IHPA FreeFlight Winter 2014

FreeFlightIHPA

Official magazine of the Irish Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association WINTER 2014

IN THISISSUE

Summer Flying Bobby Gillham’s flying trips to Spain • Marvelous Montellano Munster Kestrel’s favourite site • Site Guide Mount Leinster • Fun & Fly Dorin Borodescu’s competing holiday 2014 • Fly SAFE John Welch outlins what to be aware of when costal soaring • Hike & Fly SPAIN Mario and Rafal Hike and Fly Spain in September • DIY Flight Instrument How to create a Hi-End flight instrument at a fraction of the price • SIV David May tells about his second SIV course

IHPA

SHOTH T Sugar Loaf, Co. Wicklow Uli Burger

ContentLog Book 6

Site Guide 7Mount Leinster, Ireland’s premier freeflying site.

Another SIV 9David May tells about his second SIVcourse

Summer Flying 14Bobby Gillham’s flying trips to Spain

Fun & Fly 18Dorin Borodescu’s competing holiday2014

Marvelous Montellano 23Gilbert Glennon guides us through one of the Munster Kestrel’s favourite sites

Samba Soaring! 28While visiting Brazil in August PaulHogan dragged his glider along

IHPA Pilot 30Q&A with Ken Hickey

DIY Flight Instrument 31How to create a Hi-End flight instrumentat a fraction of the price

Hike & Fly SPAIN 33Mario and Rafal took their Hike and Flyexperience one step further andtravelled to Spain in September

Why Bulgaria 39When planning your next paraglidingadventure Bulgaria is the place toconsider

Fly Safe 41John Welch, CFI Flight Culture, outlinesa number of factors we need to beaware of before attempting to go costalsoaring.

IHPA Sponsors 46

THE EDITOR David MayE-mail: [email protected]

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Design Focus,The Warehouse, 26A Mount Eden Road,Dublin 4. www.designfocus.ie

Free Flight Magazine is published by theIrish Hang Gliding and ParaglidingAssociation Ltd to inform, educate andentertain those in the sports ofParagliding and Hang Gliding. The viewsexpressed in this magazine are notnecessarily those of the Irish HangGliding and Paragliding Association, theirCouncil, Officers or Editor. The Editorreserves the right to edit contributions.

ContactSend your articles, jokes, comments,sketches, suggestions etc to:

[email protected]

FREEFLIGHT WINTER 2014

PAGE 5

FROM THE

editor

Year end...With Christmas just around the corner and a few days off,who knows - you might just squeeze another flight or twofrom the year? A quick boat around the local site perhaps oreven just a top-to-bottom. Whatever it might be, one thingis certain, flying at this time of year is not for the faint ofheart. It’s just so brrrrrrrrrrrr cold. No matter how well I

cover up it never takes long for my hands to freeze and it’s necessary toland before I can no longer work the controls. A little warming sachetdropped into each glove makes a difference but still the hands go. Or moreprecisely, the fingers. And ouch can it hurt as they warm up again!

But let’s not dwell on the negative. On the positive side it can be sobeautiful this time of year. The air is crisp and clear, everywhere is quietand peaceful and you may well have the sky to yourself. Add a blanket ofsnow on the ground and an old familiar flying site is transformed intosomething new - a picture postcard. It’s the perfect time to get the cameraout so to all you hardy souls make sure to take some great photos and sendthem in to us.

Of course, being Christmas there’s also the matter of the Naughty List. Itcan be hard to say what we might find in the stocking come morning butbest to live in hope I say. Last year for example I asked Santa for moreairtime in 2014 but that didn’t quite materialise, so I guess that puts me onthe Naughty side of things back then. I’m hoping to do better in 2015 andreading the articles we have lined up in this edition makes me even morehopeful. So for what it’s worth I’ve been good Santa... honest.

But that's enough about me. The magazine is about you and a huge thankyou to all who contributed this time round. Without your input... well,there just wouldn’t be a magazine. There are some great articles inside andI hope you enjoy them as much as we did putting it together. And whoknows, maybe you’ll be inspired for 2015 and we’ll be reading about youin the next edition.

But for now, from all of us here in the Free Flight office, Merry Christmasand a Happy New Year.

Ho ho ho...

PAGE 6 IRISH HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ASSOCIATION

LogBook

Problems in the DolomitesLuca Basso, FIVL, has asked us to alert all pilots who hope to fly in the Dolomites, expeciallyin Canazei – Col Rodella – Pordoi – Marmolada, read the following.

The Dolomites area is again at risk ofbeing closed to free flight.

The search & rescue helicopter service inthe Dolomites area (Canazei, ColRodella, Pordoi, Marmolada) is stillstruggling with pilots, from all overEurope, who keep flying during rescueoperations and not allow the helicopter toproperly operate to help fellow free flightpilots that need assistance.

The situation is so bad that theauthorities will close the area if we can'tmanage to solve this problem.

In order to keep everybody safe and inorder to keep the area open to free flight,one of the most beautiful flight areas inthe world, all pilots flying in theDolomites area are requested to:

1. Use rescue number 118.

2. If a helicopter (red or yellow) arrives fly

2 km away from the operation area.

3. If a helicopter arrives, pilots in flightmust be advised by radio to fly 2kmaway (or if possible land).

4. If the radio is not understood theyhave to do “ears” with the paraglider toadvise (as in competitions).

5. If a helicopter is hovering, it does notmean it has reached the rescue area(maybe it is only waiting forparagliding pilots to move away!)

6. Pilots should carry red and greensmoke signals. If a pilot has or arrivesupon an accident and are in danger orneed medical help they have to lightthe red smoke signal. If they do notneed help light the green smoke signalor fold the wing (if possible). Pilots canobtain smoke signals in the Canazeilanding area.

Mt LeinsterWeatherStationUp andRunningIt’s been a long slog but thanks to GerryKennedy the IHPA weather station at MtLeinster is now back up and running.

The old station was unable to be repairedafter sustaining significants weatherdamage over the years so it was decidedto purchase a new one from Holfuy, aweather station developer based inHungry. Their stations are geared towork in extreme weather conditions, andalong with the industrial grade sensorskindly donated by Martin Sweeney, it isexpected that this new station will fair alot better.

The whole setup is now quite robust withthe station connected to the mountingpole, drilled into the mountain, thatwithstood sustained winds of over100mph last year.

At the moment the station is feedingtemperature, wind speed and winddirection with a camera and air pressuresensor to be added in the new year.

In the future it is hoped replacing faultysensors will be able to done on the mastso will be a quick affair (touch wood).

Log onto ihpa.ie >weather >sites andcheckout the new interface.

