February 2014 Mag - Pennine Soaring Club

Pennine News
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Handbook & Site Guide
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2013
March 2014
Winter Hill by GJ
Contents
Editorial!
!
Chairmans Rant!
!
!
2!
Social News!!
!
!
3!
Of Interest!
!
!
4!
PSC AGM Minutes! !
!
5/8!
!
PSC Income & Expenditure 2013
9!
Competition News! !
!
10!
Spring Thermals!
!
!
11!
Workwear Boota!
!
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12!
Advanced XC Course!
!
13!
Skywings News !
!
!
14/15!
Coaches List!!
!
!
16!
The sun is shining, giving warmth and the sky
has fluffy cloud this March day. So gliders out
and head for the hills. Though work might say
something about it! The early start to the
season, or a lure for the unwary/desperate. !
Still its a well packed Mag as the business end
of the Winter Social Nights was reached in
February. The AGM Minutes are shown (p5) for
those unable to attend.!
Early warnings of site disruption are carried on
page 4. Along with reports/advertisement for
items of equipment, and services that I hope is
of interest, if not profit.!
Tony Colombat!
Editor
1
Chairmans Rant !
!
The sun feels stronger every day, when it”s out, and it is getting later each night before the dark
arrives. By the time I write the next rant, clocks will have gone forward (I think) and we will have an
extra hour of daylight each night. Winter will be effectively over (tempting fate!!)!
Hopefully the equinox winds have blown themselves out in February and we can celebrate a new
paragliding flying season again. !
So, it's time to get the equipment out for checking, if you haven't already done it, or sent it away for
a professional assessment, or reserve repack. !
The Paraglider once found and brought out the attic can hopefully be laid somewhere dry, for a
careful check of all the lines and straps made to make sure they are not damaged. And an airing of
the canopy will not go on amiss, as well as a check for any rips or tears in the fabric.!
The harness brushed off, with a similar checking especially pockets to discard any redundant or
less savoury items. Those of us who heard accounts of unwanted reserve deployment in January”s
Social Night, will be checking carefully our reserve retaining pin!
My helmet certainly smelt better after a wipe down inside from a scented clean wipe, It must have
been warmer than I thought last summer! !
Now al I have to do its make sure I’m fit enough to carry all the kit up the hill! If I can get really
keen I might practice a few Plf”s, who remembers them and their purpose.!
Finally on this theme, as the weather warms up the wet ground, its likely to kick off many off the
seasonal, what I call bullets thermals, (rapidly rising small areas of air,) which can make for
turbulent even uncomfortable flying, so allow for your winter inactivity and take care when out flying. !
Of course being spring, the great British countryside will celebrate with new life, not only plants and
trees but animals as well, so do watch Club websites, to check for and respect, site closures during
the breeding season.!
Sorry for a serious rant this month, but lets keep our accident statistics low, by being actively aware
and avoiding potential dangers we can do something about, and so be free to enjoy the flying!!
See you Monday the 10th March 2014 at the Boatyard for the last winter social Night.!
Andy !
The AGM!
The AGM at the Boatyard Inn last month was attended by around 35 members who (enjoyed/
endured?) a powerpoint presentation of the formal AGM Agenda, in the business of organisation,
administration, and accountability of the Clubs finances and affairs.!
This was followed by a lightened mood of the presentations trophies by a mixture of the Committee
and of course the humorous and bent upright award. !
A number of issues came up under AOB, including club fees, the WebCam, and the flying of
Pennine sites by non-members. !
All these issues are dealt with in great to get greater debt in the AGM minutes Page 5!
Ed
2
Social News!
!
MONDAY
CLUB NIGHT
MONDAY!
10/03/2014
Cross Country
Flying XC
2014
Pat Dower
from
The last social night of the winter is Pat Dower in March.!
!
It will be flyable by April! Be social out on the hill or in the pub after flying.!
!
During the flying season, watch out for one off evenings, such as, Curry nights, camping weekends
and of course The Parafest, as well as the many other Meets/Competitions.!
!
