Airborn #215 by NZ HGPA

Issue 215; August, September, October 2020

Reserve Parachutes Easy Trim Check Bike, Hike & Fly

7.50 Including GST

9 771170 992006

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING

any pilots visit flying sites outside their own region. To ensure that you don’t jeopardise arrangements between land owners and local flyers you must ALWAYS check with local pilots BEFORE flying. That way you won’t upset land owners or pilots, you will be shown all the best sites and will be welcome back. We don’t publish site names and locations

because flying sites have been lost by visiting flyers who have upset land owners. To assist travelling pilots, people wishing to learn to fly or to contact hang gliding and paragliding clubs, here is a list of people who can help you. Those on the list or wishing to be listed, should contact their Club Secretaries who should keep Airborn and the NZHGPA website updated of changes of contact details.

NORTHLAND H.G.P.C.

TARANAKI FREE FLYERS

C/- Guntram Gross

C/- Dennis Green

1 Brook Road

38 Kaitake Rd

Whangarei

RD4, New Plymouth

Email: Skywalk@hotmail.co.nz

Pres, Airsp, Sec/Treas, PGSO; John Morgan

www.facebook.com/

...................................................... 021 726 183

NorthlandHangGlidingandParaglidingClub/

HGSO; Dave Austin....................021 0283 6797

Pres, Airsp; Shane Gross...............09 436 0268 Sec/Treas; Guntram Gross.............09 436 0268

BAY OF PLENTY H.G.P.C.

HGSO; Herman Ahrens..................09 432 9333

C/-Dominique Le Sellin

PGSO; Wolfgang Harder................09 403 7594

41, Ririnui Place, Maungatapu

PG; Mike Ferguson..........mferg066@gmail.com

Tauranga 3112 Email: bophangparaclub@gmail.com

AUCKLAND H.G.P.C.

www.facebook.com/BOPHangGlidingParagliding

PO Box 47813

Pres: Dave Washer.......................0275 992 934

Ponsonby, Auckland 1144

Sec: Dominique Le Sellin...................... 021 617 111

Email: info@cloudbase.org.nz

PGSO: Mark McIntyre........................021 337 595

www.cloudbase.org.nz

HGSO: James Low.......................021 102 5004

Pres: Stefan Sebregts .................021 266 1287

Airsp: Rhys Akers.........................021 177 7563

Sec: Adrian Merrall...................... 021 249 3999

Sites: Dave Shaw...........................07 575 9560

Treas: Malcolm Dawson...............021 052 1568

Kiwi Air.........................................021 1046 208

HGSO: Fraser Bull .......................027 801 4044

Mount Paragliding........................027 249 2702

PGSO: Reuben Muir.......................09 446 0020 Airsp: Leslie Graham .....................09 579 6485

WELLINGTON H.G.P.C.

Steve Price ....................................021 781 828

PO Box 9824

Eva Keim .......................................09 446 0051

Marion Square

Sean Oliver Hang Gliding............... 027 670 8301

Wellington 6141

Skywings Paragliding ....................09 570 5757

www.whgpc.nz

Wings And Waves Paragliding ......09 446 0020

Email: info@whgpc.org.nz Pres: Jeff Lean............................020 4102 0567 Sec/Treas: Grant Firth................... 021 422 698

C/- Ian Manton

HGSO: Grant Tatham...................027 636 3491

PO Box 131,

PGSO: Matthew Williams.............027 552 5205

Matamata 3440

Airsp: Ian Miller ............................022 176 8205

Email: ian@imatec.co.nz

Communications; Irwin Imhoff..... 22 087 2173

Pres: Mark McDonald...................020 444 9995 Sec/Treas: ................ Ian Manton 027 546 2832

MARLBOROUGH H.G.P.C.

PGSO: Bruce Vickerman .............027 498 9941

C/- Richard Evans

HGSO: Rick Hawkeswood.............07 868 6250

PO Box 546

Airsp: Neil Howe.............................07 304 9631

Blenheim Email: evans.r@xtra.co.nz

HAWKES BAY H.G.P.C. Inc.

Pres, Daniel Francis .....................027 823 7292

30 Kaweka Place

Sec: Paul Candlish.......................027 467 3574

Havelock North 4130 Email: hbhgpc@gmail.com www.soarhawkesbay.co.nz Pres, Rebecca Rae.........................021 605 204 Treas: Duncan Macnab.................027 624 6434 Airsp: Shaun Gilbert.....................022 477 8804 PGSO: Ken Beach........................021 191 6388 HGSO: Ross MacKay.....................06 877 2052 Sites Liason; Euan Talbot ..............06 877 8999

PGSO: Julie Bousquet.................027 340 0718 HGSO: John Urlich.........................03 577 8886

KEY

Airsp: Daniel Francis.....................027 823 7292 Pres; .............................................. President

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

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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/_ Tim Brown, 142 Dalefield Rd, RD1, Queenstown 9371 Email: admin@southernclub.co.nz www.southernclub.co.nz Pres; Tim Brown...........................021 182 4243 Sec: Paula Race...........................027 855 8448 Treas: Kat Cerna.........................021 0291 0851 PGSO: Blake Round.....................027 367 7679 HGSO: Pete Helliwell .................021 0284 5170 Sites: Cathal McLoughlin...........021 024 00350 Events: Chris Shaw......................021 051 2905 IT/Web: Daniel Diaz Rizo.................................... Airsp: Chris Streat........................027 485 6236 Craig Smith...................................027 343 3537 Louis Tapper....................................................... Benjamin Kellet.............................021 232 7217 Dean Orton.....................................021 612 998 Coronet Peak Tandem PG & HG..0800 467 325 Skytrek Hang Gliding & Paragliding.0800 759 873 Extreme Air Paragliding School....021 156 3256 Infinity Paragliding School..............021 981 855 Paraventures Paragliding...............021 809 275 G Force Tandem Paragliding..........03 441 8581

Photo; Kinga Masztalerz

Sec; Jonathan Mcilvenny.............021 133 7019

Treas: Richard Evans..................... 021 648 783

CANTERBURY H.G.P.C. Inc. C/- Paul Conaghan 22 Shadbolt Ln Rolleston 7614 Email: chgpc.exec@gmail.com www.chgpc.org.nz Pres: Bradley May........................022 681 2832 Sec/Treas; Paul Conaghan ..........022 414 7377 PGSO; Marije Jansen ..................027 603 8404 HGSO; Warren Simonsen.............021 183 2126 Sites PG; Tim Bott..........................021 965 434 Sites HG; Don Payne....................027 432 7884 Website; Stephen O’Shaughnessy.03 326 7373 Airsp; Ryan Scarlett......................022 045 7254 Canty HG School; Bill Degen.......021 247 2676 Cloudbase Paragliding.................027 532 4874 Nimbus Paragliding......................027 432 4874 ParaPro.........................................0800 548 323

Graham Rose flying into the sunset at Kario

WAIKATO H.G.P.C. Inc.

TASMAN H.G.P.C. C/- Frog Twissell 186A Nile Street, Nelson 7010 Email: thgpgclub@gmail.com Pres; Peter Allison..........................021 350 066 Sec; Frog Twissell.........................021 228 2121 Treas; Brian Erasmus .....................03 545 1003 PGSO; Greg Benjamin....................03 545 1543 PGSO; Pete Polansky ...................03 528 7374 HGSO; John King..........................03 548 8263 Site Owners; Tim Percival .............03 548 7397 Sites; Kevin Rooke.........................021 762 769 Airsp; Claus Petry.........................021 250 4836 Nelson Paragliding.........................03 544 1182 Hang Gliding NZ.............................021 762 769

ISSN 1170-9928

printed on recycled paper

Magazine of the NEW Zealand Hang Gliding & Paragliding Assn. Inc. Published every three months for hang gliding and paragliding enthusiasts in New Zealand and abroad ● Subscription is by membership of NZHGPA (a legal requirement for all hang glider and paraglider pilots in NZ) ● For non

flyer and foreign subscriptions please contact the NZHGPA Administrator for current rates, or see advertisement in this issue ● Actions, opinions, claims and advice expressed by authors and advertisers in this magazine are their own and

are not necessarily endorsed by the NZHGPA or the editor ● Articles, photos

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

Contributions

N.Z.H.G.P.A. INC., C/- PO Box 131, Matamata 3440, New Zealand www.nzhgpa.org.nz

Administrator

Ian Manton, C/- PO Box 131, Matamata 3440, 027 202 1806, admin@nzhgpa.org.nz

Executive Committee President

Duncan Macnab, 027 624 6434, president@nzhgpa.org.nz

Vice President

Ian Manton, 027 546 2832, vice-president@nzhgpa.org.nz

Executive Members

Carlos Palmer, 027 487 7654, hg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Grant Tatham, 06 379 7322, 027 636 3491, hg.training@nzhgpa.org.nz Blake Round, 027 367 7679, pg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Ian Manton, 027 546 2832, pg.training@nzhgpa.org.nz Ross Grey, 021 126 0892, flyer.rosscoe@gmail.com Glen Ogilvie, 021 684 146, nelg@linuxsolutions.co.nz

Flying Operations Chief Executive Officer

Evan Lamberton, 021 407 833, ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz

Training Manager

Mark Hardman, 021 809 275, training@nzhgpa.org.nz

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

Operations Managers

text files in any unformatted word processor file. Airborn can use Apple Mac,

National Airspace Officer

gratefully accepted for publication ● Articles should preferably be computer or Windows text files. You can send them by email, or on SD, flash, CD, DVD

or even floppy disc ● Printed, typed or written copy should be neat and legible, leaving space in margins and between lines. Please print/write on one side of

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

Advertising All advertising enquiries and payments to the editor ● Classified

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

NZHGPA members, personal classified advertisements are free to current

members who quote their PIN number ● Classified advertisements are

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

gliders and paragliders must state certification status and meet our standard

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

Email:

Vacant

Internal Auditor

Kris Ericksen, 021 116 4558, audit@nzhgpa.org.nz

Chief Medical Advisor

Dr Sam Bartholomew, C/o NZHGPA administrator, admin@nzhgpa.org.nz

Paragliding Competition Committee

Timothy Brown (Chair), 03 442 5319, 021 182 4243, tjbro137@gmail.com Dave Washer, bopbiker67@gmail.com 027 599 2934 Toni Skerrett, toniskerrett@gmail.com, +61 41 206 8247 (Australia)

Hang Gliding Competition Committee

Dennis Thorpe, dennis_thorpe@hotmail.com Matt Barlow, nat.matt3@gmail.com Tom Mulder, muldermagic@gmail.com

NZHGPA Bookshop

C/O Evan Lamberton, 021 407 833, ceo@nzhgpa.org.nz

In This Issue... A Danish Pilot’s NZ Journey........................................................4 Bike, Hike and Fly French Ridge...............................................10 Paraglider Training at Kario.......................................................14 Easy Trim Check.........................................................................18 Reserve Deployments and Downplaning.................................20

Editing, Graphics; AeroDesign, Bill Degen Printing; The Caxton Press

Please send advertisements, photos and articles to the editor:

Carlos Palmer (hang gliding), 0274 877 654, hg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz Ian Manton (paragliding), 027 546 2832, pg.operations@nzhgpa.org.nz

Airborn Magazine

99A Panorama Road Christchurch 8081 New Zealand

aero@xtra.co.nz

Executive Reports......................................................................24 Safety Checks.............................................................................25 Events..........................................................................................27 Cross Country Championship Tables.............................. 26 & 28 Classified Advertisements.........................................................30 FRONT COVER: Jon Wilson flying at Glacier Burn. Photo; Dan Clearwater

Next issue deadline: 30 September 2020 A

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A Danish Pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NZ Jou By Lars David Lauridsen

ince I was very young, I dreamed of New Zealand.

I have good friends who have travelled around the country again and again who could talk for hours about the nature, sceneries and people down under. For ages I have envied them. Where did their courage come from? I just wished so much to go there and see for myself.

A lifelong passion for flying I have been passionate about hang gliding for more than 35 years, ever since I jumped from a slope and flew for the very first time in 1983 on March 24th. From that very moment I was hooked - and I still

am. I have been flying where ever possible in Denmark and at many interesting places in Europe and on four different continents, but flying in New Zealand remained a dream until this year. As I was 57 I began to realise that if

my dream should come true I should not wait so much longer. And as my life situation and my economy allowed me to take three months off in early 2019, I found the courage to throw myself into it: Without knowing anybody in NZ I bought a three month ticket to Christchurch with a return from Auckland and left Denmark with my backpack, my sleeping bag and hiking boots. I also had a list of hang gliding clubs in my bag and a membership as a visiting pilot of the NZHGPA.

Guided by intuition I did not plan any details in advance. My goal was to travel light

Above; Hang gliders and paragliders in the air at Western Lake Left; Ashley, Kevin and the Dane

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and for cheap with an open mind and ruled by intuition rather than by time schedules. And so I did. On the first day, I met a young Korean man who had rented a car and planned to explore the Southern island. He was looking for company and I was looking for transportation, so we joined forces and were both enjoying the two weeks we spent together despite differences in age and cultural background. We saw end experienced a lot, but still I kept wondering how to get in touch with fellow pilots and how to get to fly. Would I succeed? And yes, indeed I did succeed! Now, when looking back on my journey and my amazing flying experiences with lovely people, I am deeply grateful.

Flying in Able Tasman The first time, I got in contact with

rney

Right; The Danish pilot, Lars David

was fortunate to stay and help out at two different orchards which I found through a contact I had in Denmark. Seeing and absorbing the beauty of NZ! Your nature is so much different from Denmark. Wild and mostly friendly, and I realised that NZ is virtually a big greenhouse! Almost everything can grow here!

Moving North I had spent five weeks on the South Island, but it was my ambition to see as much of NZ as possible, so one fine day I boarded an InterCity bus in Nelson and moved on to Wellington. In advance I had contacted the local club, and after spending a couple of days in the city, I got in touch with Grant Tatham and his wife Kate. They invited me to visit them in their home North of Wellington. I took the train up there and Grant met me at the station with their two dogs. They were obviously an integrated part of the family. It was a wonderful and exciting weekend I spent up there with Grant and about ten other pilots. To me it was like travelling back in time to one of the best periods of my life, when I was part of a large and active hang gliding community in Denmark. Today, most of my old fellow pilots from in Denmark have stopped flying, and hang gliding is not a popular sport among young people. So, I often fly alone these days. It is quite lonesome and sometimes almost boring. But on the slopes north of Nelson, I once again experienced how great it is to be part of a wonderful community of enthusiastic fellow pilots. other hang glider pilots was when arriving in Abel Tasman. I called the local club Tasman Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, and I was advised to contact Kevin Rourke and Ashley Win. So I did – and I did not regret. They appeared to be two friendly and welcoming fellows. Kevin picked me up at my hostel when I came to Nelson, and I felt really lucky to get the in contact with such lovely people sharing my interest of flying. We hit off immediately, flew together and had a good chat over pint on the local pub afterward. Kevin even invited me to stay with him for a week. We flew together with other pilots both on Mount Murchison and Takaka Hill, and one of the days I even had a completely breathtaking experience flying out to Golden Bay. In between the days of flying I

and Grant and the two dogs after the second weekend. I was a bit hard to leave such nice company knowing that I might never see them again. However, I had to move on and on Grant’s recommendation I went to Tongariro Crossing and enjoyed a unique hiking tour in that amazing volcanic landscape.