From Bird Man to Iron ManCongratulations to Paul Eustase on competingand completing the KMD Ironman Copenhagen.

Not for the faith hearted this grueling event hascontestants swimming 3.8km, cycling 180kmand then capping it off with a marathon.

Paul did it all in 12 hours 25 mins, way ahead ofhis best expectations, and has fired him up formore.

“The two questions I’ve been asked sincefinishing are: was it worth it and would I do itagain?

“Was it worth the 5am alarms, the late eveningstraining in the wind and rain, the looong cyclesat the weekend and the lack of a life outsidetraining. When you cross that finish line, yesabsolutely. If you could bottle that feeling andsell it you’d be very wealthy.

“Would I do it again? Never. Ever. Again...

Who am I kidding? I’d do it again tomorrow!”

Nine Stones Car Park

Mast

Westerly Car Park


PAGE 7IRISH HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING ASSOCIATION

SiteGuide

Mt. LeinsterCo. Carlow / Co. Wexford

Mt. Leinster, Ireland’s premier free flying site, lies at thenorthern end of the Blackstair Mountains on the border of Co. Carlow and Co. Wexford.

With a tarmacked road leading all the way up to its summit at 2608 feet,Mt. Leinster reaches some 2280 feet above the surrounding plain, offeringcommanding views of the surrounding countryside. Mt. Leinster is flyable

in almost all wind directions except an easterly and, with so many launch sites, offerssomething for every one from the novice (under supervision) to the top XC comp hound.Cross-country flying is possible in all directions. A simple hop down onto the Blackstairswill take you at least 15km, while, with a leap of faith, you can head 30km+ north to theWicklow Mountains or east to the coast.

Access to the summit road from the Nine Stones is through a locked gate. New keys areissued to IHPA members each year when they renew their membership and insurance.Please do not allow non-IHPA or visiting pilots through the gate unless they have receivedexpress permission from the IHPA

WARNING: Do not fly the SE Bowl site or land in the Diamond field if there is a highpressure inversion layer, even in light conditions. The winds down in the Diamond fieldcan be severe. Extreme wind shear and 180° direction change have been experienced andcan be fatal. The winds are funnelled through the Scullogue Gap and are compressed by theinversion to produce a lethal combination of strong gusting eddies. It would be safer to flyover the back and land in the Bonesetters field. If you are not certain that you can do thisthen don’t fly. This site requires that pilots have a minimum of 50 hours airtime, as there isno easy landing field in front of take off and novice pilots will be caught out.

Caution needs to be exercised when flying from the mast in a due south wind. Rotorscoming off the Blackstair Mts. can be very dangerous in anything other than a light wind

For details on most popular flying sites around Mt. Leinster see over.

Wind Direction:

General Information:For details on most popular flying sitesaround Mt. Leinster see over.

Nine Stones Car Park

GOOGLE MAPS CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES Car Park: 52.636843, -6.793677

ELEVATION: 400m.

The Nine Stones Car Park, opposite thegate to the summit, is the mainassembly point for pilots to meet up as itaffords easy access to both Slevebawnand Black Banks ridges. It also allowspilots park their cars and continue up tothe summit in pooled transport asparking is limited on top.

N

S

W E

MT. LEINSTER CO. CARLOW / CO. WEXFORD


MMSiteGuide

Westerly Car ParkGOOGLE MAPS CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES Take Off: 52.655618, -6.770784, AMSL 350m.Landing: 52.655807, -6.775003, AMSL 190m

In a westerly wind the Westerly Car Park (WCP) is the best place to fly atMt Leinster. If wind is strong it’s recommended to move down the slop tolaunch (A). Fly close to ridge to stay in lift and gain height and whensufficiently high (approx 50m above take off) you can move over the forest on western side of Croaghan(B), but always making sure you have enough height to fly out and away from trees. Paragliders can landin field below ridge (C) but be aware it has a steep slope. Hang Gliders land in the Bone Setters Field(Google Maps). Top landing should only be attempted in area south of the ridge (E).

N

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MastGOOGLE MAPS CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES Take Off: 52.618455, -6.781516, AMSL 790m.Landing: 52.618624, -6.781043 AMSL 790m.

Easily the most challenging site, the Mast at Mount Leinster commandsspectacular views over the surrounding counties and spectacular flying (A).If conditions are right a flight from the Mast can lead to some great XCflying. Top landing (B) is possible but great care is needed with mast andit’s associated support cables as well as the rough landing conditions with rock, bolders, bog holes andheather. If unable to top land then head for the Cross Roads field for Paragliders (Google Maps) orDiamond Field for Hang Gliders (Google Maps) .

N

S

W E

E

CA

B

SlevebawnGOOGLE MAPS CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES Take Off: 52.638340, -6.796259, AMSL 430m.Landing: 52.637325, -6.795168 AMSL 400m

Slevebawn, or Nine Stones Ridge, is ideal for flying N - NE winds.Depending on wind strength, launch from the slope opposite the carpark (A) and work your way along and up the ridge. If conditions are right you can hop over toBlack Banks and back again but always taking extra care with the power cables separating bothridges. With a NE direction the lift band area can be a reduced and become congested. Top landingis in the area in between the car park and ridge (B) but can suffer from venturi so care is neededon approach. If conditions rule out a top landing then head for the Northern Landing Field (C) whilebeing aware that direction and strenght maybe different from conditions on the ridge.

Black BanksGOOGLE MAPS CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES Take Off: 52.637420, -6.787872, AMSL 419m.Landing: 52.637325, -6.795168 AMSL 400m

When wind is N - NW Black Banks is a great place to fly. If conditionsare right you can launch about 20m -30m above the road (A) and thenwork your way up the ridge. Be careful not to go to far back above the ridge and always checkforward motion as wind can pick up at higher levels. Landing is the same as Slevebawn, in theNine Stones Landing zone (B) , but you can also land in the few flat areas below the road or headfor the Northern Landing Field (C).

N

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N

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C

C

BA

A

AB

B

Car Park

Car Park

Car Park

Car Park


Having just bought a new wing, I figured this would be aperfect time to do a SIV course so I booked with Flyeoin France for 3 days in October. I had been on a SIV

course the year before but it was not with Flyeo and I had promisedmyself then that I would do another in 2014. Between movingcountry, finding a new job and a placeto live, it was late in the year before Igot round to organising it and by thenFlyeo was the only option available.Not that I minded - I had heard a lotof positive feedback about Flyeo and Iwas curious to try them out myself.

