No. 5/May
Yann Borgnet SKY PILOT
Climbing and flying? All that and even more in the short bio of the young and promising climber of France.
Michal Sotek WHO IS WHO IN SKY?
There are more than one hundred people in the Sky Paragliders company. Some are well hidden and this time, we would like to introduce one of them.
SKY DRIVE lite A short info about the new coming product. Heads up!
Flying with Friends What is the red spot? Why is it so high? Was in an accident? We have to understand this!
Alo, alo, alo... The team of Sky pilots is increasing‌ we are more and more‌ Good luck, Mathias.
News from the SKY
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I just have to go up, it’s not a fight,
and it is not adrenalin.
Yann BORGNET Sky pilot
Yann Borgnet was born in 1991, he is a novice paragliding pilot enjoying flying in the Alps with his new FIDES 3. So far, nothing surprising, just a pilot like hundreds of other enthusiasts starting their flying career every year in the surroundings of Annecy in France. But, why don't you try to google his name? You might be surprised that such a young - 20 years old - guy is a famous Alpinist who already climbed some of the most difficult peaks and Alps routes. When I asked Yann how he discovered his sport, he just said: ”It was a family duty, weekly we had to go climbing, hiking… it was like punishment, I was just dreaming about playing with friends or staying in front of the TV. But, one day when I was 14, I had to go to “le Cervin” with my dad, and it changed my life, I felt in love and was addicted to high altitudes immediately… I started to climb almost daily, the weekly punishment was turned into a new adventure. The routes started to be more and more difficult and I joined the French mountaineering elite team.
FIDES 3 FIDES 3 is a school wing, designed for paragliding students at the training slope and during their first thermal flights. A good handling and maneuverability will help the student to adopt the right feeling for the free flight.
The FIDES 3 is excellent to fly and very stable should the rough air be experienced. FIDES 3 is one of our best gliders to experience our sport. fides 3
S
M
L
XL
Layout Surface (m2)
23,11
25,19
26,91
29,11
Layout Span (m )
10,42
10,84
11,28
11,70
Layout Aspect ratio
4,70
4,70
4,70
4,70
Projected Surface (m2)
20,51
22,19
23,89
25,84
2
Projected Span (m)
8,27
8,60
8,92
9,28
Projected Aspect ratio
3,33
3,33
3,33
3,33
Number of Cells
38
38
38
38
4,45
4,70
4,90 XL
Weight of the Glider (kg) 4,10
Climbing is like a natural issue, in the middle of stone walls I feel in my habitat, I just have to go up, it’s not a fight, and it is not adrenalin.
fides 3
S
M
L
Take-Off Weight (kg)
58-82
73–97
88–112 102-130
Trim Speed (km/h)
37
37
37
37
Min. Speed (km/h)
22
22
22
22
Max. Speed (km/h)
47
47
47
47
Certification
EN A
EN A
EN A
EN A
Certification LTF
LTF A
LTF A
LTF A
LTF A
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Are you afraid, do you fear? “The days before I go to climb are always very intensive, but during the climb, I’m just fully concentrated on the goal. I fully trust my partner (Christophe Dumarest or Robin Revest) . Our team is really strong, we know our limits, we could rely on each other.” Are the Alps like a athletic zone, are you trying to break new records? “Oh no, far from that, first I don’t feel comfortable to be highlighted by media, I’m not a competitor and there is no way to consider Alps like a stadium. And, more than a route, I love to choose a project. Climbing the Bonatti routes, was much more stronger and full of history. We decided to join each point by natural way (the rules was no engine), and we had to bike from east face of Grand Capucin to south face of Mont Blanc during the night. If it’s only symbolic, it was a very strong feeling to go this way.”
