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BVHGR update
Many pilots will recall the first British Vintage Hang Gliding Rally in 2016. A brilliant way to meet old friends, eat, drink, get merry, sing, dance, laugh, reminisce and raise money for charity.
A promise made at the time was seven days free accommodation with Mark Taggart's family at Fly St André in France. This offer now tops the the prizes in the BVHGR raffle to be drawn at Parafest on Saturday July 28th.
The prize list can be found on the British Vintage Hang Gliding Rally website. Buy a ticket for £2 or a book of five for £10 - there are only a few hundred left - at the festival or by e-mailing stevepionk60@gmail.com. You and up to 14 odd mates could be swanning off to the south of France for some great flying and home cooking.
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Parafest reminder
Final call for the Parafest festival at Llanbedr, North Wales, on July 29th - 29th. The event is on target to sell out again - there are only days left to grab tickets for the best event of the summer.
Parafest has everything for pilots and families to enjoy a great weekend: trade stands, tandem flights, winching, aerotowing, an accuracy comp, vintage hang gliders, BHPA revision sessions [and exams for existing and new members who seek a BHPA CP or Pilot (Power) rating], an airfield for powered pilots, plus local hill sites just a short drive away.
Top bands Cast and the Alabama 3 headline the main stage while a second indoor stage offers an alternative space and late-night bar. There will be festival food, real ales and cocktails, a kids area and fairground, plus glamping and hot tubs.
Four nights camping on the airfield, three days of festival, two days of live music, all right on the coast and next to the beach. What's not to like? Please visit the Parafest website for details and tickets.
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
RAeC Trust awards
Despite receiving fewer applications this year, the Royal Aero Club Trust has awarded 48 bursaries to enable young air sport enthusiasts to advance their ambitions. Widening the age range and adding follow-on awards resulted in an increase in applications in 2016 and 2017, but these fell off slightly this year.
Two of the bursaries were awarded to BHPA members: Isabel Mackintosh (17) of the SE Wales club will train to CP level and John Delves (17) of Green Dragons will pursue a paramotor conversion. It turns out John is a now Green Dragons/UP/Thermal Chasers sponsored pilot and is helping to form an official Air Cadets BHPA club under the GD umbrella.
Of the remaining bursaries, 17 were awarded to glider pilots and 16 to parachutists. Next year's applications close on March 31st 2019. If you are between 14 and 21 and financial assistance would help you progress, please visit the Royal Aero Club website. Every young BHPA pilot should apply!
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Buttermere Bash - higher than ever!
This year's 12th anniversary event was the most successful yet as gorgeous summer weather greeted the 800 people who attended. In fantastic flying conditions the valley filled with colourful paragliders who eventually floated down to the Buttermere shore.
The Bash is primarily a charity fundraiser, donating around £3 - £4,000 to local causes each year. Beneficiaries this year include Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, the Air Ambulance, Motor Neuron Disease Research and the community-led Fix the Old Coach Road project helping improve access to flying sites.
The Lakeland Charity Open, run by Jocky Sanderson and Al Westle, sent pilots racing from Dale Head and Skiddaw to goals many miles away. Local pilot Phil Kew was crowned champion and awarded the Tony Thompson Trophy, donated in memory of a local pilot who recently lost his fight against MND.
The event attracts some of the world's top acro pilots to perform jaw-dropping stunts. As a CAA-licenced paragliding display the Buttermere event can push the boundaries and several base jumps were conducted from tandem paragliders.
On Friday and Saturday evening flying displays were performed for the crowds. The Ospreys skydiving team dropped spectacularly from their plane at 6,000ft, carving through the evening sky to swoop along the lake and into the event base in style. They were followed by paragliding display pilots doing multiple high-G manoeuvres before bands cranked up and played the nights away.
Organiser Gordie Oliver: "Every year we feel that this was the best event yet. The fantastic weather, beautiful location and spectacular flying conditions, and some of the best bands in the north, mean that this unique event is the highlight of everyone's summer. Everyone leaves with a smile, new friends and happy memories."
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Tour de France urgent warning
The 2018 Tour de France runs from July 7th - 29th, with 21 legs all around France. The race and its preceding advertising caravan is overflown by several fixed and rotary wing aircraft at different altitudes. These include film crews, VIP flights, etc, based at the airports nearest to where the race stops overnight.
In mountain areas Temporary Restricted Areas (TRA) have been a rule for several years. In addition, the CNFAS (Conseil National des Fédérations Aéronautiques et Sportives) of which the FFVL is a member, strongly recommends avoiding flying over the Tour de France during the stages. It is also mandatory to respect air rules and the conditions of penetration of the airspace published in Notams, AIC or AIP Supplements.
The CNFAS is asking all air sports federations to circulate this document as much as possible in European countries so that pilots stay away from the race. In mountain regions the passage of the Tour may limit the operation of aircraft and even of the VFR 'See and Avoid' principle.
If all pilots behave well and stay away from the race the event will be a success and allow the CNFAS to obtain fewer TRAs and constraints in the future.
Full details can be downloaded from the FFVL website, and further information about the tour is available on the Tour de France website.
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Immediate Urgent Warning: Innsbruck area
To ALL pilots flying in the Tirol, Bavarian Alps and Südtirol (Northern Italy)
Due to a meeting of EU Ministers, temporary restricted airspace, radius 30 nautical miles, will be established around Innsbruck. The restriction runs from 07:00 local time on July 12th to 20:00 local time on from July 13th.
The restriction prohibits all civil aircraft operating in VFR including hang gliding paragliding and parachute jumping operations. Aircraft violating the regulations will be intercepted by military aircraft.
Ambulance flights, rescue flights, flights within disaster operations and Police UAVs are of course exempt.
Further details, in English and including a map, can be found on the Austro Control website.
Posted: 5 July 2018
By: Paul Dancey
The Lakes Charity Classic
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. The site includes an indoor bar, toilets and showers, plus wi-fi and good phone coverage.
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: 8 June 2018
By: Paul Dancey
Reckless paramotoring
Not for the first time, multiple reports are coming in regarding reckless paramotor flying around nature reserves, SSSIs and wetland habitats such as inland reservoirs. Many of these reports mention persistent nuisance and extremely low flying.
This time of year is particularly sensitive as most bird species are breeding and can be easily frightened into leaving their nests. Power pilots are reminded that the RSPB and other nature reserve operators are extremely well organised and their members own powerful binoculars and very good cameras. In addition, quite apart from any nuisance aspect and complaints, a bird strike over a reservoir could be awkward.
Flying in such a manner is of questionable legality; the CAA's current enthusiasm for prosecuting leisure pilots should be noted. If you are paramotoring in such a manner, please desist. If you know people who fly like this, please educate them as to the recklessness of their actions. It is a shame that paramotoring will be judged by the thoughtless actions of a few, but that is the way it works!
Posted: 8 June 2018
By: Paul Dancey
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