They are based in Doussard, on theSouthern side of Lake Annecy. Veryeasy to get to; I flew into Geneva andhired a car - it's only about 1.5 hrs toDoussard. HERE'S A TIP: rent your carfrom the French sector of the airport. It's just a short walk through theairport and car hire is cheaper. With luck the car you hire will alreadyhave the Swiss motorway sticker so you can take the shortest route

to the border along the A1 (E62). Otherwise it takes a little longeras you can't use the Swiss Motorways (unless you want to run therisk of a fine) but it's no problem with a Sat Nav.

The drive to Doussard takes you to Annecy first and then skirtsalong the west side of the lake toDoussard. On a clear day I imagine therewould be some very nice views of the lakeand mountains beyond but unfortunatelythe day I arrived base was low andovercast and there wasn't really much tosee.

The SIV course was from Mon Oct 13 -Wed Oct 16. Accommodation, includingthe night before the course, is includedin the price which makes it all very easyto organise. There are 2 apartments, bothsimilar in layout: a good sized kitchen,

bathroom and 3 or 4 single beds in another room. The 2apartments are available to all on the course so be prepared to share.

Another year, another...

David May completed a three day SIV course in October and now feels he’s a more confident and safer pilot.

As is often the casewith these randomgroups there was a

good mix of people andexperience.

FREEFLIGHT SUMMER 2013


If this is not to your liking you can always arrange your ownaccommodation in the area. As is often the case with these randomgroups there was a good mix of people and experience. We had anumber of French pilots - one a violinist with the Orchestre de Parisno less - an Italian acro pilot, a few pilots from the UK, one ofwhom spends much of his time living and flying in Chamonix (thelucky sod!) and finally myself holding up the Irish side. There wasalso a full range of wings from EN A throughD and our Italian friend with his new Acrowing. Everyone was in good spirits and lookingforward to the course so the stage was set foran interesting few days.

Our course was run by Fabien Blanco, one ofthe founders of Flyeo. Enthusiastic andexpressive, his passion for the sport is apparentand he proved to be an excellent instructor. Hisenglish is very good and not in any way anissue for those of us who don't 'parlez leFrancais' (ahem!). As the weather on the Monday was poor and wewere grounded Fabien took the opportunity to give us an extendedlecture on the dynamics between pilot and wing and how it allworks together (or doesn't as is often the case) which I found to beexcellent. Of course we would all have preferred to be in the air butnone the less it was time well spent.

The weather improved Tuesday and Wednesday and we completedthe SIV with 3 flights each day. We used the Montmin launch site,large and well laid out and about 800m above the lake. I performed

less manoeuvres on this SIV than on the previous one but I washappy to do so as it provided more repetition and a better feelingfor the tasks. Fabien provided short feedback between each flightand gave clear instructions for the next one. There was a dedicatedcamera woman to record the action including audio with Fabiensinstruction and in the evening we had a long debrief where he wentthrough all the footage back at the Flyeo office, providing

explanation and slowing down the action topoint out various things. I was amazed by howmuch he saw from the boat that only appearedto me in slow motion on the big screen, afterhe pointed it out! To each his own I guess.

All in all, I was very satisfied with the courseand feel I have learned something new. Not somuch an increase in skill as repeating amanoeuvre even two or three times is notenough to believe I have become in any wayproficient. But I understand it more, both how

it should be and what it is I am doing wrong. I feel morecomfortable with my new wing now that I have experienced how itmay misbehave and rather than put me off I was left wanting more,to take off and do it all again. I am confident that with some practiceI can master the exercises which can only make me a safer pilot.

I think those of you who have already experienced a SIV willunderstand. And those of you who have not then I wouldrecommend you do one. I'll certainly be going back to Flyeo,hopefully I won't wait so late in the year next time. ■

I feel morecomfortable with mynew wing now that I

have experienced howit may misbehave



Flyeo is well known for their SIV courses,organised in spring and Autumn, within asecured environment above Annecy's Lake.

The SIV course (simulation of flightincidents) is first and foremost a pilotingcourse where pilots learn to optimize theuse of their wing for maximum safety,sensations and pilot performance.

The aim of the course:

• Understanding the reactions of yourwing in turbulence

• Demystifying the different possibleincidents in flight and learning tomanage them

• Optimising rapid descents

• Build up confidence with a new wing, orrecover confidence after a flight incident

Annecy

IHPA

SHOTH T Bray Head Dara Hogan

and the flying is easy.Summertime...


PAGE 15

Another summer over, another college year begun. But notbefore there was some flying to be done! An earlier trip toAger and Southern Spain, followed by a return to the

Pyrenees in August made for some wonderful flying experiences.

Coming out of the long winter hibernation last May just couldn’tcome quick enough. Seven or eight months without flying had justbeen too much! The trip to Spain began with a week in the south.We were blessed with the weather and each day brought a newdestination: El Bosque, Teba, Algodonales and even the sand dunesoff the south coast. From making my first flight the summer before,to making my longest flight and experiencing dune flying - the weekcouldn’t have gone any better. And to my amazement, the goodfortunes were set to continue.

The following week we travelled to Ager, where a combination oftop-to-bottoms, mixed in with a few longer flights reaching greatheights only helped to increase my enthusiasm for the sport. Whenthe last day arrived, I knew August would be a long wait!

But August eventually came and I was back in the Pyrenees againwith nothing but flying on my mind and time on my hands. Thefollowing weeks would provide me with a chance to make the lastfew summer memories and although the highs of the summer maynot have been reached, it was none the less a perfect end to a greatflying year.

And now we’ve come full circle with another whole winter of collegeahead. Stuck at home with all the flying equipment, but withoutgood weather, a car or a driving license makes the coming monthsall the more frustrating! It’s a problem though that’s up to me tosort out, and once I do, I just know that much more flying awaits!■

Special thanks to Joel and Zenith Aventura in Ager for a great trip andalways providing me with a wing when needed abroad(www.zenithaventura.com)

Bobby Gillham topped and tailed his summerwith two flying trips to Spain and added somemore precious hours to the logbook.

We travelled to Ager, where acombination of top-to-

bottoms, along with a fewlonger flights reaching great

heights only helped to increasemy enthusiasm for the sport

IHPA

SHOTH T Lough Bray Dara Hogan

FUN&FLY Dorin’s competing holiday 2014


PAGE 19

Ohhhh, memories now and as time settles the detailfades. But some things remain clear and I stillsmile as I picture myself flying above Krn with its

majestic wall and so much snow.

It started with a hunger to fly somewhere new again. It hadbeen 2 years since my last trip – way too long. I love thecompetition scene so I searched the FAI calendar andimmediately 2 comps jumped out at me: the Polish &Lithuanian Open and the Belgian Open. Both in Slovenia,one after the other and just 15 km between them, perfect.