We'd like to run a member's photo/video night for the first winter social (October), so start
preparing. Short videos, less than 5 minutes, preferably paragliding related, is what we'll need.
Please be creative during the summer so that we can have something to watch when the clocks go
back.!
!
Dave
Old PG Harnesses Wanted
The Appeal in the last 2 Mags for old PG harnesses, has resulted in five harnesses for which Mahdlo are extremely grateful and have asked that their pass on there thanks to the PSC and especially those who kindly donated harness, in order that disabled children, teenagers and adults can have some experience of Rock climbing
3
Of
Interest ??
Nova Festival
13 - 15 June 2014 Derbyshire
!
We'll have the complete Nova Paragliders range for you to test fly.
!
Saturday 14th June 8.00pm talk by Toni Bender about glider development and testing at
the Derbyshire & Lancashire Gliding Club. Camping available.
!
For more information contact Dean Crosby dean@activeedge.co.uk
+44 (0)7793 678133
!
Regards Dean!
www.activeedge.co.uk!
Tel: 0845 129 8286!
Mob: 07793 678133!
Active Edge!
The Mill!
Glasshouses!
Harrogate!
HG3 5QH
Tour de France!
!
!
Stage ½ Sat/Sun 25/26 July 2014!
Early days yet, but for those who like the Yorks Dales, remember the Tour de France starts in
Yorkshire UK, this summer, and no doubt disruption on roads (& airspace) will extend the week(s)
well before start date of 25 July as television, crowds etc descend on the route.!
!
The Dales club will be flagging up about the Tour and its effect on airspace restrictions likely come
July. at;!
!
http://www.dhpc.org.uk/events/le-tour-Yorkshire!
!
There's a meeting of the Regional Airspace Users' Working Group coming up in April with this on
the agenda, Martin Baxter will keep us informed.!
!
Theres a full pdf route of the 3 UK stages at:! http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/tdf_2014!
!
Nearer the date look out for the upto date maps and details on the website, and basically plan to
keep away!!
!
Brian
4
Pennine Soaring Club AGM 10 February 2014 Committee Members present: Andy McLoughlin (Chairman) James Seed (Safety) Dave Evans (Social) Simon Blake (Competitions) Graham Jones (Site Warden) Simon Blake (Competitions) Carl Fairhurst (Membership) Rhona Carrigan (Web) Brian Stewart (Secretary) Andy Archer (Sites) Tony Colombat (Editor) John Murphy (Coaching) Richard Chadwick (Treasurer), Apologies: Simon Scott (Power & HG) Mark Walton (Sub 20) In excess of 30 members attended the event in the Boatyard Inn. Chairman's Address: The chairman described the past year as one of extremes, contrasting the successes of members in various competitions with the tragic deaths of two pilots on our hills and some serious accidents. He stressed the importance of the club's role in promoting our sport socially with the well-­‐attended club nights, the Parafest and other evening events alongside the vital job of maintaining a safe environment and attitude. Coaching and first aid courses, reserve repacks and keeping a watchful eye on sites are vital functions carried out, not just by those committee members responsible but by all the members of the club. Overall the existence of the club and the attitudes of the members play an important part in maintaining the enthusiasm and motivation for all of us. Treasurer's Report: The treasurer went through in detail several items in his end-­‐of-­‐year accounts. Significantly we ended the year around £1200 down on last year, but this was accounted for in terms of investment by the club in new equipment such as the webcam and other one-­‐off costs. While an annual loss would not be sustainable if continued, there was no immediate concern, although membership fees would need attention in the near future. Proposed by: Carl Fairhurst, Seconded by Rhona Carrigan. Carried nem con. Coaching Officer's Report: The Chief Coach thanked all those who had taken part in the various coaching activities over the year, in particular Richard Butterworth, Dave Evans and Phil Wallbank for generously giving their time to conduct the Pilot exam training exercises in the Boatyard. He also thanked Graham Jones for his part in organising and encouraging the hill-­‐coaching sessions which took place through the year, although the weather conspired to spoil the fun on many occasions. There has been some success in encouraging non-­‐BHPA flyers to join up and become qualified, with 2 pilots following this route this year. Sites Officer's Report: Edenfield: There had been some instances of pilots being approached and asked for a £5 landing fee and a reference to a '£100 site fee'. The Sites Officer reported that this misunderstanding had arisen through the farmer's relationship with Airborne and that it was now settled. Any further occurrence should be reported to the Sites Officer. Parlick: The serious incidents involving the Air Ambulance had not caused any undue problems with the gamekeepers or land owners, who seemed concerned only about the welfare of the pilots involved. relationships seem to be fine. 5
