< Previous10 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2024 Paragliding Accuracy Nationals The 19th paragliding accuracy national championships took place in mid July at South Cerney. This was an FAI Category 2 event with six nations represented, including pilots from Croatia, Holland, Mongolia, Poland and the USA. The weather was flyable on both days of the weekend, and practice flying was available on the Friday thanks to Arthur Bentley and the Birdwings club. Day 1 began with low but buoyant winds that provided challenging conditions and lots of S-turns to burn off unwanted glide. Arthur Bentley and John Lawrence operated the winch, Chris Haynes marshalled the launch and Jonathan Parkinson was in charge of the judging team. After two rounds William Lawrence (12cm), Andy Shaw and Tyron Paul (both 16cm) all had a DC to their credit and occupied the top three places. Green Dragons led the team event, followed by Poland and Mongolia. The wind speed increased a little in the afternoon to make for easier target approach conditions. Tumku Erdenebat of Mongolia scored a DC in the third round and William Lawrence achieved a second DC in the fourth. By the evening cut-off time four rounds had been completed, with William Lawrence (17cm) still in the lead, followed by Andy Shaw (24cm) and Dunja Bozic (51cm) of Croatia. Green Dragons still led the team event, followed by Poland and Suzie and the Banshees. Sunday started with buoyant low-wind conditions as per the previous day. However the winds picked up quickly to cause the anemometer to start bleeping towards the end of the fifth round. By Round 6 there were lots of re-flights as pilots dealt with a strong thermic wind going over limits. Pilots had to be wary of being too hot in the thermic glide, but not get caught short in a sink cycle. The re-flights slowed the competition down and completing the sixth round was not looking good. However the wind speed did not continue to rise and Round 6 was eventually completed before the cut-off time. Two more pad scores for William Lawrence allowed him to retain his lead to be crowned national champion for a third time. He was also the most improved pilot. Andy Shaw retained second place and Andy Webster moved up from sixth to third in the last round. Green Dragons won the team event to become national champions for the 11th time; Suzie and the Banshees were able to pip Poland to second place in the last round. Trophies were presented by BHPA Accuracy Panel Chairman Mark Bignell. There were prizes from the competition sponsors, and a present for all the pilots and judges from the Mongolian pilots. As ever the nationals rely on teamwork, and big thanks go to meet director Chris Haynes, operators Arthur Bentley and John Lawrence; the launch team of Diane Crabb, Dale McMahon and Morgan McMahon; Judges Jonathan Parkinson, Liz Lawrence, Nikki dead centre Team winners Green Dragons (L-R): Andy Shaw, Tyron Paul and Matt Bignell William Lawrence, 2024 National Champion, posts a DC Photo: Andre w W ebster Photo: Andre w W ebsterSEPTEMBER 2024 SKYWINGS 11 Bodill, Jayne Houston, Billy Elliston, Charlotte Clarke, Hanna Statham and Willow Parkinson;, and admin Cherry McMahon and Andy Webster. Thank you to the sponsors: BGD, Ozone Paragliders, UP Paragliders, Thermal Chasers, Green Dragons Airsports and Andy Shaw. Report by Andy Webster Individual 1 William Lawrence UP Ascent 4 GB 0.16m 2 Andy Shaw UP Rimo GB 0.34m 3 Andy Webster UP Ascent 4 GB 0.64m 4 Krystan Wajs UP Ascent 4 Poland 0.88m 5 Dunja Bozic Davinci Rhythm 2 Croatia 1.12m 6 Colin Jones Papillon Himalaya 2 GB 1.63m 7 Tyron Paul BGD Adam 2 GB 2.76m 8 John van der Reijden Davinci Point Netherlands 2.88m 9 Matthew Bignell UP Rimo GB 3.17m 10 Dale McMahon UP Ascent 4 USA 6.46m Team 1 Green Dragons A A Shaw, T Paul, M Bignell 15.91m 2 Suzie and the Banshees S Britnell, A Webster, C Jones 34.92m 3 Poland K Wajs, S Thapa, D McMahon 35.85m 4 Mongolia E Sukhee, T Erdenebat, D Bodill 53.71m 5 Ham & Cheese W Lawrence, B Woodcock, C McMahon 66.11m 6 Sky Rebels J Reijden, A Harder, J Lawrence 71.32m Best veteran Don Bodill Best Lady Dunja Bozic Best Youth Tyron Paul Most Improved Pilot (Stick Trophy) William Lawrence Best Youth Tyron Paul in action Photo: Andrew WebsterScotBOS Local pilots’ flight logs produce a conclusive argument: if you must pick a week to fly in Scotland it should be in early June. It hadn’t worked so well last time, in 2006, with only one flying day – but a great day it was, even on local TV. ‘Be it fair or be it wet, the weather always pays its debt’; after the BOS 1 washout in May we had some great weather coming … An amazing local team had found an excellent location at Blair Drummond near Stirling, well placed for all the possible flying sites. Excellent