Making the most of it

The boys get ready to go on the SW face at Perranporth

Nigel C gets to the base bar

Dan B looking good as he soars down the slope

With a fresh SW forecast we hoped to go to Freathy to complete some hangy hill conversions but reports from site gave it as a bit too fresh!

So we opted to plan B and headed to the hill at Perranporth with the boys from Paignton in the hope that we may find enough SW in it to tether on the SW face. despite it being way off on arrival things improved and soon we were rigging the glider.

Nigel C was first up and soon got the hang of it as did Dan and Adam on the tethers as we made our way down the slope before landing as the tethers held back. Conditions were a little up and down through they day but by picking our times we had some cracking flying with both Dan B and Adam C joining Nigel and by the end of play they were all "soaring" and putting in nice flights with Nigel even getting prone as a bonus!

Even Ant C was impressed enough to have a quick go and did well getting his feet off the ground looking almost relaxed! It was a happy but tired bunch that headed back to Paignton as the sun set.

Full on in the field

James BK on one of his flights at the end of a taster day

Chris B gets set to go as he starts his EPC

Mike C looking pleased as he works into the final stages of his CPC

It was a busy one out in the tow field with pretty much something of everything going on.

The day kicked off with the four hangy taster days, Nigel C, Adam C ( father and son team again)and Dan B all from Paignton on a boys day out being joined by George C (Bath) getting going with glider rigging and the basics.

Meanwhile Trevor H (Paignton) on his 3 rd day with us got cracking on the winch and had a great time moving nicely off the tethers into "free flight" and putting to good use the experience gained on the hill whilst tethering. By lunch time Trev had put a full days work in and was looking pretty pleased with himself.

Nigel D joined in the fun on a refresh day and converted to his "new wing" after a test flight by Phippsy and did really well looking well sorted by the end of the day both on and off the tow line. Nigel is aiming for powered flight so look out for him again soon.

Finally on the hangy front Dan L (Truro) was out for some experience tows in preparation for the hill and also to convert onto his "new " wing and harness which he did in fine style and again looked really smooth on it so will hopefully be hill soaring soon.

On the Paraglider front James BK (Illogan) was along for a Taster Day and had a ball. he had a great time sorting the basics with Kaz in the morning before getting onto the winch after lunch. James put in 3 super flights across the field looking as good as they get, as graham m on the winch said "if only they could all be like that". be good to see James again as he certainly seems to have a talent for it.

Mike C (Perranwell) joined in the fun on his Paraglider and worked deeper into his CPC by completing his Speed bar tasks and getting into Big Ears, hopefully another day should see him there and ready for the hill. Good to see Mike out and thanks for no bringing bad weather!

Chris B (Plymouth) returned after his taster day some months ago and had a good time recapping before moving into his EPC tasks with release flights and gentle turns. But with the wind on the build it was soon to be the turn of the hangy taster days to finish off the day.

James H (Somerset) dropped by at lunch time for a Tandem on the Paraglider and had a couple of cracking flights the second of which saw us thermalling up with a seagull for an extended flight followed by the obligatory fairground ride back down. Both James and his family enjoyed the experience and were then off the beach to see the seals, hope it all worked out guys.

With a perfect breeze the hangies got going again and were soon putting in their first flights on the tow line. George C was first to go set and set an amazingly high standard putting in some super flights across the field straight and level and landing nicely on his feet. Next off was Nigel C who with some "previous" made it all look easy although a hop skip and jump at launch made us smile. Adam C followed suit with some lovely flying and super landings keeping the bar set high for Dan B who was the last to go. Dan had used his time wisely watching and did a super job keeping up the standards with yet more good flying the last of which was nearly faultless! The boys had a great day and all look forward to more, hopefully tomorrow. Special thanks must go to Ant C for helping out on the tethers and keeping a video diary of the day.

Finally just to round things off Malin L (Plymouth) was back on the Paramotor and enjoyed a nice evening flight after a long day of sorting his kit and working out what was good and what was not so good, beware of ebay!

A long day which turned out very good for all largely due to Kaz, Tim and Graham M who kept the whole operation running like clockwork, thanks guys and gal.

Jolly for Jane

Kaz flies high in a super clear sky at carbis

Jayne d sets off on her Birthday present tandem flight

Back on terra firma a happy Jayne, hang Gliding next ??

Despite a light wind forecast it turned out a bit breezier than expected so we canned towing early and after some paperwork headed to Carbis Bay where we took Jane D (Flushing) up on the Paraglider for a super flight. Jane had a great time as did several other pilots playing in the lift which had bits of sea thermal and bits of wave all mixed in. Almost relaxing, looks like a bust day tomorrow in the field.

soaring at Sennon

Kaz shares the air with a paragliding visitor
Hywell gets ready to go on his first soaring flight

Hywell doing the stuff as he soars Sennon

Mike r flies high whilst martin (Dad) looks happy

Big Grin from a Happy Mike

After a Quick visit to Perranporth we headed to Sennon Cove where conditions were much nicer although the beach a little smaller. Whilst we waited for the tide to drop a bit Kaz and Martin R (St Germans) had a fine time on their Hang Gliders in the super smooth air enjoying the views. Some foriegn paragliders kept them company although it was always a bit top end for them.

As the beach opened up it was time for the students and Hywell PR (Pembrookshire) led the way. After a slightly tense start Hywell settled down and was soon soaring up and down the ridge although not at a great height but doing ok. ten minutes or so was enough and Hywell headed for the beach where he did a super landing and made a new friend. Next it was Mike R (St Germans) part of another father and son team and despite a few nerves he did a good take off and quickly settled in. With a little more breeze and a little less weight Mike was soon soaring well above take off and looking good. 15 minutes later he came in for a good top landing to a round of applause and with a huge grin.

A bit of exercise soon saw Hywells glider back on top and whilst he recovered Mike was off again for his second soaring flight. With the previous flight under his belt Mike was even smoother and soon doing his first 360 and exploring both the lift and his glider. Another fine top landing saw him add another 25 minutes to his airtime.