Pendle: Sites Officer has attended meeting involving the County Council, Land owners, Graziers etc. where some concern has arisen over accidents, including a fatality (involving a non-­‐PSC member). Further meetings are to take place, to look at how rangers can identify PSC members (helmet stickers) and we will be looking at signage (also at Parlick) to emphasise that only BHPA-­‐insured pilots have permission to fly. Social Secretary's Report: The Social Sec reported that we have had a successful winter programme of events involving our own gifted and talented pilots recounting their experiences, and he wil be looking to maintain the 'low-­‐key, home-­‐grown' approach in the future, but with the addition of 1 or maybe 2 A-­‐list stars as appropriate. Barney Woodhead recommended we contact Julian Robinson to give a presentation, and it was agreed to pursue this. Membership Secretary's Report: The Membership Secretary reported a small increase in membership overall with some normal 'churn' as pilots leave and new ones arrive. Overall figures are: PG 141, HG 7, PG & HG 36, Non-­‐rated 7. Of the PG pilots there are 14 Advanced Pilots, 52 Pilots, and 109 Club Pilots. The question was asked 'with so many CP rated pilots, why were the Pilot lectures so poorly-­‐attended?' Good question. Editor's Report: The Editor thanked all those who contributed to the monthly newsletter, and issued his perennial plea for more articles, photos and material. Competition Secretary's Report: The Comp Sec reported that more Pennine pilots than ever had entered scores in the National XC league, and we were 3rd overall in numbers taking part, as well as winning the club competition. He urged all members to consider entering flights and taking part in some of the competitions around the country, including the BPC and LCC. Safety Officer's Report: No final report had yet been received from the BHPA regarding the recent fatality on Pendle. Progress towards a 'safety culture' was being made -­‐ the publication of the Safety Cards, with a briefing on conduct in emergencies and details of site locations had been taken up by clubs around the country. A suggestion from the floor that these should be sent out with membership info was well-­‐received. A warning about rusty pilots encountering the much-­‐anticipated arrival of spring conditions was given, and will be repeated in the newsletter and on the website. Site Warden's Report: The Site Warden described his role in terms of looking after fences, windsocks and gates etc. as part of his brief and that work was continuing on siting a permanent windsock at Parlick. He also added his thanks to the pilot theory presenters. Apart from the Sub-­‐20 officer, all committee members offered themselves for re-­‐election. No member stood for any position, so the block proposal tore-­‐elect them all was made; Proposed by: Dale Pickard; Seconded by: Ben Farrell; Carried nem con. The Sub-­‐20 post was proposed to be filled by John Oliver. 6
Club Awards Award Title Most improved pilot Best XC Flight PSC XC League 1st Name Richard Tang -­‐ winning the Parafest comp & early lead in Grid Challenge Phil Wallbank -­‐ big triangle: Burn, Pendle Parlick
Phil Colbert PSC Loop League 1 st
The Club Award Representing the Club Graham Jones -­‐ final winner
Barney Woodhead -­‐ highest placed pilot in National XC
Simon Blake -­‐ Wainwrights XC League Fun Class Simon Blake XC League Sports Class John Murphy William Marshall Trophy Carl Fairhurst -­‐ contributions to the club. Bent Upright Award Billy Maxwell -­‐ against strong competition from many of the usual suspects In addition, Billy offered a vote of thanks to all the club members who assisted him on the hill on the day of the accident, and in his subsequent recovery !