work had been done to secure access along normally-locked forestry tracks. Day 1, Sunday June 9th, looked quite windy; some pilots thought it too windy and mistakenly arrived later. We flew at Bishop Hill above the Scottish Gliding Centre at Portmoak, a lovely big ridge surrounded by flatlands. The wind, turning gradually more north, made access to the main ridge from launch more difficult, and those that chose to wait were caught out and went down. Despite that, some pilots managed climb high enough in front of launch to reach the main face much later. The task was more or less a downwind run to Crail, south of the Tay, after a single northerly turnpoint, less than 50km in total. After the turnpoint some of us headed north to good-looking clouds toward the Tay; others went more downwind toward the south-east coast, where it looked like the increasing wind might make reaching goal difficult. After a good start I ended up on my own under a lacklustre sky, drifting in weak lift. But having made the investment of getting north of the course line, I was OK when I eventually found stronger lift. When the sky opened up with a base of 6000ft it was an easy cloud-hop to the finish. There I found Stewart Reid and Mike Armstrong on their rigids, Stewart having contacted a wave-assisted convergence line to follow the south-east coast crosswind into goal. He also flies sailplanes out of Portmoak and has considerable local knowledge. Darren Brown did a tour of the county to arrive quite a bit later. The forecast had predicted good conditions after a day off on Monday, but Tuesday was dull and overcast. Nevertheless we headed to Glencoe and a super-slick logistical operation to get everyone to the top of the chair lift. We then faced a considerable carry to launch in a wind a bit west of north. I discovered there was no SD card in my camera; surely an amazing flight was due! An 80km task was set to the south, with two turnpoints to keep us along the roads. Gradually the base lifted and some sun started to appear. Soon a few of us were managing to stay more or less above the launch, soaring a gulley to the left until it became too turbulent, then scuttling back to do it again. More pilots launched, but it was those who slid off round the corner, having had enough of this game, who found the first decent climb to cloudbase. It seemed a long time before I was up near base over Meall a’ Bhùiridh with Steve Blackler. Heading off to where I’d seen the others climb, it quickly became more of a glide to a road than a glide to a thermal. Steve went more directly south and stayed higher, under better clouds where there were no roads. I was rewarded with quite a nice climb over the Lochans and soon joined Darren and Justin on Beinn an Dòthaidh and then Ben Dorain. They had been there a while, and together we minced and scratched our way southward toward the turnpoint. We were joined by a few others, but several dropped out to land as the 12 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2024 hang points Loch Turret reservoir on glide for goal, Task 3 The launch at Glencoe Photo: Gordon Rigg Photo: Gordon RiggSEPTEMBER 2024 SKYWINGS 13 fields turned to forest before the turnpoint. We found a climb out in the valley, some sort of convergence approaching Crianlarich, and could see Steve Blackler ahead climbing on Ben More after the first turnpoint. But we had lost Justin Needham, Bill Bell and Richard Hunt down in the valley, while Oliver Moffatt had somehow scraped his way up to join us. Climbing with Oliver and Darren on Benmore, it was easy to understand why it’s a favourite place for the paragliders to carry up on nil-wind days. But still hard to believe that Jeremy Soper carried his Moyes RX up there last year! The chase was on to catch Steve, a climb ahead. Blue skies and cumulus beckoned, but pushing ahead left me without the expected climb at the next turnpoint. I flew further into the cylinder only finding weak lift; the others were so far above as to be out of sight. Following the lift while looking for landings ahead can be amazing. I was getting rather close to the surface, seeing groups of deer, and rabbits hopping about. Eventually I saw I could glide down Glen Kendrum and make the A84 and the railway. I approached the Strathyr Ridge well below the top, with limited time to search before I’d need to turn back to land near roads at Lochearnhead. Immediately I hit the strong, rough convergence I had met before the first turnpoint. Averaging about 5-up, I suddenly had Darren with me, who had been ghosting me from above. From the top of this one it looked like a final glide might be on, or at least a glide into the flat fields beyond Loch Lubnaig. Thinking about the descending air from the northerly wind, we