Hywell gave it another shot and after a lovely take off settled down nicely to enjoy a good 15 minutes of soaring now well above take off. Looking more relaxed he did well before coming in for his first top landing, a good approach but a late turn saw an unorthodax arrival but no damage to Hywell. Still he was pretty chuffed at getting soaring and there is always room for improvement!

We rounded off the day with a nice cook up in the car park followed by a spell in a hot tub before heading home, very nice.

Quote of the day "how good is that"

All tied up

Wave clouds in the background as the guys de rig at the end of the day

It was a breezy day at Perranporth despite a good forecast. So whilst we waited for the wind to drop so Hywell PR (Pembrookshire) could soar we got on with some tethering to make use of the time.

Martin H (Bristol) and Trevor H (Paignton) both had a fun time with Martin enjoying plenty of "soaring" and practicing his prone flying whilst Trevor got the hang of things and by the end of the day was looking pretty good as he tuned into the glider and conditions to enjoy plenty of airtime. The look on Trev's face when it all started to click was superb and his enthusiasm is infectious.

Despite hanging on till late the wind never eased back so Hywell had to make do with helping out on the tethers and what a fine job he did too, thanks guys. Some stunning wave clouds set up during the afternoon and it fun to see them develop as time went on.

Hope its lighter winds tomorrow.

Sunny Sennon

With a moderate to fresh NNW on the cards we headed to Sennon Cove for some hill soaring hoping to sort a few hangies and do a few tandems. On arrival things looked good so we wasted no time in getting set up and pretty soon there was 6 hangies rigged and ready.

Joe G (Brighton) led the way and put in his first full soaring flight on the good old Mars looking much more relaxed than yesterday and doing a fine job of it. After a pleasant 10-15 minutes he came in back on top for an acceptable landing just as the wind began to drop. Big smile, debrief and we looked at getting Hywell up there. Alas the wind dropped and before we knew it it was time to get the Paragliders out.

Karen M (Bristol) who after some ground work yesterday and a hill brief took to the air in super conditions to join several others already up there. Karen did a great launch looking every bit that she had done it before and enjoyed a cracking fligt as the wind and the lift filled in again. She put in a bit of speedbar to keep out front and then before it got to breezy came in for a perfect top landing to round off a great flight.

With conditions varying we took the opportunity to get Jackie N (Woolacombe) used to ground handling on the hill and into reverse launches before she went for it. jackie did a super launch in fron of an audience and followed it with a nice flight down and landing. This being her first hill flight in the UK she found it quite different having to fly closer to the hill as opposed to launching off the big mountains in Verbier and flying out.

Whilst conditions did allow some good flying things were not ideal for the tandems so we knocked them on the head and enjoyed the sunshine and views. A nice day with some guys and gals getting well set up to finish their hill onversions.

Puffing at Perran

A full day planned and with a fresh WNW forecast perran was the place to be. Unfortunately on arrival the wind was nearer SW so well off to the left and no good for soaring. However never ones to be beaten we made good use of the time and got Joe G (Brighton) who was down for his hill conversion having done his tow CPC with us earlier in the year to fly the Mars to the beach so we could crack on with Tom D (Midlands) EPC flights.

Joe did a great job with a lovely take off, flight and landing all as the text book says. Then the hard work began as "we" carried the glider back up the steep bit to a suitable launch for Tom. Tom did really well putting in 3 super flights all with excellent turns of 45 degrees (and more) and all with good landings to finish off his EPC flying tasks. Then it was one final carry back to the top where we had a well earned rest. Tom took his theory exam and passed with flying colours to round off his EPC with a big grin, well done.

After a frustrating wait the wind finally came around and onto the hill but at the same time it also dropped making conditions soarable for hangies but not epic. Joe went for it and did well but nerves and over thinking got the better of him so he headed to the beach for another good landing. Kev (dad) offered to fetch him and glider up and that's the last we saw of him for a bit of a while!

Next off was Dave K (Bristol) who having already had a couple of soaring flights a few weeks ago was hoping to complete his hill conversion. Dave did well flying very smoothly and making the most of the lift to add a good 25 minutes to his airtime before slipping in for a good top landing.

The wind continued to vary between ok and not so ok seeing a mixture of flying and beach landings even for experienced pilots on Paragliders. Hywell held fire having done a top to bottom a couple of days ago waiting for better conditions to avoid a walk but the conditions never got good enough.

Still some good work done and hopefully we will get the perfect conditions soon.

Training Tom

We made the decision early to head to the hill as things inland were looking lively and again there was a high possibility of showers inland. At Perran the wind was well off so sending the free fliers heading off to Chapel leaving the site to ourselves.

we had a hard work day down on the dunes bringing back memories of hill training and reminding us just how hard work it was! Still Tom D (Midlands) did well putting in 10 flights off the dunes with nice turns and good landings to take him a fww flights away from his EPC. Hewyll PR (Pembrookshire) was back after having passed his CPC TOw with us in May to get going on the hill nd after a few trial runs along to the top did a lovely top to bottom so is hopefully ready to get soaring if conditions permit tomorrow or over the next few days.

We were also joined by Matt ( Brighton) who is down for a few days instructing with us as part of his training and did a fine job both in instructing and in lugging gliders much to Toms delight!

Day Off

What a lovely day it was on the coast, whilst it tipped down inland with localised flooding we basked in sunshine at Chapel Porth. Conditions were lovely with Mark h, myself and Kaz all enjoying some Paragliding and being joined by Bill N by mid morning. Graham M then cam up on his new Wills Wing Sport 2 hang Glider as the wind filled in a bit more. This was the sign for us to change wings and pretty soon Graham was joined by Mark h and Kaz on their hangers.

A few hours later and it was all change again as the wind eased back until finally dropping right away to become unsoarable, lovely day.

Towing Tom

With light winds and showers forecast we decided to give the tow filed a shot to get Tom (Midlands) started on the winch. Itturned out to be quite a nice day with only a little dampness around, well at least where we were although the wind was in a fickle mood. With reguklar winch moves we managed to put 17 tows into Tom who moved well into his EPC tasks as he cracked release flights and gentle turns. It was a full on day for him as due to the direcation we were unable to do high flights for Paul C and Mike C who both waited patiently to complete there CPC's but it was not to be.