Next came the usual stuff: buy the tickets, pay the fee andarrange all the details. It proved to be a challenge to fit mycamping gear and glider in a 20 kg bag but then Idiscovered the JakTogo1 and in the end I could have eventaken a bit more. I put a message on our communicationchannels to see if anyone might want to join me as it wouldhave been great to have some company and then I waited.Finally, in what seemed like just a blink the wait was over –one moment I was on the ground in Ireland and the next Iwas thermalling in the air above Slovenia.

The Polish & Lithuanian Open was held at Tolmin, one ofthe most important sites in Slovenia. It was managed byGašper Prevc (one of the world’s top pilots) and hosted atCamp Garbje which was equipped with all the facilities tomaking our stay comfortable. I arrived 2 days before thePolish&Lithuanian Open and the camp site was already fullof tents with all the attendant excitement of a good forecastand the chance of having a great time. People were friendlyand willing to share their knowledge and experience of thearea and before I knew it, on a perfect day in June I wasthermalling above Krn, a great big magical mountain thattook my breath away. My first flight was cut short by a CBbuilding in front of me so I turned round and happily flewback to the camp site. Before I knew it I had burned 50 km.

Next day was good and now, as I was getting to know thearea a bit better, I decided to try one of the classical runs,all the way to Italy (Gemona) and back. As I was almost at

In 2014 Dorin Borodescu decided to enter twocompititions, the Polish & Lithuanian Open and BelgianOpen both in Slovenia and running one after the other.



Gemona on the ridge, a couple of gliders passed me like rockets andwent out to the flats which confused me momentarily: was this theway to go, should I follow them? But I stuck with my route andonly later I found out that they were pilots from British Open thatwas being held in Gemona. On my return leg I explored the area abit further and jumped back few ridges. With almost 100 km undermy belt I had a smile from ear to ear.

So after 2 days of free flying it was time for thecompetition to start: 137 pilots (75 of whomwere in the sport class), all hungry as wolvesand ready to go. Looking around I recognizedsome world cup pilots, even a few Red bull XAlps pilots. From the very beginning thecompetition gave me the impression of beingvery well organized with careful attention toevery detail. And as bonus they had all thelogistic from the world cup events (cars, livetracking, the retrieve coordinator).

The first task was 87 km with a complicated 7points zig zag. Then the window opened and the competition wasunder way. The day was light and thermals were not too strong soit became a game of patience. I started the race with my spirits stillhigh from the day before but soon I felt that something was notexactly right. I was thermalling fine (even though I was able to climbwith the others I seemed to have to work harder for it) but once wewent in transition I realized what was happening, my glider hadserved me well for almost 6 years but on the race it felt like an old

horse breathing hard and loosing height on the way. As first andforemost I had come to have fun the result wasn’t so important ,but I still wanted to try my best. So I changed my strategy anddecided to take some chances to try to even the field a bit. After the5th point (about 50 km into the task) I took a different route tothe main group - instead of heading back to mountains I followeda low ridge on the opposite side of the valley. If it paid off I was

cutting 10 km from the trip but the gambledidn’t pay off as it was too light to stay up.Talking with a local pilot after the flight he saidthe day was almost good enough for that ridgebut just not quite, it needed a slightly better daybut my logic was good. So althoughdisappointed that I didn’t make goal I washappy that I tried to work the best of it.

Another pilot said lightheartedly that a 2generations old glider is not really the wing fora competition. My reply was simple: I camemore for the competition than for thecompeting, I want to learn and this is a great

environment for that.

First day of the 137 pilots only 27 made the goal.

Next day the routine started to settle and the task was 86 km, againwith 7 turn points. It was another light day and once more patiencewas required, with some pilots being in the air for 7 hours. I landed15km short of goal but if felt good and in the end 81 pilots madeit over the line.

Looking around Irecognized someworld cup pilots,even a few Red

bull X Alps pilots.



Day 3 the task is 88 km with 8 turnpoints , quite an interestingtask. Just before the start we heard a boom above launch, a pilothad just thrown the reserve. This task was really fast with the firstpilots reaching goal after only 2h 30min. 72 pilots made it in butagain I fell short... this wasn’t too good for my “granny glider “ andafter 65 km it ran out of breath and we had to “ land and rest”.

The day was good, a bit too good asaround 30 pilots forgot that the altitudelimit was 2800m and as result most of thebest pilots were awarded 0 points(basically the top gaggle went too highfollowing each other). That upset theresults big time leaving the comp open topossibilities.

Day 4 was a 79 km task and a good day,still not so strong but more consistent.

But as is often the case, the day alsobrought more instability and as a result the task was stopped after3h 40 min with reports coming back of rain to the West.

At the time the task was stopped I was on final glide to goal havingleft the mountain and flying high into the valley with less than10km to go. It was my best task of the competition so far and whenthe task was stopped 103 of the 137 pilots had already made thegoal line and the organizers said if they hadn’t stopped the task itwould have been more like 120 pilots in goal, such was the level of

competition. As it turned out this was to be the last task as theweather changed. We tried a more Easterly site the next day to tryto avoid the storm front but it didn’t work as the storm came earlyand heavy.

Next came the prize giving and though some voices were raised thatthere were another 2 days and it would bebetter to wait, it was a good call as theweather just got worse. Finally we all shookhands, sharing smiles and dreaming alreadyabout when we could meet to fly togetheragain. Strangers yesterday, friends today,connected by a common feeling of being upthere as a bird and doing something thatdreams are made of. And of course we are alldreamers, I feel lucky that sometimes I canactually get to live my dreams.

I had a great time flying with so much funand a steep learning curve and I’d like to say

a huge thank you to The Polish & Lithuanian Competitionorganizers and the retrieve crew from the world cup that came withall the logistics from the British Open, cars, live tracking,coordinator for retrieve.

After that wasn’t so good. The Belgian Open was marred by the badweather and 2 very small tasks were run for the sake of having someairtime and to validate the comp.

he day was good, abit too good as

around 30 pilotsforgot that the altitude

limit was 2800m



However we did manage some lovely free flying in nearby Italy andhad a great time but as the regulations stipulate that the contest hasto be in the country where it is organized we couldn’t have a taskthere. Pity as the weather was good. Who knows, a proposal tochange this rule might well result after this competition.

We also did some hiking , kayaking and sight-seeing so overall itwas a great trip. Looking back today I still remember thermallingabove Krn with its breath taking scenery.