all stopped (Oliver was with us again) to circle in a 2-up for the final glide to the airfield on the River Forth that was our goal. At each turn the cumulus south of us grew – time to leave on fairly optimistic numbers. The air under that cumulus was something else, giving me a crazy 8:1 to goal from the conservative 12 I had started with. But how come nobody had told us the course line was right across Flanders Moss? 5km of swamp with the airfield immediately after it! I was glad to be coming in fast and high! Steve Blacker was already there of course, and the two local rigid aces too, with Stewart fastest again. For the third task we were on Strathyre, which I recognised from the day before. Conditions didn’t look much good: an even overcast and virtually no movement of air, never mind wind. Like the day before it was Stewart, who seemed to feel some sort of duty from bringing us all here, who launched first. He started to climb, and pretty soon all the usual suspects were climbing too, except Darren who somehow missed it. But now it all looked totally different: LIGHT 2 LINER XC EN C EMBRACE THE WILDERNESS Crafted to explore big, wild spaces the Camino 2 is nimble on the ground and graceful in the sky. Suitable for pilots who love adventure whether that be hike ‘n‘ fly, vol biv’ or simply those who prefer the handling of lightweight wings. Easy take-off, smooth, co-ordinated handling with 2 liner performance. • excellent climbing with Wave Leading Edge • comfortable, light but direct brake feeling • transmits coherent information about the air • rapid and smooth acceleration on bar • high pitch stability in strong conditions • nitinol rods for lightness and compact packing (weight from 3.09kg)patches of sun and a much better-looking sky over the back. The task was 40km out to Pitlochry and not quite all the way back, finishing to the south at Crieff for 80km. It’s amazing how we UK pilots can switch our thinking from, ‘I wonder if I can stay up?’ to full-on racing mode! With base at over 5000ft to start, we were fast along Loch Earn, then turned north. We had been told the area was nothing but private estates where lengthy negotiations would be needed to get our gliders out. Never mind that – base was getting higher and the thermals stronger! It was a dance under the cumulus to Pitlochry for me, with Steve Blackler and Ollie Moffatt chasing. Having taken a line upwind of the course line, I arrived at the turnpoint first and was climbing there when the other flexwings arrived below. Soon I was sitting nicely above Steve and Ollie on the way back, and we saw Darren Brown pass us on his way out, way below. What had happened to the rigids who had been ahead of us? Leaving the others behind on a straight line to goal, my instruments were much more optimistic about the glide than the mountains indicated. The final glide took me low over the summit of Auchnafree Hill and along the glassy-smooth Loch Turret reservoir. Still with the instruments saying 5:1, the high ground meant I just followed the contours not going very fast – raising the possibility that there might be someone overtaking me. As it happened, not quite. Steve Blackler came over just after I landed, and then Mike Armstrong and Ollie Moffatt. Stewart came in quite a bit later having wasted lot of time in weak lift in sea air – that sailplane experience doesn’t always help! Eventually Darren came in too, having spent a lot of time in the valleys without many roads. Huge thanks go to meet director Martin Colclough, local organisers Stewart Reid and Mike Armstrong, and especially Irene Carson who did a lot of work organising non-flying activities, even though husband Donnie had suffered an accident just a few days before the event. And thanks to Jon Sacre’s excellent work, not one car was left on any launch and everyone was retrieved without hassle. Thanks also to Glencoe Mountain Resort, Blair Drummond Caravan Park and the Blair Drummond Smiddy. Report by Gordon Rigg Class 1 1 Gordon Rigg Litespeed RX Pro 2 Darren Brown Litespeed RX Pro 3 Steven Blackler Litespeed RX Pro Class 2 1 Stewart Reid Atos VQ 2 Mike Armstrong Atos VQ 3 Nick Collins Atos VR Club Class 1 Andrew Woods Gecko 155 2 Torquil Clyde Gecko 155 3 Scott McMeekin Gecko 170 Full 14 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2024 Brits take Silver at Class 5 Pre-Worlds! Six tasks at Àger in early July saw British Class 5 pilots finish a close second to the Spanish team flying on home turf. Paul Harvey, Mike Armstrong and Steward Red took 8th, 9th and 10th places, with Tim King 12th, Ricardo Marques da Costa 19th, Nigel Bray 20th and Neil Atkinson 27th. Apart from Ricardo and Neil’s VRs, the Atos VQ was the weapon of choice. Austria’s Chris Friedl took the overall win and