Mark H kept us entertained as he flew his power unit out of the field to enjoy some nice cruising around the countryside and along the cliffs.

Tethering Tom

After what has to be said was a pretty damp and dismal morning things began to clear up by mid afternoon so we headed to Perranporth with Tom D (Midlands) who at 16 wants to get out there Hang Gliding. We had what turned out to be a super evening getting Tom airborne on tethers and by the end of play he was looking pretty good as he "soared" down the slope before being brought back down to earth by the tethers, great fun.

Hopefully we can get him out in the tow field tomorrow. Thanks to Mark H (Honiton) who is down on holiday for his help!

Britsh Nationals France

We had a fun time at the British nationals in Laragne and although due to the more than normal west winds (which they have suffered all year) there being less flying than normal we did have 3 tasks with some cracking flying.

Laragne never fails to impress me and after over 20 years of going there I learnt more about the place this year than ever, even getting to know some of the ridges names!

Task One saw us have a hard days flying with no one actually making goal, despite me trying for nearly 6 hours I fell short of the second to last turn points along with lead pack who had got there some 2 hours earlier.

Task two was better conditions but still kind of wierd with some normal hot spots not working. I had a good one catching the early starters and hanging in with them to goal. Some great climbs and long glides saw us head south where about a dozen made it giving me second on the day and top Brit.

The last task was bigger and better and with all to play for it was the one to decide the champion. Again things went well in fact really well with climbs up to 10,000' and some super air to glide in if you were in the right place which fortunately I was. As i approached the final turn point Things were good having overtaking all the competition but one who i was catching up nicely. A simple last leg should see it in the bag. One mistake, saw me in big trouble which took 45 minutes to sort out whilst kissing the trees and the championship slip away, still most pilots can say the same and its the one that does not make the mistakes that wins. Well done to Dave Matthews.

A lovely time overall with good company and relaxing days also a good result for Wills Wing with 6 out of the top ten 2,3,5,6,7 & 8. Heres to next year.

Bon Voyage

Yes we are in "Sunny " France well at least it has been sunny for the past few days although we have had a little rain this morning hence time to catch up the blog.

First day here we spent relaxing in 27 degrees in the Gorge whislt watching the gliders circling way above under a blue sky. Next day whilst the girls went shopping we made a late trip up the hill but did not bother to rig as conditions looked fickle.

Yesterday went up and got the girld off the south launch on the Paraglders for a nice flight to the fish field then rigged up on top. By the time I was ready things were looking not too hot but after a long wait my flying buddy Steve G got off and climbed in gentle lift whilst I waited for the next cycle. 10 minutes later after encountering strong lift, being sucked into cloud, getting totally disorientated and coming out in an unrecoverable spiral dive he cam down under his parachute landing with no hysical injury although his glider was not so good. Hmm, keep well clear of cloud and make sure you have a big Parachute. Hope things improve soon!

New Toy for a happy Boy

Guess it's something in the air but new gliders seem to be arriving thick and fast and today it was Graham M's turn. having dropped around after lunch we assembled his New Wills Wing Sport 2 175 from its short packed transport state then headed out to St Sgnes to test fly it.

Conditions were perect and after a good pre flighting and float test Graham was off and up. It was obvious as his feet left the ground that he was Happy and the rest of his flight confirmed it. Perfect landing huge smile and the comment "it goes where you want when you want" kind of said it all. Grahams been flying for over 25 years and also has a Talon (Topless) so knows his gliders, my feeling is the Sport 2 will be the one he flies most.

Whilst out on site Laura (Hampshire and husband Paul dropped by for a tandem flight as a late Honeymoon present, Laura was going to go Paragliding in Scicilly but judged it as a bit risky so opted for something back in the UK. She had a super flight despite a few nerves in the classic conditions. Having never done anything like it before she did well although a air sickness tablet may have helped!

Anothet lovely day in Cornwall

Dual duals!

With a fresh northerly on the forecast we canned towing and headed to the hill for some Hang Gliding. With the wind smack on and at around 22 -24 it was superb conditions for tandem flying on the Hang Glider and Kaz and myself were soon in the air to test conditions, they were great.

Spot on time Sarah (Southampton) and her partner Dave arrived for a surprise flight for Sarah, it was not until she saw us flying that she had any idea what was going on. despite having done sky dives, bungee jumps and several other exciting things around the world she was a bit nervy and on the quiet side as we got ready to go.

A perfect take off saw her settle down and relax and within a few minutes she was loving it. we had a great time playing with the air currents and flying with the seagulls. Patrick B came up on his hanger to join us and do a short aerobatic display for us to add to the experience. Sarah had a go at flying the glider and did a pretty good job at it then after a few more tight turns , 360's and stalls it was off into land. What a different girl, we could not stop her talking bout it! In fact she was so excited that she convinced her partner Dave to come up so we did it all again!

Dave also had a great time giving them plenty to talk about afterwards.

Quote of the day "that was bl**dy awesome" where have I heard that before??

Playing at Perran

Classic view of Perran with a very very low tide!

The Tandem floats by the launch

Jonathon enjoys his flight under a Blue Blue sky

Another classic day at Perranporth saw us out there early to get things going. On arrival the wind was spot on and brisk enough for paragliders but do able so we wasted no time getting them out and getting up there. After a short flight things eased a bit so it was time for Rozz (Derbyshire) to get her canopy out and show us what she can do. despite being understandably nervous after her history we took thing slowly and bit by by bit she relaxed. Within a short time she was inflating it nicely controlling it well and collapsing it perfectly also looking a lot happier! Mike C (Perranwell joined her and they both did a fine job of ground handling in fact making some of the more "experienced" pilots look a bit average!

Mark W came along and rigged the hanger for some ground runs and practiced through the day to get a better feel for the glider a stay relaxed which he achieved by the end of play.

