I've just got my hang gliding licence and wondered if there would be any interest in a sky sports forum since there's already a photo section.
Most pilots seem to chech out the weather here first before heading out to fly as you would sailing or planing the weekend.
Most clubs have there own forums but there not that chatty or user friendly as seabreeze.
As this site is constantly getting bigger and better extending itself outwards, maybe it could also go upwards.

Went to Gero for the long weekend, Friday had a sweet wavesail at Sunsets and then flew HGs behind the radio towers up Chapman Rd. Found out there's quite a few people who do both and all within 10 km's of town.
There were around 12 HGs and 3 PGs at Forbes farm where I had my first licenced flight, awsome. Top guys and girls out there.

My first flight at Gero.

Yeah, no worries Greeny, you can sit on top.

Sorry, I can't take passengers and I don't have a tandem wing. I've heard they do it down in Albany, look'n forward to heading down there Boxing day. There's going to be a mass gathering at Shelly's Beach for a week or so and hopefully get some sailing in. The best I can do for now is strap on a handycam. I guess I could take my pythons on board. Chris sent me these shots and the paragliding guys take some wicked shots.

luvly backdrop ;just like hawai

The Oz report should now be called the USA report, looks like it got to big for Oz. Thanks anyway, worth a shot.

Q;"Can you do forwards yet?"
A; Not yet but I,ve done a double knife edge backie and body drag, both by accident but what a rush.

Going out to Mt. Bakewell at York on Sunday. It's looking real good by the graphs, could get crowded up there. be a nice way to finish the weekend after sailing Scarbs on Saturday.

I've haven't had the chance yet to fly near any clouds but I haven't been flying long. As you know a lens cloud forms at the top of a standing wave down wind of a ridge like water flowing over a rock causing ripples behind it. These ripples can be flown great distances and can produce very smooth lift but under the the ripple is a zone of extreme rotor turbulance that can tear an aircraft apart.
I've seen these clouds on the coast here aswell, they can be caused by wind flowing over the top of thermals, they just need something to flow over to get them started , be it hills or other lift. they appear as long thin lens shaped clouds that can strech for miles and can form in sets. I guess being on one would be like riding a swell, on the face is sweet but you don't want to be under it.
Have you done any flying? I'm hopeing this subject can "Take off"

I was out SUPing this morning and in the distance I could see a parachute over the Burns Beach/Quinns cliffs. As it got closer I could see that it was one of those propeller doover lackie things. It was mad.

Check out the rack... I mean loops

The Grinch said...


As much as I would love to have a go at Paragliding or hang gliding, the statistics are terrifying.

What are the injury/fatality stats? - worse than kiting I would expect.

Here is some photo of a friend whom we've lost contact, these of photos of him preparing for a cross country flight, bear in mind this is a microglider. It took him only one day to assamble with the wing.






i've done paragliding once without the "hair drier" at the back, but handgliding is definately as pure flight as one can get.

looking forward to getting my private license for a single engined plane hopelly soon.

You two guys are in the best state for flying, Starboarder, you'll have to keep us informed when you start. I'm looking at buying a mosquito powered harness which has a 125 cc motor and folding prop at your feet so I can take off from anywhere. Once in a thermal shut it down and fly like normal then it can be restarted to fly back to the car.
Felixk, I payed $2000 for a second hand HG that came with 2 harnesses/parachute, vario, UHF radio, tow rope, bridles, windsocks, study books, helmetwith head set, everything needed to fly cross country or off a hill. I also bought a new sonic 190 glider for around $5000 with paragliders being slightly less. There's not a huge market for used gear so there heaps of quality gear for bargin prices, it's a buyers market. A grand can get you a good wing.
If you head to Mt. Tamborine it's magic, I think it works on a westerly but there's plenty of spots over there. Take a look at the HGFA website forum section, they have gear for sale for both HG (stiffies) and PG (floppies) and all related links.
Well, I'm gunna have an early night, tomorrow I'm going flying!

I've heard around 200 hours which is a heap of flying. An Airbourne Fun is the most common glider used by schools and coast flyers because there strong and stable and a lot of advanced pilots keep one for fun (start around $1500 S/H, $5000 new) . With regular flying it will last 5 years or more before the UV rays effect the sail and then it's around $1800 to slip a new sail on the old airframe (your choice of colours). Keep the sail out of the sun and dry when not flying and you can get over 10 years.
There's no need to do a parachute course, it's part of the course though you'll never need it, it's very rare a wing should fail but if it should it's a matter of pulling a handle with the chute attached and then throwing it past your feet like it's a handbag with a brick in it.
Keep the Questions comming.

Had 2 hours worth of airtime yesterday at Mt. Bakewell and it was magic. Flew in formation with three Wedge tailed eagles less then a wing span away. The middle one was directly in front looking over his shoulder at me 5 metres away and didn't seem to mind at all. For a moment felt like one of the family. In the second shot you can see the towers on top of Mt. Bakewell, if you have ever tried takeing photos while windsurfing this is harder.

Awsome dude, it's the best think I've done in a long time. Flying can be done in 0 to 20+ kts. I thought about paragliding for ease of transport but found HGs have a much wider wind range, are quicker, glide further and are safer though take longer to setup (about 10 minutes).
I know PG pilots who have turned to HG for there safety and HG pilots to PG because there easier to travel with though there are some hanggliders that pack down to 2 meters long.
It's a small world Felix, I came here from Norman Park myself for a holiday, just haven't gone back.

Nath said...

i know a guy who bought a hang glider out of the paper, read a few pages of the manual, then went out and got pinned to the side of a cliff

Let me guess.. he is the nong that goes up to kiters on the beach and asks: "Is that fun?" "Is it hard?" "Do you need a kite" "What happens if I pull this?"

shan reckons it wasn't her, it must have been mr on-one
might have to check out this flying business one day, hold off on those big air bail outs!