Germany took Bronze. In Class 1 the Brits finished 5th overall, led by Gordon Rigg in 21st and Dave Matthews in 24th places. Steve Penfold was 33rd, Soperman 39th, Darren Brown 42nd and Malcolm Brown 49th. Team winners were the Czech Republic ahead of Australia and Italy. Frenchman Mario Alonzi was overall winner. Report next month. Full hang points Romping home to win the first ScotBOS flexie task Photo: Gordon RiggSEPTEMBER 2024 SKYWINGS 15 WalesBOS Enthralled still by those dramatic flights through the Scottish Highlands just two weeks earlier, we assembled again in the more mellow, but equally enchanting hills of Mid-Wales. Nestled in the Fforest Fields campsite below Aberedw Hill, we were greeted by jovial tales from our meethead Martin Colclough. With a light westerly forecast by Richard Hunt, we were soon on the road for the Long Mynd. I had finished ScotBOS trailing Stewart Reid and Mike Armstrong by about 200 points in Class 5. It was their country and I was pleased to have made it through! Could I pull back those points across a landscape that is my own backyard? We know that dramatic days can often unfold from the poorest of starts. With maximum lift of 250fpm forecast, only a 3500ft base and a very grey sky, we scanned every fold of the landscape for a hint of sunlight. A 40km elapsed-time ‘race to anywhere’ was set for all classes. Today that would be straight downwind. Not the booming fast climb-and-race conditions of ScotBOS but a day where the rigid wings could excel; their superior sink rate might just make this possible. Stewart was suddenly off on his VQ in the meagre breeze. He had done this every day in Scotland and it had worked for him there. I launched soon after, followed by Justin Needham on his RX. We struggled for a while, but I clung to the weakest of climbs by the gliding club as I watched Stewart going down. Was this my chance? The climb eventually took me to cloudbase at 3400ft asl. The drift was painfully slow, and with no sunlight and largely uniform greyness downwind, it was going to be a slow journey with no incentive to glide off. Slow and fragmented climbs eventually took me as far as I could go, 6km short of the goal line, landing just past Bridgnorth. Unbeknown to me, Justin had recovered from almost going down and climbed out with Phippsy to get over the back and win the Class 1 task at 11km. Meanwhile the wind had become soarable, but no one else had found a sufficiently good climb to take them safely across the ravines at the back of the Mynd. However all those that rigged managed to fly, some for much of the afternoon. All of Class 5 had launched, the scoring this time working in my favour, and I had won the task. I was now only 20 points short of Stewart in the series. Day 2 showed real promise, with the advantage that the north-westerly would require a journey to the hill of less than a mile. Although more overdeveloped than had been forecast, there was a soarable breeze as we rigged. An exciting 73.5km task to Chepstow was set with a turnpoint at Llangorse Lake, easily achievable in a fast time if the sky were to open up. But by the time the window opened at 1pm the wind had reduced and the completely unlit sky was barely soarable – very similar to the day before on the Mynd! But we don’t do this sport because it is easy; we do it for the challenges and the chance to fly with friends deep through the heart of these beautiful landscapes. I launched first, followed by Justin and Stewart. For five minutes it looked hopeful, with us easily staying up, but soon the demise began. The pair landed quickly on top whilst they had a chance. A wise move as I spent the next ten minutes 70ft below, relying on the VR’s sink rate and some ‘terrain interaction’ to pop me up eventually into a small and very weak climb. It took me out … slowly! Inching upward, in almost no wind, to a 3500ft cloudbase was a repeat of the day before. The sky had some differentiated form but there was no sun on the ground. It took me over an hour and 20 minutes to make it to Talgarth Gliding Club, just short of the first turnpoint at 20km. Dave Barber and Tim King struggle at the Mynd Photo: Nichola Hemming fieldSometime later, back on the hill, the wind increased and some sun made it through. Several flex and rigid pilots were able to do a similar distance, but in less than half of my time. Tim King and his VQ made the turnpoint to win the Class 5 day, and I had overtaken Stewart by some margin. Justin again won Class 1. Tim Swait was close behind with his Avian Puma, showing again the good performance of this British-made kingposted glider in capable hands. Day 3 and back to the Mynd in a westerly. We stood, unimpressed, in the 25 mph wind with low, grey sky above, knowing that trying to escape low