Kaz picked up a tandem Jonathon 9 (Yorkshire) who was down on holiday and fancied a flight so we were soon in the air together enjoying the views and mixing it with the other gliders all of whom were very considerate. The beach was really busy and even the sky felt a bit so with several helicopters around.

Barry H got two days on the trot with his new Buzz Z3 and whist we had to encourage him a little as he thought it a bit strong based on his previous wing when he did give it a go he made it look all to easy. Another good flight for Barry and another hour or so into his log book so nearly using up his years quota!

It was a lovely day with plenty of flying going on, even I managed some free flights, Paul H set a new record for packing up then un packing again for one last flight and Mike and Rozz were both very happy with what they achieved and are ready for more.

BuZZing Barry

Having been hard at the paperwork all morning it was a welcome break as the front passed and the weather cleared and we headed to Perranporth. On arrival it was well north and breezy but patience is a virtue and a bit of weather knowledge helps too and within an hour it was nicely flyable.

Rozz M (Derbyshire) was along to hopefully get sorted on her paraglider having started elsewhere but deciding to give us a try and have a holiday in Cornwall at the same time. While the weather sorted it self out we made good use of the time doing a bit of theory and working out just how much she had done and how much she remembered!

Barry H was out to pick up his new wing an Ozone Buzz Z3 to replace his old Firebird Matrix and was hoping it would be the spark to get his Paragliding career going again. As conditions improved Kaz showed the way on her Buzz Z3 which encouraged us to get Barry's out and do a bit of groundwork. Despite his apprehension Barry did a great job on his very first inflation and was amazed at his new found ability! A couple of test inflation's more and he was up and away for a super flight settling into the new wing nicely. 30 minutes later he was back down (finally) after a few attempts with the new problem of actually having too much height, something he had never experienced before. To say he was pleased would bean understatement, ask him yourself...

Conditions were still a bit breezy for Rozz so instead after testing her wing she came up for a Tandem flight to experience ridge soaring for the first time and had a good time of it too.

Kev T joined us as the sunset for a lovely evenings flying in classic conditions and only us there, yummy

Busy Bee's

It was all go in the tow field in lovely sunny conditions. Whilst Coady took the three Taster day hang Gliders I had the rest with the aim of getting them towing early. However, best laid plans have a habit and with a few late comers and a lot of fiddling about things got a little behind resulting in not as much towing as we would have like.

Still by the end of the day we had manged 60 tows so i guess it wasn't that bad! The Taster days had a fine time working hard and by the end of play they were all "flying" across the field with Coady and myself in hot pursuit. Terry and Alison (Barnstable) both ended with good flights and landings whilst Trev (Paignton) got the basics of it in readiness for his next day as he has decided to go for the EPC it was that good!

On the more experienced front Mark W (N. Ireland) got his first towed flights on the Mars along with Erik O (Bristol) as they worked on their EPC's. Dave K (Bristol) converted to his "new" harness before converting to the chest release on the Calypso and loving it.

For the Paragliders Karen M (Bristol) finished off her CPC tasks so gaining her qualification with some nice Big Ears, Asymmetrics and active flying, well done. Tamsin H (Sennen) was out for her second day with us and finished off her EPC tow tasks and popped in a high flights to set her up for her CPC.

Justine (Australia) dropped by to watch proceedings and took the opportunity for a Tandem flight to get a great view of the North Cornish Cliffs at their best.

Pete L and myself had a few flights on the Paramotors to do a bit of "advertising" as the Radio modeller's show was on next door. It was a long day but thanks to Paul h on the winch, Coady on the Tethers and Kaz on the Ball it all worked out.

Ground hog day at Perran !

I can't believe it, yet another cracking day at Perranporth giving more super training conditions all coinciding with plenty of pilots being up for it.

We arrived spot on 09.00 just as the rain cleared and the wind came on the hill, perfect timing. Terry P (Exeter) was nearly rigged as we arrived and after a quick check out flight on his glider he was up and away on day two of his Hill conversion. Terry put in a couple of super flights both with really nice top landings to complete his Hill work so now 2leaves" us as a fully CPC'd Hangy pilot in both Tow and Hill to start his flying career. he will be flying with the Devon and Somerset Condors so watch out for him.

Andy S (London) was down to get his Hill tandem rating re validated having not flown tandem on a Hanger for several years. in perfect conditions I took him up first before he treated me to a couple of flights as passenger doing an excellent job of it too. next we let him loose on Alan H (Bideford) who was down to get back into hang Gliding after a 20 year lay off and having already tried a taster day on the Paraglider with us. They had a good flight with Andy letting Alan have a go at flying and convincing Alan that getting back on the Hangy was the way to go. Andy did a great job with a nice attitude to the whole thing so is now sorted and qualified to take passengers once again, nice work.

Shad C (Surrey) mad best use of his time down here and popped in numerous flights on the Calypso having qualified on the hill on Thursday all with lovely take offs and top landing. By the end of the day he even crossed his legs!

Steve J (Oakhampton) joined in the fun and was along for a bit of refresher to get his landings sorted. He put in a couple of great flights in the first class conditions and put in some extra practice on his landings with a couple of overshoots. But he did not let it phase him and he managed a couple of good ones and learnt a lot along the way so going home with a big smile.

Mark W (N Ireland), Erik O (Bristol) and Alan H (Bideford) all played on the mars with some tethering as the tide came in and the wind picked up. Useful work getting Alan back into the feel of things and the other two ready for some towing tomorrow.

John L (Scarborough) took advantage of the conditions to have a Tandem flight on the Hanger and had a ball. Given the flight as birthday gift having seen it in Peru he may just have a go at taking it up sometime.

Add to this Karen M (Bristol) and Shad passing their CPC exams and it was a very useful day. Good to see several other hangers out there enjoying the conditions and a few Paragliders making use of it as things eased off in the evening. Thanks to the guys for helping out on the tethers and helping each other out at launch another good day.

Quote of the day "is that the normal way to land?"