Solitude and exploration opens for experiences Before I ended my journey in NZ I wanted to see what I could manage to do with the short time I had available. After Tongariro Crossing I went to Rotorua, and met unexpected new people with my interest with personal therapy practicing. I went on up north to Auckland and contacted the local club. The weather conditions where not so

good at that moment. So I went up further up to Northland’s Paihia. I explored the area there, and took a tour to Cape Reinga. Beautiful! Afterwards down to Whangarei. I again met unexpected new friendly people, and one who I would meet again! Then back to Auckland. No, the weather hadn’t improved. So I made a detour out to Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula. I met new friendly passengers. I would meet them again when reaching to Whitianga. Again I saw the beauty of your country. Walking, biking and having the opportunity to see it all from above from a Cessna. Very good! Then back to Auckland. My NZ journey was rounded in the Auckland area. There I also managed to get in touch with a local club pilot,

Welcoming new friends Grant and Kate were incredibly accommodating. Funny enough, it even turned out that Kate had family in Denmark. They opened their home to me, and when you travel for months without a permanent base, it is nice to be able to spend some days in a welcoming private home and to share experiences with good people. On Sunday night I went back by train to Wellington. Yet, Grant and Kate had invited me to return the following weekend. Unfortunately, the weather was not for flying, but I joint Grant as he was training a group of new pilots. Although, they really were a good company, I said goodbye to Kate

Right; Grant and Florian are ‘flying’

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Right; Raglan South; Aaron and Brendan John Burton. He showed me around Auckland and took me to an event for paragliding pilots. Yet, we didn’t get to fly together. My last detour went to Waiheke Island where nothing happened until I met some locals. Good for me! I stayed at a private home, and could explore the island, it´s vineyards by foot and from a scooter. I was also privileged to meet a daughter of a Maori chef, and be invited into their culture. Then back to Auckland where I intended to stay at a yoga retreat and hopefully soon was able to fly again.

Amazing flights Fortunately, I did that with Aaron, a really nice guy who also lived near Auckland. Together we flew the most fantastic, beautiful tour, Karioitahi Beach, along the coast to a lighthouse up the coast just before sunset. A great trip and a great day! As we were flying, I thought this would probably be both the first and last time we got to fly together. But in real life, Aaron lent me his car so I could go flying if he wasn’t able to leave work early. I said yes to his offer, and drove back to my stay in middle of the night, on the left side of the road;- terrifying for a Dane who is used driving on the opposite side! The next day Aaron phoned me and said he was able to leave work earlier so I should pick him up at work. We went flying again at Raglan above Ngarunui Beach where we also met the local pilot Sean. Later the weather was on again south of Raglan. Aaron took a day off work and Brendan and Aaron fetched me at my new location at Morningside, Auckland. We drove a long pleasant drive together, south of Raglan, to a site above Ruapuke Beach. There we met Sean and drove across many fields, and finally got to the ridge with a fantastic view

of the coastline and over the sea. It was so amazing, so beautiful! All the four of us - Aaron, Brendan Sean and I, flew for two or three hours there. It made me feel so alive, as I haven’t felt for long time. It was as falling in love with life again. There were beautiful hours in the air, and also wonderful to be together with these great guys! Unfortunately, this was the last time I saw them and the last time I got the opportunity to fly in NZ - at least for this time.

Thank you so much! Now, as I am back home in Denmark, I just want to share a bit of my NZ experience with you, and send all my best wishes to the open-minded, warm and welcoming fellow pilots I met on my journey. On buses and hostels and all sorts of other places, I also experienced many beautiful meetings with New

Right; At Raglan; Aaron & Sean Below; Western Lake Panorama; Dave flew twice while Grant and Florian watch

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Zealanders all over the country. I feel so grateful for these experiences, so I want to thank the lovely friends and fellow pilots, I met. I hope to see you again some day! If you by any chance should come to Denmark, don’t hesitate to contact

me. I will be able to provide you with a glider and a harness, and a place to stay! And of course also come around and fly with you! Lars David Lauridsen, Hylkevej 37, 8660 Skanderborg, Denmark. larsdavid@gmail.com

Radio Winch Yourself! by Lars M Falkenström

With radio control, modern pilots can winch themselves to cloudbase without a winch team...

very rural pilot’s dream is coming true - the radiocontrolled winch is finally here! It is small, it is battery powered and most important of all you can winch yourself completely on your own. So radio controlled winches can revolutionise paragliding in countries with limited access to mountains such as Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands. Pilots in Stockholm have 350 kms to the nearest mountain so we have to rely on towing organised by the club. So we can only go for XC in the weekends - if weather permits For more than ten years I had been dreaming of a radio controlled winch while I have been queuing at the Tärnafältet. So when I saw on the Paragliding Forum that a pilot in Florida claims that he built a radio-controlled electric winch, I arranged a trip to Miami in order to test his prototype. His nickname at Paragliding Forum is ‘The Flying Lawyer’ but his real name is Greg Bryl. When I saw his thread on the forum about his eWinch, I had only one thought in my head - want! After email bombarding him with lots of questions to check who he is and if it’s all credible, I ask if I can come over to the US and test it myself. To my surprise, he answered yes. His project with the radiocontrolled winch began a few years ago. Greg and his flight mates used to tow each other to hang

Above; Paraglider instructional tow by Greg Flymeister

out at the high-rises along Miami’s beaches. Just for fun, they tried to build a small winch by putting a small spool of rope on a drill. Greg actually managed to get up 15-20 meters before the drill caught fire. Thus, the eWinch was born! A QUICK JUMP TO 2016. I only have three days in Miami so the schedule is tight. The forecast promises at least two days of decent weather, so we make an appointment at a café to quickly get to know each other before we head to the winch field. It feels a little strange to have taken me all the way across the Atlantic to meet someone I came in contact with online. But Greg turns out to be a nice guy with a lot of humour. He has just had his second child but he has his real baby in the trunk. Funny how paragliding can bring people together. An hour later, we arrive at the winch field along Highway 27 that cuts right through the swamps of the Everglades. The strip is along the channel that you can see in his films. Unfortunately, the wind direction was not optimal, so we move on to a better place. I am extremely curious about his winch and when he finally opens the tailgate I am overwhelmed. The minimalist design is very sleek. It is just a rope drum screwed into an electric motor which in turn sits in a frame. Everything is mounted on the towbar and from the motor runs a thick cable to a gray box. Love at first sight! But I’m still sceptical. Does it really work? Greg has so far had

Above; Ready to tow a friend and when he´s at cloud base I’ll tow myself Below; Anders Eklind is one of the winch team at the club field Tärna 100 kms west of Stockholm. Although an electrician, he has a hard time believing that the small electric motor can deliver as much power as a regular winch. But when the day is over, he calls the Koch winch a dinosaur

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Above; eWinch Tandem with linecutter, beacon and a 4 stroke minibike for line retrieval very convincing answers to all my questions but I still listen for variations or contradictions that can cast shadows over the dream winch. The big question is of course is if this little electric winch with its twenty kilos can really do the same job as a Cirrus stationary winch with a car engine... Greg rolls out some rope and hooks in a water ski handle and asks me to hold on as much as I can. So I lean back and take hold of my feet. But when Greg presses the shutter button, I do not have a chance to stay put. The enormous torque that starts already from scratch pulls me away and I have to let go not to be

dragged into the gravel. I can not help but laugh at the enormous and unexpected power from the small motor. Greg just grins contentedly. The next test will be with his Triple Seven King wing, but we can’t even put out the entire wing before Mr Private Property shows up in his big black car and politely asks us to leave the area. So we pack up and go to La Belle where the local winch pilots usually stay. La Belle is a part of the American dream that never came true. The area was intended to be a luxury residential area, but only the roads had time to be asphalted before the project was abandoned. What

Below; Happy hangies Mario Holmström & Joel Ponce De Leon are being towed with eWinch Tandem

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remains is a grid of roads in all directions in a vast area of open air. The place is perfect for towing. Finally, it’s time to subject the eWinch to a difficult test. A light breeze and me in Greg’s medium wing loaded to the maximum of 110 kg. To be on the safe side, I let Greg run the radio control. At first, the pull feels like it usually does at home at Tärna, even a little harder than I’m used to. So it works and I am happy to listen to the Flymaster vario’s happy song. I keep an eye on the altimeter and am already at 250 meters altitude. 300 would be okay but 400 meters is my goal. At a height of just over three hundred meters, the pull suddenly stops. There is still a lot of line left to pull in so I do not understand why Greg interrupted the pull prematurely. I’m sure 400 meters was within reach so I’m a little disappointed when I land. But it turns out it’s not Greg’s fault. When we get back to the car it turns out that the winch is on the ground and the cable is stripped after being pulled out through the gap under the tailgate. The plug has also been pulled out of the control box, which is the direct reason why the pull had stopped. It takes a while before we realise that we hung on the winch temporarily to roll on more line but in our zeal, forgot to lock it to the towbar. So it was only a matter of time before the winch would fall off. The next day we return to La Belle but then another problem arises. It turns out that the winch is not optimised to pull up a heavily loaded wing in zero wind. In any case, Greg quickly figured out how he could modify the prototype to

do it. Although we cannot solve the problem on the spot, I am still satisfied - the track log from previous tows show an average climb of 3.8 meters per second. An incredible result considering that the motor is so small. It is the incredible torque of the electric motor that is the key to it working. Greg promises that he can fix the winch during the evening and the next day we have lunch at Miami South Beach and I buy the prototype from him. I pick the winch into pieces and pack it in a bag. HOME TO SWEDEN I GO, waiting for Greg to send over the new control box as well. Once I get it, I go to Nytorp’s fence near where I live. By having a sandbag attached to the rope that I drag over a lawn, I can check that all modifications have been made according to plan. The next day I go to a 700 meter field in Dingtuna outside Västerås and it’s just relax and drive - almost. First I get stuck with the car in a hole. Then I realise that the starting point is in radio shadow because of a small hill between me and the car. And when I’m just about to start, it’s a back wind. To top it all off, even an angry farmer shows up that requires me to move the car. So I unplug, cycle to the winch, hang it and park the car. Then it’s bike back again. With a small waterfall dripping from my eyebrows, I’m actually pretty scared when I press the trigger and feel the torque stretch up the line. I make a few attempts but lose the right brake handle all the time. My stressed brain simply can not hold the A-straps, the brake lever and the remote control at the same time, so I have to interrupt and get pulled along the ground several times. Then

Left and below; Greg Flymeister and Lars on a day that towed to over 800m

Left; Greg Flymeister tows to 2600ft with remote on the right

I try to start by first threading a hand through the brake handle and then grab the remote and then it works! At first it feels strange to control your own tow, but then I discover that it is actually very nice to determine the tow by glider angle and how the variation sounds. When I land, I make another tow with the same nice feeling and return to Stockholm with a grin all over my face. The next test is to rig the stuff on my home field in Tärna. So I put the winch on the towbar next to the stationary winch trailer with its big car engine. With so many new gadgets to keep track of, I accidentally forgot to bring the line guide so I have to find a quick emergency solution by attaching a tube to the winch to be able to control the line. At first, you can sense a slight scepticism among the other pilots in the field, but when the first tow sends Tor Jansson with his 110 kg up to 380 meters, they start to soften slightly. It goes a little slower with Fredrik Lotse who weighs 120

kg and he only gets a little over 200 meters. It’s unclear why. Then it’s time for Elin Lavonen’s turn. She weighs only 70 kg in total but the first move sends her up to 580 meters. The next tow, she rises like a symbolic champagne cork towards the sky and releases at a fantastic 640 meters. It turns out later that almost all tows with eWinch gave the same or better heights than the stationary winch. In May, Tor Jansson and return to Tärna to fly XC. The plan is to send him up first and then winch myself up and together try to beat the then Swedish record in declared distance - 116 kilometers. The first tow does not look good. Thor does not get any height and it seems as if the winch does not really have the strength. I do not understand. But then I discover that the remote’s trim knob for the throttle is set to almost zero. The reason is that I practiced low pulls together with Tomas Peterson earlier this week with successful results. But in

order to do low tows I had reduced the throttle range. When I readjusted the dial back to normal, I could tow Tor straight into a thermal. The idea is that he will wait for me at cloud base until I am up. But I get such a complicated tow that it takes all my focus to get it out, so once it’s out, it’s time to land. Very frustrated, I tell Tor over the radio that he can move on as it will take a while before I can try again. When I can finally start again, it feels just like normal. After a climb of a little over three meters per second, I release at an altitude of 500 meters in thermal air. I leave the field at 4pm thinking that the day is basically over already. But at least I want a small distance, so I turn in everything I find. Suddenly I hear Tor on the radio that he has landed 30 km away, so I don’t expect to get very far either. But to my surprise, the day was not over yet and after two and a half hours I land in an old aunt’s garden east of Tierp about 80 kilometers away. Guess if I was happy! The aunt drives me to the train station and Tor drives the car home after a tough retrieve, so for me the day ends like a fairy tale. eWinch had realised my old dream - to be able to winch myself up and pull on XC whenever I want! And with battery capacity that lasts for 40-50 tows on a charge, radio-controlled electric winches can revolutionise rural flying already this year! Now Greg is committed to complete the prototype for sale this summer. Electric pay out function might also be available. The price is said to be around 6000 USD but given the minimal maintenance and that both winch and batteries will last for over ten years, it can be an investment to consider for all rural pilots.

Left; Towing on a lake with eWinch Single. I’m testing the remote controlled line cutter mounted at the end of the line guide

Above; Me leaving home for a XC day! “Honey, I’m taking the ‘little one’ for a walk I promise not to be away for long...”

eTowing Evolution Since this article, the system has evolved with mainly internal modifications to make it stable. Lots of amps involved... The original design has now ended up as two brands - eWinch and DaWinchi - as me and Greg have come to focus on different uses of the winch. He´s more into operatorassisted pay out, while I want to realise the grand potential of towing oneself without any help from others. Given the respective needs in different areas, I mainly sell in Europe, while he covers North America. We´re still friends :) Now I’m making four sizes - single, tandem, club (heavy duty) and twin (dual spools). It can do both pay in and pay out. With the latter there´s a regen function that charges the battery so non stop operation is possible. Regen can also be used when retrieving the line. Or else you can connect an inverter and charge the battery while towing. I only make pay out for SIV with boat and thus with water proof batteries etc. A single battery provides 10-15 tows per charge. These days even the skydivers have discovered it as being a great and time saving machine for training accuracy landings. They tow themselves up to 150 meters, release and try to hit a 20mm spot. The Danish army special forces is one of my customers. I’ve been towing hang gliders too and the Club version was originally made for towing hangie tandems but I haven’t been able to try that yet. It’s possible to do step towing with it but I don’t condone that due to the inherent risks. My own towing field is 1300 meters and my record when self towing is a release at 800 meter (2624ft) AGL so that’s more than plenty. The whole story behind how my DaWinchi looks and works today is to be found on the DaWinchi forum and blog on Facebook.

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Bike, Hike and Fly L’Ar By Dan Clearwater

First published in the Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ’s www.wilderlife.nz blog

nly one hour from French Ridge Hut to Raspberry Creek?... It wasn’t on foot, but didn’t involve any engines or motors...

There’s quite a logistical delight in combining multiple backcountry disciplines into one trip. Staring at a gorgeous weather forecast, whilst staring at French Ridge on the map had me thinking about a trip I’d wanted to do for a while; to paraglide down from the hut. My buddy Richard was also staring at the forecast, but he was focusing instead on the expanse between Raspberry Creek and Aspiring Hut. “Lets ride our bikes from the car park to the park boundary” he says. I raise my eyebrows and ponder the wisdom of such a move: “With a 25kg overnight paragliding pack?” There are a number of well known ‘slogs’ in tramping lore; sections of walking which aren’t especially enticing, but are mandatory in order to get to a place where there are more route options.

