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Skywings news stories posted online in Nov & Dec 2014 are displayed below.
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If you're looking for stories posted after December 2015, please visit our Skywings News page.
Tomas Frohawk has just become, at 17, the BHPA's youngest fully-qualified tug pilot. Tomas learnt to fly with Flylight Airsports at Sywell and quickly gained his NPPL (Microlights).
In ten weeks Tomas has flown 180 hours and made over 103 flights and now flies his own Mainair-Pegasus Quik. He hopes to begin hang glider training soon, again with Flylight support. Such dedication to flying at Tomas's age is encouraging to see.
Updated: 26 October 2014
Paramotor records fall to RAF team
In late September an RAF team broke the paramotor world records for solo and tandem time to climb to 3000m. The UK records for these categories were also broken, along with the UK solo and tandem altitude records (19,200 and 11,309 ft).
The team included Flt Lt Gordon Blackley, Sqn Ldr Suzanne Hobbs, Flt Lt Giles Fowler and Gp Capt (Ret'd) Mick Roche; the equipment was Bailey Hornet-powered Advance Epsilon 7 and Bi-Beta 5 gliders. Summit Oxygen and Flycom specialist comms systems were also used, along with electrically-heated flying kit.
Flights were made at Bailey Aviation's Cambridgeshire base and at Chatteris airfield, with high-level controlled airspace cleared in advance by military-CAA co-operation. All records are subject to the homologation process; congratulations to all involved.
Posted: 26 October 2014
Mark Morgan record homologated
The 123.18km paramotor flight made on October 6th last year by Mark Morgan of Sussex Paramotors has been confirmed as a World and UK tandem paramotor (limited fuel) distance record.
Mark flew his Bailey V5/Ozone Mag Max outfit from Hambrook, West Sussex to Camber Sands on just 7.5kg - about 10 litres - of fuel, with Micheal 'Stix' Stevenson as passenger. Mark is soon to take delivery of a new Ozone Viper 3 and has more paramotor records in his sights.
Posted: 26 October 2014
Earlier this year the Royal Aero Club Trust awarded 28 bursaries to young airsports enthusiasts to help them advance in their chosen field.
Details of the 2015 bursaries are now available; changes to the scheme include lowering the minimum age to 14 and the addition of follow-on bursaries for further advancement up to age 24. The awards include the Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship (up to £1,000), the President's Scholarships (up to £750), the Breitling Bursary (up to £750) and many others worth up to £500.
If you are aged between 14 and 21 and seek financial assistance to progress to the next level, go to the Royal Aero Club Trust website. Applications for 2015 bursaries will close on March 31st 2015. Every young BHPA pilot should apply!
Posted: 26 October 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.
