No. 405 JANUARY 2023 The magazine of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association2 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2023 attitude So, fast forward 50 years, and here I was at Woldingham, with my younger brother, in front of Green Dragons Airsports, wanting to experience that childhood dream of flying like an eagle. There are many excellent BHPA-registered schools, but we went with one that was close to where we live in London. We did not really know what to expect on the first day when we showed up at Green Dragons. There were other students with us, some as new as us and some who had already done their CP and Pilot training and were there for further learning and getting certified on more niche tasks. Andy Shaw (CFI at Green Dragons) has a great team of instructors, some of whom are on the UK Paragliding Accuracy team. These instructors spent the next few days not only teaching us the theory and hands-on of paragliding, but more importantly, sharing with us information about the BHPA and the importance and value of such an organisation and how it encourages the sport. The first ten days were spent getting us familiar with site-assessment briefings, safety techniques and ground handling, then doing some first hops from a small hill, and then some flight exercises and talking about simple flight plans. My first hop, the time when my feet first left the ground, was like I achieved ‘nirvana’ … a feeling of total liberation, even though it was just for a minute or so. I will never forget that feeling, or the feeling when I landed back on the ground. Even though we were knackered doing ground handling all day, we kept going up the hill again and again until sundown, just to feel the high of being in the air. And then, after ten days, both of us – the ‘Flying Brothers’ as Andy called us – passed the EP exam. At this point we were so excited to continue to learn and experience more that we signed up for Green Dragons’ Thermal Chasers program. The very next day many of us headed to Craswall in Herefordshire, near Hay Bluff. There we met many other paragliders from other schools and experienced a wonderful camaraderie with them. Many other club members and trainee instructors joined us as we went from site to site, day by day, avoiding the bad weather. In these ten days we were mountain soaring, sand-dune flying, ridge-soaring and thermalling; some did top-landings and others even did cross- country flying. Many of the members and trainee instructors from various clubs revised their CP and Pilot tasks too. Andy and his trainers taught us how to handle our gliders in strong conditions with forward and reverse launches. They explained venturi effect, the importance of reading the weather and creating a flight plan, and being ready with landing approach options 1, 2 and 3. We also did controlled landings within ten metres of the target. Later on we learned and demonstrated a consistent level of utilising ridge lift to maintain and gain height. At one point there were over ten paragliders in the air with us, and Andy taught us to navigate, keeping in mind the rules of collision avoidance. With such a group of trainees, pilots, and instructors from various BHPA clubs, it was an amazing experience. Now, after two weeks of being back in the USA, I am still feeling ‘high’ and am determined to come back soon and fly again with these awesome members of the Green Dragons team. With the support of such a family of paragliders and BHPA members, I am hoping to continue to learn, and to be a trainer someday and maybe even represent a BHPA club in one of the competitions. I’m looking forward to rejoining Andy and his team, and the Thermal Chasers program, soon. Shekhar was visiting the UK from the USA. His brother Sunny lives here; both are now ‘addicted to paragliding’. He hopes to return to the UK in the Spring, when both brothers intend to complete CP training. Shekhar retires in 2024 and intends to fly frequently in the UK and Europe. How paragliding opened my eyes to a new world SHEKHAR MAHAJAN, NEW EP PILOT Since my childhood, my brother Sunny and I imagined what it would feel like to soar in the sky like an eagle, but we never had the opportunity to do so. We were just caught up in a rat race to make a living, like so many others. Finally, we realised that it was getting late – but not too late – to make our dreams come true.4 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2023 regulars reviews features THE BHPA LTD 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RJ. Tel: 0116 289 4316. SKYWINGS MAGAZINE is published monthly by the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Ltd to inform, educate and entertain those in the sports of Paragliding and Hang Gliding. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, their Council, Officers or Editor. The Editor and publisher accept no responsibility for any supposed defects in the goods, services and practices represented or advertised in this magazine. The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions. ISSN 0951-5712 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DELIVERY ENQUIRIES Tel: 0116 289 4316, THE EDITOR Joe Schofield, 39 London Road, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9BH. Tel: 01379 855021. COVER PHOTO Shaun Crockford, above cloud at 3,000ft over Combiers, Nouvelle Aquitaine, while flying with John Cooper Photo: Shaun Crockford THIS PAGE Jeremy Soper and Moyes RS cross the Severn at Arlingham in June 2021 Photo: Jeremy Soper DESIGN & PRODUCTION Fargher Design Ltd. Killane House, Ballaugh, Isle of Man, IM7 5BD. PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Newman Thomson Ltd, One Jubilee Rd, Victoria Ind. Est, Burgess Hill, RH15 9TL. ADVERTISING Tel: 07624 413737 SKYWINGS ONLINE All issues of Skywings magazine are now freely available DEADLINES News items and event/competition reports for the March issue must be submitted to the Skywings office by Friday February 3rd. Letters for the February Airmail pages should arrive no later than Monday January 16th. Advertisement bookings for the February edition must arrive by Wednesday January 11th. Copy and classified bookings no later than the following Wednesday January 18th.JANUARY 2023 SKYWINGS 56 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2023 New Sports Class racing series As reported here in November, an exciting new paragliding competition series is afoot, led by Airtribune’s Brett Janaway. The Sports-Class Racing Series (SRS) is aimed at all competitive pilots except those flying EN D and CCC gliders. Although the idea has been circulating for a few years, the recent arrival of EN C two-liner wings has brought it into sharper focus. Among the features of the new series are a new, transparent scoring formula, faster scoring systems, the latest generation of trackers, and top-notch PR. The new format will crown an annual Sports Class Champion after four or five competitive FAI Category 2 events between May and September. This year’s four venues are all well-proven sites for challenging but achievable tasks. Each comp is free-standing; pilots do not have to attend them all. The series is supported by some of the sport’s leading names including Ozone, XCMag, Flymaster and Naviter. The organising team includes some equally formidable names. Brett has been organising competitions and events for 20 years and has developed the Airtribune network; his company FlyEvent rents trackers to paragliding events worldwide. Charles Norwood, dynamo chairman of British Paragliding Comps; Nicole Fedele, PWC and World Championship veteran, test pilot and record breaker; former PWCA scoring-systems genius Chris Trow and seasoned event administrator Magdalena Janaway together represent serious firepower. Would-be SRS entrants should note that you don’t have to fly an EN C 2-liner. Pilots flying all kinds of EN A, B and C wings are encouraged to enter. For details go to Airtribune on December 1st. The 2023 SRS schedule is: • May 7-13 Kruševo, North Macedonia • June 3-9 St Jean Montclar, France • July 16-23 Gemona, Italy • September 10-16 Pedro Bernardo, Spain And another new series! Almost simultaneous with the release of details of the SRS came news of yet another new competition series. The ‘Sports Class Paragliding World Cup’ is being promoted by 2019 Polish Paragliding Open organiser Przemysław Czerwinski. Its goals are nearly identical too – to avoid the sidelining of Sports-class pilots that occurs with ambitious EN D/CCC tasking. Although four or five FAI Category 2 events are mentioned, including a possible ‘winter’ round in Colombia or Brazil, details of only one have been released (but not confirmed), at Levico Terme in Italy in early May. The series’ main sponsor is Nova; Przemysław has long been a prominent advocate of the Mentor 6. Despite the name, there appears to be no actual connection with the PWCA. There is evidence of some haste in the assemblage of this new series [now hastily renamed the Paragliding Grand Prix!] and some suspicion of a lack of, er, originality. BHPA diversity project At its last meeting, BHPA Exec. agreed to support BHPA member Rhian Ebrey in leading a new project aimed at increasing the number of young, female and Black and Asian Ethnic Minority pilots in the sport, and retaining these