The Waimakariri from the SH73 bridge to Carrington Hut is well known to Cantabrians, and the West Matukituki from Raspberry Creek to Aspiring is perhaps an equivalent in Otago. The difference in the ‘Matuki though, is that it’s possible (and permissible) to cycle to the park boundary, along the 4WD tracks of Aspiring Station. But with no meaningful method of distributing that 25kgs between our backs and our bikes, it was going to be a slog none the less. I really love it when tourists gawp and stare at you. Straddling our steeds at the Raspberry Creek car park with ridiculously large packs and skiing helmets, we definitely got a few looks. Where 99% of the people were off to snap selfies in front of the Rob Roy Glacier, we

Below; Selfies before starting

10 A i r b o r n

Photo; Richard Sidey

Dan launching

Below; Cycling West Matukituki were obviously off to do something a little less ordinary. The smug look on my face disappeared very quickly, and I was glad those same tourists weren’t around to see me suffer. Despite dual

Time to stash the bikes.

Photo; Richard Sidey

suspension, the rough track was inflicting a sadistic toll on my barely padded nether-regions. Mostly in granny gear, we ground our way slowly up-valley and up until this moment, I had conveniently forgot

Photo; Richard Sidey

ete Francaise that up-valley also means gradually up-hill. The (lack of) speed and weight on my shoulders (and groin) had me questioning the wisdom of our mode of travel. Not Richard though, a seasoned bike-packer with a Tour Aotearoa under his belt. He happily peddled away, way out in front, whilst I tried my best to pretend I was enjoying myself. Despite my internal complaints, we did get up the valley much quicker than walking. Before we knew it, we were at the park boundary, and stashing our bikes in a spot where (hopefully) the kea wouldn’t notice them. We continued up valley, me with a slightly bow-legged gait, past Aspiring Hut and into the beech forest. Despite several trips to the area, I’d never been past Aspiring Hut, and I was suitably impressed at the gorgeous forest, huge waterfalls and iconic peaks that revealed themselves as we continued along. I once mocked those who took off their shoes to cross a river. Wet boots is the Kiwi way, right? Well, with only one shallow crossing and no spare socks (or shoes) we opted to go Euro-style. Any paragliding trip with ‘standard’ flying equipment means serious compromises in every other department to save weight. Only freeze dri for dinner, no spare socks, (don’t ask about undies) one 27g

cooker and 600mL titanium mug between us, sleeping with all your clothes on inside pathetically thin bags.. You get the idea.. And still the pack weighs 25kg. It was a warm December afternoon, but the sky was overcast and the forecast rain looked like it wasn’t too far away. We ate a late lunch without delay, laced up our shoes then began the grunt up French Ridge. Like the lore of the valley slog, other tracks have a reputation that precedes them. “You’re going straight up”, “we had to haul ourselves up tree roots”, “its brutal”, were the advice and anecdotes I received about the track up French Ridge. I was expecting something rather severe, but instead encountered what I’d consider a ‘good’ track if it were in Westland. Maybe the coasters are right that us eastlings are a bit soft? Higher up the track, we did, in fact, do a bit of root hauling as the ridge narrows and steepens. Off to the right, almost sheer cliffs drop away into Gloomy Gorge and on the left, steep slabs angle back to the valley floor. The track has some quite airy-feeling viewpoints, and peering carefully over the edge, I was able to see a little bit into Gloomy Gorge and I tried to catch a first hand glimpse at the site of a ground-breaking canyoning descent: Check out Gloomy Gorge March

Left; Shovel Flat Waterfalls Photo; Richard Sidey

Right; The track starting to steepen Photo; Richard Sidey

2013, Video by Nic Barth, Edited by Michael Barth https://youtu.be/ SMB5OiTMSqI This canyon is legendary among canyoners, and as I lay gawping over the void, it dawned on me how much the Matukituki means to so many corners of our diverse outdoor community. Day hiking tourists, mountaineers, paragliders, skitourers, canyoners, family groups and access-friendly farmers. We’re truly all in this together, and all wanting to preserve and enjoy our little patch of perfection. Back to the moment, I shrugged at the view. As expected, all I could see from my position was the moment the river disappeared into the

Right; Coffee time! Photo; Dan Clearwater

Below; Dodging showers at French Ridge Hut. Photo; Richard Sidey

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Above; Curious keas.

Photo; Richard Sidey

Above French Ridge Hut, with Pikirakatahi/Mt Earnslaw poking its summit up far beyond Cascade Saddle Photo; Richard Sidey

Above; Dan getting ready Above; Parawaiting…

Photo; Dan Clearwater

Chasm. Hopefully tomorrow, I’d be flying directly above and peer into the canyon’s cauldron. Now above the bush line, as expected, it began to rain. Paragliders don’t tend to mix well with water, especially the tightly and professionally packed reserve parachutes stored within our harnesses. Get those things wet and they won’t work as well if needed, and if they stay wet, they will certainly degrade and fail to do their job. Our somewhat ineffective pack covers did their best, but we did our best to make good speed to the red refuge above. Just as we reached our shelter from the storm, the rain stopped and after moving in, we draped ourselves and our moist flying equipment across the huts tiny balcony. As the showers came and went, so did creatures on other adventures. Day tripper photographers, mountaineers on their way to Colin Todd, young foreign backpackers and a circus of curious kea.

Right; A paraglider pilots view of the West Matukituki. Photo; Richard Sidey

12 A i r b o r n

We coyly reconstituted our freezedri, whilst our hut companions pulled wine, cheese, crackers, chocolate and more from their impossibly small packs. Richard and I were the only Kiwi’s in the hut that evening, but we were pleasantly surprised with the kiwi-

Photo; Richard Sidey

style welcome. Everyone made room for the others, the delicious treats (including the wine) were shared generously, and the place kept nice and tidy. Who says all visitors are disrespectful of our mountains and our huts? The morning dawned gorgeously clear. Richard and I sat on the porch, enjoying the morning light on the

peaks whilst slowly eating breakfast and drinking coffee. There was no need to rush; we knew the cool katabatic breeze would be blowing downhill for a few hours yet. The sun needed to do its work, heating the shady slopes below, to warm the air and get it rising (and therefore blowing gently up-hill) before we could launch.

Above and upper right; Dan’s launch Every half hour or so, we poked our head around the corner of the hut, to assess the katabatic, and as we expected, it was slowly dropping away. The summer snowline was almost immediately behind the hut, but the lack of an overnight freeze meant it was good travel on soft but supportive snow. Only 10 minutes higher up, French Ridge angled back slightly into a perfect-looking paraglider launch spot. Dumping our packs on a bit of scree, we inspected our snowrunway. Plenty of space to lay out the glider, not so steep that we’d keep sliding if we tripped during take-off, but steep enough that the wing would pick us up and away from obstacles if the take off was successful. Now all we had to do is wait. And drink terrible instant coffee... Parawaiting is always anxious relaxation. On one hand, conditions aren’t right for flying, so all you can do is sit back, enjoy being in a gorgeous place and wait for them to improve. On the other hand, if they don’t improve (or they change rapidly and you miss the safe take-off window) then you face a long walk home, carrying an excessively heavy ‘tramping’ pack. Our improvised windsock (plastic streamer on a hiking pole) finally began to hang limply, but still ever-so-slightly downhill. It was time to get ready! Wings were laid out, lines untangled, harness connections, buckles and reserve safety pins inspected. Radios and flight instruments were switched on, warm layers and gloves pulled on, harness donned. A familiar routine, but with a familiar elevated pulse; my mind knows that I’m about to run headfirst off a mountain, attached only to a glorified tent-fly and some dental floss. There’s just the slightest kiss of a breeze on my cheek, which signals the katabatic is finally dead. I take

Photos; Richard Sidey

a deep breath, ease forward, then lean powerfully into a stride as my wing comes up above my head. The stride quickens to a run as the wing accelerates and within meters I’m already going faster than I can normally run. Snow is flying from my boots in a sort of half sprint-half glissade. It feels like I’m glued to the snow, but finally the wing bites into the sky, and I’m safely airborne. Finally, my paraglider is carrying me, rather than me carrying it! I know this flight won’t last long, and I can barely decide where to look. Down between my toes to the waterfalls and cataracts of Gloomy Gorge, back towards the icefalls of the Quarterdeck, up towards Tititea, or along my flight path to ensure I always remain within reach of a good landing option. “Richard’s airborne,” crackles over the radio, and I twist in my harness to see the little green and blue speck following me, 500m behind. In the calm air of mid-morning, there isn’t enough lift to remain airborne for long, and after 15 glorious minutes, I’m planning my approach into the fields by Aspiring Hut. Safely on the ground, I watch as Richard comes in beside me, to make a text-book landing... With huge smiles, we carefully fold and pack our wings; somehow jamming all the extra stuff around our gliders, which always seem to take up almost all of the room inside our packs. A short distance down-valley, we unlock our bikes and the smiles turn to grimaces as I recall yesterday’s experience of cycling up-valley. Except today, its down-valley! With a smug effortlessness, we’re coasting quickly back along the 4WD track. Only a few short climbs require any effort and as I coast, I finally acknowledge Richard’s wisdom. Just over an hour from the snowy French Ridge, we skid into Raspberry Creek car park in a cloud of dust. Speed wasn’t the aim, but it sure was fun to go fast after a morning of going very very slow.

Above; Landing at Aspiring Hut

Photo; Richard Sidey

Above; Dan at Aspiring Hut Photo; Richard Sidey Below; Richard arrives Photo; Dan Clearwater

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Kario Training T

his winter we are all firmly grounded in New Zealand with summer flying overseas s i m p l y a d re a m o n hold... but magically our fantastic coastline lets us play in the air even in winter! Actually, we can do much more in these winter months than just hanging in the air or following the coastline backward and forwards, we can use this time for gaining and growing some practical skills which will make us safer and more efficient on the coast, flats, and in the mountains. Coastal training has made a massive difference to my volbivouac adventures and this training kept me safe during Red Bull X-Alps. Deep in the mountains, no take-off is perfect. Good top and slope landing skills save us loads hours of hiking and also keep us safe making our flying adventures far more fun! I’ve travelled around the world chasing it for years now but still, the best training ground I can imagine is just here at our doorstep. It is called Karioitahi. With kilometers of grassy top and slope landings and take-offs for pilots at any level of experience, it’s ultimately one of the best training grounds in the world. Fortuitously I am lucky to live close by and fly there all the time in both perfect and challenging conditions for many varied exercises. If you live in another part of the country and usually fly on other sites, you may implement some of these exercises when you fly at your spot. Still, it will

By Kinga Masztalerz

Above; Kinga,

1. Managing your wing in strong wind By strong wind, I mean the wind which you don’t feel comfortable to launch in. It might differ depending on your skill level, wing type, and your weight. These exercises are perfect for days when otherwise are too strong for flying. Incredibly useful on the coast, flatlands, and absolutely crucial in the mountains, mastering your wing

Above; Graham Rose on the Kario dunes above the high take-off at sunset Photo; Kinga

Left; Graham’s adventurous spirit made him land on random dunes. Sometimes landing was way easier than relaunching! Photo; Kinga

14 A i r b o r n

Photo; Chris Wright

be worth coming to Kario for some good weekend training sessions. Of course, flying backward and forwards in the laminar wind is pleasant and sometimes it’s all we need to relax after a long week. However, if you want to up your game, here are some essential skills:

will make you safe and in time will let you fly when others being are being dragged around or grounded with their wings unpacked. Basic: On the take-off (or on the beach, low on the dunes if it is very very windy) find a place that is slightly sheltered to prepare your gear without letting it being blown away. Don’t open your wing completely so it cannot fly away, just allow enough to see if the lines aren’t twisted. Put on the harness, attach to the wing (if you haven’t already), and then try to completely open the canopy using only brakes and lines. If you have a cravat or knot, try to open it without approaching your wing. If it is too windy, don’t try to launch,

just keep the wall and feel how it reacts to tiny inputs. Take your time, feel the gusts, and lows through the pressure in the canopy on the ground. Observe the grass, feel the wind, and try to predict if what is coming is a low or a gust. Don’t feel pressure to launch (if it’s really strong), it’s not your goal here. However, it might happen that after some time you’ll start feeling patterns of lows and you might feel confident to try, I’ve taken off like this many times, probing the air for good 20 minutes and then launching smoothly. Always be prepared to kill the wing fast and efficiently with brakes or C lines. Medium/Advanced (depending on strength of the wind and your glider loading!): Now using one A and other brake line, turn your wing upside down, so the leading edge is facing the ground. Try to ground handle it using brake lines. Toss it back. Launch your wing to the maximum of the power zone and kill it. In strong wind, it will pull you toward it, be ready to run forward. Spend your time putting it up and down but be ready to kill it immediately if it starts dragging you.

2. Other exercises on the ground When on take-off or after top landing. When it’s too windy for you and/or too crossed, stay on the beach and ground handle your wing on the dunes. Always be aware of hazards especially if you are slowly being nudged back. Basic: Launch your wing and hold it over your head. Move around, walk left, right, backward and forward, facing the wing and turned like for launching. Go for a walk to a particular point, the stronger the wind, the more subtle your input has to be. Keep your wing steady above your head without moving your feet. Try not to look at the wing. Medium: Touch one wingtip to the ground, bring it back above your head, now touch another one, try to do it in one smooth movement, without moving your feet. While ground handling, kneel, sit and lay down, then get up. Try not to look at the wing. Use your wing as a sail and slide and let it pull you on the sand on your feet in a controlled manner. Advanced: Try to perform ground helicopter, easier on smaller dynamic wings, but possible even on XC wings. While ground handling, climb various obstacles, rocks, driftwood, poles, etc. In strong wind climb small dunes and try to launch from them, we often fly from the small dunes by the packing site,

Kinga shows canopy control

sometimes only for a couple of seconds, sometimes going backward and forwards!

3. In the air When you have some height, try to do wingovers without using brakes, only (use) with weight shift. With perfect timing, you can easily go to 90 degrees or even above and it’s safe as you don’t brake the wing and it has plenty of energy so it won’t collapse. Practice a lot to make your timing perfect. Then when you add just a little bit of brake, notice it makes a big impact so progress very slowly. Wingovers are a complex manoeuvre that takes time to learn so you don’t want to rush it. The safest way of exiting wingovers is to bleed the energy out into a sharp 360 turn (like a shallow spiral dive). Always monitor your altitude. Facing the sea, practice pushing your speed bar smoothly and then releasing it in a way that will minimise the pitch. It will make you more efficient on glides when flying XC.