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Richard Tang’s Award
from
Simon Blake
Resolutions from Members None received. AOB A free-­‐ranging discussion followed over the arguments for and against raising the membership fees, which have been static for a number of years. The point was made that we have made a significant withdrawal of reserve funds in order to invest in equipment for the members. We are also facing an uncertain fee situation on Pendle. Cont below….
7
AOB Cont Also considered was the benefit of a large increase to be held for several years, rather than piecemeal regular changes. The treasurer reported that the discount for SO/DD payments didn't represent the amount of work necessary to administer these, and we should look at a simpler structure. The nature of memberships, including, family, associate, social etc. was also discussed. While a formal vote could not be taken as a resolution to that effect had not been published, a proposal that a new fee of £25 would be reasonable was taken. Proposed by: Simon Baillie; Seconded by: Bruce McCracken; Passed by overwhelming majority (2 against). The committee will examine the whole fee structure and report back to the membership with a view to having this in place for the following year. Non-­‐BHPA pilots on 'our' hills. This has been an emotive issue this year, but there is little we can do other than encourage and persuade these people of the benefits to themselves and others of belonging to the BHPA and PSC, and becoming qualified. We are making progress -­‐ 2 have joined and others are coming along to our meetings. Finally the Chairman wrapped up the meeting by thanking several members for their contributions, including Rob Cheshire, Reece Payne, Eric Innes, Billy Maxwell and others who made the Parafest such a success, and kept it all together when the weather conspired to try to wreck it; Mike Willig for his excellent efforts in re-­‐designing the Sites Guide; and our top XC pilots, especially Barney Woodhead, Phil Colbert, Phil Wallbank, Richard Butterworth for flying the Pennine flag so well. Meeting closed at 10.00pm
8
Pennine Soaring Club
STATEMENT OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE
For the year ending 31 December 2012
Richard Chadwick
Year to
31 Dec
08
Year to
31 Dec
09
Year to
31 Dec
10
Year to
31 Dec
11
Year to
31 Dec
12
Year to
31 Dec
13
2,806.00
1,868.00
2,337.00
3,013.00
2,929.00
2,811.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-
Dales Club Contributions
205.63
0.00
210.00
398.13
210.00
210.00
Bank Total Receivable
Income:
Subscriptions Received
Advertising Revenue
140.64
3.89
3.18
2.90
2.92
2.89
Refunds
0.00
0.00
0.00
420.00
0.00
50.00
Grants
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
200.00
T-Shirt Sales
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
185.00
-
Coaching Course Fees
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
955.60
37.00
First Aid Course Fees
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
81.00
52.00
Charity Collection
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
59.65
-
3,152.27
1,871.89
2,550.18
3,834.03
4,423.17
3,362.89
2,092.50
1,265.00
1,683.75
2,167.25
1,756.00
1,756.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-
43.48
42.55
43.48
0.00
0.00
-
New Sites Guides
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-
Membership Tags
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-
Helmet Stickers
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-
Course Fees & Exp.
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1,170.00
410.00
Commitee Expenses
168.90
142.56
350.00
69.00
89.19
682.00
Competion Expenses
85.00
35.00
40.00
25.00
25.00
25.00
Trophies and Prizes
135.00
100.00
130.00
165.00
200.00
209.00
Gratuaties and Donations
300.00
368.70
324.68
421.82
510.59
473.32
17.00
0.00
19.00
0.00
260.00
955.24
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
2,841.88
1,953.81
2,590.91
2,848.07
4,010.78
4,510.56
SURPLUS for the period
310.39
-81.92
-40.73
985.96
331.39
-1,147.67
TOTAL INCOME
Less
Site Fees
Site Maintenance
Newsletter & Web Site Costs
Sunderies
Members funds B/Fwd
10,405.72 10,716.11 10,634.19 11,110.19 12,096.15
Historic liabilities to be written off
516.73
Advanced 2013 First Aid Payments
TOTAL FUNDS
12,508.54
81.00
10,716.11 10,634.19 11,110.19 12,096.15 12,508.54
11,360.87
Represented by
Site Fees Accrues Due (Net)
-317.00
-317.00
Other Accruals
-200.00
-200.00
Cash in hand
0
0
0
0
0
63.00
Bank Current A/c
5,463.37
5,377.56
5,333.65
6,316.71
6,726.18
5,512.62
Bank Deposit A/c
5,769.74
5,773.63
5,776.54
5,779.44
5,782.36
5,785.25
TOTAL FUNDS AT YEAR END
10,716.11 10,634.19 11,110.19 12,096.15 12,508.54
11,360.87
9
Competition News !