On a final note next year 4-11 July is the Gin Wide Open, one ofthe most popular competitions for regular pilots that want to learn

XC. There are seminars and lots of learning stuff , Fergal O’Mahonycould tell us more about it as he was at the one this year. It will beheld in the same spot in Slovenia and for sure I’m going. If you areinterested in joining be aware that registration will be open at 25thDecember 2014 , 13:00 GMT and the list probably will fill in hours(I’ve set my alarm for it!). I hope to see you there. ■

Fly high in LIFE… in Heart!

Dorin BorodescuIHPA Paragliding Competition Officer


One of the great XC sites on the Algodonales circuit isMontellano. It Is a small town about 32km fromAlgodonales just off the main Seville road the A375. The

town itself is mainly an agricultural centre.

North east of the town at GPS co-ords 37d0.333N 5d 32.835 W is the take off. This isaccessed through narrow unmade dusty roadsused only by farmers and us flyers.

The take off is small and would be crowded by30 pilots. The orientation of the site is NorthEast and only North East.

The countryside around Montellano isgenerally flat all the way back to Seville to theNorth west. 19km North of Montellano is theAmerican air base at Moron de la Frontera. The base is incontrolled air space. As the site is facing North East the maindirection of flight is in a South Westerly direction, generally flying

over the town of Villamartin and then on towards the town ofArcos de la Frontera, and then on to the coast if you have the luckand the skills.

Big XC flights have been done fromMontellano, the longest one I am aware of isabout 130km. Montellano to Matalascanes.

To the South of Montellano lies Puerto Serranoand further South lies the town of Prado delRey. I once did a very enjoyable short XC fromMontellano to Prado del Rey, passing overPuerto Serrano on the way.

There is a disused railway from Puerto Serranoto Olvera. The line was abandoned before therails were even laid down. It is now used as a

walking and cycling track. Bikes can be hired on non flying days.There are excellent restaurants at Coripe station and Olvera station.The one at Olvera is exceptional.

Marvelous Montellano

Gilbert Glennon tells about one of the Munster Kestrel’s favourite sites, Montellano in the Algodonales circuit



On non flying days the towns of Montellano, El Coronil, Moronde la Frontera and Seville are well worth a visit.

On a good day the flying at Montellano will not be disappointing,with good thermals rising everywhere. On medium to poor daysthere is some ridge soaring on the small ridge to the right and left ofthe take off area. This is small and can get very congested on a busyday.

Montellano is a favourite spot for flying schools but they usuallyfavour the lower take off on account of it being a bit easier. Theupper take off can be a handful on strong wind days.

I have seen many a good pilot being blown away there.

I hope you will visit Montellano when next in that area and hopeyou get as much enjoyment as I have had there over my many visitsto the site. Have a retrieve lined up; it might be a long day. ■

The lower take off at Montellano

The tower at Montellano

Boots over Tower Montellano

A local resident High over Montellano



Top takeoff at Montellano

PARAGLIDING EARTH CLICK HERE

GPS COORDINATES: Take off: 37°0'27" (37.0077)N;

5°32'36" (5.5434)W

Landing: 37°0'36" (37.0102)N;5°32'29" (5.5416)W

ELEVATION: Take off: 387 m.

Landing: 313 m.

Montellano Andalusia, Spain

Montellano

IHPA

SHOTH T Áger, Spain Rafal Obora

Samba Soaring!


PAGE 29

This summer marked my fourth season as a paragliding pilot. After abrilliant couple of weeks flying in Ager last summer, I was keen tovisit somewhere new for some flying this year. After some negotiating

with the home office, the decision was pretty quick. Given that my girlfriend,Jordana, is Brazilian, destination – Brazil!

Jordana and I arrived into Rio de Janeiro on the 26th of August, glider intow. I had hoped to fly from Rampa da Pedra Bonita – the world renownedtake-off which overlooks the beaches and favelas of Rio. Unfortunately, itrained for the four days that we were there. Maybe next time.

Brazil is a huge nation, of continental magnitude. Having never visited Brazilbefore, I was astonished to see such a wide geographical diversity. On the29th of August, we arrived in Jordana’s home state of Rio Grande do Sul.Far from the tropical beeches of Rio de Janeiro, the southern state is veryEuropean in its appearance. With a climate and landscape similar to that ofItaly, it is approximately the size of Ireland, but that is where the similaritiesend.

I was aware that August is the end of Brazil’s winter and not the ideal timeto fly, but I was hopeful that I would bring some Irish luck to the equation.My patience was tested, with the first twelve days a mixture of torrential rainand gale force winds howling in from the Atlantic. However, I remainedconfident and used it as an opportunity to research and network with localpilots (and earn brownie points with herself!). Eventually, my patience wasrepaid.

On a perfect mid-week morning, the sun rose into a cloudless sky and theforecast came good. My first flying would be at Nova Petropolis, a smallGermanic town near the city of Caxias do Sul. The local flying site, knownas Ninho das Aguias (the eagles nest), overlooks the town at an altitude of710m. The local club maintains a nice dirt road all the way to take off, wherethey also run a bar, tuck shop and churrascaria (barbeque shop). On arrival,the local pilots were more than helpful, walking me through the black spotsand house thermals. The site is a cross country hub, allowing XC in alldirections during the summer months. From the take-off area with short softgrass to the “pista de dança” or dance floor thermals – I was immediatelyclear on why Brazil is somewhat of a Mecca for free flight enthusiasts.

Over the course of the day, I made a number of local thermalling flights,reaching 2500m on a number of occasions with relative ease. After landingat the clubs landing site, I was treated to churrasco and Polar, their local brew.The globally renowned Brazilian friendliness was incredible – the local pilotstook great enjoyment from having a tourist pilot in their company, spendingtime pointing out the best flying sites in the region.

Over the following three weeks, I had five more flyable days, visiting anumber of sites in the region – Morro do Diabo, Sapiranga and Feliz. Daysranged from familiar ridge soaring conditions to evening restitution, but allwere equally enjoyable. While I may not have been in the more renownedparagliding regions of South America, I have come away from my time inthe South of Brazil with many enjoyable memories, new friends and anappetite to further my flying skills and return, one day to set a personal XCrecord! ■

While visiting Brazil in August Paul Hogan dragged hisglider along in the hopes of some airtime and wasrewarded with some wonderful flights.

How long have you been flying?I’ve been flying now for 14 years, starting inlate summer 2000 with the Mt. Leinsterhang gliding club run by Ger Doherty andShane O’Reilly.

After the foot and mouth out break in early2001, my flying didn’t really get going untillate 2001.