4. Top Landing There are two well known and easy places to top land, the school takeoff and at the high take off. There are multitudes of options at Kario, from easy to highly technical and we are constantly discovering new ones! Practice touch and go, top landing and taking off again without putting your wing on the ground. There are far too many top and slope landing techniques to describe them all here. This includes approaching from various directions, using ears, wingovers, flapping, utilising advanced pitch control and slope landing variants, I sometimes even top land using no brakes, only C lines. Some of these techniques are dangerous to try without deep understanding how they work but I mention them here to underline; there is unlimited potential to learn and polish your skills at Kario. When top landing, always take your time, it’s better to come too high and fly away to try again than to put yourself too low and in the lee! Karioitahi is a perfect place to learn all the skills which will make us safer anywhere we fly. No matter if you want to go for vol-bivouac, fly personal best at Manila or just maximise your airtime and have more fun on the coast, these skills will take you there! If you want to learn more, Kinga provides tailor-made training packages at Karioitahi, check them out at www.kingamaszta.com/coaching

Photos; Chris Wright

Kinga enjoying Kario

Photo; Chris Wright

Safety Notes Wind at Kario is usually very laminar when coming from SW and W. With N factor, it can be still soarable but more turbulent, even more, when the wind is strong. Beware, especially when close to the ground. Ground handling: If it’s windy, choose a place without any obstacles around, especially downwind from where you practice. Always wear a helmet and gloves when ground handling!!! If you are being dragged, don’t panic, it’s all soft terrain here, that’s why we love Kario! Focus on the wing, kill it with brakes or C lines. If the wing is upside down, don’t pull brakes, kill it with A’s. If you lose control completely, just grab any line on one side, keep pulling it to deflate the wing. Tip: Take your time to learn to identify various lines on your glider, it will help you react in the right way when it gets messy. When you fly close to the ground, practice top landings, ground handling, etc, it is a really intense training! Stay hydrated and keep in touch with your mental state, if you start feeling tired and are losing focus, call it a day! You will be surprised how much you can learn in the 2 hour session... and how exhausting it is!

Chris and Cath Deacon mastering control of the glider Photo; Chris Wright

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Skyfloaters

The improved FUN2 by

The slow speed ability of paragliding combined with the safety in CORD 329 kms/205 turbulence, extra top speed (as much as 75kph+) and the glide WORLD RE an miles Dist ce con performance (10:1) of hang gliding. Straub flying Fal Skyfloaters are light and responsive without being unstable, with By Davis Texas ata Zap complete control authority. They launch easily; even in no wind and from land so slowly that flare timing is barely necessary, you can just run 1st = at 2013 e!! or even walk to stop! www.airborne.com.au Craigieburn Leagu The superior control, manoeuvrability and climb ability make it easy Convert your old Fun to a Fun2 with the new Sail to soar above everybody, they have a great glide and a good dive FALCON 4 Retro kit. Everything supplied. See the review at speed to get out of trouble. They are extremely light and can be www.willswing.com www.hgpg.co.nz rigged in 5 minutes or less! They easily last 10 years or more. Fun, Falcon are the most versatile, enjoyable and Perfex skyfloaters use genuine 7075 alloy tube for superior glide and popular hang gliders by far in NZ. performance and strength as well as lightest weight. As well as being The Falcon 4 has improved handling and performance with full mylar the best first glider, their superior performance in sink rate and climb leading edge inserts and optional short pack to approx 2m. The new ability makes them suitable for more advanced flying too. They can enhancements allow pilots to downsize to a lighter, even easier handling circle in half the space a conventional performance glider needs, size than before. 4 sizes including Tandem. so you can get up in tiny thermals or light lift when others are forced to land! Pilots using skyfloaters for cross country regularly score top Falcon, Perfex and Lightfex can shortpack down to approx 6ft (2m). positions in major competitions. Tandem skyfloaters are also available. Perfex and Lightfex feature no tools shortpacking & assembly. Strong, 7075 frame and battens, Perfex & Lightfex have SHV & DHV certification. The AirBorne Fun and Wills Wing Falcon are similar with USHGMA certification. 7075 airframes for strength and light weight (19 - 23kg). The updated Wills Wing Alpha is the ultimate beginner & training glider They can be flown prone (or seated with paraglider harness). They with super low flying speed and amazing soaring ability.

SKYFLOATERS combine the best features of hang gliding & paragliding; Stress free total control for learner flying and real performance for cross country, recreational, dune soaring or just plain fun flying without hassles

Atos

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Ultra performance rigid wing gliders with a glide of 20:1, sink rate of just 120 fpm, and super light handling, these aircraft are the ultimate glider. Multiple World Champs winner. Range of sizes. DHV Certified.

Sting 3 has a lighter, stronger 7075 airframe, better glide & speed range, lighter pitch for towing, but keeps www.airborne.com.au the super low stall speed and control for climbing. Speedbar, aerofoil uprights, VG, PX matrix leading edge & lever tip battens are standard. Higher performance & ease of use for the advancing pilot. 154 & 168 sizes. Motorharness ready with pull out keel end and very low minimum flying speed for light or nil wind launches. Mylar Race option. DHV certified.

Accessories

Training, XC or pneumatic wheels (or with VG hub), Hand fairings, Hook knifes, Parachute swivels, bridles, Instrument brackets, Tow bridle kits, Tow releases etc.

AUTOLOCK HG Carabiners No forgetting to screw up the gate. No exposed threads to damage hangloops. Stainless or plated steel 30-35 kN all with webbing lock ring.

Used Gliders

All traded gliders are strip checked, test flown and trimmed so you know they are safe and fly perfectly. Ring or email for current stocks.

Glider Spares

NZ’s largest stock of Wills Wing, Airborne Windsports, Finsterwalder and Enterprise Wings spares. Wires and tubes made to specifications. Round, aerofoil and rubber backed uprights, Quick-pins, etc

T3 XC & comp wing with international comp wins already. Improved on the World Record T2C with amazing handling and even better performance. Featuring bearing tips, new carbon raked tips, leading edge and insert options, carbon Review at; w Model re-enforced battens and carbon Ne https://issuu.com/us_hang_gliding_ paragliding/docs/pilot2001_issuu/28 aerofoil keel. Carbon outer leading edges, aero speedbar, sprogs. Custom colours are standard. 144 & 154 sizes. T3

U2 for performance and XC www.willswing.com ability without the extra weight, battens and stiffer handling of New Model topless wings. It has a kingpost but no lufflines, using topless style inner sprogs. Choice of aerofoils and aerofoil basebar. Mylar and window sail options. Best value in its class. 145 SPORT 3 (above) has improved glide and (29kg) ,160 (31kg) sizes, handling, black airframe, raked tips and All USHGMA Certified. mylar sail options. 170,155 &135 sizes.

Hang Glider Harnesses

The best Italian harnesses from Woody Valley. Aerodynamic, stylish and tough. Models for racing to recreational. The ultimate race harness TENAX 4 with tilt control options and removable skin. FLEX2 AERO and Flex2 ACRO (right) has the Tenax footcone and upper body construction, with strengthened risers & independent back supports. A faired aerodynamic harness that’s lighter, more flexible, gives easier landings and a more convenient packed size.

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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-chute/ 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.

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Wind meters

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 plugs into your Apple or Android device showing wind gust, lull & average plus direction using the device’s GPS. Share by SMS, email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vine etc. Reads in meters/sec, miles/hour, knots, kilometers/hour, & beaufort. Range 1 m/s (3.6kph) to 56 m/s (201.6 kmh).

OUDIE 4; GPS/alti/vario/nav. Sunlight readable colour touchscreen works with gloves. World maps, airspace & 3D terrain installed & updated as required, wind, thermal assistant, task & triangle optimiser, glide, terrain, IGC tracklogs, micro SDHC, customisable display & audio, 12 hour battery life. In Basic or Full comp / XC versions. OUDIE 5 is same but with integrated Fanet+ & Flarm. It’s in stock now OUDIE 4 BLADE now in stock; all the above built into a slim instrument pod that mounts on the basebar. Mounts for aerofoil basebars available. Airspeed pitot is built in.

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, anti-fog & antiscratch. lours and Range of co stock http://finsterwalder-charly.de/en.html in s size

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

NEW DIAMOND cross Hang glider models come with UV and abrasion protected bridle. Optional swivel. Up to half the packed size and weight of conventional HG reserves. 125, 160 and 220kg sizes.

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES • Fast, reliable, opening. • Reduced weight & pack size due to high strength material and Dyneema lines. The reduced size and weight is especially useful for tandems and hang gliders. • Optional steering PG (can be retro fitted). • Extremely low sink rates by horizontal travel of the cruciform canopy in diagonal direction. • Sizes for 100, 125 and 160kg. Tandems 160 and 220kg. • Pendulum-free smooth descent. • 12 month packing cycle due to pack system design and construction. • Inner container with stowed lines makes deployment easier and minimises risk of tangling. Check out videos at; http://finsterwalder-

charly.de/en/rescue-systems.html

Revolution

Hyper; pocket size with advanced features makes it ideal for daily flying including hike-and-fly. It will help you navigate simple routes, around complex airspace and also record all details of your flight. Pocket size (107x70x18mm), Lightweight (135gm), Sunlight-readable color LCD touch display, Wifi & Bluetooth connectivity, Airspace, Hike-and-fly mode. ELEMENT; Element TRACK has 3D GPS track recording, USB downloads. Wind, All you need for comps & XC. Element SPEED has GPS wind direction & speed for soaring & XC. Easy to operate, affordable & practical. Element ALTO; Robust, reliable & simple alti/vario with GPS alti, 250 hour battery life. Switch on and fly!

PG Front Chute Container; Mounted where you can see, reach & deploy fastest with either hand. Less drag & the instrument flight deck is where you see it best, also it zips off as a protective carry bag.

Choose the right instrument at; www.naviter.com/

by Many accidents happen close to the ground, so a fast, reliable opening is most important. The ‘Revolution’ dual canopy, pulled down apex system opens fast & reliably. Leading German manufacturer Charly makes the Revolution double canopy PDA reserves. Many NZ pilots have been saved by their reserves; even with deployments below 50ft!! which shows how fast these really do work. Paraglider models fit built in harness containers or front mount cockpit containers. Hang glider model fits most harnesses and comes with a UV shielded bridle. An optional swivel can be included. Reserve models for for Tandem to lightweight Vol Biv. Tested to DHV certification and proven. Fly with confidence knowing you have

Over 30,000 rescue systems sold world-wide

www.volirium.com/home1

CONNECT 1/P1; GPS/alti/vario/ flight computer. Easy operation, touchscreen works with gloves, SD card, USB, maps, airspace, wifi updates, pitot airspeed and more as new features are released.

SPECIAL, Limited Stock

the best back-up available.

When you really need a parachute, you only want the best

All switchable metric/imperial. Mounting bracket options.

Most items are in stock for overnight courier delivery NZ wide. 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;

XC TRAINER

Vario/alti/flight computer, 16 ch GPS, wind speed & direction, speed to fly, thermal mapping, Google Earth output. Accurate & www.aircotec.com/ reliable.

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

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

The EASY TRIM CHECK I n many sports, tuning is part of the everyday life of athletes. A thicker front tire here - and the bike has more traction in the bike park, a smaller edge angle there - and the freeride ski bites like a slalom carver on hard slopes.

Text: Christoph Kirsch Photos: Skywalk

Almost every piece of sports equipment can be adjusted to your personal preferences with just a few hand movements. In paragliding, such interventions in the setup are taboo. And with good reason. Even small changes in the trim can lead to massive changes in flight behaviour. Paraglider manufacturers adjust their wings so that they function optimally under different aerodynamic conditions. Pre-calculated tolerances ensure that any changes in line length that might occur between check and trim intervals have no effect on flight characteristics or even safety.

The Special Case of Brake Lines Although only small forces act on the brake lines, length changes still happen frequently. This applies especially to lines made of Dyneema, which are used on almost all models because of their low sensitivity to kinking on the brake lines. Investigations by the German Hang Gliding Association (DHV) have shown that several paragliding accidents have occurred in recent years that were caused by shortening of the Dyneema control lines due to shrinkage. The consequence of this shrinkage is always a shortening of the brake line travel. Shrinkage of up to eleven centimetres has been found on the equipment used in the accidents. In some cases the complete empty travel of the brake lines was used up by the line shrinkage. These paragliders were thus pre-braked while still “hands up” despite the brake lines being fully released. Test flights have shown that gliders pre-braked in this way can develop an unusually aggressive tendency to surge after collapses. The tendency to enter a spin can also increase during turns and delay the recovery after a parachutal stall or full stall. A particular problem is that pilots do not normally notice such line changes, partly because the shrinkage process is gradual and takes place over a long period of time.

A Look at Materials Science To understand line length changes, it is worth taking a look at materials science. Due to their physical properties, all types of lines shrink to a certain extent. Factors such as buckling, bending, abrasion, dirt and moisture have a reinforcing effect. Lines become slightly thicker at kinks, and the lost volume is recovered from the original length by shrinking. This is especially true of Dyneema lines, which are widely used in paraglider construction today due to their excellent properties of resistance to buckling, breaking loads and durability, coupled with their

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thin diameters and minimal elastic recovery values. If force is applied to lines, they recover most of the lost length. However, brake lines are only slightly stressed during flight. Although it sometimes feels different in hard thermals, the maximum forces acting on the main brake lines are only around 10 daN - i.e. ten kilos. In fact, the higher line levels are only loaded by a fraction of that. Thus the ca. 10 kilos of tension on the brake handle of a Mescal amounts to only 300g on each individual line of the uppermost brake gallery. The extent of the line shrinkage is strongly dependent on how the glider is handled during take-offs and landings on demanding surfaces, on the practice slope, during ground handling and packing, and whether the lines get wet and dirty in the process.

Do-it-yourself Easy-Trim-Check In cooperation with the DHV, skywalk has developed a method that allows every pilot to check the length of the brake lines easily and quickly. As a reference for the “Easy-Trim-Check” the A-lines are used, which are only slightly affected by length changes due to the high forces acting on them and are largely constant in length. Every pilot can easily check the length of a brake line himself by comparing it with an A-line at a defined and easily found point over the entire length from canopy to the brake line knot. Because the difference between the length of the complete A-line and the length of the entire brake line is less than one meter for almost all glider models, nothing more than a normal measuring ruler or tape measure is needed. For glider models where the same line material is used on the brake lines over the whole span and where the fork lines do not have extremely different lengths, it is sufficient to check the length of the brake line only at one point to derive conclusions about the shortening.

Easy Trim Check Procedure in Detail:

Picture 1; The Easy-Trim-Check can be carried out with a helper or alone. If there are two of you, the helper on the canopy holds the innermost loops of the A-line and the brake line firmly together at the same height.

Picture 2; If no helper is available, the two loops are simply looped with a short auxiliary line and attached to a fixed point - for example on the wall of the room, a door handle or a tree. Measurements are always taken to the end of the lines. Loops and gathering systems are not taken into account!

Picture 4; With the ruler/tape measure, the difference between the brake knot and the line shackle of the A-line is now measured and compared with the target value. Alternatively, the target value can be marked on the brake line beforehand with a marker pen. After the measurement has been taken, it is repeated on the other side of the wing.

Picture 5; Deviations of two to three centimetres are completely uncritical. In case of larger differences, however, it is absolutely necessary to adjust the length of the brake lines. For this purpose the brake knot is loosened and the brake line is adjusted to the specified value with the knot specified in the manual. Detailed instructions can also be found on the skywalk website at: skywalk.info/2019/09/10/info-skywalk-easy-trim-check/

Frequent flyers in particular and all pilots who practice often with their glider on the training slope should regularly check the brake line lengths. This is especially important for pilots who shorten the empty brake travel by a few centimetres because they expect a more direct or faster response to brake line impulses. With the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Easy-Trim-Checkâ&#x20AC;?, every pilot can do the checks themselves. If you need professional support, just knock on the door of your dealer!

Picture 3; Ideally, the measuring point is the A-line shackle on the riser and the knot of the brake line above the brake handle. Both lines are now tensioned with the same force. A tension of five kilograms per line is completely sufficient.

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Reserve Deplo You’re working hard to make the most of the small, punchy thermals, slowly working your way up the mountain, you’re already thinking of cloudbase and your next glide, when BANG! – a big asymmetric collapse quickly turns into a cravatted spiral dive. You check your altitude and decide to throw your reserve...

by Roger Stanford

wrote this article back in 2012, after hearing of multiple reserve deployment accidents during that season (both here and abroad). I have been asked to update and resubmit this to SkySailor as there are still many pilots who either haven’t thought enough about deploying their reserve or planned adequately for each phase of a successful deployment. Enjoy...