Will try and add a couple of piccies tomorrow zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Party time at Perran

Angie M gives a wave to the camera as we fly by on the Tandem

Terry P sets off on his first soaring flight

The hangy glider riiging area fill sup whilst Paul H flies

Sam A gets in a bit of tetehering before going soaring

Kaz and Paul look happy after a cracking flight

Wow what a day we had at Perranporth with super flying and super company, it was a cracker. The forecast was what it said it would be with a moderate/fresh WNW but with the advantage of no rain!

On arrival it was clearly a day for the Hangers and they wasted no time in getting into the air with Kaz leading the way.

Shad C Surrey) was next who was back down to hopefully finish off his hill endorsement having already completed his CPC tow with us. He had a super day putting 5 soaring flights all with excellent top landings and even getting 360's under his belt as well. By the end of the day he was well sorted and qualified in Hill as well as tow CPC, well done Shad.

Next up was Angie M (Truro) for a Tandem on the Hang Glider which was given to her as a birthday present. We had a lovely flight in classic conditions with Angie getting a go at flying the glider as well as enjoying the super views of the beach that she knows well from a different angle. A sweet top landing rounded it off with a big smile, nice to meet you Angie and the rest of the family that came to watch.

Terry P (Exeter) made it down by lunch time for his first go at hill soaring having again learnt with us on the tow over the past few months. Whilst he rigged and we waited for the tide to drop back we made good use of the time doing some tether work with Mark W (N. Ireland) who is back to continue his training which he stated back in Easter. mark quickly got the feel of it back and by the end of the day after another session he was looking pretty relaxed.

With the beach opened up Terry was off for his first soaring flight and what a beauty it was. he looked smooth from the start ( the benefit of keeping current i9n the tow filed) and made it all look nice and easy. After a solid 20 minutes he cam in and performed a first class top landing with on of the biggest grins I've seen in a long time. After a break to let others fly Terry was off again for another excellent flight in even better conditions and performed the same super smooth top landing to add another 20 minutes to his tally. he rounded off the day with a slightly more tricky flight in lighter conditions but held in well then sneaked in for a very neat landing back on top. What a day for terry 3 flights and an hours airtime, one more good day on the hill and he is sorted.

Sam Allum (Launceston) turned up and after a few tethered hops to settle his nerves hooked into the Mars and set off on his first Hill soaring flight on a Hang Glider (having learnt to fly Paragliders with us last year). He need not have worried he did a fine job soaring the cliffs and settled down quickly. 20 minutes later he came in and performed a "classic" Mars top landing to a round of applause. He sneaked another in at the end of the day in much lighter conditions to give a different experience but did a fine job and managed to slip back in on top although the "Sam Legs" syndrome did return!

Add top this Rebbekah S, Kaz P, Paul H, Karez C, Patrick B, Andy R and even a visiting Frenchman all out on hangers and there was a lot going on. Thanks to Nigel W and Bill N for their help on the tethers and to Paul H for his coaching with Kaz , Shad and Rebbeka . Ohh forgot to mention we even got Michelle K up on the Tandem HG so watch out guys he could be taking it up!

Quote of the day " that was bl**dy awesome"

Popping out to Perran

With an occluded front passing through around lunchtime there was a likely slot for flying at Perran in the afternoon. Arriving at 14.00 things were getting better and by the time Holly and Harry (portsmouth) arrived it was almost flyable. Holly had bought a Tandem flight for Harry as an eighteenth birthday present and whilst they were down on holiday.

Kaz kindly tested the air then we were off with Harry doing a fine job on launch. We cruised the cliffs with several others and the seagulls before spotting an approaching rain shower so we nipped in to let it clear. Ten minutes later and we were back up again in steadily improving conditions. Harry had a great flight taking plenty of pictures and enjoying the whole thing. A nice top landing rounded it all off giving them a super start to their holiday in Cornwall

Gardeners World

Malin L flies off on the Paramotor whilst Kaz demonstrates to Alan & Harry

Harry sets off on his first Paraglider flight in fine style

Alan straight on the case as he checks his wing

Harry comes back to earth after a Tandem flight

After a false start on Sunday when the weather shut us down Monday turned up trumps with perfect conditions.

Alan H (Bideford) and Harry C (Falmouth) were both along for taster days on Paragliders and Malin L (Plymouth) was back for day 4 on the Paramotor.

Alan and Harry had a busy day working through the ground work whilst Malin made the most of conditions putting in 3 super flights and climbing well up into the atmosphere (around 2,500 feet), enjoying the view, looking relaxed and doing super take offs and landings. By the end of the day he was CPC'd on the Paramotor having passed the theory in fine style, well done Malin.

The Paraglider boys then got going on the tow line quickly getting it sorted and both had a cracking time managing to end up with release flights on their last goes so putting the icing on the cake. Harry also had a Tandem flight as part of his birthday present and just loved it both enjoying the view and the tight turns, reckon he may be back.

With both Harry and Alan being professional gardeners they had plenty in common making it a very sociable day.

Plenty of play at Perran

Kaz enjoys some Paragliding after her hang gliding earlier

Dave K takes off for his first soaring flight straight and level

Dave K looking pretty pleased with himself after the "Big One"

Thre "wise" monkeys ??

Scenic shot courtesy of Nigel G

There was a lot going on one way or another at Perran where conditions were up and down and on and off but this at least gave opportunities for all to play.

Kaz took the chance to get some more airtime in on her hang glider having a couple of nice flights and top landings.

Cathy L (Warminster) cam up on the tandem Hang Glider for a flight to get her back in the air after a lay off from both Hangers and Para's and we had a plesant time cruising the cliffs.

Next off was Dave K (Bristol) for his first hill soaring flight having done all the hard work on the tow line over the last few months. dave did a great job putting 20 minutes and settling down the whole time whilst having to dodge the odd paraglider along the way. He then came in and performed a top landing to save the walk up and looked a very happy chap with it.

Nigel G (Minhead) who is learning to hang Glide on the tow but came along to spectate joined in the fun with a bit of tethering along the top and looked pretty comfortable with it.

Then it was time for daves second flight and again despite the wind moving off to the south a bit he did a good job and looked even smoother than before to log another 10 minutes before popping the Calypso back in on top for his second top landing and even bigger grin.