pilots once qualified. Barriers to this wider participation are seen as partly financial, and partly a lack of minority visibility and peer support. Rhian will seek external funding from the National Lottery, North Yorkshire Sport and the UK Government’s ‘Outdoors for All’ initiative, among other potential sources. The intention is to provide a scholarship programme for young people of all genders and/or BAEM groups to complete their EP and CP training. Free training for one person to CP level would be accompanied by a new website and a social media campaign, to increase visibility and inspire others from such groups to start paragliding. The project would also build a support network for pilots of these communities. Rhian, a recently-qualified pilot, has several years’ experience in project management and has worked with local communities on social issues. The project stems from her own experiences of starting paragliding. She will be assisted by Active Edge CFI and former British Champion Dean Crosby, and by another newly- qualified paraglider pilot, Alfie Bowen, a professional web developer and former microlight pilot. Funding is being currently sought; it is hoped to start the project in February 2023. Look out for progress reports in these pages. The Great Race – still on! In 2021, teams in the Great Human Powered Aircraft Race were to have attempted to cross the Channel by HPA, hoping to win a £50,000 prize for the fastest crossing. The event was mark the 60th anniversary of the first flight of a human-powered aircraft, Southampton University’s SUMPAC, in 1961. Postponed due to the pandemic, the race has now been rescheduled for summer 2024. A £10,000 prize for the second fastest team and £5,000 for the fastest female pilot are also on offer. Instead of all teams crossing on the same day, they will be able to start when they like between June and August. This gives greater flexibility and safety – the organisers need only focus on one team at time – and keeps the competition in the limelight for much longer, inspiring more people to get involved. No successful attempts have been made since 1979, but Alec Proudfoot’s DaSH and John Edgley’s Aerocycle teams have shown an interest, as have new teams from as far afield as Japan. A news The Gossamer Albatross – first human-powered aircraft to cross the English Channel, in 1979 Photo: NASAJANUARY 2023 SKYWINGS 7 recent enquiry came from Toronto University where they are developing a fast-flying tandem aircraft. Yes, a two-seater! The race, supported by Anne Williams, key member of the original SUMPAC team, is intended to promote STEM engagement among students and inspire the next generation of HPA pilots and engineers. There’s a lot more information at RAEc Trust bursary scheme The Royal Aero Club Trust has announced the start of the 2023 bursary awards scheme for young people. Applicants need to be aged between 14 and 21 – or up to 24 in the case of a follow-on bursary. If you’re in that age group and are involved in paragliding or hang gliding (or gliding, ballooning, parachuting, fixed- or flex-wing microlight flying, or flying model aircraft or flight sims) you can apply for a bursary award. In the last three years the scheme has awarded 33, 27 and 25 bursaries respectively to young fliers to fund their ongoing development. If you are interested in developing your proficiency in your chosen air sport, now is the time to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the scheme. The BHPA usually has one or two recipients each year, but could have many more if only young pilots would apply. This is more or less Free Money for training and development! Full details and application forms are available will be March 31st 2023. BHPA AGM As reported earlier, the Association’s 2023 AGM will take place at Loughborough University on February 25th. This is the moment to learn what the Association’s many volunteers, and its small but effective staff, are doing on your behalf, and to make suggestions as to its future direction. Marc Asquith, Jenny Buck, Paul Dancey, Julie Drake and Tom Prideaux-Brune will all stand down from Exec; of those, Marc Asquith, Jenny Buck, Paul Dancey and Tom Prideaux-Brune are standing for re-election. Brett Janaway and Steve Young have put themselves forward as prospective members. This issue of Skywings contains the voting form for elections to Exec; note that members can vote in person at the meeting, by proxy by giving the form to another member, or remotely by posting their voting form, or scanning it, and sending it to the BHPA Office – see the form itself for details, inserted elsewhere in this issue. The AGM venue will be