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What about paragliding: “It’s just the right connection with the mountains, a way to go down very easily, it was the first reason. But I discovered that it was more than going down, it’s as well a tool to discover my Alps, it’s also possible to mix routes and flying and I’m dreaming to fly from Alps Routes.” Why did you choose a Fides 3? “I met “Phiphi Barnier” (French X alps Pilots), I told him that I was looking for a gliders for my first flight, a glider light enough for mountaineering… and a glider which will allow me to be a XC pilots. Phiphi brought my first glider, main expected features were: light, safe, easy, not boring… yes Fides 3 was a good choice.” Yann what will be your next projects? ”I would like to organize a very simple project. I just like to travel from wall to wall and use my Fides to link all the walls. I’m not looking for the most difficult climbs but I would like to mix my 2 hobbies, flying and climbing. Thanks a lot, Yann. (The questions were asked by Philippe Clerjon.)
Some more facts and information about Yann:
Classic Bonatti way Yann just added to his long list of peaks, the north face of “les DRUS” and “Les grandes Jorasses” of course in Winter conditions.
Yann's blog
Yann's Youtube channel Dumarest Interview with Christophe
All the pictures provided for the article, courtesy of Yann Borgnet and Christophe Dumarest.
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Who is who in SKY? MICHAL ŠOTEK Who is who in sky? There are quite a lot of people who are very important for sky. Some of them you know, some of them send you the mails and you know them only by name. As all of them are very important for all of us and they really make the sky unique, we are very proud we could introduce some crucial members of the team.
And here we are, with michal. SKY IS THE WORLD OF CONTRASTS
MICHAL ŠOTEK – THEY GUY WHO CLICKS HIS MOUSE Myself: I am an active person with active attitude and I will be probably the long life student. I was born in Ostrava but I spent my whole life in the heart of the Beskydy Mountains. My family, they are my Vendulka, Patrik, our son, and two hounds – Fabi and Charm. Myself & SKY: Ten years ago, after a serious injury of my knee, I searched for a temporary job and I finished in SKY assembling the lines onto the paragliding canopies. After half a year I wanted to quit the job and I was already ready with contract termination letter in the management offices but I left them with a new contract. “Somebody” noticed that I like the computers and up to these days I spent my time in front of the computer :-). My main job is to prepare the digital patterns for our cutters, e.g. designing and nesting using the CAD/ CAM systems. I also participate in the R&D tasks for the harnesses development and I am responsible for the production files. From time to time I do some graphic designs, shoot the pictures and I do the whole line of different daily things :-). I have varied, interesting and progressive job that is done only by a few people on the whole planet. I am meeting interesting people, learning about new approaches and technologies. After ten years in the company, I could claim that SKY is also part of my family :-). 6|
Myself & paragliding: I met Tomas Lednik in SKY and the things he did when flying enchanted me immediately. So, I went for the course and I was totally into it. Paragliding, it is the feeling of absolute freedom, uniqueness of each flight and the charm of travel - quite unusual for a man. It is of course a different point of view onto the life and friends around flying. If a new glider, then it must be … ARES 3 :-). The best would be to have different gliders for different purposes but only a few could be that privileged, can’t they? Recently I am totally mad about ANTEA 2 XXXS, she is such a fun to fly. If a new harness, then it must be … the new SKYLIGHT´ER – a harness I have been waiting for my whole flying career. If a new reserve, then it must be … none, it is the best - I mean to fly the way it is not needed at all. But thanks to Alexandre, I am all into the ultra-light stuff, so it would be SKY LITE. What I am enthralled by: Well, besides the flying, it is also nice food, drinks, films, film series, music, house rebuilding, gardening, mountain biking, snowboarding, biking, and in general the technical stuff and many other things. Just the leisure time is so rare …. :-). The best “flying“ joke I know… I can remember only some nasty ones and none of them is linked with flying :-).
ISO 9001:2008 Manufactured in Europe Quality born in SKY
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TEAM SKY flying suit is a high-tech overall using the latest, fully functional materials and many technical design features to ensure pilot comfort. The flying suit is manufactured in the SKY team colours.