After 7 years of running SIV courses with Jocky Sanderson and the SkyOut Team, I have seen reserves of all shapes and sizes and witnessed many reserve deployments. I have also experienced the effects of a down planing reserve and was shocked at how quickly it can happen, and the force of impact with the ground (I landed in water, had I descended on hard ground I would have suffered serious injury). After leaving flight school, most pilots spend all their time learning and accumulating knowledge and

experience on how to stay up and thermal efficiently, go XC and understand the weather and what the sky is doing around them. Other than buying a reserve and fitting it to the harness, often no more is thought about emergencies and reserves until the moment when the pilot needs it. Visualisation is a tool used by sports psychologists and coaches to help athletes prepare before their event. It has been proven to cultivate not only a competitive edge, but also to create renewed mental awareness and a heightened sense of well-being and confidence. Pilots who make a “Visual Emergency Plan” react better in an emergency as they have already thought about and planned the sequence of events that would take place before and after a reserve deployment. There are four vital stages when throwing your reserve:

Stage 1; The decision to throw the reserve Altitude and circumstance are the key factors in your decision to throw your reserve. If you are at low altitude and suffer an uncontrollable collapse, then the reserve should be thrown immediately. This gives the reserve more time to open into a controlled descent and the pilot

ample time to de-power and bring in the main (more on this during stage 3). If you’re high when your collapse occurs and you are attempting to recover the wing into a controlled flying configuration, then you must keep checking your altitude to ensure that you can deploy the reserve if you need to. Recognise what the wing is doing and the effect your brake inputs are having on the collapse/cascade. If your wing is in a cravatted spiral and accelerating, throw your reserve immediately as the increasing G forces can cause you to black out very quickly. I recommend pilots have an AGL (Above Ground Level) Altitude field box on their flight instruments, especially when flying in the mountains. It is hard to judge exact AGL when flying in high alpine environments, as your GPS Altitude (Or QNH Altitude) might read 3350m, but you only have 200m AGL between you and the Terrain. Knowing your exact AGL gives you a clear assessment of the situation and reduces reaction time in your thought processes and subsequent action plan.

Stage 2; Deployment Sequence You have made the decision to throw the reserve and are reaching

for your handle. You must pull the handle and reserve in the same direction as it was put into the harness. If you pull the handle at 180 degrees across your lap then it can get trapped, and handles have been ripped off due to the force induced by a panicking pilot. Jocky Sanderson teaches the “Look, Locate, Grasp, Pull and Throw” technique. He says, “You pull the handle out the way you put the bag in, that’s the critical piece. It comes out the way it slides in and then you give it a healthy throw behind you... away from you.” Once you have pulled the reserve from the harness, it is important that you pause and take in your position and the direction of travel of your wing. You only have one opportunity to throw your reserve, so ensure you are throwing it away from you, into clean air. There have been many cases of pilots being twisted and throwing the reserve in front of their direction of travel, causing the reserve to deploy into their own lines and not opening correctly. Throwing away from you will depend on the configuration of your wing at the time of deployment. If you are in a nose down cravatted spiral, away from you will be towards your feet. If the glider is in “helicopter” style descent with a slower descent rate, away from you might be behind you... Take the time to give a good hard throw, resulting in the bridle reaching full extension so the reserve can open away from the paraglider.

Stage 3; Depowering the Main Whoompf!! You feel the reserve open behind you and your canopy starts to dive forward and react to the reserve opening. It is now that you need to depower the paraglider or the reserve will start down-planing/ rotating against the flying wing. We

Left; Reserve down-planing: Note the position of the reserve behind the pilot with the wing actively flying in front

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oyments and Down-Planing previously taught pulling the A’s to depower the wing, but no longer do, as it is much harder/more physical to do due to the A’s being set further back from the leading edge (Shark nose). We now recommend pilots use the “Comb the D’s” method of depowering the paraglider. This is done by placing your fingers between the lines on the rear riser (C or D riser, depending on glider) and giving it a good hard pull in a downward motion. This will then pull the trailing edge down, resulting in an extreme angle of attack at the leading edge, causing the glider to depressurise and collapse. The advantages of the “Combing the D’s” method is the initial pull is easier than the A’s, and once the glider is depressurised it can not try and reopen, making pulling the lines in till the glider is in your hands very easy... It is VITAL that you de-power the main and stop it from flying; otherwise one of three things can happen: 1. The wing could fly against the reserve, causing it to down-plane/ fly to the ground, resulting in a descent rate much faster than under the reserve on its own. Jocky Sanderson and Allan Zoller (Air Turquiose testing house) tested the forces of down-planing and their instruments recorded over 14m/s descent rate!!! 2. The wing begins to fly sideways and rotates around you and the reserve (can occur after riser twists and cravats), significantly increasing the G-force and speed of descent.

The pilot can see the glider is rotating to the right, so throws the reserve hard behind and slightly to the left. This results in the bridle being fully extended before the canopy has the chance to open 3. The wing begins to fly into the reserve, bashing it, and causing the reserve to collapse and twist into the main, resulting in you falling to the ground with two collapsed wings above your head. If you can’t de-power the main and gather in the lines, go to your brakes and start wrapping the brake line around your hands until the glider stalls and hangs limply above your head. This method will also allow a slower descent as you have more cloth/fabric above your head providing air resistance. Note – this method results in lines being wrapped around your hands which can cause significant damage if you land in trees and pressure is then applied to the lines around you.

Stage 4; Landing You are now descending under your reserve at a rate of 4.5-5.5m/s (average round parachute). Get into the hang position and brace for impact. Adopt the parachute PLF landing position to reduce the risk of injury on impact If you will be landing in water, then release the paraglider and lines which are gathered in your arms just before impact to prevent being “engulfed”. Unclip from your harness and quickly swim away from all lines and equipment. If you are landing in trees, then release the held paraglider and lines just before impact,ensuring all body

parts are free from lines to prevent injury if/when lines snag on a tree. Brace/attach yourself to branches to prevent falling out of the tree, then call for help. Knowledge, experience and familiarity with your equipment are the keys to safe flying. Get your equipment out and inspect your harness and wing for airworthiness. Pull out your reserve and get familiar with it. Check the lines as you would your wing. Look at the way it connects to your harness. Practice pulling it out and visualise throwing it away from your body. Invest in educational material you can learn from during the winter months. Jocky Sanderson’s new DVD “Security in Flight 2” demonstrates all the paraglider collapse and recovery techniques and also has a second disc which covers everything from EN glider testing to locked-in spirals and water landings. Bruce Goldsmith’s “SIV Bible” is another great source of information with in-depth diagrams and descriptions detailing all aspects of paraglider emergencies and recovery techniques. Of course, nothing beats worldclass instruction and first-hand experience gained by attending an

Pilot using the brakes method to de-power the glider

SIV course. Since we began running SIV courses in 2012, other instructors have also began offering this type of training in a variety of locations throughout Australia. This is a real benefit to the paragliding community and allows pilots from all areas and backgrounds the opportunity to learn skills which could save their lives (and are lots of FUN!!). When choosing which SIV course to attend, it’s a good idea to contact pilots who have previously completed SIV training and get their feedback and opinion on the course/instructor and how it was run. There can be a big difference in what manoeuvres are taught and the way they are taught depending on instructors. SKY OUT PARAGLIDING runs small group SIV training all year round and teams up with Jocky Sanderson once a year for larger SIV and XC courses. Check our course calendar on the website for upcoming dates.

Types of Reserves M o s t m a n u f a c t u re r s t h e s e days offer reserves and ongoing maintenance/repack services. Before you choose which reserve to buy, do some research on the net to determine its suitability for you (don’t just take whatever your instructor sells). Ensure you buy a reserve which has been tested to your weight range. Small light

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Pilot using the brakes method to de-power the glider

weight reserves open very quickly but can have a high sink rate; large reserves have a lower descent rate but can have a delayed opening and can be unstable/oscillate during the descent (Check what the weight was during certification). There are 4 main types of reserves currently used which include the Round Reserve Canopy, the square, the hybrid and the steerable Rogallos (not including the base canopy used in specially adapted acro harnesses). Round Reserve (Apex Pull Down) The most common type of reserve. Fast opening, reliable, easy to maintain and pack. Pros: Very easy to pack, light weight, fast and reliable openings. Cons: Cannot be steered, higher sink rate when compared to other reserve types... Rogallo Reserve The steerable reserve. Low descent rate (average 3.2m/s), steerable with forward speed (average forward speed 6.5m/s) The Rogallo cannot be steered

until the main is either cut away or has been pulled in/depowered, or there is a high risk of down planing. Rogallos can deploy and inflate with a strong turning movement, resulting in riser twists after opening which can prevent steering altogether. Low stability and inner pressure – if after opening the Rogallo is hit by your paraglider (main not under control/depowered) it can easily deflate and get caught up in your paraglider lines. Pros – Steerable with lowest descent rate of all reserve types Cons – Low stability and inner pressure, harder to pack, best used with quick outs and quirky speed bar release, enabling you to fly the Rogallo unhindered by the lines and material of your collapsed paraglider SQUARE Reserves This style of parachute uses a square design with corner vents, resulting in a similar descent rate to a round canopy but in a much smaller and compact package. It achieves this and increases pendular stability by a sideways “tracking” motion,

which the pilot has no control of. Depending on the deployment situation, this could be a positive or negative aspect of the canopy. Some models now have steering but don’t engage the steering option until you have the paraglider under control. If using quickouts, ensure you also have quickouts on your speed system. Pros – More stable descent with less oscillations, small volume, fast opening, light, simple to pack Cons - no steering, on most models, planned deployments need larger safe area due to tracking sideways motion of the descent (applicable when doing SIV over lake or acro over land in the “training box”). Hybrid/Square-Round This style of reserve combines the best things of the round and the square designs, resulting in a fast opening reserve, which has a good descent rate and very stable. There is some sideways “tracking” but marginal when compared to a square design. Pros – Stable decent with less oscillations, fast opening, little tracking sideways, small volume, light, simplest to pack, Cons – Not steerable, some sideways tracking during descent.

Parachute Maintenance No matter what type of reserve parachute you choose, they must be maintained and well packed for them to work properly. Most manufacturers recommend a repack every 4-6 months to guarantee a fast deployment and longevity of parachute material. When repacking, the reserve should be hung and aired for 2-3 days prior to repacking. During this time, you can inspect the lines and parachute material (including attachment points) for any damage or degradation and compare the overall condition of the reserve from the last time you repacked it. Repacking a parachute is easy and I believe all pilots should know how to do it as well as how it packs into the harness and attaches to the harness/carabiner attachment points. The more you know about your rescue system, the safer and more knowledgeable you will be when using it...

This pilot was forced to throw his second reserve after the first did not open. The reserve was packed too tightly, with the D-bag unable to release the reserve. This was in a controlled environment above water, but would have been life threatening had the pilot been over ground and with only one reserve!

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Types of reserves

Round reserve (apex pull down)

Rogallo reserve

Square reserve

Hybrid square/round reserve

Follow your The VISION is a superlative high performance intermediate wing. At the upper limit of the B-class, this superb glider offers a new level of performanceoriented fun factor. With an unmet glide performance of 11.6 the B-class wing enables epic cross country adventures with guaranteed success. So you can follow your vision as far as your curiosity takes you. The VISION combines high speeds and sportive handling with damped reactions in extreme flight situations. U-Turn views innovative thinking as a must - so the demand towards the development was in maintaining the class appropriate safety and the simultaneous bursting through the performance limit. LTF/EN B XS 22,97 / S 24,97 / M 26,97 / L 28,97

www.glidepro.co.nz +64 2041598827 6 Ngatira Road, Muriwai, Auckland 0881 U-TURN, FLOW, WOODY VALLEY, SUPAIR, CHARLY, AIR3, GARMIN, FAIRHAVEN, XC TRACER, STODEUS, COMPASS, ALFAPILOT

Executive Repor ts Selected Accident & Incident Summaries from 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020 These summaries are a selection taken from members reports supplied via the NZHGPA reporting system AIRS. How to report an accident or incident What to report? You must report as soon as practical anything that is defined as an “Accident” by CAA rules. That is anything that caused significant damage or serious injuries while the aircraft is being used. Club safety officers and other pilots can help out here by reporting even basic information about an accident for pilots that are unable to do it themselves. We also want reports for incidents or accidents that aren’t so serious. The biggest benefit comes from the reporting of the smaller incidents and near misses. How small? Well, if good luck is all that saved you from an accident then it’s probably worth reporting. Your personal details will be kept confidential.

How? To make a report go to the NZHGPA website and click on ”Safety”. www.nzhgpa.org.nz/safety Then the button to hit for starting your report looks like this;

Your description of what happened is the most important part and makes up the majority of the reports we publish but other details are used to help with statistics that show trends so please complete as much as you can. Please include the location so we can send the report to the local safety officer and the club president for any follow up they need to do. Don’t worry, our policy is that we do not use the reports to lay blame or for any disciplinary action. They are for safety and learning. Finally if you want to see other reports then click on this button;

Date Region Type Aircraft 23/03/2020 Marlborough Serious injury accident Paramotor Summary of report provided by accompanying pilot. Forecast 45km/hr away to north, was light offshore 7-10km/hr in the morning but building  mid afternoon. Forecast in direction of flight (south) was light onshore 7-8km/hr for the day. We took off just before midday. On launch we had a NE sea breeze 15-20km/hr and it was smooth. C took off first and said it was nice flying and I followed. We both flew south for 15 minutes heading south. During the flight the wind direction turned to a NW (offshore) and started to build. At 800-1000ft I radioed to C that I was going to fly lower to check out the wind as there was indicators that there was a sea breeze lower down. C radioed thru that he was going to top land and avoid flying/landing in the lee side of the hill. After I encountered some turbulence lower down I decided to land on the beach. I radioed thru to say there was turbulence lower down after I had landed. C then replied he had crashed while coming in to land. I told him to initiate his Epirb locator beacon. I did not know at the time but he could not activate it as it was in his side leg pocket. I left everything and went searching for him. I found a farmer on a 4 wheel quad bike went to the top of the hill to get cell coverage and notified emergency services. We drove around and found C just below a flat area that he was trying to land on, about 1 km from where I landed on the beach. The winds along the coast were very light NE at least at lower levels as I suspected it would be prior to launching. We encountered a sudden change of wind direction into our flight.   Injuries: Broken pelvis and leg. 17/5/2020 Canterbury Near miss or minor incident Paramotor On approach to landing, I applied too much brake and spun the glider. Conditions were calm and sunny. Injuries: Not reported. Glider damage: Nil

President’s Column Mid winter thoughts Happy days everyone. As I write this we are just past the shortest day of the year and flying times are coming again in a couple of months. In the meantime, I see the pictures on Facebook of the Southern Club folk flying off Coronet and feel pure envy. If we think back a year, who would have thought that we and New Zealand would have been through the Covid-19 journey we just have. A year ago I was flying my paraglider in Piedrahita without a worry in the world. Now we can’t travel and even had all our flying activities banned for a period! The Covid-19 crisis is going to have an ongoing effect on the NZHGPA. Each year we earn about $15,000 from visiting pilot fees. Currently we have no visiting pilots. Normally 25% of our visitors are from Australia so if we get a Trans-Tasman bubble operating, we may gain some income – somewhere between $Zero and $3000 to replace $15,000. If we have a 10% unemployment rate, we have to assume that will have some effect on our pilot renewals or the number of new pilots training. All of these things are being considered by your Exec team as we prepare a budget for the new year which you will all have opportunity to comment on at the AGM. We live in a politically correct, safety conscious world and we are not going to change that. We actually have to cope with it and as part of that we find that some parts of the NZHGPA running can no longer be done by volunteers. The time, skill set and delivery standards required put some of these jobs beyond what a volunteer can reasonably be expected to do. A year ago, at the AGM we appointed Mark Hardman as our Training Manager because of gaps in our training material and a lot of it being out of date. The things he