over the top of the Mynd in this wind strength is unwise. Pete Attley free flew, but no one else was enthused to rig and the day was canned. Day 4’s forecast was looking quite good. Back on the hill behind the campsite, the task was the same as Day 2: goal at Chepstow. The sky was overdeveloped early on, but there were blue holes when most of us launched and the wind was 16 to 18mph at times; we were all surprised at how much lift there was. Strong, repeated cores took us to cloudbase at 3800ft asl behind the hill; but over the back there was little to glide for and we were all soon grappling for lift in the Wye valley south of Builth. I ended up soaring a 100ft ridge where the river takes a turn east, taking a small thermal that gave me an extra half a mile at best. Tim King had again made best distance at 20km, near Talgarth, and the rest of us weren’t far behind. Flexwings were no better served by the conditions, with Phippsy just a field further on than Justin at 16km. All were quickly retrieved by the excellent new system organised by Jon Sacre. After the strength and consistency of the climb-out it had been a disappointment. With Day 5 canned before it had even started, we had a morning prizegiving. No tasks had been activated in Club class, but Justin had won BOS 3 for the flexwings and I had pulled my way back to win the Class 5 event, and the series. BOS competitions are only made possible by the selfless work of individuals behind the scenes, many of whom are on the Competition Panel. I know I am not alone in thanking them all, and in particular Irene Carson and Jon Sacre for so many aspects of the organisation, as well as Richard Hunt, Julian Todd and Steve Penfold for such efficient returns of the scoring. I am optimistic that we will see an invigorated competition scene on UK soil next year. Yes, the weather can be difficult, but now that a successful Scottish event has resurfaced we have a competition available in each nation of the British Isles. It’s a wonderful scene; your only chance to experience flying in friendly competition with well-organised retrieves from hills across these isles. Report by Nick Collins Class 1 1 Justin Needham Litespeed RX Pro 2 Graham Phipps Wills Wing T2 3 Tim Swait Avian Puma Class 5 1 Nick Collins Atos VR 2 Tim King Atos VQ 3 Mike Armstrong Atos VQ Full BOS overall (normalised) Class 1 1 Gordon Rigg Litespeed RX Pro 2 Darren Brown Litespeed RX Pro 3 Steven Blackler Litespeed RX Pro Class 2 1 Nick Collins Atos VR 2 Mike Armstrong Atos VQ 3 Tim King Atos VQ Sports Class 1 Andrew Woods Gecko 155 2 Torquil Clyde Gecko 155 3 Scott McMeekin Gecko 170 Full results: 16 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2024 The Comps Panel are proposing a weekend this autumn or next spring to help develop pilots’ XC skills. It will be aimed at competent pilots who haven’t yet flown XC, or who lack confidence in leaving the hill. Classroom sessions, and flying work which may include short tasks, will be focused on instilling confidence and honing the relevant skills. It is hoped to run the weekend in September or October this year, or early next spring; numbers will be limited to allow individual support. The Long Mynd area is a possible location but has not been confirmed. Costs will be kept to a minimum. Pilots will be responsible for their own accommodation and transport, but a retrieve system will be in place. If you’d like to start flying XC and/or would welcome support and guidance, complete the Registration of Interest Form here Brits storm French Open! A total of 12 British pilots contested the French Open at Laragne, just a week ahead of the British Championships in August. Mike Armstrong and Nigel Bray finished 1st and 2nd in Class 5 with Tim King 4th, and Grant Crossingham led the Class 1 results with Dave Matthews 3rd, Steve Penfold 7th, Jermemy Soper 13th and Darren Brown 14th. Full report on this event and the British Championships next month. XC Skills Development Weekend hang points ‘We do it for the challenges and the chance to fly with friends …’ Photo: Nichola HemmingfieldSEPTEMBER 2024 SKYWINGS 17 Adam 2 Motor BGD’s beginner paramotor wing reappears in a second incarnation, tested by BGD star Pasquale Biondo and approved by Florida’s One-Up Adventures school. It’s said to be easy to launch, with high passive safety and forgiving flight characteristics. Features include clearly labelled and smooth-operating roller-cam trimmers, durable fabrics to withstand student use, and sheathing on all lines. The 36-cell wing has a flat aspect ratio of 4.8 (3.4 projected). Five sizes cover all-up weights from 55-150kg for power and 50-125kg for free flight. Free-flown with the trimmers closed, the Adam Motor 2 holds EN A certification. Details from BGD