Join our team! 8|
Sky Drive lite As Sky Drive lite is slowly getting ready to be released, it would be nice to understand a little bit more about the concept. Sky Drive belongs to the line of concepts generally referred to as “rogallo”. This unusual shape of parachute was invented by an aeronautical engineer named Francis Rogallo (born in 1912). Please check the link if you would like to know about the famous character who gave the name to the whole class of reserves and flying equipment.
Just to summarize some important facts:
• The full name of the inventor is Francis Melvin Rogallo (1912 – 2009). He was born in Sanger, California, U.S.A. and he is credited for the invention of the Rogallo wing wing, or "flexible wing". • The first glider was tested already in 1958 and it resulted in a what is generally called hang gliders these days. • The rogallo technology has been used also in many fields like kiting and sky diving. • NASA also tested this technology to recovery system for the Gemini space capsules. • If all those facts ring the bell, it will be very easy for all of you to google all the details.
ANAKIS 2 ANAKIS 2 is the successor of the first generation of this well known and popular entry level/intermediate EN-B/LTF-B glider. It’s predecessor was brilliant, so the successor must be even better – an extremely demanding task. It was not the R&D team´s goal to increase speed and glide ratio just to have an impressive datasheet for marketing-purposes. The improvements of the ANAKIS 2 can be found mainly in improved efficiency, homogeneity, and even more pleasure in flight. Because only a pilot in total harmony with his wing is able to use his glider´s full potential.
Sky Drive lite will not be available before September 2012 and all the details will come later.
Anakis 2
S
M
L
XL
Layout (m2)
23.20
25.10
26.80
29.00
Layout span (m)
10.72
11.15
11.52
11.98
Number of cells
46
46
46
46
Weight of the glider (kg)
4.20
4.45
4.70
4.95
Take-off weight (kg)
58-80
73-95
88-110
103-130
Trimspeed(km/h)
37
37
37
37
Max.speed (km/h)
50
50
50
50
Test
EN B
EN B
EN B
EN B
LTF test
LTF B
LTF B
LTF B
LTF B
More info at www.sky-cz.com
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...it was somewhere about there where Pierre Paul saw a small red point...
REVERSE 2 REVERSE 2 is the harness that has changed the concept of harnesses. It is an all-in-one glider bag that can be converted to a light and comfortable harness with a reassuring airbag and an innovative 10 mm back protector made from ultra-dense (impact-resistant) foam. REVERSE 2 brings the advantages and safety of the traditional airbag harness with foam back protection by combining the two systems. What you experience is maximum comfort and safety. The REVERSE 2 could be your daily leisure flying harness. CorduraŠ and high quality materials are light and durable. If you like hiking, you will appreciate the comfortable bag and the lightness of REVERSE 2. The volume is big enough for all pilots who like to fly and travel light.
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Flying with Friends It's not usual but we would really to thank Philippe Clerjon for sharing with us his short mystery report. It is of course linked with flying in his home town - Annecy. So, the question to be answered still remains. What is the real story well hidden behind the red spot?
March started the fly ing season with strong thermals. The trees still did not sta rt to show off with new green leaves but the snow started to disappear slowly. But it was the time to fly. The first thermal brought us to the top of Les Dent de Lanfon and it wa s somewhere about there where Pie rre Paul saw a small red point. Is it just a piece of cloth? Reserve? A glid er? Nobody reported any accident and during last weeks it was impossible to therm al up so high. And next day we even spotted a "dragon" flying around and checking the red point we saw yesterday. An d that was it! Pierre Paul and my self decided to start search and explore expedition up the re, to the red point. Philippe Clerjon, April, 2012
Alo, alo, alo... The family of Lucie and Tomas is getting bigger and bigger. Their daughter Selma is now happy sister of newly born Mathias.
Happy landings, Mathias. | 11
News from the SKY Monthly magazine published by Sky Paragliders, Published May 2012 © 2012 Sky paragliders All rights reserved
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