With the wind off to the SW and increasing a bit we opted for some more tethering on theSW face where Cathy and Nigel both had a good time flying in lovely conditions to give them the feel of soaring. Our timing was spot on and we managed to pull the Condor apart just before the rain set in.

Good to see rebekah upin the sky on her hanger again and good to see a number of visitors making the most of it.

Simon sorted

Simon C joins Bill N at Freathy to get his CPC sorted

Things get better as the cloud clears

Simon sets up for a top landing

It was paper work and Theory session in the morning which saw Malin L (Plymouth) complete his CPC exam for the Paramotor and pass it whilst the weather was drizzly and not too flyable. By Lunchtime things looked brighter so it was off to Freathy with Simon C (Helston) to hopefully get his CPC assessment done enabling us to get him into the system and him to be BHPA qualified and insured making life easy for all.

On arrival Tony M (Warminster) was up and soaring his Hang Glider (U2) which he swears is vice less playing with the orographic cloud and having fun. It was bit windy for the Paragliders so we sat and waited and chatted to the locals.

As the orographic cleared the wind eased and after a quick check of conditions on my Rush 2 we sent Simon off to do his stuff. With a good take off followed by some nice soaring, Big ears , asymmetric and a good top landing things looked good. Next he was off again to demonstrate speedbar which as it turned out was fortunate as the wind picked up a little. Another good landing then he was off to play again whilst i joined him in the air.

By the end of the day Simon was sorted and had added another couple of hours to his log book, nice one. James b (Tideford) turned up and had a whizz on the Rush landing just in time to pack it up as the rain arrived, perfect timing.

Looks like the hill again tomorrow.

Allsorts in the field

Tom A gets set to go on the Calypso

Bob H comes into land as Malin ground handles below

Katie heads beck to earth on the Tandem

callum looks pleased after his flight

Simon C gets a chance to play with the Z3

What looked like a quiet day suddenly turned into a full one as students called in to go flying as the forecast was a good one.

In the tow filed we got going with Tom A (Truro) on a Hang Glider who hada good day converting to the chest release then following that up by getting onto the Calypso and having fun playing with the extra glide and speed. Tom polished off his CPC exam as well so becoming CPC'd on the tow and pretty much ready for a trip to the hill, maybe this weekend ??

Sam A (Launceston) joined him and also put in the effort managing to convert to the chest release and whilst not as smooth as normal had a good time putting in the experience tows in readiness for the hill also. he wizzed through the CPC exam and whilst already being a qualified Paraglider pilot found the exercise useful.

Bob H (Devon)meanwhile finished off his CPC tasks on the Paraglider with some cracking spot landings before taking his exam and passing with flying colours to gain his CPC tow rating. A bit more work in the filed to gain experience would come in useful before Bob heads to the hill.

Meanwhile in the background Malin L (Plymouth) was tidying up his ground handling on a Paraglider in readiness for getting the Paramotor on his back. After a bit of extra work with the unit on his back it was on with the engine for a few practice power runs and aborts then it was the big one. With conditions mellowing it was ideal and by the end of play he had put away 3 lovely flights all with good take offs and good stand up landings to get his Paramotoring career underway.

In the middle of the day Peter L, kate L and Callum who were down on holiday all came along for Tandem flights and had a great time enjoying the whole experience, the views and watching each other. Callum took the honours with the highest flights but then as he only wieghed in at 6 stone I guess it was always going to happen.

Perfect at Perran

What a lovely afternoon we had at Perranporth where conditions were spot on for Paragliding. Having done some useful work in the office in the morning including fitting Coady out with some new side wires on his Hanger and a parachute that's up to size and up to date we headed to Perran as the sun came out.

After a couple of nice flights on the Rush 2 and what a nice wing that is it was time to take Shaun (Ireland) up on the Tandem. We had a great time and whilst the height was not excessive it was fun to fly close to the birds and the fauna! The lift did pick up nicely allowing us an easy top landing and rounding off a super holiday for Shaun.

Next up was Julia who turned up on spec having just seen us flying and called the telephone number on the wing so i guess all that sign writing does work. Down on holiday from Northampton Julia and her husband fly light aircraft so they decided she should try something different. Again she had a super time revelling in the quietness compared to powered flight. despite her nerves Julia really enjoyed herself and we may well see her again next year!

Mike C (Peranwell) popped along for a look at the hill and put in some very useful ground handling practice looking pretty good at it by the end of the afternoon. Kaz had a good time putting in 5 flights on the Buzz Z3 and declaring on more than one occasion that she "loves that wing" and I must admit when I fly it there is something special about it.

Hanging around at cloudbase

Ashley L looking almost relaxed as he gets set to go

Tom does some paperwork whilst the others get clipped in

Paul C at one with the Mars....

Another good day for the hang gliders in the tow field and an "easy" day for me with everyone on best behavior.

Ashley L (Swansea) cracked on through his EPC tasks and putting away another 13 flights saw him to the end of it towing nicely up to 150' releasing then putting in good co ordinated turns back to tippy toe landings. His confidence has soared over the 3 days he has been with us and we look forward to his return to carry on into his CPC.

Tom A (Truro) had another cracking day finishing off his CPC flying tasks with some nice slow flight appreciation and stalls along with 180 turns and yet more spot landings. He just needs to build up some experience tows and then it's off to the hills.

Paul C (Plymouth) was back and quickly got back into the swing of things with some high flights before moving onto base bar conversions.

Unfortunately the cloudbase slowly got lower and lower through the day and by mid afternoon we stopped high flights as the gliders started to disappear into the cloud! Then it got lower so putting an end to Ashley's fun as even 150' was enough to get into it and finally whilst starting Tom off on low level chest release practice (60') we began to even lose sight of the winch we called it a day.

Still another good one for the Hangies.

Hangering all day

Wow what a lovely day in the tow field but where was everyone? the hangy boys were out but the Paragliders that were booked in did not show, shame. Still we had a great time with lots done and lots of smiles.