!
!
!
Simon Blake!
The main competitions news!
Registration for the 2014 British Paragliding Cup is now OPEN.!
!
This is the only open national paragliding competition in the UK. Any BHPA member with a Pilot
rating can enter. There are two rounds again this year - !
!
3 days on the Isle of Wight, 24-26 May 2014, costing £45 to enter, !
and ! 9 days in the Peak District,
3-11 August 2014. which costs £75 to enter. !
It's an excellent opportunity to push your flying to the next level and spend a concentrated time in
the company of expert pilots from whom you can pick up a wealth of knowledge.!
The Peaks round is based at the sailplane gliding club near Bradwell, and is thus within easy reach
of a wide range of some of the most reliable XC sites in the UK, including Bradwell, Eyam, Lord's/
Rushup/Mam Tor. !
Register early. Details at http://www.bpcup.co.uk/ !
------------------------------------------------------------!
I don’t need to tell the more serious competition-heads that the 2014 British Championships are in;!
!
Gemona, Italy from !
&!
Ager, !
1 - 7 June 2014.!
Spain from 23 - 30 August 2014, !
as several of our "usual suspects" are already entered. !
Entry criteria for the Championships is stricter, requiring entrants to have completed at least a 50km
XC flight. If you want to enter, registration is still open. http://pgcomps.org.uk/?page_id=1317!
!
The North-South Cup is to be held on the 2-5 May 2014, this year? ..… probably in Scotland. !
More news on that as it comes in.!
------------------------------------------------------------!
At the time of writing (26/2/14) the XC League for 2014 has not yet been activated, but remember
any tracklogs you have dating back to November 1st can be entered when they get their act
together.!
------------------------------------------------------------!
Registration for the Lakes Charity Classic competitions and coaching sessions is NOW OPEN. This
fills up fast so get in quick.!
------------------------------------------------------------!
Finally, don't forget the Parlick Grid Challenge. Prevailing southwesterlies have been a touch strong
of late, but they should be calming down soon. Send your tracklogs to the Competition Secretary
and get on the scoreboard - record so far is 11 cylinders, and only three people have managed that!!
!
Simon Blake!
10
Turbulent Conditions
!
!
It is now getting flyable at last!!
The time has come to warn newcomers that spring thermals can be rough, and that particular care
is needed when flying near to the hill on cold, clear bright days. These days are when the condition
of the air favours small, fast moving thermals that can tip your glider to angles that you may not
have flown at before.!
!
Avoiding the technicalities of thermal formation and behaviour you must be aware of the following:!
!
When a bubble of air starts to rise, a circulation is set up in its outer “skin” by the combination of
friction between the rising air and the air surrounding it and convection caused by the warm thermal
being cooled by contact with the cooler air around it.!
!
In addition, as the warm air rises, cooler air descends to replace it. Thus, loosely speaking, there
are three areas to concern us.!
!
A.! In the middle where the air is rising !
B.! Around the edges of a thermal, where the air is turbulent
and where the circulation causes the net upward flow to be
much less then in the core!
!
C.! Where the airflow is downwards.!
So, when you fly along a radius into a thermal that is ‘out in
space’ you will usually feel sink first, followed by the turbulence
with some lift then the really useful up flowing air in the middle.!
!
What happens when this thermal up the face of a hill. The shape
is probably distorted as shown, and depending on the gradient of
the hill, the thermal may break away from the face part way up.!
!
In the occasional extreme case, we can have a situation as
above where the circulation at the ridge side of thermal may be
augmented by downward flowing air being sucked into the bottom.!
!
When the thermal is large, your glider may be wholly or mainly in one of the regions A, B or C with a
fairly gentle transition from one to the other. When the thermals are small your glider may span all
three of these regions.!