at Loughborough University’s Holywell Park Conference Centre, LE11 3GR. There is accommodation nearby; contact them for details. All members are welcome to attend; the meeting can also be accessed online via the BHPA Facebook page. Paragliding XC League – good behaviour! A total of 4015 UK flights were entered into the 2022 XC League, and each one of these was checked for airspace compliance. It’s not often realised just how much effort goes into this routine work, aimed at keeping our pilots, other airspace users and the future of the sport safe. Only about 40 of these flights (around 1%) infringed controlled airspace, invariably very minor vertical or horizontal infractions. The figure of 1% is about the average for most seasons, although in the past – but not for the past two years – it has included more serious misjudgements. The most common reasons given for infringements are of the ‘… my instrument didn’t tell me’ type, often due to instrument misconfiguration. So take a bow all paragliding XC pilots, and the league admin team (Richard Bungay, Matt Church, Gary Puhl and John Stevenson), who willingly check all flights for compliance. 8 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2023 news The Sports/Leisure XC League Pioneered by Simon Ford and Ken Wilkinson, the new (2022) Sports and Recreation Class XC Leagues have thrown up some interesting statistics. The project – filtering XCLeague flights by wing class – has been enthusiastically taken up by the Paragliding Comps Panel. The aim is to allow pilots on Sports wings – EN C and below – and Recreational or Leisure wings – EN B and below – to compete against their peers, and for their achievements to be recognised and rewarded. It turns out that approximately 80% of pilots entering the National XC League fly Sports class wings. Of the 340 pilots entering the XCL, 270 flew sports wings exclusively on all their flights. 81 flew D and CCC wings exclusively, and just 11 flew both. Thus there is a greater than 3:1 ratio of Sports to non-Sports gliders and over 1,950 XCL flights were made on Sports gliders. The website is currently being hosted and managed independently of the main XC League, with the XCLeague providing the data. Statistic nerds can do all sorts of analysis CL data by class, flight type, month and number of flights. BHPA/BMFA operating code to be updated Last July we published a synopsis of Airprox report No 2021205 concerning an encounter between a thermalling hang glider and a large (6m) model glider, flown by a BMFA member, over South Harting. It has since become apparent that some details in the report are contested. Chief amongst these is that, although South Harting is a BMFA-recognised site, under CAA/BMFA ‘Article 16’ authorisation, for a model of more than 7.5kg to be flown above 400ft agl at any location a Site Permit must be in place. It is now clear that there was no such permit in place at the time, and that the UKAB report missed this point. However the details of ‘Article 16’ authorisation are far from clear. In a positive response, the BMFA has offered to collaborate with the BHPA to update the existing joint agreement on sharing the air. Although the UKAB report’s conclusion, that there was no actual risk of collision, is not contested, a Skysurfing Club member has written to Sqn Ldr Simon Oldfield, the new UKAB Director, seeking clarification … and urging greater diligence. Icarus Cup dates The 2023 Icarus Cup is now fixed for June 17th to 25th at Lasham airfield in Hampshire. Aerocycles 301 and 302, and Southampton University’s Super Lazarus (pictured – photo: Jesse van Kuijk), will definitely attend, as will the Betterfly and Airglow teams, although the latter are both short on team members to make repairs and help as ground crew. A new machine from Bordeaux University is very close to completion and may also compete. There is currently a buzz in the air around the various HPA teams; look out for new players and new records! Details will be Hang gliding calendar Buyers of Katy Tracey’s 2023 hang gliding calendar will be donating £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. The disease affects one in every eight men; this year it claimed the lives of around 12,000 blokes including BHPA stalwarts Simon Murphy and Everard Cunion. The calendar features 12 superb photographs in large (420 x 594mm) format, with lots of room to write comp dates. Available (overseas – please email for a quote). In brief North Wales repack. The North Wales club’s Jerry Hazzard repack goes ahead on January 21st at Upton-by-Chester Village Hall, 28 Heath Rd, Upton-by-Chester CH2 1HX – the same venue as last year. The event, with