Erik O (Bristol) and Ashley L (Swansea) were out for day two of their EPC Hang Gliding and both quickly moved off tethers as they got the concept of airspeed gives control and onto their first "free" flights. Erik had to leave early but still put in 6 nice flights whilst Ashley stayed to the end putting in 13 flights and moving into release flights with gentle turns and looking pretty pleased about it.

Tom A (Truro) returned after a month or so break to start his CPC Hang Gliding and had a super afternoon putting in the high flights, mastering base bar and prone flying along with plenty of spot landings, 180 turns and even the odd 360!

Sam A (Launceston) had a great afternoon polishing off the remainder off his CPC flying tasks on a Hang Glider and looking like he was really enjoying it as well. Slow flight appreciation and stalls were done some good spot landings and some super turns made him look like the complete package. Another day and he should be ready for the hill.

Terry P came along to put in some more experience flights on his Hang Glider whilst we wait for good soaring conditions to come along and was looking pretty good all round.

Hayley H (Camborne) dropped by for a Tandem flight on the Paraglider and had a fun time being incredibly calm though the whole experience or at least giving that impression!

Meanwhile Kaz was at Perranporth having fun soaring her Paraglider where conditions were a little up and down but generally pretty good. Nice to hear that Terry B is well pleased with his new Ozone Rush 2 and by all accounts the sign writing on it looks pretty good too. Check out mercuryart.co.uk to see what hidden talent Terry has.

Quote of the day " I felt my gon*ds tickle the grass that time" maybe that's why he always keeps his legs up as he comes into land................

Hangers On

It was a hard work day in the field for me with two day oners starting their Hang Gliding courses giving me plenty of exercise!

Erik O (Slovakia / Bristol) and Ashley L (Swansea) were both down to get going on Hang Gliding and had a perfect day for it. They had a steady morning putting in the basics before getting onto the winch in the afternoon. By the end of the day they had both managed three tows across the filed and were starting to get the hang of it so hopefully another one or two and we can get the king post tether off and my life will get easier!

Nigel G (Minehead) and Jason M (Minehead) were both back and had a useful morning just running with the hanger to get the feel of it before getting onto the winch. By the end of the day they had both mastered release flights and were putting in some nice smooth turns as well so getting them well into their CPC's

Simon C (Honiton) was also back and had a great afternoon moving into release flights and turns looking very confident and controlled so also putting him well into his EPC tasks.

Roger Warren (New Zealand) joined in the fun at the end of the day with a couple of low tows to introduce him to UK towing having learnt down under.

A lovely day overall with good progress all round and plenty to keep us busy. Nice to see the sheep back to trim the grass!

Kaz had a day off going flying at Perranporth where things were a bit up and down by all accounts..........

Big Mike Passes Out!

Big Mike makes the grade nd looks a bit chuffed about it!

A bit like the Berlin Wall coming down it was something I never actually thought would happen until it did. We headed to Freathy mid afternoon to catch the low tide and arrived to find it nicely flyable and even a couple of the locals making the most of it (Martin R and Chris S) on their hangers along with one Paraglider.

Mike P (Bath) fresh from his success yesterday was pretty much rigged so after a check of conditions on a borrowed glider we got Mike briefed and ready to go. He did a fine take off and after a bit of a wobbly start quickly settled down and built height as he soared along above the chalets. Conditions were very different from those at Chapel Porth making life a bit harder but Mike took them in his stride. After a good 20 minutes he came in a performed another acceptable top landing with his usual grin.

De brief and re hydration then it was off again and another nice flight, much smoother this time and he looked solid the whole time. Another 20 minutes and another top landing, Yeehow he's there! Technically he has completed his CPC Tow and Hill endorsement after what has been an interesting journey but he has kept focused the whole time and the rewards are his. Think we shall see him again for conversion to his new harness when it arrives so watch this space!

Mike R (Plymouth) turned up after work by which time the lift was on the drop but he did a fine job dsespite his nerves to get his first hill flight in which saw a nice take off a couple of wobbly beats then a nice beach landing. Still a big step for Mike who had not flown for several months and never off the hill.

Thanks to Karez for the company and good to see him enjoying flying again with plenty of enthusiasm after a 20 year lay off. Also good to see ex student Dave L showing the Paraglider guys how to do it and making it look easy in fresh enough conditions for a Paraglider. James B also popped in an appearance on his Paraglider before heading off for some "exploring".

Nice day and hopefully we will get Mike R out again this week.

Making it happen

Kaz gets the day going in a slot at Perranporth

Hellmuth up on the tandem at a stunning Chapel porth as the sun comes out

Back on terra firma Hellmuth has plenty of pictures of his flight

Simon K takes off on the Tandem hang Glider at the start of a super flight

Happy Simon looking chuffed after his flight

We opted for a hill day based on the forecast so headed to Perranporth early where although the wind would be a bit off at least we had some beach just in case! Sure enough the wind was off and whilst we waited the guys at Chapel Porth were having a good time although a bit top end for Paragliders. Kaz took advantage of a wind shift and popped 20 minutes in on her hang glider before it backed again to the WSW.

By early afternoon we made the decision to head to Chapel where the beach would now be opening up as low water approached. On arrival conditions were super so we wasted no time in getting airborne on the Tandem Paraglider with Hellmuth (Wimbledon) who was down on a "road trip" with his two sons for his birthday and making the most of it. We had a cracking flight with stunning views up and down the coast and Hellmuth got a chance to fly the glider so a good time was had.

By the time we landed Mike P (Bath) was ready to go for his first hill flight on the Hang Glider. he did a good take off and after a little encouragement quickly settled in to enjoy a solid 25 minutes of soaring with others before putting in a very acceptable top landing. One of the huge Mike smiles followed by a bit of chatter, nice one Mike.

Next it was up on the Tandem Hanger with Simon K (Southampton) who is David K's brother who is learning with us. We had a great flight cruising the cliffs with the seagulls and had the added bonus of seeing huge Sunfish up the St Agnes end, not a common sight. Despite Simons fear off heights he had a super time without even worrying about the height thing before we popped it back on top.