!
If you are flying close to the ridge and you pass tangentially through a thermal, as shown above,
your glider will be tipped violently towards the hill. Even if there is no down flow between the
thermal and the hill, the first time you experience strong lift under one wing tipping you towards the
ridge you will probably wish you had tried golf instead.!
!
The above information has been condensed from articles by John Klunder, Bill Walmsley and Jonathan Gill.!
11
Workwear Worth a Look?
!
John Roddam
!
My son-in-law runs an agricultural spares, repairs and general stores located in Inskip on
the Fylde. He stocks a selection of workwear and I’m always eyeing up items for suitability
on the hill or in the air. Stuff like fleeces, thermals, socks, padded jackets, quilted suits and
waterproofs can be had for a lot less than you’d pay for ‘branded’ outdoor items and I’m
impressed at the ruggedness and the low prices.
!
In case this sounds like a bit too blatant an advert, the above applies to any workwear outlet
it’s just that I get to see the new lines coming into S-I-L’s shop. Have a look at your nearest
big builder’s merchant or tool supplier.
!
What has prompted me to start typing is the new selection of footwear that has arrived – in
particular the boots.
!
You see all sorts of footwear on the hill, until recently my paragliding boots were just a pair
of Zamberlan hiking boots with hook-up laces which I never taped over. I have looked at the
specialist paragliding boots enviously but for the amount of flying I do I could never justify
£200+ for a pair so I used to keep my eye open for strong high-ish boots that might do – but
finding them without hooks for the laces isn’t
easy. My action-man nephew solved this for me
by giving me an almost new pair of military
Hanwags – lucky me! Then a couple of weeks
ago S-I-L gets this new footwear line in his shop
and, as old habits die hard, the boots catch my
eye.
!
The boots I’ve looked at are made by V12 and
are guaranteed against manufacturing defects
for 200 daysand are designed to be worn all
day. They have a cushioned heel, padding
around the top, a super flexible sole, have a
waterproof and breathable membrane and have
laces in eyelets – NO HOOKS – whats more, theres a zip up the inside of the ankle. I’m not
sure how the zip is meant to work in conjunction with the laces but it would certainly be
quicker to get the boots off when you stagger back to your car after packing your wing. The
ones I looked at – see the pics – are brown and are called “The Rocky” but other similar
spec models are available in black [The Defiant and The Invincible] the main differences
being the differing specific industrial environments they are designed to withstand. There’s
not much difference in price – The Rockys retail at £75 which seems pretty good.
!
If anyone is curious then get in touch and I’ll get a sample for you to have a look at – may
even be able to bring your size.
!
The full V12 range is here http://www.v12footwear.com/ search for Rocky, Defiant, and
Invincible and read the specs. They can be ordered on-line but why not call in at……
ADVERTISEMENT ALERT Jimbob Agriculture at Inskip http://www.jimbob-ag.co.uk
!
John Roddam
12
Advanced XC Skills Workshop With Pat Dower & Barney Woodhead Brian Stewart !
I added it up recently that I've been flying paragliders for over 25 years, and still struggle to put together a decent season of XC flights. So, what do I have to do to get better at this XC lark? Where do I start to answer that one? Pat Dower has been flying paragliders as long as I have, but quite a bit more successfully, so I enrolled on his Advanced XC workshop. A bonus was that he'd engaged our own Barney Woodhead to share the presentation duties. There were about 12 of us in the meeting room at the Derbyshire and Lancashire Gliding Club's centre near Bradwell in Derbyshire. We had an intensive day of lectures, interactive exercises and in-­‐depth discussion on everything related to successful XC flying. Pat's expertise as a communicator shone through in his thorough preparation of the presentation and organisation of the activities. Here was a distillation of all he has learned in a long flying career, being picked apart and feasted on by his hungry students. Barney's specific role was to explain how to become a weather guru, but there was much more to his contribution: here was an insight i n t o t h e p a s s i o n fo r f l y i n g a n d dedication to the task that sets these guys apart from the rest of us mere mortals. A great day, highly recommended for anyone whether they're determined to clock up some serious XC kilometres or just want to know more about this wonderful sport we all love. With so much to take away and digest, now all I have to do is try to put Pat Dower Paragliding
-
Advanced XC Skills” picks up where my trusty Cross Country Workshop ends.!
