Welcome to the Skywings news archive.
Skywings news stories posted online in Dec 2010 are displayed below.
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If you're looking for stories posted after December 2015, please visit our Skywings News page.
Parajet supports Jump for Heroes
Jump for Heroes raises awareness for the Royal British Legion through the medium of extreme stunts. The team consists of three serving members of the Armed Forces who belong to the national skydiving team, plus a photographer, liaison officer and PR specialist.
Jump for Heroes have jumped from the North Face of the Eiger, set world records in BASE jumping and appeared on TV and in the national press. Parajet International was recently be asked to produce three custom paramotors for the team, decorated with the poppy motif. "It was an exciting project for us," reported Parajet MD Jim Edmondson. "and the units turned out beautifully. We hope that they will raise awareness of the brave men and women that serve our country."
Some terrific TV exposure was achieved by British Open Series winner Tony Stephens in October. Excellent on-board footage of Tony and his Combat L soaring high over the Dorset coast appeared on the BBC South evening news, along with a brief interview.
One would like to think that one or two of the millions who watched it would have thought... "Wow! That's hang gliding? Where do I learn?" Nice work Tony!
In response to a competition set up by Skywalk, Portuguese paraglider pilot Déciu Abreu has made a short film about why he flies.
It's really a kind of prose poem to flying, nicely shot and with a great soundtrack from Aaron Parks and Kurt Rosenwinkel. "The more I fly the more I realise I can't get enough of it… I fly because I can." It's viral marketing and slightly clichéd too, but it also captures the very essence of why we all fly. It's at www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r7zKMo3-eA. Send the link to all your friends that don't!
The 2010 World XContest online cross-country league has been won by Swiss pilot Thomas Koster flying an Advance Omega.
Thomas finished third in 2009, but early this season he logged three 200km triangles and three more in the succeeding months. Thomas started flying in 2002 and is said to spend 250 hours a year in the air. Details of his flights are at www.xcontest.org/2010/world/en/pilots/detail:tomkostair.
The BHPA Training Guide, aimed at up-to-EP pilots under training, is now available in hard copy for schools to give to their students.
Originally incorporated into a spring edition of Skywings as Training Wings, then published separately and finally available as a download, this invaluable source of basic training guidance and advice can be obtained by all pilots under training from their schools. Schools should contact the BHPA office for stocks. It is also still available on our home page www.bhpa.co.uk.
Further information about the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and skywings magazine can be found on the about the BHPA and Skywings magazine pages on this website.