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is working on are excellent. I am not sure how many of you have given the new VFR online exams a go, but they are a small example of what is happening. As Mark is going through our training material there is a serious move to put as much online as we can, where there is common material between hang gliding and paragliding to have common training material, even to the point of sharing some of the Instructors Seminars. We now have a new Speed Flying rating and approved training to match. Yes, it took a while, but it was interesting to see just how much work it was to get agreement between existing pilots and to get the definitions and technical stuff sorted so the CAA could sign it off. It has been a really good thing to get sorted and hopefully it helps ensure many happy hours of safe zooming around by pilots on their speed wings. Thanks to Mark Hardman, Blake Round and all the others who put so much work into seeing this through. It is really pleasing to see paragliding towing underway again in New Zealand. The NZHGPA was involved in helping this happen in that we financially supported the application to get towing listed as an accepted recreational activity on Lake Wakatipu. There have been hundreds of tows done and a good number of pilots now have their tow rating. Both the Hang Gliding and Paragliding Towing Manuals are being revised. I am told that there will be a Pilotage Course teaching spiralling and other good wing control techniques and before long we will also have NZ based SIV training available again. By the time you get this it will be starting to be thermal time again. YAY!!! Begin the season carefully, remember the basics, stay safe and above all enjoy the wonder of Free Flight! Cheers, Duncan

Date Region Type Aircraft 28/5/2020 Southern Near miss or minor incident Paraglider Pilot under instruction. Approach to landing. The pilot had made 2 previous landings (right hand Westerly) without incident. On the 3rd landing, the wind had shifted from a Westerly to an Easterly wind, the instructor positioned the student at the Eastern end of the field for a left-hand approach. The pilot started a left turn just past the fence line at the western end of the field, as they started to come round they tried to turn the glider before the goalposts. Realizing they did not have enough room to clear the goalposts, they opted to go to the southern side of the posts. As they had more distance to cover they were getting lower and, not wanting to be close to the goalposts, they opted to go wide. As they came around they slowed up in to wind and started to sink as well. The bottom of the harness clipped a pile of fill, and then touched on to the top of the fence. RECOMMENDATION This entire incident could have been avoided if Warren Park had been opted for. The Recreation Ground is not the place for training pilots for use of the Gondola. Use Warren Park for the training of Gondola flights. 6/26/2020

Southern

Near miss or minor incident Paraglider Aerobatic manoeuvre Not flying my usual wing. From a stable heli I stalled out and released to exit the heli. The wing shot out of the stall strongly in the opposite direction (from the heli). Wing surged far forward symmetrically and 75% collapsed, ending with maybe 50% of the wing in a cravat. Wing then started spiralling (possibly in auto rotation) and diving to the ground. I slowed the rotation as much as I could, vertical and rotation speeds were slow enough and I felt too low for reserve throw or re-stalling to clear the cravat, so I kept the rotation under control and prepared for ground impact. Landed on my feet and rolled sideways. No bruises or injury.

FMC Photo Competition 2020 Entries close on 15th September, so you’ve only got a few weeks left to get your clubs’ entries in. All NZHGPA affiliated clubs are eligible to enter, and it can all be done online via your club’s Facebook Group. To learn more about the FMC competition, and get tips on how to run your club comp online, please visit www.fmc.org.nz/photo-competition.

Above bushline with a human element winner – Eddy McGrath

Popular Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries here to stay

Over 90 members have saved heaps on their Cook Strait ferry crossing with Bluebridge since the travel discount was launched in December last year. So Bluebridge have renewed the deal and kept the rates the same. Even better, they’ve shortened their peak travel period to 20 December to 10 January (used to be 15 December to 15 January) so you’ll now only pay their lower off-peak rate for more of the year. They are Bluebridge’s most flexible fares – you cancel for 100% refund off-peak and 90% peak. Or change your sailing as many times as you like for free, as long as your new sailing is within 12 months of the original one (it used to be six months). Your ticket still includes free WiFi and movies plus you can earn Airpoints Dollars simply by adding your Airpoints account number when you book. Fare Type Adult/Senior Child Car/van/ute/4x4/trailer up to 5.5m Each extra 0.5m

Flexi Off-peak $45 $25 $120 $20

Flexi Peak $50 $25 $130

Campervan/Motorhome up to 5.5m Each extra 0.5m

$145 $35

$170 $37

The rates above include GST. To get the travel discount simply use promo code SAIL2GLIDE when you book at www. bluebridge.co.nz/nzhgpa or call 0800 844 844. They’re now open for bookings right up until 31 October 2021. Since moving to Level 1, there has been no shortage of Kiwis keen to travel, which is fantastic for domestic tourism. Bluebridge is now back to sailing both ships on their full winter schedule offering 50 sailings a week from downtown Wellington to the Sounds (and back). If you’re heading south during the week, their popular night sailing with the sleeper service is also now available again. While social distancing is no longer required, their ships and terminals will continue to be cleaned even more regularly than usual and hand sanitiser is still freely available. If you prefer your own space you can pre-book one of our private cabins with ensuite. Perfect to relax, rest or freshen up with a hot shower before the next leg of your journey. As a precaution, when you check-in you’ll be given a disposable boarding pass. There is also a QR code that you can scan to enable easier contact tracing if required. They can now accept cash but recommend cashless payments in the terminal and on board the ships. They’ve resumed table service for their range of meals freshly prepared by their onboard chefs and their delicious winter menu is now available alongside barista made L’Affare coffee and other hot and cold drinks.

Safety Checks Unlabelled carabiners

I came across these carabiners whilst doing a wof recently, They are steel with an alloy gate. The carabiners stood out to me because they had no markings at all! No rating or manufacturer details. After talking with ‘Aspiring Safety’ who manufacture and test outdoor equipment, they told me it is very common that knock off carabiners are made in China and sold cheaply and this appears to be an example of it. Aspiring Safety very kindly offered to test the carabiner. It failed at 17.96kN. This suggests its working load being much below this and would suggest the carabiner would be rated at about 12kN. Obviously this test was done on a single carabiner which is not enough to get true test results, but it shows that this carabiner is well below general standards. It is recommended that a carabiner has a minimum rating of 18kN. I’m told the carabiners were sold to the pilot with a harness that he purchased new. He

was a new PG2 pilot so had not questioned the carabiners. It is recommended to fly with equipment that is tested and rated for the intended use, for an item so critical to your safety in the sky you should know who makes it and how strong it is. Know your equipment, Check it regularly and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. - Blake Round, Southern Club Safety Officer

Test your knowledge on VFR Many clubs are encouraging their members to update and check their knowledge of VFR rules by having a go at the online test. We think that’s a great idea. Try it yourself. It’s free. On the NZHGPA website http://nzhgpa-notices.blogspot.com Go to the “Test your knowledge on VFR” article and; • Access the online exam at www.classmarker.com/online-test/start/?quiz=k345e8d4f7f8c5b7 and use the current password “vfr2020”. The password may change at some stage but if it does we’ll let you know. • If you don’t pass on the first go don’t be disappointed, you can have another go after 24 hours. In the mean time maybe read the new VFR guide at https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1RVvGv0EY7Gz3YKRMj6ASZVA_yRFC8wFH/view. The guide is also available on the NZHGPA website (in the OPM and Forms area).

S ite Notices Christchurch Gondola We hope that you are all enjoying being back in the air after a long wait due to the Covid-19 restrictions. We have received a complaint from the Gondola operator of paragliders flying too close to and crossing over the Gondola cables. We are lucky to have this site close to Christchurch which is great for speed flyers & paragliders on no wind days with a quick ride back to the top for many flights without a hike. The site guide stipulates that there is to be no flying within 100m of the gondola cables, so please adhere to this requirement. For all site information, please refer to the sites guide on the club web page. www.chgpc.org.nz/docs/CHCPG Sites Guide 2015-16.pdf Happy winter flying, - CHGPC Exec

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.

The Passing of Phil Sjostrom Phil started hang gliding in 1976 and was the Official FAI Observer for the first 100 mile flight in Australia, along the Great Australian Bight, in the late 1970s. In hang gliding circles, his main claim to fame was the design and manufacture of a series of variometer/altimeter combos which bore his surname and were the instrument of choice for many hang glider pilots throughout the 1980s and 90s. Phil was diagnosed with Mesothelioma about 20 months ago, and finally succumbed to complications of the disease on Sunday the 22 March 2020. After his diagnosis he purchased a Fun 190 and re-joined SAHPGA in an attempt to get some airtime after a long hiatus, but only managed a couple of flights before he became too ill. Phil is survived by his four children. Rest in Peace. - SkySailor magazine

NZ Competition Organiser’s Responsibilities It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to; 1. Obtain a list of current members from the NZHGPA Administrator. 2. Ensure every competition entrant is a current NZHGPA member. 3. Sign up any non-members. Any competitors found to be non-members will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’.

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

ing PP aa rr aagglli idding CC hh aa mmpip ioons n sh hips ips

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

April 1st 2019 to March 31st 2020 Top scores as shown on XContest on 18/7/2020 Pilot, flight date/time

Site

Distance

Points

1. Bex Rae [bex1907]♀

Total

Pilot, flight date/time

30.17 p.

10. Sarah McRae [smcr]♀

Site

Distance

Points

13.06.20 12:45

Burma Road

15.07 km

15.07 p.

01.06.20 15:37

Mt Sommers

9.02 km

11.28 p.

14.05.20 16:24

Te Mata Peak

7.88 km

7.88 p.

17.05.20 13:39

Mt Barossa

4.38 km

4.38 p.

23.05.20 14:10

Burma Road

3.61 km

7.22 p.

23.05.20 15:55

Taylor’s Mistake

0.92 km

1.84 p.

2. Guillaume Clin [Guigus60] 1

23.05.20 14:54

Taylor’s Mistake

9.30 km

9.30 p.

23.05.20 15:56

Taylor’s Mistake

5.72 km

8.58 p.

23.05.20 13:19

Taylor’s Mistake

4.97 km

7.46 p.

3. Cliff Swailes [Rapscallion] 1

21.06.20 12:02

Taylor’s Mistake

9.13 km

9.13 p.

28.05.20 13:50

Taylor’s Mistake

5.37 km

8.06 p.

17.07.20 12:24

Taylor’s Mistake

4.17 km

6.26 p.

4. Michal Karnik [miketech]

25.34 p.

23.45 p.

11. Dan Clearwater [chucky3] 1

16.05.20 15:14

Hawea?

7.05 km

8.81 p.

30.05.20 13:54

Mount Bre...

3.49 km

4.36 p.

27.05.20 16:01

Rots Peak?

3.73 km

3.73 p.

12. Mark Sedon [marksedon] 1

16.05.20 15:07

Corner Peak

7.21 km

9.03 p.

13.06.20 12:49

Pakituhi

2.67 km

2.67 p.

17.05.20 13:50

Pakituhi

2.65 km

2.65 p.

13. Richard Sidey [rsidey] 22.69 p.

16.05.20 15:07

Corner Peak

7.04 km

8.80 p.

16.05.20 13:22

Hawea?

14.78 km

14.78 p.

01.06.20 13:24

KFC reunion

2.92 km

2.92 p.

15.05.20 15:01

Roys Peak

6.33 km

7.91 p.

17.05.20 13:39

Pakituhi

2.57 km

2.57 p.

5. Lorraine Johns [kiwigal]♀

22.02 p.

14. Fraser Monteith [Icemaneli186]

17.05.20 11:26

Mount Adams

6.65 km

8.31 p.

01.06.20 13:33

Bealey Spur

5.81 km

7.26 p.

15. Aaron Chesterman [azzasurfs]

13.06.20 14:45

Mount Harper

6.45 km

6.45 p.

6. Steve OShaughnessy [soshaugh] 1

26.05.20 12:48

Barnicoat

10.47 km

10.47 p.

30.05.20 13:27

Barnicoat

2.95 km

5.90 p.

23.06.20 12:39

Barnicoat

5.64 km

5.64 p.

7. Aaron Ford [AaronF] 1

16.05.20 13:31

Hawea?

12.84 km

22.01 p.

23.05.20 13:44

Pt 1545 Sunrise Hut

10.43 km 10.09 km

16.05.20 13:38

Hawea?

7.51 km

1 19.26 p. 18.60 p.

23.05.20 14:50

Taylor’s Mistake

8.77 km

08.06.20 16:43

Muriwai?

5.24 km

16.05.20 13:02

Barnicoat

2.41 km

23.05.20 15:50

Taylor’s Mistake

5.03 km

7.55 p.

20. Yuan Fu [Yuan]

01.06.20 15:37

Mt Somers

7.12 km

7.12 p.

23.05.20 14:30

Taylor’s Mistake

2.62 km

3.93 p.

9. Julien Facci [JulienF]

4.80 km

23.05.20 14:18

Mount Maunganui

2.16 km

2.16 p.

26.05.20 14:34

Mount Maunganui

1.80 km

1.80 p.

17.05.20 13:41

Roys Peak

6.52 km

8.15 p.

16.05.20 11:22

Coronet Peak

4.52 km

5.65 p.

22. Hamish Dicker [hidicker]

16.05.20 13:01

Coronet Peak

3.23 km

4.04 p.

Barnicoat

2.21 km

8.77 p. 7.85 p. 4.82 p. 4.80 p. 3.96 p.

2.21 p.

