be added at 100%.

Maybe this would be too unfair - we want to encourage pilots to fly in leagues. In the above example, if only five pilots scored a league, then they’d only get one sixth (5/30) of their scored points added to the total for the ladder.

Thoughts anyone? Email suggestions to me at dennis_thorpe@hotmail.com. Suggestions accompanied by bribes/bank deposits will be given an extra weighting : ^) If we can arrive at some sort of consensus, then we’ll go through the procedure needed to update the manual. That can perhaps be done at the next AGM. - Dennis Thorpe

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 are required to have a NEW fitness check (WOF) when sold ■ It is dangerous to fly a glider or with equipment that is above your rated ability ■

MOTOR PARAGLIDING PARAMOTORING - exclusive Miniplane and PAP motors - SkyWings for courses and equipment - www.skywings.co.nz or phone Alan 09 570 5757 HANG GLIDERS WW Sport 2 175, tidy glider, done 80 hrs. Contact Tom 021 224 3044 WILLS Wing U2 160 Excellent condition glider. Great handling and performing intermediate/advanced wing. Has had one careful owner, flown approx 150 hours since purchased new in 2012. Recent WOF. Dacron sail with Hydranet trailing edge, sail is tight and flying in perfect trim. Well looked after, sail is still crispy with UV/weather coating application, no hard landings. $5000 Phone 027 670 8301 email skyriderag@gmail.com MOYES Xtralite 147 glider is in reasonable condition, sail is wearing out, however still has life left in her. Have not put a wof on it this year but will if I find a buyer.

Black and white under surface. Approx 200+ hours. Txt or call Reece for more details $500 ono 021 806 390.

SPORT 2, 175, Blue and red lower, near new, just 10 hours, very tidy condition, No prangs, 1 geriatric owner, contact 03 326 6411 or aero@xtra.co.nz for info.

SKYFLOATERS; New & used; Fun, Falcon, fully strip checked, test flown and trimmed, contact 03 326-6411 or aero@xtra.co.nz for info.

LITESPEED S4 Parts; 1 x pair of carbon outboard leading edges, with carbon outboard dive struts and all fittings. Excellent condition, $900. 1x pair of carbon outboard leading edges, with alloy outboard dive struts (large diameter type, compatible with carbon struts). Adjustable cone fittings required, $750. Plus near full set of LS4 battens (7075 alloy) with latest type clip fittings (offers).

Guy Williams 027 242 8328 INSTRUMENTS FLYTEC/Brauniger, Digifly, Aircotec, Oudie flight instruments, basic varios to full GPS flightcomputers. Large range in stock. Phone or txt 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 MOTOR HANG GLIDING MOSQUITO NRG motorharness, very tidy with very low airtime, all the usual features plus folding carbon prop, stainless auto carabiner, extra fuel tank, and parachute if required. Phone 021 247 2676, email aero@xtra.co.nz AIRTIME motor harness, late model, fit larger pilot, 8 hours airtime, Folding prop, Tiny tac, Tuning lights, 2 owners, contact 03 326-6411 or email aero@ xtra.co.nz for info.

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ACCESSORIES HELMETS, No Limit, Insider, Loop, Breeze (adjustable) and PlusMax. Range of colours & sizes, No Limit visor option, PlusMax chinguard option, phone 021 247 2676 email aero@xtra.co.nz EMPLOYMENT SKYTREK Tandems Ltd, Queenstown, are looking for tandem hang gliding and paragliding pilots. Email: info@skytrek.co.nz for more information.

CORONET Peak Tandems Ltd, Queenstown, are looking for tandem hang gliding and paragliding pilots. Call 021 220 5932 INSTRUCTION NELSON Hang Gliding Adventures HG training course Beginner and Novice rating. Call Glenn to register interest. 03 548 9151 or 027 275 1022, gmeadows@ clear.net.nz 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 LOST & FOUND ZUNZUN 19m2 paraglider; green with a trim system. The bag is small and grey.