dealers or contact UK Airsports on 01768 779800, e-mail: Sigma DLS Advance say the new Sigma DLS brings a significant performance leap over the Sigma 11. The lightweight sport class (EN C) wing is aimed at pilots seeking efficiency and control for big XC flights. Construction fea- ture Nitinol mini-ribs, colour-coded unsheathed lines and a separate A- riser for big ears, plus C-handle pitch control. The 65-cell wing has an aspect ratio of 6.1 (4.5 projected), and the Sigma 11’s weight has been brought down by 350g to 4.35kg for the 24 (84-97kg) size. Four sizes cover ideal pilot weights from 72-124kg; a smaller 20m size is under development. From Advance dealers everywhere, for more information go Concertina/ compression bag Apco have released an all-in-one concertina and compression bag in light but durable rip- stop to facilitate fast, compact storage. Use it as a concertina bag, wrapping around a har- ness for minimum plastic rod bending, or as a compression bag. It features inner and outer zippers for concertina or compression modes, four buckles, a riser pocket to keep lines neat, ventilation mesh and a built-in carry handle. It measures 65 x 35 x 20cm (45 litres) when packed, or 275 x 41cm unzipped. Weight is 305g. The bag can be supplied in any requested colours (if stock allows), and can be had at a special price if ordered with a wing. From Apco dealers everywhere; details are at More T-shirts New T-shirts from Advance are 95% cotton, in their usual high quality but with new styles and colours. Colours are coffee (brown), sky (blue!) and jade (photo). Sizes are S-XL, but the sky one goes to XXL and the jade one from XS-XXL. From Advance dealers everywhere; details from the advance website as above. Talking varios Stodeus have released an ultimate version of their popular mini vario series, the UltraBip. In addition to features found in their other solar-powered varios, the UltraBip features GPS, Bluetooth and a talking information system! At the (double) tap of a finger, altitude, speed, average climb rate, heading, flight duration and more can be heard through the built-in speaker, or via a USB-C headset. In addition, the unit can be paired with phones and tablets for use with popular flying apps such as XCTrack, FlySkyHy, etc. Available direct at €279.95 or from Stodeus dealers, or contact UK Airports on 01768 779800, e-mail: product news‘I loved spending time at the airfield, even though it was a two-hour drive there and back, but the following year I was ready for the hills. When the hill conversion didn’t quite work out I booked my first overseas course with Axis in Morocco to get my hill tasks signed off. But the weather didn’t deliver and I finally got signed off with Mark Dann at Beyond Extreme in Shropshire. ‘As a CP pilot I joined the Dales club and set about trying to get some airtime. As a shy young female it was quite a struggle to connect with the club and various bods. And there didn’t seem to be that many flyable days for my level. Undeterred, I booked a thermalling course at Sopot in Bulgaria with Mark Leavesley. Mark encouraged me no end, and soon I was finding climbs and thermalling with him as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ‘My confidence soared and I began to push my envelope for dynamic manoeuvres. I was getting the measure of my capabilities and my Ozone Buzz. But another jaunt, to Oludeniz, may have set me back. I was terrified! We were going to lob off a 1900m mountain and land on a beach that you couldn’t see from take-off. My ground handling was poor, a downside, perhaps, of not learning to fly on a windy UK hill. But once out over the sea I relaxed, and landed on the promenade literally buzzing. I loved Turkey so much that I spent several months there the following year. ‘Back on UK soil, I joined more clubs and travelled to different sites. On my first XC, from Clough Head, I found myself in the house thermal with Mike Cavanagh, managing somehow to outclimb him – a benefit of my small wing’s ability to core tightly. It was only a 15km flight down the valley but it was absolutely magical. Not only had I tasted free flight, but, hell, I could actually go places! ‘After my first 50km flight from Bradwell, Rich Westgate called to say congrats. He asked, ‘How high was base?’ I had no idea – I’d not really paid much attention to the numbers my instrument was telling me. I realised I should work on the technical and safety aspects of XC, particularly airspace. ‘I’ve come a long way since those formative years. It didn’t bother me that my flying career took a slow path. I was having so much fun, and it was a great way to meet like-minded people. I’ve met some wonderful characters and made some very special friends along the way, and I’ve had the privilege to fly in Australia, South Korea, Norway and many other European countries. ‘I’ve dabbled in competition as a way to advance my learning. At my first Chabre Open there was less interest in novice competition than there is now, and I like to think I set off a bit of a trend. It was cheaper than a flying holiday, and I tried to encourage anyone who’d listen to give comps a go. ‘When my son was born in 2016 I took a short break from flying. When I discovered I was pregnant (whilst flying in South Korea) I stopped flying, but when he was three months old I returned to my local hill in Wiltshire and took him with me. Flying, landing and feeding him, it was a great feeling to be a mother and a pilot. My husband made all this possible and I owe him a great deal. Over the years he has been my biggest fan and continues to encourage and enable me to go flying as a full-time mother and wife. I hope some day to be able to return to the adventures of overseas flying trips, but for now they’re limited to an annual SIV.’ Age? 45 Where were you born? Yorkshire. Where do you live now? I live in Wiltshire with my husband Brian and our eight-year old son Ralph (the retrieve team), chosen for its easy accessibility to many local ‘pimples’ (a Yorkshire term for southern hills). Brian’s unrelenting support and encouragement to be able to do anything you set your heart on has been a huge factor in quelling the nay-saying voices (both internal and external). Occupation? Director of Team Proffitt. Previous occupations? Various roles in IT Project Delivery. Who and what inspires you? I’ve learnt so much from so many pilots, but recently Chris Williams for his support and encouragement, especially when I did my first hike- and-fly race in South East Wales. Craig Atwell for being a bird in human form, and Richard Carter for setting and breaking so many UK XC distance records. What inspires me most is those pilots who make flying look effortless, their fast decision making, changing gear according to the conditions, and efficient fast flying, all skills of which make for flying a very long way. What is your favourite flying site in England? Any of the sites in the Lake District – when it’s working there it’s just stunningly beautiful! What is your favourite flying site in the world? The Julian Alps. What trait do you most deplore in yourself? Taking myself too seriously. I wish I could learn to relax about my self- image and care less about what others think of me. What trait do you most deplore in other people? Deceit, particularly to oneself. I don’t accept that people can lie to themselves and expect society as a whole to accept that lie as truth. When not flying what do you do for recreation? I get precious little time to myself, but when I do I like to keep abreast of current affairs. I also spend a lot of my mornings at the gym when it’s not flyable. What is your favourite piece of music? I love music almost as much as I love paragliding. During lockdown when we couldn’t fly, music was one of the few things that kept me sane. On my playlist right now is the album Back In Love City by the Vaccines. I love Lana Del Rey’s early work and pretty much anything by UNKLE. What is your favourite book? Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugerman. What is your favourite film? Avatar. What is your greatest fear? Outliving my son. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Sharing the sky with friends, followed by a sundowner. What would your motto be? Question everything. How would you like to be remembered? As the ninja concertina packer! 18 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2024 pilot profile No. 369: Ella Proffitt ‘Free flight has always been in my heart. Some of those early childhood dreams of flying and levitation now feel like actual memories. I always knew I would seek out flying, but it wasn’t until I turned 30 that I had the time and money to do something about it. A colleague convinced me that paragliding was the thing; we booked a course with Airways Airsports and I’ve never looked back. Photo: Brian Prof fittSEPTEMBER 2024 SKYWINGS 19 FAIRHAVEN ELECTRONICS LTD MICRO ALTI 2 Now available with bluetooth! The Micro Alti 2 is our latest wristwatch- size multifunction vario-altimeter which now includes Bluetooth-5 to connect to paragliding apps! It provides ultimate vario sensitivity with a loud audio tone system, QNE and QNH references, G-meter, weather trend, humidity, vario averager, weak lift thermal finder, FM radio, time clock and timers, and gives up to 70 hours of battery life! The Micro Alti 2 also has USB-C and headphone sockets and is supplied with wrist strap and riser mounting clips. Bluetooth Micro Alti 2 £139 (no Bluetooth £119) for more info and FAIRHAVEN 01332 670707Next >