A pilot reported that the seam of the webbed strap that connects the brake pulley to the riser tore during ground handling his Skywalk Mescal5. The seam may not be strong enough if it was sewn with too few stitches. This can reduce the breaking load to approx. 35 kg. This is adequate for flying, but may not be enough for ground handling in strong conditions and large deflection angles.
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Welcome to Boris Tyszko, who is part of the Crew at Flybubble headquarters, responsible for behind the scenes systems, final product checks and sales support. "I fly for the views and the feeling of being removed from terra firma. I love paragliding because not only does it require physical skill but also knowledge to do well."
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Tom Cole is an up-and-coming pilot from Bristol and a member of the Flybubble Team. "I fly to experience the pure joy and complete freedom that normally doesn't present itself in day to day life. Every flight is a challenge and a new learning experience and the more I indulge in the sport the hungrier I am for knowledge. Flying means everything to me!"
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In the unlikely event there's something wrong with a new wing, it's best that we're the last stop in the professional quality control line. That's why we offer professional final product checks as part of our service when you purchase your new wing from us. Not all dealers offer these checks, which can put you at risk if you don't know what to look for.
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The silence of the lifting air, the steady support under your balanced wing, the endless landscape that is slowly revealed: soaring is spectacular. Flying at Beachy Head on the south coast of England.
Dave Southern reports on the hike-and-fly combination of Advance PI 2 and EASINESS 2 (Skywings Magazine, January 2017). "The Pi 2 27 and Easiness 2 ‘security configuration’ are an excellent combination which should pass unnoticed by the most eagle-eyed flight desk attendant and go into the overhead lockers for air travel. All of your kit, including an ultralight reserve, could weigh less than 7kg and you’d still have a glider that is capable of good, safe XCs."
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Did you know you can spy on the best pilots? Learn how to compare tracklogs when reviewing your own flight performance. Sometimes you might only learn one thing, sometimes it reinforces things you already knew, sometimes it helps you find out how others got through a difficult patch of terrain. Learn more about tracklogs
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Some people belong above the horizon. You can tell which kind you are by some common telltales. If you know the current wind direction, and which day will be sunny this week, you probably need to get into the blue bit rather soon.
The Gin Explorer is "a lightweight sports performance wing aimed at seasoned XC pilots who want to fly a wing that's comfortable, responsive and performant." Apparently, development of this wing began at the same time as the Gin Carrera, but as it pursued a lightweight philosophy, the design took another direction, and resulted in a lengthy development and testing phase. Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino and Nancy Elliott share their first impressions based on their experience on the wing in UK winter and spring conditions.
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Small cumulus clouds can indicate lift, but large ones can suck you up and spit you out as an iceblock. How can you tell which ones are safe? ‘Wider than it is tall’ is a good rule of thumb. Look at the top: if it’s crisp and towering, stay away. Look at the shadow: if it’s bigger than you’d expect, the cloud has hidden vertical development.
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