What made you decide to take up flying?Like many, my interest in flying started at ayoung age. Maybe it was living near toCasement Aerodrome and at the foot of theDublin mountains, or my Grandparentshome close to Clonbullouge parachutingclub.

My preference for flying was always footlaunched free flying, nothing beats runningoff a hill, soaring above the mountains,followed by landing in a farmers field. alsothe customary debriefing in a local pub aftera day's soaring.

What is your best memory?Like many free flyers, there are several, myfirst high flight in Achill or flying KilineyHill, with its occasional view of Wales.Climbing in a super smooth +10m/sthermal right after take-off at Montange deChabre right up to cloud base at 3500m iscertainly a flight to remember.

Climbing in a late evening thermal up to3500m above La Tournette with viewsacross the snowy alps towards Mt. Blanc isanother on or flying the Commeraghs,always a nice place to fly.

The super flying at Monte Cucco, such agreat place to fly.

Last year’s XC across the south east, landingat my sisters holiday home near CarnsorePoint.

One of my best ever flights, was last yearsXC tour with Jac Bott flying around the

spectacular French alps. Getting a very lowsave right above the 2013 tour de France,wow they cycle so fast.

Not to forget being with our fellow pilotswho make this the great sport that it is.

What is your worse memory?Our sport gives so much, but sometimescan be so unforgiving. The worse memoriesfor me, and I’m sure the same holds throughfor all of us, are the times when our friendsare hurt or lost when things go wrong.

What’s your current glider?The iconic Swift hang glider for the last twoyears.

Have you experienced any other types ofFlying?I've been flying sailplanes a little for the lasttwo years - great for the windy days andwave flying.

What is your favourite Irish flying site?The Commeraghs, after a loooong climb totake-off, work hard, scratch over the forest,then zoom up along the cliff face, then yourrewarded with one of Ireland’s best soaringsites.

What’s your bump tolerance?Flying with crazy pilots, no landing options,and tricky take-offs.

Cb’s aren’t so much of a problem with theSwift, but respect still required.

IHPAPILOT

Q&AWhat’s Your Bump Tolerance*...

Name: Ken Hickey

Type of Pilot: Hang Gliding

Rating: PP3

Started Flying: Late Summer 2000

Airtime: 500+ hours

Glider: Swift Light

Harness: Moyes Matrix

*Bump Tolerance: An acquired ability to fly in and withstand rough thermic air.

In each issue of FreeFlight we invite a IHPA Pilot to answer some questions aboutthemselves and their flying and this issue Ken Hickey does us the honors.



FlyGEAR

This year I was in need of new flightinstruments and a bit short ofmoney so the usual expensive flight

devices were not an option.

My criteria was a flight instrument thathas:

• GPS for the ground speed, wind speedand wind direction

• a sensitive and fully adjustable vario

• altimeter with some adjusting

• a compass rose

• a large and bright screen

• a good battery life

• software that allows me to maintain andlog my flights and is graphicallyoutstanding.

I was experimenting with android phonesand various different devices when I cameacross a very interesting combination of a7-inch tablet and a vario that’s connectedvia bluetooth.

After following the treads of many tech-minded pilots experimenting with variousnew budget devices I decided I wantedsomething easier to build or a plug and go

device. I started to do some research intomini tablets and looked into the specs ofsome of the high end budget tablets thatare available.

I was very interested in the Google Nexus 7which has a built in GPS, a very bright andtough screen, 10 hour battery life runningthe highly anticipated Kit Kat 4.4.4 on

board and Android Lollipop. The cost wasless then €200 and running software suchas XC Soar or Flyme my goal became areality.

What I needed was a vario that wouldwork with any android device and the Blue Fly Vario is perfect(www.blueflyvario.com). It’s built fromscratch by an Australian developer andrelatively inexpensive, costing less then€60 Euros.

Since I purchased my vario BlueFly havebrought out a newer version.

This vario is fully customisable andadjustable when downloading an Androidapp by Alistair Dickie. The android app isfree of charge and can be used to displayand modify quickly the entire vario. Itconnects via bluetooth and is the size of amatch box. Battery life is approx 20 hoursand easy to connect up with the Nexus 7via Bluetooth.

The delivery of the vario will usually take 2weeks after ordering. Assembly is requiredbut after I received mine I had it assembledwithin minutes, it was that easy.

Uli Burger decided he needed a new flight instrument but couldn’t afford a top end device and tells us bycombining a Nexus 7, a bluetooth vario and free software he had the next best thing at a fraction of the price.

I was experimentingwith android phonesand various differentdevices when I came

across a veryinteresting

combination of a7-inch tablet and a

vario that’s connectedvia bluetooth.


I downloaded XC Soar first and test flew itfor a while but in the end I decided onFlyme. I highly recommend this softwareas it gives all the display options and what’smore it’s free. Download it straight fromtheir website and set the Nexus 7 settingsto download apps from outside the playstore.

Having sorted the Instruments, I ran introproblems attaching the devices to myharness but luckily Gabor B had thesolution. He makes everything from T-shirts to Aluminium frames to hang andadjust your harnesses and has designed a 7-inch tablet pocket. It’s made out of aneoprene material along with a sun visorthats excellent when flying in sunshine. Ithas a big zip and velcro on the reverse sideand is built to last and can protect thetablet from a good deal of punishment.

After taking my new flight devices to thesky I was amazed how well the two devicesworked together and also with theiraccuracy. The screen is extremely big, noreading glasses required, and has crisp andbeautiful colours.

For less then €300 I had a top end devicewith minimal time spent assembling thekit. The thermal finder is a great functionthat is displaying thermal bubbles intelephone cord graphics. Glide ratiographics etc.

The kit has all the little programs any highend device would use to direct and helppilots while flying. The thermal finder is agreat little program that helps you stayinside the thermal and after flying, theflight is automatically recorded and savedin the selected file. Downloading onLeonardo is done in a few seconds and it is

also possible to see the flight on GoogleEarth.

I highly recommend the combination ofthese two devises to any pilot out there,tech-minded or not, It’s easy to set up andvery easy to use.

What I really like is the huge screen and itsvisibility. The software is a must have. XCSoar is a slightly fiddlier program to set upand maintain and also I didn't like that itwas not possible to change the planesymbol on the screen and that I was alwaysauto connected to any nearby airportWhile flying in Lackan it kept telling methat I needed to climb further to reachDublin airport!

XC soar has of course nice features that arenot to be forgotten but the overall winnerwas Flyme. ■

Uli’s KitNexus 7 €200BlueFly Vario €60Flyme Software FREECover €30Total €290

Naviter Oudie 3X €818Cover €30

Total €848

Price Comparison


and Mario Jachimowicz and Rafal Obora took their Hike and Fly experience one step furtherand travelled to Spain in September for nine days of wonderful flying.