-
Updated and improved (of course!) Cross Country Workshop
more “entry level and XC improver” that the above event.!
-
Competition Preparation and Masterclass. The game never stands still…!
Pat is also running a Club Nite in 2014!
To find dates & details check out our website for information at www.patdower.co.uk!
13
Latest Skywings News!
=
Human-powered flight rally
Following two years of the newly-established Icarus Cup contest for human powered aircraft
(HPF) being run under RAeS auspices, this year's event will be staged independently as a rally. It will take place at Lasham, Hampshire on June 28th - July 5th. The occasion will be more of a
design/build/test event for university teams, with a 1.5km FAI triangle course and facilities to
measure duration and speed performance. Teams are anticipated from Bath, Southampton and Sheffield universities as well as the Edgley
team; it is hoped that previous winners Airglow (2012) and Betterfly (2013) will also attend.
For details, or to help, contact organiser Fred To at fredto@roade.wanadoo.co.uk.
Posted: 26 February 2014
Bronze for Brits at Pre-Worlds
Great Britain took 3rd place behind Columbia and the USA at the paragliding Pre-World
Championship in Columbia. The conditions at Roldanillo were less favourable than usual, but suited the man in form Alex
Butler (Ozone Mantra 4). Alex was the highest placed Brit in 15th place, scoring for the team
on all four tasks. Other pilots who contributed to the team place were 4th-placed woman pilot
Emma Casanova (Niviuk IP6), Jamie Messenger (Ozone Enzo) and Richard Perkes (Ozone
Mantra 4). 12 pilots from the UK entered; for full results please visit www.airtribune.com. Unlike last year
there were no cloud or fire-flying penalties, but some controversy was caused by the first use
of the conical end of speed section, with one pilot crossing the goal line without entering the
ESS. The entire comp was run under a 2300m airspace ceiling with many warnings issued and
some task disqualifications.
Posted: 26 February 2014
RAeC Trust bursaries
Applications are invited for the RAeC Trust bursary scheme for 2014. Bursaries are awarded annually, aimed at facilitating young fliers aged between 16 years and
21 to take their qualifications to the next level. Bursaries include the Peter Cruddas Foundation
Scholarship (up to £1,000), two President's Scholarships and the Breitling Bursary (each worth
up to £750), and the Bramson Bursary (up to £500). The scheme covers hang gliding, paragliding, gliding, parachuting and microlight flying, as well
as helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. In 2013 a total of 37 bursaries were awarded. Applicants must be UK citizens and resident in
the UK. Applications, which must arrive at the Trust by March 31st 2014, should be submitted
through a sponsoring organisation (eg the BHPA). Those interested in applying a bursary for
2014 should visit the Royal Aeroclub Trust website.
Posted: 26 February 2014
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Youngsters coming thick and fast!
Hard on the heels of the news Ben Akhtar's CP at the age of 14 we learned that Theo Warden
had qualified even closer to his 14th birthday at Airways last August. Now we hear that Samson Shaw, son of Green Dragons legend Andy Shaw, achieved his CP
rating on his 14th birthday on January 4th. If there are any other youngsters in the pipeline
please let us know; it's all very welcome news. Incidentally, Samson's dad Andy may have been the BAPC's (BHGA and BHPA's too) youngestever rated
Posted: 26 February 2014
UK out-and-return record passes 100km
We learn, belatedly, that the UK paragliding out-and-return record was pushed beyond 100km
in August by Mark 'Wagga' Watts. Launching on an Ozone Enzo at Mt Caburn on the 12th, Mark headed for Ashford, Kent.
Reaching there and turning for home after two hours, he was able to get most of the way
home, landing just 12km short at 4pm. Nevertheless this was enough to secure the UK record
at 103.6km, eclipsing Mike Cavanagh's 71.9km flight made in April 2013.