My harness is a Karpo Fly red in small size. Contact claire.agnes99@yahoo.com AIRCOTEC XC-Trainer Easy vario/GPS, S/N 1473. Went missing from the Blenheim area approx two years ago. Phone 03 577 8886 or email john.urlich@nzdf.mil.nz HARNESS, helmet & hang gliding gear, taken from Omarama in 2010. Custom High Energy Tracer harness (black with blue stripe), Lara parachute with swivel, Spot Satellite Messenger, Olympus Mju Tough camera, Charly No Limit helmet (metallic dark silver) with visor, radio headset, Silkbody top, softshell jacket and other gear in black backpack. Contact Bill 03 326 6411, 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz

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

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All NZ hang glider and paraglider pilots 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, 23 Covent Drive, Stoke, Nelson 7011, New Zealand

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Feb/Mar/Apr May/Jun/Jul Aug/Sep/Oct Nov/Dec/Jan 2016 issue numbers 197 198 197 2015 issue numbers 193 194 195 196 2014 issue numbers 189 190 191 192 2013 issue numbers 185 186 187 188 2012 issue numbers - - 183 184 2011 issue numbers 179 180 181 182 2010 issue numbers 175 176 177 178 2009 issue numbers 171 172 173 174

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

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PARAGLIDERS UP Summit XC3, Size 90-115 kg, EN B LTF certified. 86 hours XC flying, includes new unused UP rucksack, plus UP concertina bag. New WOF dated 6th July 2016. Contact Nick Taber on tel: 03 545 0766 or email nick@macpara.co.nz MACPARA Paragliders now available in New Zealand, Eden 6 and Elan light now in stock. Check them out atwww.macpara.co.nz Free entry to the NZ 2017 Nationals with every Macpara paraglider purchased or a Macpara voucher to the value of Contact nick@macpara.co.nz tel: 03 545 0766, mobile: 021 420 742 follow us on www.facebook.com/macparanz NOVA Phantom - www.nova.eu/en/gliders/phantom/- a new class in paragliding top end Triton 2 performance with low B safety - 99 cells - very expensive, very special - phone Alan 09 570 5757 OZONE Paragliders www.flyozone.com - exclusively by SkyWings. Awesome new models - 25 years bringing you the best wings - email alan@skywings.co.nz NOVA Paragliders - www.nova.eu - exclusively by SkyWings - www.skywings. co.nz - 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 phone Alan 09 570 5757 ADVANCE paragliders by Infinity Paragliding. Check out the new Advance Epsilon 8 - mid range EN-B, the Iota - high performance ENB, and the new PI 2 and Easiness 2 lightweight mountain kit. Also an exceptional range of harnesses the new Lightness 2 lightweight POD harness, the Axess 3 Air and Progress 2 reversible. Go to www.infinityparagliding.co.nz or www.advance.ch for all the specs or call 021 0228 2939

FLIGHT PIX

Above; After weeks of rain, the weather got finally better and I was able to make it on a paraglider from Italy to Austria. Me and another paraglider are thermalling above Ahornspitze (2973 m), Zillertaler Alpen, Mayrhofen, Oesterreich. Photo; Michal Karnik Below; Geoff Christophers flying Ian Clarkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Laminar off Coronet Peak last summer

Photo; jane Christophers

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www.skywings.co.nz

www.nova-wings.com

www.flyozone.com

Phantom New class

99 cells low B Ion 4 safety Triton 2 performance https://www.nova.eu/ en/gliders/phantom/ low EN B As much performance and handling as you can get in a first glider. The perfect beginner intermediate glider.

EN B .5 glide better than the class leading Mentor 3, so glide ratio around 10.5. Better handling and improved safety - almost no one needs more - this glides very close to Mantra 6 but with vastly more safety and ease. This is the new performance reference for high B gliders

PPG - EN C

Lightweight Zero 2

EN low B Once again, Nova bring the most performance you can get to a School safe glider. And also the most dynamic handling you can have in a first glider.

PARAMOTORING SPECIALISTS 24 years motoring & teaching Our level of experience means everything when you learn to motor www.papteam.com www.miniplane.net

HARNESSES Exclusive importers of Nova & Ozone Paragliders and Supâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Air and Ozone harnesses like the Ozone Ozium - 2.5kgs

MINI WINGS

Miniplane - under 20kgs NZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular motor

Twice the fun, twice the flying, half the price! Perfect your groundhandling skills. Huge fun for soaring and strong day thermalling. We are the Ph: 09 570 5757 Cell: 0274 98 2345 email: alan@skywings.co.nz specialists with 20 years on the smallest wings wings. www.skywings.co.nz