BHPA-licensed repacker Bernard Clewer on hand, will start at 10am and wind up at about 3pm. The attendance fee will be a PayPal link. The venue has kitchen facilities for preparing hot drinks, and possibly even a microwave! All enquiries to Club Secretary Ian Home Mighty Wessex Repack. Another repack session in preparation for the new season: Sunday February 5th at the Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre Sports Hall, Wimborne Minster, Dorset BH21 4DT. BHPA-licensed packer Tim Bishop will be present to advise and assist. Wessex members £10; non-members £20. Places are limited; book online type reserve you need to book the am session. Achievement and commitment! In November Nova identified their ‘Pilots of 2022’, a series of awards now in its 15th year. Selected pilots are recognised both for their outstanding achievements and for their commitment to the sport, to the team and to the brand. Switzerland’s Toni Brügger and Joe Staub were honoured, as were three German flatland pilots, Team Captain Thoralf Hase, Johannes Jakobi and Daniel. The full story is Sky Summits return to Colombia. Sky Summits are running two guided Colombia trips to to fly at Roldanillo and Ansermanuevo. These sites offer big, grassy launches, friendly flatland flying conditions and multiple route options. Their fully-managed service includes air-to-air guiding and mountain transport and retrieves, with B&B accommodation at the Finca Sofia. A 12-day trip runs from January 18th-29th, and a longer ten-day trip from February 1st-10th. For bookings and more details visit 300km speed record. Timo Leonetti’s 313.6km triangle flight on August 9th last year, from Col de l’Izoard in France, has been ratified as a world 300km triangle triangle speed record. Timo flew a Gin Boomerang 12 at an average speed of 29.5km/h, exceeding Maxime Pinot’s 28.6km/h record set in 2021. He also beat Maxime’s 308.9km triangle distance. Timo now holds the previously unset European records too. Flight Culture adventures. Upcoming trips with Flight Culture include paragliding in Lanzarote from January 7th-14th (EP JANUARY 2023 SKYWINGS 9 upwards), and in Argentina from April 8th-20th (CP upwards to Advanced). The all-found Argentina itinerary covers sites from the Central Sierras to the more rugged mountains of Traslasierra, including engaging with the region’s culture and history. Go to FlySpain courses. Trips available at FlySpain in Algodonales from February until May include beginner paramotor, paramotor holidays, elementary and Mentor Plus paragliding, paraglider CP, CP Extra and paraglider progression, and hike-and-fly novice. Dates, etc, are all at British Paramotor Open dates. The 2023 British Open Paramotor Championships will take place from June 28th to July 2nd. The venue will again be the excellent airfield and facilities at Wingland airfield near Long Sutton in Lincolnshire; details will be Dr. Frank Lally 1952 - 2022 Frank led a full life before taking up paragliding, having spent 22 years serving his country as a paramedic in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He never really retired once he left the Army and was keen to learn to fly paragliders. Several years on, he had become an experienced and knowledgeable pilot and club coach. His passion for flying was evident to all, and he was always keen to pass on information to others. Frank made a positive input to both the PSA and DSC clubs and was welcomed as part of the PSA committee team. Almost immediately he started the revamp of the PSA’s old, tired website. This was no mean feat, but his experience and skill in website design was key to getting the results he wanted for the benefit of the club. He loved flying abroad and documented many of his flights and travels on YouTube. Again, anything he learned he would pass on. When not flying, Frank and his partner Pam were keen mountain hikers and skiers, embarking in their motorhome on many planned trails in the Highlands of Scotland and all over Europe. He had many sideline projects, but his main focus was conducting pioneering work at Keele University, plotting blood clots in the brain using 3D digital mapping technology. The Keele team were making great progress on this project, and hopefully the work will continue. Frank, who died after a flying accident in October, will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Nearly 80 pilots attended two recent PSA/DSC first aid-courses, with proceeds going to the clubs’ Frank Lally Memorial Fund. Glasses were raised in his name at the PSA in December, celebrating a life that was truly full and a person who never stopped giving. [Mark Bosher/PSA Committee]Next >