The web site for scoring and uploading your track logs is XContest at: www.xcontest.org/newzealand/ranking-xc-championship/

Speed Flying and New Operations Manual Introduction The latest version (v1.62) of our OPM includes new rules and ratings for speed wing pilots and for speed wing coaches. The applicable rules are in sections 6.7.18 and 6.7.19 of OPM, which is now online www.nzhgpa.org.nz/members/opmforms If you fly a glider which fits the definition below you will need a speed wing licence from 31 Jan 2021. Definition of a Speed Wing; means a paraglider which is: 1. Designated by the manufacturer as a speed wing or speed flying wing or, 2. Any wing listed in the NZHGPA speed wing data list as a speed wing or, 3. Any other paraglider type wing of less than 18 m2 flat area flown at a wing loading of 7kg/m2 or more. For Pilots You can continue to fly speed wings until 31 Jan 2021 provided you hold at least PG2 plus one of the following: - Have completed an additional 40 flights or, - Hold a skydiving C licence. The requirement to log 40 flights on a paraglider after qualifying as PG2 and before beginning speed flying has not changed from the previous rules. Please take your time to learn to fly well on a traditional paraglider before you take on a speed wing. How do I get the new rating? 1. Have a read through the speed wing manual to brush https://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/resources/Documents/Speed%20Flying/Speedwing%20Data%20List.pdf

26 A i r b o r n

up - you might learn something you didn’t know. Then sit the speed wing theory test. Links are provided below. 2. Contact one of the speed wing coaches once you have passed the theory test to arrange for an assessment of your experience and flying skills. A list of speed wing coaches will be supplied soon. Coaches will need to verify that you have recently demonstrated the skills listed in OPMF81 either by directly observing your flying or by viewing video of you flying sometime in the last 12 months. (Please note your own helmet cam doesn’t show you flying, we need an outside observer.) In either case you must demonstrate at least one controlled forward foot launch in wind less than 10 kph and the other skills listed in part (B). You should also state the model and size of the wing you used and your flying weight so we can make sure it fits the definition of a speed wing. If you have any questions about the SWP rating please address them to speedflying@nzhgpa.org.nz For Coaches The first coaches will have proven recent high levels of competence in speed wing flying, a great attitude and the ability to pass that on to others. Project leader, Blake Round, will be appointed as the first speed wing coach. He, along with training manager Mark Hardman, will then authorise the first few speed wing pilot ratings and

coaches based on written applications using OPMF81 or OPMF82. We won’t be rushing the process and we expect to collect a number of applications before any approvals are done. If you are interested in being a coach please start by studying the guide and siting the theory test. When you have passed the test you can fill out OPMF82 and email it to training@ nzhgpa.org.nz. There is no need to resend your current first aid certificate if it is already held by the NZHGPA. A current first aid certificate does not need to be submitted with your initial application, however final approval won’t be given until the certificate is provided. Please note that you need to show you have recent experience (i.e. last 12 months). The initial coach ratings issued will be valid for 2 years and will then be reviewed in the light of lessons we learn along the way. Links are at http://nzhgpa-notices.blogspot.com/: Speed Wing Manual TM02, Speed Wing Exam password; tm123, OPMF81 Speed Wing Pilot application, OPMF82 Speed Wing Coach application, Speed Wing Data list, Enquiries about Speed Wing Pilot rating; speedflying@nzhgpa. org.nz Enquiries about Speed Wing coach rating; training@nzhgpa. org.nz - NZHGPA CEO, 4/2020

https://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/resources/Documents/Technical%20manuals/TM02%20Speed%20Wing.pdf

https://www.classmarker.com/online-test/start/?quiz=x7j5dc091485af42

https://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/resources/Documents/Speed%20Flying/OPMF81%20SWP%20rating.pdf

https://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/resources/Documents/Speed%20Flying/OPMF82%20SWC%20rating.pdf

https://member.nzhgpa.org.nz/resources/Documents/Speed%20

Photo: Ross Gray

30.06.20 15:03

9.39 p.

4.80 p.

21. Dominique Le Sellin [Frogiwi]♀ 17.84 p.

10.09 p.

4.82 p.

Waimarama?

10.43 p.

7.85 p.

13.06.20 16:48

14.29 p.

8.77 p.

19. Duncan Macnab [dbmacnab] 1

14.35 p.

9.39 p.

18. Bruno Metz [Tigroun] 1

16.90 p.

10.09 p.

16. Anthony Saupin [willow1633] 1

17.50 p.

10.43 p.

17. Deane Landreth [Symbion90]

19.26 p.

8. Paul Monigatti [paulmonigatti]

17.05.20 11:30

Total

EVENTS Paragliding Competition Committee Write Up

inter has certainly set in. It’s cold here in Queenstown today but sunny and I see that Auckland got a fair lashing this week with cold rain and even snow in the suburbs. The new PCC has been active. Johnny has been instructing us on the use of Airtribune, NZPRS and FAI Cat2 application management. Zoom’s been getting a good workout. Not much flying of course and not much happening overseas still as the Covid situation has shut down lots of competitions which leads to, each year, the ‘conversion factor’ for overseas competitions, that are included onto the NZPRS, is recalculated according to a formula in the Competition Rules. The new factor for this year is 1.83. It was 1.67. There has been some recent development regarding airspace files. A friend in Australia was looking at our NZ airspace and came across a file, a Gliding Club file, that hadn’t been noticed before and, this week, I have been checking it against the CAA AIP. It all looks pretty good so there is a new up-todate Airspace file, one big file, that covers the whole of New Zealand that can be uploaded onto your instruments for flight verification. If any of you know any members of the Matamata Gliding Club then please acknowledge them and give a big thanks for their efforts in getting that file together. Remember, files like this are for personal use only and are to be used at your own risk. They have been put together as best they can, but if there is any doubt, then do check with the CAA charts. I’ll be asking Ross Gallagher to get the file onto XContest and request that all the flights submitted to the NZ ‘xc league’ be checked prior to submission to that league. The new file is available on the NZHGPA website/competitions/downloads. Since the 2018 Nationals I have been working on a revised and updated version of the Competition Rules. I have consulted many experienced pilots both here and overseas and compared what we have to other countries, notably Australia and the FAI. In the last few weeks Mark Hardman and I have sat down and nutted a few things out. He has been most instrumental in ensuring the file is formatted reasonably. The now completed edition, Version 22, will be discussed with the other members of the PCC and then published on the NZHGPA

website for review by you, the members, and you may contact the PCC for objections and comments. After two weeks the new version will be reviewed and then it becomes effective. There are a lot of changes, mostly updating phraseology and punctuation, but one significant area of change is that the old 300ft ‘leeway’ on altitude infringements is going and altitude verification will be done using GPS with no tolerance (which is pretty much what all the recent competition organisers have been doing anyway). NZ airspace is just getting too busy to have pilots possibly ‘infringe’ by 300ft! Most modern instruments have a ‘proximity warning’ facility, make sure you use it so as to get a timely reminder of proximity to airspace. I think you’ll find the new edition much more readable. As Mark has said: “A big improvement”. Keep an eye out on the NZHGPA website once again. And finally, we have had a submission from members to host a PG Open in 2021. By the time this article is published details will be more forthcoming but for now, it looks like Nelson at the end of February. We are in the process of getting this set up this week. Keep an eye out on Airtribune and the website once again. All in all, a little busy. And I’ve got a cold! Best wishes. -Tim and the PCC

Covid-19 and Events Due to the changeable Covid-19 virus situation, many events and competitions may be cancelled or postponed. Please check with event organisers or their online notification system, to confirm if events are still being held before booking travel and accommodation. It will be worth checking again immediately prior to the event.

Do you have what it takes to compete in Red Bull X-Alps 2021? It’s time to find out Maxime Pinot (FRA4) and Christian Maurer (SUI1) race during the Red Bull X-Alps in Ahrntal, Italy on June 18, 2019.

Photo; Sebastian Marko/Red Bull Content Pool

he world’s toughest adventure race kicks off in just over a year - and the tension is already beginning to mount. With each race comes a new route and most importantly, new athletes. Have you got the skills and resilience to hike and paraglide over 1,000km across the beautiful but treacherous Alps? It’s time to find out because the application phase for Red Bull X-Alps 2021 is officially open until August 31, 2020 when race committee selects the best of the best. Literally anything can happen in this race, from unpredictable weather conditions to near-miss landings in ravines. Every race is tougher than the last and it takes an athlete with not only the physical aptitude, but also an extremely strong mind to push all the way to the end.

Paragliding Nationals 2021 Tasman region from 20 February to 27 February. he Headquarters will be based at the Mapua Leisure Park (https://goo.gl/ maps/NEcEzsEM46PY1Fne8). Mapua is a seaside village about 20 minutes from Nelson. Registration via AirTribune will open on Saturday 1st August at 10:00. The Airtribune site has been published and is available for viewing but bare in mind that it is a work in progress but will be ready for registrations by that date. At this stage the comp is limited to 80 pilots but if there is overwhelming demand consideration will be given,in consultation

Omarama Hang Gliding Cross Country Classic Saturday 6 February to Sunday 14 February 2021

his summer, Monday 8th is the public holiday so even if you are working, that’s still 5 days you can fly. This time of year gets the most flyable days with the least strong winds and turbulence, so gives the most XC flying opportunities. Last year forecasts weren’t inspiring but we still had good flying in spite of relatively stable weather. There was good thermalling and even a smooth wave day that allowed a long flight around the Mackenzie. Flying there is spectacular; expect to get 9 or 10,000ft and an easy 20km to over 100km depending on your skill and luck. Expect to beat your Personal Best; height, distance etc, move up the XC Champs table, or maybe fly to Mt Cook!

“The athlete selection process has always been very strict,” says race director Christoph Weber. “The search for the best athletes for Red Bull X-Alps takes a lot of time and investigation. We have to take into account many factors such as their experience, previous competitive results and their abilities as pilots and mountaineers. Also important is that they have the physical and mental strength required to participate.” The official 2021 athletes will be announced on October 14, 2020, and the race begins on June 20, 2021! Simply visit redbullxalps.com to fill out the application form and follow us on social media to stay up to date with all the latest information, dates, and even more valuable Instagram livestreams with athletes. Get ready for Red Bull X-Alps 2021!

It can be hot, sometimes windy and sometimes strong thermals but the landing areas are massive and the competition format is stress free; No queues or waiting. Fly the whole week, just the weekends or just the days you want, when you want. It’s up to you, only your best 3 flights count. You decide when and where to fly and an unlucky flight or two won’t ruin your score. All types of accommodation are available; free camping, cabins, caravans, motels and luxury hotels. The gliding airfield campground welcomes hang glider pilots and has weather briefings at 10am each day. For more information, site briefings etc; contact Bill Degen at aero@xtra.co.nz or check www.hgpg.co.nz for updates.

with the PCC, to increase that number to 100. There will be 20 places allocated to the top ranking WPRS pilots. We are obliged under FIA rules to offer 20 places for international pilots up until two months before the start of the competition. However with the current situation with COVID19 we doubt there will be much interest from pilots from overseas apart from the ones already here in New Zealand and we look forward to their participation. Other than that it is a first in first served basis with the two organisers making the final decision (and no we are not open to bribes). The Leisure Park covers an extensive area with many secluded spaces. Let Google be your friend. There is, at this stage, plentiful and varied accommodation at the Leisure Park (nelsonholiday.co.nz) but it would pay to get in early. There are nearby alternative basic camping grounds but not bookable. We would encourage you to be at the Park. And yes the rumours are true in that from February to March the Mapua Leisure Park is a clothing optional location. But don’t let that faze you as there are very limited areas in the where that is permitted. - Peter Allison and Lyn Watkins (your onlocation organisers)

Hang Gliding Nationals 2021 Murchison, Saturday 30 January to Saturday 6 February 2021. Matt Barlow Phone 022 153 7965 email nat.matt3@gmail.com

i r b o r n

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

HHAA NN GG gglli idding i ng CC hh aa mmpip ioons n sh hips ips

January 1st to December 31st

on’t let winter conditions put you off, 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. XC Champs records show there’s been site records set in August to October so it doesn’t have to be the height of summer to get a good flight. In some areas, convergences can keep usable lift alive for much longer and residual moisture can produce great thermal clouds to signpost the way. Spring often turns on some epic days as sun heating is slower and though lapse rates are high, sea breezes don’t come in as fast to kill thermal activity. Conditions are often weak with occasional good days but flights done in winter/spring will get you a head start on the rest of the season and get you flying fit for the better days ahead. TO ENTER... It’s free and simple; fly anywhere in New Zealand before midnight on 31st December, email or post in your flight details (and tracklog if you have one) before 30 days has passed and you’re entered. Enter as many flights as you like. Your shorter flights are automatically replaced by your longer ones. Only your longest four flights are scored. For each flight entry, please supply; • Your name, email address and contact phone number. • Flight date, take-off/release place, landing place, and flight distance in kilometres and 10ths. • Tracklog file from a GPS that can be read by GPSDump, such as an IGC file. Best is a kml file optimised by GPSDump. • If you don’t have a GPS tracklog, then 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 just need to provide take-off and landing witnesses. 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 any prizes followed by pilots with second and third best totals. The pilot with the longest single flight gets fourth choice, then prizes go from fourth best total onwards. Flights for each years XC Champs must be flown between 1 January and 31st December and entered within 30 days. This ends one contest while pilots have good weather and starts the next contest while everyone’s still keen. Distances are measured using GPSDump which is free software that comes in Windows, Mac and other versions. It it reads GPS tracklogs from just about any instrument. It works out the best start and finish points for you. It also works out if the flight fits any other FAI criteria such as out and return, triangle etc. It enables you to export it for viewing in Google Earth in 3D. Download GPSDump at; www.gethome.no/stein.sorensen Airtribune Live tracking For those who want quicker retrieves, get the Airtribune App for your Android smartphone. Airtribune will track your flight and your retrieve driver can look you up on their smartphone to see exactly where you are. It is limited to cell coverage areas but apparently satellite trackers like Spot work with it too. It’s easy on the phone battery though

28 A i r b o r n

The 2020 Cross-Country Championships Table so far...

Name

Flight 1

Flight 2

Flight 3

Flight 4

Total kms

Sebastian Katz 139.6 108.7 53.3 35.8

337.4

Rick Hawkeswood

171.7

109.2

34.3

28.2

Bill Degen 26.9 26.4 53.3 ** Class 2 (rigid wing), * Skyfloater

it still pays to have a backup power bank as well. Note that Airtribune doesn’t calculate FAI Open Distance from the 2 furtherest points of your flight. You still need a tracklog for that as explained in the entry section. The Apple IOS version hasn’t been updated for a few years and currently only works at Airtribune contests. Rules You must be a paid up NZHGPA member during all flights or you don’t score. Entries must be postmarked or emailed within 30 days of the flight or don’t score. This helps ensure accuracy and prevents pilots holding back flights until the end, so we all to know how everyone’s doing. Please DON’T phone, txt, or tell me in the pub, all entries must be in writing (email preferred) with all flight details (and GPS tracklog if using remote launch and/or landings), or do not score. Don’t assume that because someone else was there or you were in a competition that your flight has been entered. It is each pilots’ responsibility to declare and enter full details of their own flight entries. Measure your flights in kilometres and 10ths of km, straight line from take-off to landing. Or for often a few more kms, optimised flight distances with a Remote Start and/or Remote Finish are welcome, if you send in a valid GPS tracklog. Aerotow launched xc flights are permitted, but your release altitude must be less than 5% of the flight distance (current FAI ruling) or does not score. This prevents super high tows followed by a downwind glide from scoring against pilots thermalling for xc. The flight scores from tow release position (not tow take-off) and verification can be witnessed by the tug pilot, or confirmed with known landmark photo or GPS tracklog. Out & return, triangle or multiple turnpoint distances are not eligible, however if a enough pilots enter them, I’ll table them as well. Out & return and triangle flights often don’t require the long pickups of the best xc flights, so pilots can look at this option if drivers or time are a problem. Note: If you don’t follow the rules by providing all relevant flight details, (including valid tracklog for remote start or finish flights) within 30 days of the flight, 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. If enough are entered, we have a special class for pilots flying skyfloater gliders such as such as the Fun, Falcon, Malibu etc. 30% double surface gliders such as Buzz, Gyro, Mars, Target, Ventura etc can be flown in this class too. As long as it has exposed crossbars. Don’t forget to point it out on your entry if you have an exposed crossbar glider or rigid wing. You can enter in as many classes as you like. Skyfloater flights can be entered in a separate class and/or included in your Class 1 score, whichever you prefer. Classes can be scored separately if multiple

entries are received. Meanwhile they will appear in the table above. Let me know if your flight is a site record too. ONLINE RESULTS Results are posted as they come in at www.hgpg. co.nz and linked to the NZHGPA website at www. nzhgpa.org.nz/competitions/hg-competitions/ hang-gliding-cross-country-championships and first updated at; www.hgpg.co.nz/nz-hg-xc-champs. html Online scoring? Not yet, but if you have a 3D GPS you can enter any of the online contests as well. If you do this, just let me know by emailing me a link to your online entry and I’ll copy the data to the NZ HG XC Champs. It should have all we need to enter your flight. 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

Sasha Serebrennikova gets Award for Double Hang Gliding Records

Russian hang glider pilot Sasha Serebrennikova was awarded the Sabiha Goekcen Medal for outstanding achievements in airsports, at the FAI’s annual awards ceremony. The medal rewards outstanding achievements in any airsport by a woman, during the previous year. Sasha’s prize was in recognition of two women’s hang gliding world records set on 2 January 2018: ‘Straight distance to a declared goal’ (408km), and ‘Free distance using up to three turnpoints’ (412.6km), achieved during the 2018 Forbes Flatlands competition. A few days prior, on 27 December 2017, she had also achieved ‘Distance over a triangular course’ (208km) and Speed over a triangular course of 200km (37.4km/h) records during the same event. - FAI

NZHGPA BOOKROOM

NZHGPA Paragliding Tow Manual This manual outlines requirements and procedures for towing $15

Understanding the Sky by Dennis Pagen. Sport aviation weather and micrometeorology for hang glider, paraglider and microlight pilots. $60

NZHGPA Logbook With rating record $10 or $5 each for orders of 5 or more incl postage.

