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Displaying page 27 out of 58
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A reminder to all who fly Sub-70kg wheeled SPHGs: insurance is a mandatory legal requirement. This includes powered hang gliders such as PeaBees, Snakes, etc, and wheeled paramotor variants too.
At present no BHPA schools offer tuition on Sub-70kg powered hang gliders, and a would-be BHPA Sub-70kg pilot without CAA or BHPA power qualifications would need to undertake dual flexwing microlight training with an established CAA microlight school.
Whilst the school's insurance will cover you to fly the school's own tandem wing, it will not usually cover you to fly your own wing under instruction or supervision in a school setting.
The BHPA has therefore taken the decision that a CAA flexwing microlight instructor can supervise BHPA student Sub-70 hang glider pilots in the same way that a BHPA Instructor can instruct and supervise a non-powered student. In that way the student pilot is insured under the BHPA Policy.
This process has to be signed off in advance by a BHPA Technical Officer or, during the pandemic furlough, the Chairman, Marc Asquith.
Once considered fully trained and fully capable by their CAA instructor, the student pilot will be awarded a restricted CP (Power) rating. The student will then be expected to sit the BHPA Pilot exam prior to the award of a BHPA Pilot (Power) rating.
The above route applies both to existing hang glider pilots and those from a paragliding - or even a non-flying - background.
All pilots should be aware that this process must be a) signed off by a member of the BHPA Tech staff, and b) temporary in nature. If the BHPA is not aware of the agreement with a CAA Instructor, the pilot is not covered by BHPA insurance.
Posted: 24 September 2020
By: J. Schofield
Exemplary neighbour-relations from Green Dragons at the end of August.
Mindful of the nuisance that events at their flying base can generate, Andy Shaw wrote to all his near neighbours offering a free tandem flight during their Open Weekend over the bank holiday.
Andy also invited local residents to bring a picnic and join in the festivities. We like it!
Posted: 24 September 2020
By: J. Schofield
Ex-pat Brit Robin Hamilton's Class 2 hang glider 100km triangle speed record, set in Texas 53.73km/h on an Aeriane Swift 18 years ago, has finally been broken.
On August 7th US pilot Armand Acchione pushed the record to 60km/h from Brussels in Ontario, Canada, aboard a Swift Light, subject to FAI confirmation.
Posted: 24 September 2020
By: J. Schofield
'Acro' Jack Pimblett, lately an exponent of paramotoring as well as paragliding, has joined up with Italian manufacturer Fly Products as a brand ambassador.
'Having visited a few companies and their factories, I immediately felt like I was a part of the team at Fly Products,' Jack writes. They have a proven track record and the quality is great - it was a no-brainer. My Atom 80-powered Eclipse has been an absolute blast. At 18.5kg it changes the game for me!'
Jack first flew a paramotor at 16 but was put off by the heavy machines of the era. He says the aim of the new partnership is to show paraglider pilots the beauty of paramotoring and the advantages of being involved in both disciplines.
Posted: 26 August 2020
By: J. Schofield
Only eight days after Andy Hollidge had reset it to 126km, Carl Wallbank captured the UK flexwing hang glider triangle record at 142km.
In 2019 Carl had made 140 and 150km triangle attempts, both ending prematurely.
On July 13th he attempted another 150km triangle, again landing early having covered only 40km. On the same day Andy Hollidge completed an impressive 126km triangle from Sutton Meadows.
On July 21st, after a slow start to the day, Carl got away from Croft in Worcestershire at noon having declared 142km. Five and a half hours later he scraped home in deteriorating conditions to claim the Class 1 UK FAI declared and undeclared triangle record. Nick Collins also got round the route on a Class 5 glider, arriving 50 minutes later.
'On the perfect day I believe a 180-220km triangle is possible in the UK on a Class 1 hang glider,' said Carl after the flight. 'I'm sure Andrew Hollidge and the Cambridge crew will also be focusing on reclaiming the title.'
Posted: 26 August 2020
By: J. Schofield
The last few weeks have seen some major post-lockdown paraglider flights.
These include Alex Coltman's 232km by paraglider from Frocester, followed by 215km from Selsley Common only five days later; and Pete Logan's 170km by paraglider from Carlton Bank, in the company of Jake Herbert and Chris Fountain, that may turn out to be a site record.
Posted: 26 August 2020
By: J. Schofield
Manufacturer's Safety Notice
Woody Valley GTO Light 2: Critical - Mandatory Before Flying.
GTO Light 2 paragliding harnesses (all serial numbers) may have faulty parachute bridle V-line loops. In one case the seam on one of the two loops securing the V-line to the harness was missing.
Open the zip behind the shoulder straps of the harness and check that each of the two V-line loops has been sewn with white thread.
Be very careful; the loops may look OK even if the seam is missing because its two layers are glued together. If the white seam is there no further action is needed.
If the seam on one or both loops is missing the harness must not be flown. Contact your local Woody Valley dealer for reparation under warranty. The full safety notice, dated August 25th, is available on the manufacturers & importers safety notices page of this website.
Posted: 26 August 2020
By: J. Schofield
The FAI Medico-Physiological Commission (CIMP) is conducting a brief anonymous survey concerning mental wellbeing in air sports in general and the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The data will be analysed and reported within the FAI-CIMP bureau and country delegates.
The information will be used for further development and delivery of mental wellbeing support mechanisms in the air sports community. The results will be discussed in the ePlenary of the FAI-CIMP in September 2020.
The web-based survey consists of 12 questions and will take about 15 minutes to complete and should be completed by 15th September 2020. Please follow the link to complete the survey:
Posted: 26 August 2020
By: Paul Dancey
last updated: 30 October 2026
Displaying page 27 out of 58
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