Judith Mole provides a great podcast on Safety - human factors, simulation, training, mindset, and the need for candid discussion/examination of issues regarding it. Part of the discussion brings up the idea of the 'snuff list' - an informal list of pilots who are likely going to hurt/kill themselves that is shared word of mouth. Invariably …
Reminiscent. First flight.
A query on paragliding forum: do you recall your first 'solo'* flight? ... License in hand, having only been issued two weeks prior after a weekend of SIV flights. A beautiful Saturday afternoon in early fall. Fall days are tame days, forgiving and gentle - a near guaranteed sled run punctuated with the rare bump. …
Homeward Bound and musing on Paragliding Safety.
Eleven thousand meters over the arctic circle, in a metal tube hurtling through the atmosphere at an appreciable fraction of the speed of sound. I look back on my experiences over the past four weeks, a few epiphanies come to mind: Seize every chance to learn. Every pilot, novice to master, has something to share. …
Continue reading Homeward Bound and musing on Paragliding Safety.
Final Cross Country Exam.
A rare west wind. Kelly has ambitions of a twenty-five kilometer FAI triangle. Landing options abound within a single glide of the ridge until past Paderno. Our XC quartet are becoming accustomed with the rougher air over the ridge and have started demonstrating the ability to carve and coarsely map thermals. In essence, we are …
Going Places
Tuesdays menu brings us another east wind day, so... A Costalunga we go, we go... A Costalunga we go. Upon arrival it is quickly obvious that the aggregate thermic and meteo winds are not for the faint in heart nor the low in experience (for the folk back home, think mid-summer on the Mt.Woodside launch …
Fear Factor
Monday, the routine continues with one slight variation. The east wind from the day before is persisting and requires a relocation in terms of launches. Which brings us to... Costalunga. This south east facing paragliding launch site here in Bassano is maybe five gliders wide and three gliders long with a steep grade, tall uncut …
Paragliding Idiocy.
A day off! Three weeks of patiently waiting for this day, this very day. A day where I can do nothing, absolutely nothing. Laundry? Ahh, laundry. Options are weighed. Day of Nothing or ... laundry. Pondering advice of the sages... Use sunscreen. Check. Never be the last to arrive. Check. Never be the smelliest person …
Feeling the Air
It is Friday and week one of thermal/XC training is drawing to a close. A proper send off flight is planned for Matt, Paul, Bev and Maurice -> meet in the parking lot at 0730 and head up to the high (1500m) launch for a smooth 20+ minute sled ride down to the hotel LZ …
Surrender
A pair of lines, six abreast, sit kneeling and facing the shrine. Uniform in dress, yet varying in age, race, and gender. Each is clad in blue uwagi and black hakama with the only allowances for personal expression are the subtle variations in adornment to the katana that sits to right of each on the …
Flying Outside the Risers
Wednesday, it's Wednesday...I think. The days have faded into a blur, where the only reference to a particular day of the week is which night the restaurant at the hotel is closed. Life is evolving into a paragliding equivalent of 'Groundhog Day' - up at 5, bank machine hunt at 5:15*, back by 6:45. Skype …
FlyinOrange 