PARAGLIDING, BEGINNER TO CROSS COUNTRY by Sollom Cook. From basic techniques to competition flying $25 NZ Hang Gliding Training Handbook Essential Beginner/ Novice instruction information for NZ hang gliding students learning to fly. $5

Check the NZHGPA web site for the latest special offers Postage and GST is included in price.

NZHGPA Aerotow Manual In depth detail of aerotow procedure as authorised by MAANZ and NZHGPA $15

Please send your order with payment to;

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

All hang glider and paraglider pilots in NZ are required by law to be members, and receive Airborn magazine as part of their membership but non flyers and overseas pilots are welcome to subscribe. For Airborn SUBSCRIPTIONS please contact; NZHGPA Administrator; PO Box 131, Matamata, 3440, NZ. admin@nzhgpa.org.nz

NORTHLAND HANG GLIDING Skywalk Guntram Gross, Herman Ahrens Phone: 09 436 0268 or 09 432 9333, 021 072 0357 Email: skywalk@igrin.co.nz

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

WELLINGTON/WAIRARAPA HANG GLIDING Wellington Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club Grant Tatham Phone: 06 379 7322, 027 636 3491 Email: tathams@xtra.co.nz

Oceania Paragliding School PARAGLIDING Chris Connolly, Ferg’s Paragliding & Adventure Phone: 022 676 5599 Mike Ferguson Email; school@oceaniaparagliding. co.nz Phone: 021 995 682 www.oceaniaparagliding.co.nz Email: fergsparaglidiing@gmail.com MARLBOROUGH www. fergsparaglidiing.com PARAGLIDING AUCKLAND High Adventure New Zealand HANG GLIDING Russell Read Phone: 027 448 0888 Sean Oliver Email: russread@ihug.co.nz Phone: 027 670 8301 Email: skyriderag@gmail.com FaceBook: @Skyrider

PARAGLIDING SkyWings Paragliding Alan Hills Phone: 09 570 5757, 027 498 2345 Email: alan@skywings.co.nz www.skywings.co.nz

WAIKATO HANG GLIDING Sean Oliver Phone: 027 670 8301 Email: skyriderag@gmail.com FaceBook: @Skyrider

PARAGLIDING

Wings & Waves Paragliding and Kitesurfing Reuben Muir and Eva Keim Phone: 09 446 0020, 027 472 7013 Email: info@wingsandwaves.co.nz www.wingsandwaves.co.nz OMAHU, THAMES/PAEROA PARAGLIDING Bruce Vickerman Phone: 07 862 4919, 027 498 9941 Email: seehigh@slingshot.co.nz HAWKES BAY PARAGLIDING Airplay Paragliding School Barry Sayer, Phone: 027 451 2886 Email: barry@airplay.co.nz www.airplay.co.nz BAY OF PLENTY PARAGLIDING Kiwi-Air Mike & Aniko Phone: 07 929 5807, 021 104 6208 http://kiwi-air.co.nz Mount Paragliding Darrell Packe Phone: 027 249 2702 Email:darrellpacke@gmail.com

NELSON/TASMAN HANG GLIDING Nelson Hang Gliding Adventures Glenn Meadows Phone: 027 275 1022 Email: Gmeadows@xtra.co.nz PARAGLIDING Nelson Paragliding Stew Karstens Phone:028-446 3930, 0508 FlyNow Email: paragliding@xtra.co.nz www.nelsonparagliding.co.nz CHRISTCHURCH HANG GLIDING Canterbury Hang Gliding School Bill Degen Phone: 03 326 6411, 021 247 2676 Email: aero@xtra.co.nz www.hgpg.co.nz PARAGLIDING Cloudbase Paragliding Grey Hamilton Phone: 027 532 4874 Email: cbparagliding@gmail.com www.cloudbaseparagliding.co.nz ParaPro (Paragliding & Powered Paragliding) Dave Dennis Phone: 03 328 8255, 0508 548 323 Email: info@parapro.co.nz www.parapro.co.nz

WANAKA PARAGLIDING Paraventures Paragliding School Mark Hardman Phone: 0800 FLYSOLO (0800 359 765), 021 809 275 Email: info@paraventures.co.nz QUEENSTOWN PARAGLIDING Infinity Paragliding School Chris Connelly and Adrian Watt Phone: 022-676 5599 & 021-981 855 Email: info@infinityparagliding.co.nz www.infinityparagliding.co.nz Extreme Air Hang Gliding & Paragliding School & Tandems Lisa Bradley Phone: 021 156 3256 or +61 45 728 7200 Email: lisa@extremeair.co.nz www.extremeair.co.nz

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Photos: Neil Brown, Ross Gray

A4 size issues $4.- each Feb/Mar/Apr May/Jun/Jul Aug/Sep/Oct Nov/Dec/Jan 2020 issue numbers 213 - 215 2019 issue numbers 209 210 211 212 2018 issue numbers 205 206 207 208 2017 issue numbers 201 202 203 204 2016 issue numbers 197 198 199 200 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 Feb/Mar Apr/May Jun/Jul Aug/Sep Oct/Nov Dec/Jan 2008 issue numbers 165 166 167 168 169 170 2007 issue numbers 159 - 161 162 163 164 2006 issue numbers 153 - 155 156 - 158 2005 issue numbers 147 148 149 150 151 152 2004 issue numbers 141 142 143 144 145 2003 issue numbers 135 - 137 138 139 140 2002 issue numbers 129 130 131 132 133 134 2001 issue numbers 123 124 125 126 127 128 2000 issue numbers 117 118 119 120 121 122 1999 issue numbers - - 113 - - 1998 issue numbers 105 106 107 108 109 110 1997 issue numbers 99 100 101 - 103 104 1996 issue numbers 93 94 95 96 97 98 1995 issue numbers - - - - - 1994 issue numbers 81 - 83 84 85 86 1993 issue numbers - 76 - - - 1992 issue numbers - 70 71 - 73 74 A5 Issues below $1.- each (Prior to issue 69 all are the smaller A5 format) 1991 issue numbers 63 64 65 66 67 68 1990 issue numbers - 58 59 60 61 62 1989 issue numbers 51 52 53 - 55 56 1988 issue numbers 45 46 - - 49 50

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Hang gliding, paragliding schools and instructors that you can contact for qualified flight instruction in New Zealand

Wings & Waves Paragliding and Kitesurfing Reuben Muir and Eva Keim Phone: 09 446 0020, 027 472 7013 Email: info@wingsandwaves.co.nz www.wingsandwaves.co.nz

Keep in touch with the NZ hang gliding and paragliding scene, the latest developments, events, new and used equipment... M a g a z i n e

Learn to Fly

■ Paid up NZHGPA members may run one advertisement per classification for free in each issue ■ Please email or post your 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 ■ Advertisements are deleted for next issue unless repeat request received ■ include your email address for the online issue ■ Buyers are advised that all used hang gliders and paragliders should have a NEW fitness check (WOF) when sold ■ It is dangerous to fly a glider or with equipment that is above your rated ability ■ PARAGLIDERS REBEL DHV2, Gin L, Harness Skywalk Cult L, Reserve parachute, All excellent condition, Never crashed, WoF on sale, Offers or swap, Phone Paul 027 412 4474, Email: pauljamesnz69@hotmail.com PHI Gliders - www.phi-air.com - the revolution continues. Hannes Papesh and Mike Kung create the latest revelations in gliders - Maestro new high B is here. Symphonia - high B performance certified EN A. Also, the EN A Sonata and light weight Viola. Tenor and Tenor light, class B gliders with better than class performance and handling. Exclusively from SkyWings - email alan@skywings.co.nz NEW PHI ALLEGRO - EN C - out now: -) https://phi-air.com/project/allegro/ PHI SONATA 12 & lightweight version Viola are proving to be our new best miniwings - lots of sizes, unbeatable flight qualities - check our website and contact us for special introductory offers - alan@skywings.co.nz or www.skywings.co.nz MAESTRO is out - the PHI Maestro from Hannes Papesh is here and leads the high B class. Finally a perfect handling feel and C performance is available in the B class - exceeding all expectations - ask anyone who is flying one - contact SkyWings for unbeatable introductory prices - 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 alan@skywings.co.nz MOTOR Paragliding PARAMOTORING - exclusive Miniplane and PAP motors - SkyWings for courses and equipment - www.skywings.co.nz or alan@skywings.co.nz HANG GLIDERS WANTED Sport 2 170 or Sting 170, email darren@caseyindustries.co.nz MOYES Gecko 155, technora sail, carbon sprogs, approx 30 hours, $7500.00, Phone 027 670 8301, Email: skyriderag@gmail.com T2C 144; fully optioned, with transparent ODLO/Technora upper and lower, speed battens, raked tips, black uprights, faired carbon keel stinger, keel fairing etc. Choice of carbon or alloy aero speedbar. First at 2019 Omarama XC Classic & 2nd in XC Champs. Never had a bad landing. Flys great and in excellent condition with low hours. Review and pix at www.hgpg.co.nz/page/458644 Phone 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz RX3 for sale. Carbon & Zoom frame. Very low hours sail. It’s the second sail on the frame. Light green front, dark green strip & teal back. Code zero swish sail, can be checked with Moyes. Glider is currently in Newcastle Australia, can be brought back to NZ for costs. $6,500 ono. Phone Tish 021 280 241 email tishtheflyingfish@gmail.com U2 160. Dacron sail, Mylar/Hydranet LE/TE, speed battens and raked tips. 2012, great condition, has flown approx 300 hours. email - skyriderag@gmail.com, phone 027 670 8301 KIWI Flyer 170, US 6061 tubing, low hours (has been in storage), great condition, full strip check and trim, phone 021 247 2676 email aero@xtra.co.nz

KIWI 170 mint/new condition. Manufactured mid 90’s unused. Test flown - Good Nov/ Intermediate first 70% double surface lower aspect ratio glider, No VG new WOF, $2000. email - skyriderag@gmail.com 1991 Rumour 14.5m, Intermediate/advanced double surface. Airframe and sail in good condition, has Insignia cloth repairs to its leading edge mylar due to delamination. Spare upright, test flown, WOF, $1500. email - skyriderag@gmail.com, phone 027 670 8301 MOYES Litesport 4 (149 sq ft) for sale. DOM 2004. Airframe really good but sail is worn but serviceable. Mainly white sail with kevlar leading and trailing edge. White and mid blue lower surface. Recently purchased but too small for me. Comes with manual, batten profiles and spare uprights. Will be sold with new WOF. $1200. Contact John King at 027 751 3192 Hang Gliding Harnesses MOYES Matrix. Includes Metamorfosi reserve. Both in excellent condition. Overall Height 182cm, Shoulder Height 158cm, Chest 103cm, Hip 106cm. Ideal harness for the intermediate+ hang gliding pilot who wants a bit more performance in glide yet still feels comfortable. Call Ian on 027 430 1741 RESERVE PARACHUTES RANGE of reserve parachutes for hang gliding and paragliding including the tried and trusted Revolution, Second Chance and now the compact DiamondCross in optional steerable PG versions and HG version. Bridles, Front containers, Maillons, Swivels, Hook knives etc, in stock at HG & PG Supplies, Phone 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz REVOLUTION 1 paragliding parachute. Perfect as new condition. For weight up to 100kg, never deployed, just inspected and packed. Can convert to HG model with optional addition of 6m bridle. Phone 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz INSTRUMENTS OUDIE 4, 5 and Blade models in stock. Amazing full featured GPS/alti/vario/flight computer, with mapping and airspace which automatically updates. Phone 021 247 2676 or email aero@xtra.co.nz ACCESSORIES Helmets, No Limit (visor option), Insider, Loop (visor option), Breeze (adjustable size), range of colours & sizes in stock, phone 021 247 2676 email aero@xtra.co.nz EMPLOYMENT CORONET Peak Tandems Ltd, Queenstown, are looking for tandem hang gliding and paragliding pilots. Call 021 220 5932

The KFC film follows five Southern Club members on a paragliding adventure in Tanzania late last year, and it recently won Best NZ Made Film at the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival. The KFC is now available On Demand here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thekfc

30 A i r b o r n

FLIGHT PIX CLOUD PIX

Steve Price flying over Warkworth

THE COUNTRY CODE We are all dependent on good relations with the farmers who own the land we fly from. Here are some guidelines to ensure that you and other pilots will be able to continue to fly. ALWAYS CHECK with local pilots before flying at new sites. ALWAYS ask permission to fly unless you are absolutely certain that the owner allows use of the site without asking. CHECK AGAIN at Springtime as most farms have pregnant and newborn stock that can easily be frightened and injured.

DO NOT show displeasure or abuse an owner if permission is refused. This could hamper getting permission in the future. ALWAYS GET PERMISSION to take a vehicle onto a property. Ensure that vehicles without gliders are not taken onto the property. Put all gliders on one car rather than have a convoy crossing the property. If stock is near, drive slowly. LEAVE GATES as you find them, gates may be closed to keep stock in or open to allow stock to feed. Ensure that all pilots and drivers understand. USE STILES and gates where ever possible, if you must cross a fence,

cross at a post or strainer post. AVOID hay standing or cut unless permission has been given to cross it. AVOID landing in paddocks containing crops or stock. Carefully move off crops to avoid damage. DO NOT LIGHT FIRES at any time. DO NOT SMOKE during fire risk times. DO NOT TAKE DOGS onto any farm or property. DO NOT disturb plants or machinery, move around it. LEAVE NO RUBBISH.

Everything you need • Ready to fly – no complex technical setup • Extremely responsive & accurate Vario assisted by inertial sensors • Sunlight readable LCD with Touch panel optimised for gloves • Long lasting battery with quick charger • Vector maps for the whole world pre-installed (towns, roads, rivers, lakes etc.) • Airspace for most of the world installed with free updates • Software fully supports Competition and XC Pilots • Easy and free software updates • In-flight FAI Triangle Assistant • Customizable screens & data fields • Barometric and GPS altimeters • Multiple wing profiles • Thermal Assistant • Wind Assistant • IGC tracklogs • Lightweight • Perfect size • Available in Full or upgradeable Basic versions • Integrated Flarm & Fanet option • Wind, wave, convergence forecasts option

BLADE hang glider version with pitot airspeed naviter.com/blade

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

03 326 6411 021 247 2676

nzparagliding.com info@skywings.co.nz Ph 0274 98 2345

phi-air.com

Airborn #215

Articles inside

Easy Trim Check

Classified Advertisements

A Danish Pilot’s NZ Journey

Reserve Deployments and Downplaning

Paraglider Training at Kario

Bike, Hike and Fly French Ridge

Executive Reports