So where to next I asked? “The Alps of course, in June for 1week”. This is how Rafal Obora ended a previous article onHike & Fly in Ireland (and Wales) so naturally I kept an eye

on the forum for news of the ‘where next’. As it turned out it wasnot the Alps in June but Spain in September and on Aug 29thMario Jachimowicz, Rafal Obora, Rafal Vega and Franek Baronflew to Gerona and then on bycar to Ager to spend 9 days ofHike & Fly in Spain.

Mario and Rafal Obora kindlysent me a description of theirtrip which I have put togetherbelow. I hope you enjoy it asmuch as I did.

We arrived in Ager at 3am topitch tent and sleep for a fewhours. This was the first time inAger for all of us except Franekbut even for him this trip wasgoing to be different. The initialplan was to spend the weekhiking & flying –XC during theday and rough camp where weland at night. We would carry only the essentials with us and all hadvery light equipment – for example my tent, sleeping bag and mat cameto less than 2kg. We had done some hike & fly trips together before: in

Ireland and also a 3 day trip to Wales in the Springtime but this wasgoing to be a big step up and we were quite excited by the idea. But,as is often the case, the weather Gods had other plans: conditions madeXC unlikely with the wind backing from Southerly at 1500m toNortherly at 2000m. Given the prospect of heading over the back intorough conditions and a head wind we decided instead to concentrate

on flying to the south, returningeach evening to pack up andmove camp to a new location.

Each night we rough camped ina different spot, intentionallyavoiding campsites and hostels.Ager is an amazing place withstunning scenery: crystal clearblue lakes and great rock wallsand at night, out in the openaway from the lights of town, thestarscapes were just spectacular.We woke each morning to a freshbrew of coffee, took turns to cookbreakfast and used our camelbacks as a makeshift shower. Inbetween we just concentrated on

flying. It was an amazing experience and we all had a lot of fun.Graced with 7 flyable days in a row we racked up a good few 50+kmFAI flat triangles between us to boot. And still there was more to come.


With 2 days left before our return flight we decided to drive toPiedrahita. On the way we arranged a retrieve driver - Ester, a ladywe had met on our last trip to Piedrahita in 2011 – so when wearrived in Piedrahita we were free to concentrate once more on justflying. The first day was a beautiful blue sky and we found quite afew pilots waiting on Pena Negra launch, all with the same plan. Buta strong west wind forced many to an early landing after only 20 –40km. The next day the weather was more promising. We took offaround 1pm and flew East in a gaggle with 20 or so other pilots. Thefirst 40km were tricky but on approaching Avila cloud base rose to3500m and conditions became easier and we all ended up with an

amazing flight and personal bests: Rafal Obora flew 120km toSegovia, Rafal Vega 106km and landed near Madrid, Mario made itthe 65km to Avila and Franek got 30km.

All that was left was the drive to Reus and the flight back to Dublin.All in all we flew 9 days out of 9 with an average of 30h airtime each,camping out each night in some beautiful locations and taking ourexperiment of ‘hike and fly’ once step further. Without a doubt it wasone of the best flying holidays we have ever had and was a great wayto end the 2014 flying season.

And 2015 is just around the corner. ■

IHPA

SHOTH T Lough Bray Dara Hogan

IHPA

SHOTH T Maulin, Co. Wicklow Pearse Cafferky


Win a new U-TurnRescue System bybecoming the first IHPAmember to fly 100km inIreland!

The Irish 100 U-TURNs XC Challenge is a new initiative, founded to encouragemore pilots to improve their flying skills in Ireland – we Challenge you to flyfurther!

By becoming the first IHPA paraglider pilot to log a 100km flight on one of theInternational XC contest websites (XContest, Leonardo) you will win a U-Turnnew rescue System.

The challenge is sponsored and monitored by U-Turn.

Have fun going XC!

For further details contact Dorin at: [email protected]

Irish 100km 2014 XC Challenge


Why Bulgaria? That is the question we are asked by thelocals when they find out we are foreigners that havecome to settle in their country.

In May 2014 we finally arrived at our new home in a village nearSopot in the Rose Valley. We haddecided to go against the immigrationtide and try our luck in the East.

The answer to their question is very easy- the mountains. We sit in the middle ofa southerly facing ridge averaging 2000min height in a sheltered, sunny valley witha chairlift to the top. As is so often thecase, many of the locals don’t even noticethe mountains in the background of theirlives, it’s amazing how even suchsplendour can become mediocre overtime. We found the same when living inBelfast, it’s only on return visits home that we actually notice theBelfast Hills!

The topography here is such that even moderately strong northwinds are cancelled out by the thermic flow from the valley floorup the sunny slopes creating a line of convergence along the top ofthe ridge for us to fly along. Our first season has been amazing,we have made lots of new friends and really got to know the area

(we’ve been visiting the valley for 7years but living here is different).

Bulgaria is where East meets West andwhere the mediaeval meets the modern.Since humanity appeared in Europe,Bulgaria has been a crossroads ofcultures and civilisations. Horses anddonkeys are still widely used inagriculture although the modern, GPScontrolled combine harvesters arebecoming popular too. The land iswide open with few fences and landings

are normally greeted by inquisitive, smiling locals. We have slowroads and fast internet (much faster than at home), even a webcamon take-off for a live view of the windsock. Road tax is very cheap,

Why Bulgaria?

Gavin and Lucy Jillings tell us why Bulgaria is the place to consider when planning your next paragliding adventure.

Bulgaria is where Eastmeets West and wherethe mediaeval meets

the modern


but we make up the difference in new shockabsorbers. Actually the main highways aremodern and well maintained but the village roadsare ‘ works in progress’, all part of the charm.

So our first summer season has ended, it’s beengreat fun, hard work, a real life changer. Keep aneye on this magazine for updates from the valley!■

It’s time for aBulgarian

paraglidingadventure!

The Rose Valley, on the SouthernSlopes of the Stara Planina

Mountain Range offers someexcellent locations for XC flying.And with Rose Valley Lodge you

can book a week of excellentflying, excellent accommodation

and excellent cuisine.

For further details visit:

www.rosevalleylodge.net


FlySAFE

There are a number of factors we need to be aware of beforecostal soaring and although it is fairly straightforward, westill need to exercise caution.

Because the wind is coming straight off ofthe sea, there is no thermic element: the airis smooth and there is little or no gusting.Proper planning will allow us to have afantastic time without unnecessary stress.

