Carlo is Flybubble’s Managing Director (MD) and Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). He was licensed in the early 90s and instructed at many different schools before forming Flybubble. Over the years, Carlo has helped teach hundreds of people to paraglide, around the world. He has run many flying trips and has amassed thousands of hours of airtime in over 30 countries.
Carlo has experience of a vast range of paragliders and has flown in many environments (flatlands, hills, big mountains, towing, SIV and paramotoring). As well as being an enthusiastic free-flying pilot, Carlo has extensive experience of competition flying worldwide. He represented Britain in many top level paragliding events. He was selected for the elite British Paragliding Squad for 4 years running (1999-2002) and for the 2004 Bleriot Cup: as well as being on the winning team, he won the paragliding competition and set a new UK ‘Distance to Goal’ Record. Other successes include #2 British Paragliding Championships (2001), #1 Manilla Paragliding Open (Australia 1998) and #1 Argentine Paragliding Championships 1999.
Nowadays he prefers to free-fly and go cross country. In 2015 he accidentally won the UK XC League, with four flights of over 200km. What Carlo enjoys most is having an XC adventure with a few flying friends, taking some good photos along the way, and throwing a few nice wingovers before landing. He feels very lucky to be able to free-fly with a wing that packs into a rucksack.
Flying Since: 1993
Total hours flown: 5000+
Best distance: 239 km in the UK, from Wiltshire to Lincolnshire on an EN C wing.
Best flight: Still to come, hopefully! But the flight from Wilts to Lincs in sublime-not windy-conditions was truly wonderful!
Favourite flying site in the UK: It’s really more about the flying conditions than the site for me… but I do love the flying area in SE Wales on a really good day!
Favourite flying site in the world: See above… but I do love the Cauca Valley area in Colombia, just a shame about the Pacific wind and local issues messing things up!
Goal: To keep always learning and improving!
Equipment
General/XC kit:
- wing: Phi MAESTRO (high B XC wing)
- harness: Advance LIGHTNESS 3 (semi-light pod harness)
- reserve: High Adventure Beamer 3 (Rogallo)
Hike & fly XC kit:
- wing: Advance OMEGA XALPS 3 (light mid D 2-liner wing)
- harness: Supair Strike (light pod harness)
- reserve: High Adventure Beamer 3 Light (light Rogallo)
Hike & fly kit:
- wing: Phi VIOLA (light double surface hike & fly wing)
- harness: Advance EASINESS 3 (reversible light mountain harness/rucksack)
- reserve: Companion SQR Light (light Square-Round)
Joy of swooping kit:
- wing: Niviuk Roller (mini wing)
- harness: Advance EASINESS 3 (reversible)
- reserve: Companion SQR Light (light Square-Round)
Instruments:
- general/XC: Naviter Oudie 5 Pro (top flight computer with FANET+)
- backup: Syride SYS’Nav V3 (ultralight, simple)
- hike & fly: Skytraxx 2.1 FANET+ (light with FANET+)
- swooping: Syride SYS’Nav V3 (ultralight, simple) or nothing
Accessories:
General/XC
- summer helmet: Icaro Fly* (light, visor option)
- winter helmet: Icaro 4fight Cut Integral
- rucksack: Advance LIGHTPACK 3
- concertina: Advance TUBEBAG light (light)
Hike & fly:
- summer helmet: Supair Pilot (ultralight)
- winter helmet: Icaro Fly* (light, visor option)
- rucksack: Advance EASINESS 3 (reversible harness)
- concertina: Gin Concertina Compress Bag (ultralight)
- dry bag: Gin Dry Bag (waterproof, light)
General:
- bag: Advance Lightbag (small ultralight rucksack)
- radio holder: Supair Neoprene Radio Pocket
Clothing:
Summer:
- top layer: Advance Softshell Jacket
- under layer: Advance Tech-Shirt
- headwear: Advance Sun Bob (sun hat)
- gloves: Gin Lite Tech Gloves
- footwear: Hanwag Sky GTX (light flying boots)
Spring/Autumn/Winter:
- top layer: Gin Windy Flying Suit Lite or/and Advance Softshell Jacket
- under layer: Advance Tech-Shirt
- headwear: Advance Helm Cap
- gloves: High Adventure Itsy Bitsy Touch (3 season)
- footwear: Hanwag Super Fly GTX (sturdy flying boots) or Hanwag Sky GTX (light flying boots)
General
- socks: Gin FLY GIN Coolmax Socks 🙂
*The Icaro Fly helmet has been superseded by the even better Icaro Nerv (light, visor option).
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