Posted: 26 February 2014
Montmin access news
Annecy's Montmin launch has been significantly upgraded and there are now much better
facilities for hang gliders, paragliders and spectators. Road access is also being improved by widening and grading. The cheap minibus service to
launch from the landing field is also constantly improving. During the high season there is a
qualified 'regulator' on launch and control of vehicular access. Access for hang glider pilots is
free but there is a small charge for recreational paraglider pilots.
Schools, SIV and tandems are a source of revenue to help pay for the regulator, whose main
responsibility is to ensure comfortable access for recreational pilots. Visitors should acquaint
themselves with local rules and customs before flying.
Posted: 26 February 2014
BHPA AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the BHPA will be held on Saturday March 1st 2014 at the Belfry
Hotel, Nottingham (adjacent to Junction 26 of the M1), starting at 11am. The meeting will be
co-located with the BGA AGM and trade exhibition as it has been for the last two years. It is hoped that members will take the time to turn up to hear how the BHPA Exec has been
working on their behalf, to quiz Exec members on their record and put forward ideas for the
future direction of the Association. The AGM will include the election of the Association's Executive Committee (Exec), from which
four current members will be standing down and may seek re-election. Martin Baxter, co-opted
earlier this year to take on the role of Sites Officer will also be standing. Any BHPA member considering seeking nomination for election should contact Chairman Marc
Asquith or another Exec member to find out what's involved. Application forms, available from
the BHPA Office, should be completed and submitted by December 31st. Voting papers and
details of candidates, and the BHPA Treasurer's Report, will appear in Skywings' February
issue.
Posted: 6 December 2013
!
Courtesy of Bhpa's website Skywings News
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!
PS Club Coach List
Name
Town
HG PG Home
Mobile
Email
Dale Pickard
Altrincham
!
0161 941 4020 07764 281318 dale.pickard@gmail.com
William Swires
Preston
!
07816 142830
Dave Evans
Irlam
!
Bister001@gmail.com
0780 533 6249 vdiffdave@hotmail.com
Andrew McLoughlin Broughton
!
01772 861733 07872 064313 amcloughlin@myerscough.ac.uk
Paul Newsham
Preston
!
01772 785708 07712 880550 pjnewsham@hotmail.com
Simon Blake
Preston
!
01772 663868 07967 264181 simonpblake@hotmail.com
Keith Eastwood
ROCHDALE
!
01706 374679 07891 795510 Keith.Eastwood@hum-arch.co.uk
Phil Colbert
0778 696 5926 phil@extremekites.co.uk
!
Peter Wood
Poulton-le-fylde
!
01253 811213 07899 965782 advancetreecare@googlemail.com
Simon Baillie
Preston
!
05601 135253 07971 332232 simonbaillie@hotmail.com
Reece Payne
Nelson
!
01282 614451 077602 07302 reecepayne@hotmail.com
John Oliver
Preston
!
07570 461 625 john141467610@hotmail.com
Jim Seed
Preston
!
07851 720404 jamesseed@hotmail.co.uk
Michael Endacott
Warrington
!
01925 740035 07525 774677 michael.endacott@gmail.com
Bruce McCracken
Lytham
!
01253 730789 07941 847687 bruce@mccracken.flyer.co.uk
John Murphy
Preston
!
01772 797787 07500 764239 john.murphy3@homecall.co.uk
Simon Scott
Preston
! !
Brian Stewart
Bolton
01772 655371 07796 111340 simon.o.scott@baesystems.com
!
01942 812507 0752 394 6405 stewartbri@gmail.com
Paul Winterbottom Preston
!
01995 61642
Phil Wallbank
Houghton
!
01772 697931 07740 407264 mojolizard@uk2.net
Andy Archer
Preston
!
01772 884855 07850 852645 andyarcher@dsl.pipex.com
Graham Jones
Ribchester
!
01772 780069
Mark Wilson
Burnley
!
07792 248655 paul@pwinterbottom.co.uk
7590010177 gkjones@btconnect.com
7967024498 mr.wilba@hotmail.com
Edenfield 2 March 2014
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