Good to see plenty out a mixture of paragliders and Hangers and good to see Rebbekah (S) up in the air again for two flights and looking good under Paul's watchful eye.

Full on in the field

We had a great time in the tow filed with lots going on and plenty done. The morning saw new student Tamsin H (Sennen) showing us what she could remember from her EPC that she did 3 years ago on the hill on a Paraglder whilst Malin L (Plymouth) amused himself getting more sorted on his ground handling having come back for his second day after his taster day. They were joined by Nic C also back after his taster day and ready for more.

Karen m (Bristol) turned up by lunchtime ready to crack on with her CPC tasks on a Paraglider and wasted no time putting in some ground handling.

On the hangy front David K (Bristol) and Daniel L (Truro) got rigged and ready so by early afternoon we had the winch up and running.

In near perfect conditions everyone had a fun time with over 50 tows in total which saw Dan L move onto the Calypso having completed his CPC tasks, Dave K complete his slow flight appreciation so putting him near to the end of his CPC tasks, Karen M rattle off the middle of her CPC tasks so only leaving the "instability" ones to go, Malin L have a ball ending up with high flights and circuits so completing his EPC tasks in two days and getting him ready to start on Paramotoring, Nic C make progress into his EPC although a tough night before took its toll so giving him and early day! Tamsin H also had a full day getting her first taste of towing which she took to well and by the end of play she was releasing and moving onto higher flights with turns, nice one.

Chris B also dropped by to finish off the tows from his taster day and had a great time looking better with each one and ending on a high with a release flight and huge smile!

By 17.30 everyone was pretty much full so we called it a day, what a cracker.

Strange at Struddick

With a SSW moderate fresh breeze forecast we headed to Struddick for some hill soaring and tandems. On arrival it was a bit lighter than expected and a lot cloudier. in fact there was orographic cloud generating on the cliffs at quite a rate. Still ever positive we rigged and no sooner than the glider was out the bag than John h (Bideford) turned up for a Tandem flight on the Hanger.

With conditions not up to it he headed into Seaton for coffee and cakes whilst we sat it out. Finally the cloud thinned and i took off to check out conditions, they were stunning with bright sunshine out over the beach yet low cloud piling off the cliffs making them look like they were on fire.

Marcus (Geramany) whom i last flew with some 28 years ago borrowed the Calypso and put in a couple of flights playing with the lift and the clouds to make the most of his holiday.

Next Graham A went up to check the lift and with John having returned we followed on the tandem. It was a super flight with some of the most amazing views i have had whilst tandem as we flew in and out of the cloud with the trees looking more like a tropical rain forest then SE Cornwall. Add to this the monkey sanctuary below and you could have been in south America!

Bill n held up the Paragliding side with a couple of nice flights and as we left old hand Bill Arkle was in the air on his Hanger,

Another nice day out

Fun in the field

It was a relatively chilled day in the field and with Kaz away in sunny Majorca for the week it was just as well.

Nic C (Camborne) and Malin L (Plymouth) were both along for "Taster days" with a view to taking up Paragliding and Paramotorung respectively. In cracking conditions they worked through the morning putting in the effort. By lunch time their forard launches were looking good and the hand towing was out of the way.

We took some time out to introduce Malin to the paramotor unit getting it on his back and starting it up so he gets an idea of hat it's all about.

Then it was on to the tow line and despite an exciting start for Malin things settled down nicely and by the end of the day both Nic and Malin had put in 5 nice flights and even managed their first release flight. It was enough to convince them both and we look forward to seeing them through their training.

Dave L dropped by as he wanted to complete his Asymmetric tuck exercises for his Pilot rating which he did in fine style of the top of the tow, well done. So off goes his exam and we await the result................................

Well done to Graham M on the winch as he joins us as part of the team. Sorry no pictures Kaz has taken the camera !

Super Soaring

Whilst the Paragliders waited for the wind to fill in at Perranporth the Hangers hoped it would fill in a lot! By mid morning the Paragliders got their wish and enjoyed some lovely flying whilst the Hangers rigged. By early afternoon it was top end for most of the Paragliders but ideal for the Hangers .

Rebbekah S (Exeter) was back and despite a bit of a lay off showed the way with a cracking 20 minute flight followed by a top landing although a little "down the front".

Karez was next off getting back into the air on a Hang Glider after a 20 year break. Aboard a Calypso he had a super time putting in a good 40 minutes before landing back on top nicely.

Next it was Shads (Surrey) turn who after coming to us a month ago following nearly 2 and a half years of training elsewhere was finally in the air and soaring putting the experience on the tow into practice. He had a lovely 40 minutes playing with the lift and sussing out ridge soaring. Shad followed up with one of the best top landings of the day and a huge smile.

Rebbekah took the opportunity to get some more airtime in and popped in another 20 minutes or so before doing a really nice landing on top with some good "S" ing off.

Karez then took to the air on his own glider in what were classic conditions before we rapped the day in still super flyable conditions. Nice one guys.

The Boys are back in Town

Back in the field after our "break" in Wales we had plenty on with a mixture of hangies and para's.

On the para front Clint M (Plymouth) was along for a taster day and worked beside his mate Ben (plymouth) who had already spent one with us. They both did really well in what turned out to be challenging conditions as the breeze filled in to become top end for them. They did everything but actually tow on the winch although we did get clint nicely airborne on the hand tows.

James SD (Sparkwell) was along for a Taster day on the Hanger for his 18th Birthday present and had a cracking day getting to grips with it. With conditions on the top end for the paragliders it was ideal for the hangers and James made the most of them as he finished off his day with some super flights across the field and good landings. He had a great time and again nice to see the younger ones having a go.

Jason M and Nigel G (Exmoor) both returned after their taster days to start on their EPC's. With the winch pretty much to themselves in the afternoon they both did really well moving off tethers and into free flight. By the end of the day they had put away 8 flights each so next stop release flights.

thanks to Mike C (Falmouth) for his help on the tethers. Will try and find the camera and get some piccies to brighten up the blog!