As is the case any time we go flying firstmake a weather and site assessment - apartfrom all the usual considerations oneobvious factor in coastal soaring is thepresence of the sea and the need to avoidlanding in the water at all costs. So makesure you have a good idea of howconditions may change over the course ofthe day and whether the wind willincrease/decrease or change direction. Takea look at a map to see how the coast line twists and turns alongyour route as this will have a significant effect on the lift band.Most importantly know where the bottom landing options are …

and whether they are tide dependant!!!. Boating around in the silkysmooth air coming off the sea, it’s easy to become complacent. Ofcourse this is something we should avoid anytime we are flying

but with coastal soaring in particular weare never very high above the sea and therecan be very little time to react shouldthings not go according to plan.

Prevailing Winds – Sea and LandBreezes

In this area of Europe we aren’t far enoughsouth to be in a high pressure cell, insteadwe do get changeable weather. In the lateSpring, Summer and Autumn months theprevailing winds tend to be fairly lightalthough localized effects can contribute toand strengthen this. Generally, flying stopswhen the wind is above 18 mph. Althoughwe might be able to fly in higher wind

speeds, should they increase still further, we risk being blown back.While in the air, if conditions strengthen we should fly further outin front of the dune and/or move to a less steep section.

John Welch, CFI Flight Culture, outlines a number of factors we need to be aware of before attemptingto go costal soaring.

Before flying weneed to make areally thorough

weatherassessment


The Sea Breeze

Understanding the mechanism of the Sea Breeze is important tosoaring on costal sites safely. Anticipating its arrival andunderstanding what this will mean, allows you to make plans toaccommodate it.

To begin our understanding of the sea breeze we need to considerwhat is happening inland. During the course of the day the suncauses the ground to heat up. If there is direct sunlight, differentareas will heat up at different rates and thermals will start to rise.As a result of the thermic action, the area near the ground willhave (relatively) low pressure. The sea, on the other hand, warmsmuch more slowly and the air in contact with it remains cooler.



On light wind days this cool sea air is drawn into the low pressurezone over land and an on-shore flow occurs. This flow is knownas a Sea Breeze and usually is strongest in the mid to late afternoonwhen the maximum thermal activity is occurring inland. The mostactive sea breeze fronts are caused when there is a light prevailingoff-shore wind and is often (not always) marked by a line ofcumulus clouds which sometimes have wisps or curtains hangingfrom them.

Empirical Rules of Thumb for Sea Breeze Convergence

These guidelines are based on experience and have been knownfor many years. The science behind them is obscure, but the ruleswork!

• Off-shore wind component less than 10 knots

• Depth of convection (including any cloud tops) between 3,500and 10,000 feet. This means that hot, blue days are unlikely toget sea breezes except puffs of air very close to the beaches

• Land must be warmer than sea but the difference amazingly can

be as little as 1°C

• A strong sea breeze front could move up to 50 kilometers inland

Hazards and Advice

Be careful of the wind dropping and not being able to make it toa safe landing site – landing in the sea is never an option.

If soaring a sea breeze front, stay on the land side of the front …and under the higher base cloud.

Keep an eye on the sea in the distance for the formation of whitecaps – this will give some advance warning of the wing pickingup.

Coastal fog and low cloud can come in very suddenly - cliff soaringcan be full of hazards!

Inland movement of the front is not a steady progress but oftenin a series of jumps. Don't get trapped on the wrong side! ■

John Welch, CFI Flight Culture, www.flightculture.co.uk

IHPA

SHOTH T Agér, Spain Mario Jachimowicz

Merchandise GiftsGood news for those of you who might be looking for some new equipment.

Thanks to the efforts of our Competition Officer Dorin Borodescu, we have managed tosecure some great items from the following:

IHPA would like to thank our many sponsors. Apart from the wonderful prizes for our 2014AGM, we have also received merchandise from a number of other manufacturers and what’smore, we have secured discounts on certain items of equipment.

Finally together with Up and U-Turn we are continuing our 2 amazing XC Challenges for 2014.

All available to IHPA members only. So read on...

Allez Up is run by Dave and Rachel whohave a long track record of running flyingholidays in the area. They know how toget you into the air and grade the trip toyour flying limits.

The accommodation itself is comfortableand clean and able to accommodate up to12 easily. The surroundings are calm andrelaxing and included a pool to ease theaches after a day flying. The views fromthe veranda included a fantastic oldcastle, Le Mison. Lovely to sit out with acool drink, chat about the days flying andwatch the shadows flicker across the castleas the sun set.

Nearby sites were easy access andincluded the locally famous Le Chabre,Aspres and other regulars like Bergies,Buc and Sederon.

www.allez-up.com

FlyingHolidayDiscount

Am

F

A

IHPANEWS HPAPP would like to thank our many sponsors. Apart from the wonderful prizes for our 2014I

2014 SPONSORS

15% Discount to IHPA Pilots’Group Bookings

For further details contact Dorin Borodescu at: [email protected]

Allez Up

LARAGNE, FRANCE

World Leaders in the Design and Manufacture of Paragliders, Harnesses,Parachute Reserve Systems, Power Wings and Accessories for the Pilot

For further details contact Dorin Borodescu at: [email protected]

Win an UP Harness of your choice* by becoming the firstperson to fly 150km** in IrelandThe Irish UP XC Challenge is a new initiative, founded to encourage more pilots to fly further in Ireland - the potential is there, now wejust need the pilots to step up to the task!

By becoming the first IHPA paraglider pilot to log a 150km+** flight on one of the International XC contest websites (XContest,Leonardo) you will win a UP harness of your own choice*. The challenge is sponsored by UP International (www.up-paragliders.com)in conjunction with UP UK/Green Dragons, and monitored by Green Dragons. (www.greendragons.co.uk)

Have fun going XC!*Harness must be from the UP range current at the time of flight completion, and in stock at the UP HQ in Germany.**With the Irish XC rules this amounts to 150km on A and B wings, 165km on C wings, and 180km on D wings. No limitations in regards to brand.

The 150km 2022 14 XCXX ChCC allll ell nee gn e

Flying in Umbria The heart of Italy.

Accommodation and catering included in your stay • Family holidays for flyers and non-flyers alike

Flytaly is a dedicatedparagliding companybased in the beautifulmountains of Umbria incentral Italy. A stunning18th century manor housewill be your home for theduration of your trip andthey provide all transportso there is no need for theadded cost of a hire car.Every effort is made toensure that you get themost airtime out of yourholiday and each day endswith a 4-course meal,prepared by talented chefsusing the finest locallysourced ingredients.

A I R B O R N E S E N S A T I O N S

Documents

IHPA FreeFlight Winter 2014