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Skywings news stories published in 2018 are displayed below.
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There are 52 news stories for 2018 in our database.
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A reminder that the 2018 Lakes Charity Classic runs at the Grasmere Showground on July 14th - 15th. As well as the competition itself, the ever-popular coaching groups will run on both days.
Alternative bad-weather tasks are planned, plus plenty of free activities and lots to do for non-flying family and friends. On-site camping is available (fees are extra) and there's local accommodation nearby.
Flying activities are also planned for the Friday and Monday. Full details are available on the Cumbria Soaring Club website. The LCC sells out quickly - don't delay!
Posted: 27 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Dales Club adventurer Alex Colbeck has set himself a new challenge, a UK first.
His brainchild is the 6 Peak Challenge: climb and fly from the well-known 'three peaks' of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon and the the three Yorkshire peaks of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-Y-Ghent. All this inside of 24 hours!
Starting at Ben Nevis, using Niviuk equipment, Alex plans to take in Scafell Pike before tackling the Yorkshire peaks, finishing at Snowdon. The challenge will involve 15,000ft and 17 miles of climbing and around 11 hours of driving - achievable on paper but never done before. Already in training, he hopes to attack the challenge this month as soon as a weather window opens.
He is planning to raise money for the British Tinnitus Association and Yorkshire Air Ambulance; to help him reach his £1,000 target please visit the Six Peaks in 24hrs website.
Posted: 27 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
The Icarus X-Series, a spin-off from the Icarus Trophy, the world's longest paramotor race, comprises four shorter format stand-alone race events in the US, UK, Australia and South Africa.
13 contestants took off near Hartbeespoort Dam north of Johannesburg at the end of March to pursue a 340km course over two days, with checkpoints at the Vaalkop and Buffelspoort dams before heading back to the start.
South Africans Alard Hufner and Bruce Askham led at the end of Day 1, but gusty winds slowed competitors on Day 2 and put Bruce out of the race. Alard used the opportunity to take the lead and, missing the worst of the weather, crossed the finishing line first, ahead of Eugene Cussons (pictured).
Alard wins a place in the 1,000-mile Icarus Trophy proper at the same location on July 25th. The UK X-Series race starts on Friday June 29th; details are available on the Icarus Trophy website.
Posted: 27 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Tickets are selling fast for this year's Parafest (July 27th - 29th), which promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Llanbedr is a 600-acre former military airfield, right next to the beach yet with Snowdonia's free flying sites only a short drive away. There will be a substantial traders' area, plus winching by Green Dragons - who will also be offering accuracy training and competition flying - and Airways Airsports, and aerotowing from the Malvern Aerotow Group's FoxTug.
Llanbedr's mile-long runway means pilots of any aircraft type are welcome to fly in. On the ground, top-level live-music attractions include Liverpool Britpop legends Cast, the Alabama 3, the Karpets and Echo Town. The biggest pilot party the UK has ever seen is more than just a fly-in. It's a festival you can fly at. Details and ticket sales are available on the Parafest website.
Posted: 27 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
A microlight pilot who infringed a Red Arrows TRA and caused a display to be halted was fined recently following prosecution by the CAA.
On July 9th last year Anthony Hope, 52, infringed the Temporary Restricted Airspace surrounding the Flying Legends airshow at Duxford. The Red Arrows broke off their display until Hope's Quik GT450 trike had left the airspace. Hope claimed to be aware of the NOTAM announcing the TRA and blamed his infringement on poor timekeeping.
At Luton Magistrates' Court in January he pleaded guilty and was fined £1,250, plus costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £125.
Posted: 7 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
The paragliding PDS site is now live, with other disciplines to follow. It is aimed at all pilots from beginner to advanced, and all post-CP BHPA pilots have access to it. It works best in Chrome, Safari and Firefox (there is also a mobile version). To see how the system works, log in and view the short video help files.
The PDS has two primary functions - to present all the best currently available practice and advice arranged by topic; and to allow you to monitor and plan your own development in the sport, by providing each pilot with their own 'experience profile'.
A typical skill page has a description, video/diagram or podcast, issues and solutions, other useful resources, a feedback button and related skills. The exercise page has exercises for you to demonstrate that you have mastered the skill - and that usually means doing it competently, confidently and consistently in a range of different conditions. The idea is that the skill will become embedded, and doing it once on one hill doesn't achieve that.
When you complete the exercise in a skill page, that skill becomes hatched on your experience profile as displayed on the web page. As you complete the skills in a skill area, that area becomes increasingly hatched and the percentage completed increases. Each skill has an appropriate time limit, after which the hatching reverts, reminding you it's been a while since you last practised that skill. So the system helps you to track your currency - not in hours, but in skills mastered.
Your experience profile can also be customised, by summarising your experience and future aspirations in the sport in a few short questions, and your dashboard is reshaped to emphasise the areas most likely to be relevant at your stage of development.
All BHPA licensed coaches and instructors have access to coaching pages which provide guidance and tips on how to coach a particular skill. These are a collation of best practice from all our clubs and schools. If doing one of the exercises reminds you that you've never been too sure about something, have a chat with a club coach. With direct access to relevant tips from experts throughout our community, our coaches are well prepared to help out.
BHPA pilots have a huge range of experience and ideas of the sport and the PDS is intended to apply to all. Don't just 'push the button' - actually doing the exercise might just result in some minor breakthrough which could make you a better pilot!
Note: The PDS will always be expanding and lot of content is still being written and collated.
Posted: 7 April 2018
By: Paul Dancey
A number of Royal Aero Club awards have been made to BHPA members. Sacha Dench (Flight of the Swans) receives this year's Britannia Trophy; coast-to-coast paramotorist Giles Fowler the RAeC Silver Medal; former BHPA Technical Manager Mark Dale and Tony and Ioana Stephens the RAeC Bronze Medal, and aerotow pioneer Donald MacKenzie and BOS Club Class guide Mark Woodhams the RAeC Certificate of Merit.
This year's Ann Welch Memorial Award for excellence in instructing goes to Jocky Sanderson. Awards will be presented at the RAeC's annual ceremony at the RAF Club on Thursday 17th May. Congratulations to all concerned!
Posted: 2 March 2018
By: Paul Dancey
A final reminder that applications for Royal Aero Club Trust bursaries close on March 31st. The bursaries are of up to £1,000; last year the Trust awarded 50 of them to young pilots of up to 21 years - and previous winners up to 24 - to progress their flying qualifications and further their dreams.
Recent BHPA recipients include Theo Warden, 18, top Brit at the PWC Superfinal, and Jack Pimblett, also 19, 5th in the South African Pre-PWC in December. Theo received an RAeC Bursary in 2015 and Jack was a recipient in 2017.
If you are between 14 and 21 and financial assistance would help you progress, please visit the Royal Aeroclub Trust website. If you are a young BHPA pilot - apply now!
Posted: 2 March 2018
By: Paul Dancey
last updated: 10 March 2025
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