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The organizers of the British Open Paramotor Championships 2023 are seeking sponsors, and have produced a leaflet explaining the sponsorship opportunities available.
This event is where the UK's most talented pilots challenge each other in XC navigation, flight planning, and aircraft control skills for the prestigious British National Paramotor Champion trophy.
The event scoreboard is also used as the primary basis for selection of the British Paramotor Team for the international FAI World Championships.
Event Dates: 28th June - 2nd July 2023 at Manston Airfield, Kent
British Open Paramotor Championships 2023 - Sponsorship Opportunities
Posted: 17 March 2023
By: Paul Dancey
Northampton Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club Flying Trip Ager 2023
Flying opportunity for two Pilots.
Every year the Club runs a two-week trip to a European destination. This year the club will again visit Ager in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Conditions in Ager at this time of the year tend to be rather warm and very thermic, with opportunity for XC flights over good distances.
About eleven paraglider pilots will be on the trip, however, the club currently has two spare places available to experienced pilots. A minibus will leave Northampton on Saturday 27th May arriving in Ager on the Sunday afternoon. Several club members also fly to Barcelona on the Sunday and pick up a hire car. The club returns on Monday 11th June.
Accommodation is at Casa Joan in Fontsagrada, near Tremp, behind the Ager ridge, and with good landing areas just a few hundred meters away. Casa Joan is an old restored farmhouse with a beautiful terrace overlooking the valley.
Accommodation, bus hire, fuel, retrieves, tolls, breakfast and dinner for seven of the nights is included (the club eat out the other nights). They take a driver for retrieves. However if you fly out this is at your expense. The cost is £720 per person, a deposit of £120 is required to secure a place.
You will need to sort your own travel insurance, together with a UK Global Health Insurance Card and be a full BHPA member. There will be several Club Coaches on the trip for those new to the area, and daily briefings are run to discuss weather, environment, and a possible task to fly.
Anyone requiring further information can contact Roly Furniss 07484 161625 or Phil Osborne 07515932884.
Posted: 10 March 2023
By: Paul Dancey
Hang Gliding Coaches are needed to support two new initiatives at the British Open Hang Gliding Series.
The Hang Gliding Comps Panel have introduced new BOS Challenge Weekends to run alongside the British Open Series events. The Challenge Weekends are designed to help Club Pilots, low air-timers and others who are lacking currency to build confidence. They are also open to those not interested in serious competition yet enjoy flying with others.
They also plan an End of Season Fly-in, to include as much flying as possible as well as an informal campsite-based social gathering on Saturday night, sharing stories, music and beers with some input from top comp pilots, weather permitting.
Coaches are needed to support the pilots at these events. Challenges aimed at improving flying skills through participation in ridge based tasks would be set depending on the pilots' level of experience. This could also include the development of competition skills and understanding of navigation. Ultimately the longer-term aim would be to encourage participants to consider joining the British Open Series in the future - or simply to encourage their continued participation in hang gliding.
Full details about the British Open Series, the BOS Challenge and our planned End of Season Fly-in can be found on the HG Comps website
The dates are:
Challenge Weekends:
10th and 11th June in the Yorkshire Dales
1st and 2nd July in mid-Wales
End of Season Fly-in:
9th - 11th September in the Yorkshire Dales
The Role of a Coach
The Hang Gliding Comps Panel are looking for BHPA coaches who can help on any or all of the dates above. Even if you can do one day that would help! Your role will be to develop the personal flying skills of 3 to 4 pilots, and assist them with learning about their instruments, harnesses and other equipment.
Some financial assistance is available towards expenses and anyone who offers coaching help for the weekend will have free entry to the BOS Competitions for the remaining days of the competition. For more information about Rewards for Coaches please visit the Coaches can you help page on the HG Comps website
If you are interested and would like more information please contact Kevin Gay 07794950856 or email kevin@candonorthyorks.co.uk
Posted: 6 March 2023
By: Paul Dancey
A final reminder that the Association's 2023 AGM will take place at Loughborough University's Holywell Park Conference Centre (LE11 3GR) on Saturday 25th February at 10.00am.
BHPA Exec members Marc Asquith, Jenny Buck, Paul Dancey and Tom Prideaux-Brune are standing for re-election, and BHPA members Brett Janaway and Steve Young are standing for election.
The AGM offers an opportunity to quiz Exec members on their achievements and on the future direction of the Association, and all members are welcome to attend. The meeting will also be streamed on the BHPA Facebook page.
The revised BHPA 2023 AGM pack is now available for download in the documents section of this web site. This is a full online copy of the document that will be distributed to those attending the AGM in person. It includes copies of the various reports that will be presented, together with formal notice of the meeting, details of members standing for election, and a proxy voting form.
Completed proxy voting forms can be scanned and emailed to office@bhpa.co.uk, but must be received at the office by 10am on Thursday 23rd February 2023.
Posted: 6 February 2023
By: Paul Dancey
A national combined-forces exercise involving a large number of military aircraft, including unmanned aircraft and parachuting activities, in all flight conditions and at all altitudes, necessitates the creation of numerous temporary restricted and dangerous areas in late February and early March.
The areas involved include the French Western Mediterranean coastline (Perpignan-Beziers-Montpelier), and further inland (in the area Carcassonne-Albi-Rodez-Millau) and several other locations, over the period February 20th - March 9th.
Any pilots planning to fly in the area should access the official notification SUP AIP 013/23 and run it through an online translator.
Best advice is not to seek to fly in southern France between the dates noted.
Posted: 31 January 2023
By: Paul Dancey
The government's New Year Honours List list in early January revealed the following: 'Member of the Order of the British Empire: Russell Ogden, Lead Designer and Test Pilot, Ozone Paragliding; Paragliding World Champion 2021/2022. For services to Paragliding.'
'It is a real honour,' said Russ, 'and I accept it on behalf of the British team and squad who have always had my back. The support and love I have received from far and wide is humbling.'
Posted: 10 January 2023
By: J. Schofield
Buyers of Katy Tracey's 2023 hang gliding calendar will be donating £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. The disease affects one in every eight men; in 2022 it claimed the lives of around 12,000 blokes including BHPA stalwarts Simon Murphy and Everard Cunion.
The calendar features 12 superb photographs in large (420 x 594mm) format, with lots of room to write comp dates. Available from Fly Pure Air at £18 including free UK shipping (overseas - email for a quote).
Posted: 2 January 2023
By: J. Schofield
The 2023 Icarus Cup is now fixed for June 17th to 25th at Lasham airfield in Hampshire. Aerocycles 301 and 302 and Southampton University's Super Lazarus (pictured - photo: Jesse van Kuijk) will definitely attend, as will the Betterfly and Airglow teams.
The new machine from Bordeaux University, now very close to completion, may also compete. Details will appear on the The British Human Powered Flying Club website in due course.
Posted: 2 January 2023
By: J. Schofield
last updated: 19 March 2025
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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.
