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Skywings news stories posted online in Jul 2014 are displayed below.
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With effect from 23.59 on Thursday 17th July 2014 there will be a new Radio Mandatory Zone (RMZ) around Southend. Please note this is a different date to that previously supplied by the CAA. The RMZ is indicated on this chart and will extend from the surface up to the base of the overlying CAS.
The following quotes are from the CAA letter announcing the airspace.
"Southend is in the process of applying for Controlled Airspace. However, even if this CAS ACP application is approved by the CAA it is not envisaged that CAS will be in place before February 2015 at the earliest. London Southend Airport (LSA) outlined the request for a Radio Mandatory Zone (RMZ) to augment safety measures of existing ATC procedures for the intervening period until a decision is made regarding the LSA CAS ACP. The role of the CAA is to ensure the safe, efficient and equitable usage of all UK airspace by all users and as such, the CAA Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG), accepting the LSA requirement for appropriate airspace mitigation, has examined the request in detail and has considered the case for the establishment of an RMZ. It has been concluded that the establishment of a temporary RMZ will satisfy LSA's requirement for enhanced safety in the vicinity of the airport until a decision is made on the CAS ACP. The establishment of an RMZ is considered to be appropriate and to satisfactorily accommodate Southend ATC's short term requirements, to have a known traffic environment, whilst not overly restricting other airspace users."
"Although an ATC clearance is not required to gain entry to the Southend RMZ, a pilot must establish two way communication with Southend prior to entry. An initial call on 130.775MHz should contain the designation of the station being called, call sign, type of aircraft, position, level, the intentions of the flight and other information as prescribed by Southend ATC. Pilots must then remain on frequency whilst in the zone unless instructed otherwise. Aircraft not fitted with radios can still operate in the RMZ provided the pilot is able to co-ordinate suitable arrangements with Southend ATC prior to departure. Southend ATC may at times request RMZ traffic to deviate from its route or level in order to deconflict from Southend arriving or departing traffic, although as the airspace remains as Class G, the decision on whether or not to accept the request rests with the pilot."
This the first semi-permanent RMZ in the country and as such it is vital for all GA that it works as it represents a far less draconian imposition than Class D airspace, even for our flying. We cannot afford any infringements.
Posted: 5 July 2014
Another up-and-coming youngster!
Jack Pimblett has been tandem flying with his dad Tony since he was five years old. Last summer, at the age of 14, he took his first bunny hops and small soaring flights at Dune de Pyla using an Escape speed wing.
Tony and Jack then set off on a five-week trip across the Pyrenees, flying tandem at a number of sites. Having grown up around paragliders, in May Jack, now 15, started to progress towards his CP under the watchful eye of Dean Crosby at Active Edge.
Tony and Jack plan to fly at Organja this summer; according to Dean Jack is making great progress and needs only one or two tasks to achieve CP. It's great to see more and more young people coming into the sport.
Posted: 2 July 2014
Alex Colbeck and Alex Martinek, paraglider/paramotor pilots and old friends, plan to paramotor from Workington, Cumbria to Whitby in North Yorkshire, roughly following the route of Alfred Wainwright's 1972 200-mile coast-to-coast walk, to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
They intend to complete the flight in a day using at least two fuel stops. With all preparations already complete and a support vehicle at the ready, they will attempt the flight as soon as a suitable weather window appears.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance has helped many of their friends and colleagues and once rescued Alex Colbeck from a nasty scrape. If you want to help them in their endeavour, small or large donations can be made on the Just Giving website.
Posted: 2 July 2014
On June 7th Austrian Enzo pilot Thomas Walder became the first paraglider pilot to fly a 300km triangle when he achieved 325.76km from Zillertal, destroying Pierre Bouilloux' 2010 record of 237km.
In the air for over 11 hours, Thomas exceeded 12,000ft in places. Despite many recent triangle flights exceeding 200km, the 300km mark has remained elusive even to those who have clearly had it in their sights. Thomas flew a 204km triangle back in 1996, then 254km in 2003 and again in 2008.
Just to make it look easy, the day after his 354km record he flew a 263.54km triangle from Zillertal - the same day fellow Austrian Bernhard Pessl flew 300.65km on an EN B Nova Mentor 3 from Antholz in Italy. Bernhard had already flown 248 and 257km triangles on consecutive days in May!
Updated: 2 July 2014
Seager, publishers of Flyer magazine, have taken over the running of the BMAA's Flying Show. Several years ago the show was a joint BMAA/BHPA event. The BHPA withdrew from the partnership after the 2009 show and the BMAA ran it themselves very successfully at the NEC, but recent reports have said that there is less and less of interest for free fliers.
Seager's first move has been to move the show back to Telford where it ran for years before the move to the NEC in 2005. "The work of organising and running the show has increased over the years and now needs specialist input that we are not really geared up to give," says BMAA Chief Exec Geoff Weighell. "Seager runs flight training events all over the world and have the expertise to make the Flying Show an equally successful event."
Dates for the new-look show are November 22nd - 23rd.
Posted: 2 July 2014
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.
