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April 2002: Return to Paragliding
Finally returned to paragliding with Sky Systems (now insolvent), South Downs, Brighton. Started again at EP (Elementary Pilot) level.
May 2002: Grand Dune de Pyla, Bordeaux
Trip via Sky Systems, actually run by Sunsoar Paragliding (Northern Paragliding). Mostly sand...
Completed the EP examination (but failed the CP examination - being too hung-over to remember which direction was "right"). Tuition provided by Ian Currer (of "Touching Cloudbase" fame) and flying guidance by Ian Brown.
November 2002: Lanzarote
With Flight Culture
Completed the CP skills, including top landings, with great guidance from John and Tim.
December 2002: Lanzarote (Return Visit)
With Flight Culture
Thanks to a minor financial wind-fall I returned to Lanzarote for a further week of flying. Despite many visits to Mirador del Rio, it was always "just-off"... so never flew there. Did my first 360°.
February 2003: Motril, Spain
With Sky Systems. It was cold... the base was in Motril, which is on the "Costa del Sol". The host was Antonio Castro of Parapente Tropical.
June 2003: Club Pilot Rating
Finally got around to submitting my application for Club Pilot (Novice) rating to BHPA.
August 2003: Mayrhofen, Austria
With Austrian Arena
Loved Mayrhofen: great sites, enormous landing fields, great t2b's. Significantly increased my airtime. Learnt a lot about my canopy. Great guidance by Kelly, who knows the valley very well!
August 2003: Ostrava, Carpathian Mountains
Czech Republic, with Flight Culture
Trip included a very informative tour of the Sky Paragliders new factory in Ostrava.
Made first thermal flight at Ja Vorovem, ski resort. Last day, last flight and only expected to do a t2b - so, no GPS nor was my Vario correctly set. Achieved something like 1100' ato in one thermal climb, then fled to the l/f, for when I finally looked down all I could see were acres, and acres of trees!
March 2004: Alpes de Haute Provence, France
With Adventure Extreme. Stay with Terry and Sandra at la Motte-du-Caire.
Flew in freezing thermals above Chabre, Laragne-Motéglin, reaching 920m ato (2250m asl) - but my face was so frozen I had to land in the contingency l/f. Cut the trip short as the weather turned bad - to return in Sept...
July 2004: Mayrhofen, Austria (Return)
Another great week flying with Kelly and Alex in the Zillertal valley and surrounds.
Achieved two pre-XC flights, landing in fields that I had not previously inspected.
September 2004: First Cross Country Flights
Alpes de Haute Provence, France with Adventure Extreme
My first two major Cross Country (XCs) flights. Both started after reaching cloudbase!
- 9 km: From Chabre via Crete de la Garde to Lagrand
- 9.5 km: From Le Longeagne ou Das Nonnes to La Bâtie-Montsaléon Airfield
March 2005: Pin Lock Karabiners
Replaced my steel AustriAlpin karabiners after the "material fatigue" scare (see also DHV) with Pin Lock Karabiners from Finsterwalder & Charly
March 2005: BfR Training Day
BfR day #1, Reading. Run by Thames Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club. Repacking training provided by BHPA's Bill Morris.
May 2005: Alpine Flyers Centre, France
Alpine Flyers Centre, Passy region, Chamonix valley.
Technical alpine thermal (0/1-ups) flying. Thermal tuition by the very experienced Dennis Trott of Alpine Flying Centre, now in Le Fayet.
Watched the local eagle join a pilot in a thermal (entering below him and correctly adopting the same direction of turn...). Later I tried to follow a pair (as far as I dare) to see if they would take me to a thermal. But no luck, and no low save.
June 2005: The Accident
The Last Resort, Aravis area of the Haute Savoie, French Alps
Sunday 26th June, day one of flying, second flight: the take-off is Mont Lachat du Chatillon at the Grand Bornand at 2100m; the valley bottom is about 1000m asl.
Al (on FM radio): "Brian, changing conditions at landing site. Turn 180° and go land at the contingency site"...
