Flying cross country (XC) on a paraglider in the UK offers many challenges and unique experiences. In this article Flybubble's MD and Chief Flying Instructor, Carlo Borsattino summarises the action from the most successful UK paragliding XC season in history... so grab a cuppa and enjoy the lengthy report at your leisure! There's lots to learn from reviewing the days that worked well, and what pilots chose to do.
The Pilots' Tales section offers a unique perspective from some of the leading pilots in the UK. To make it easier to read we refer to the 2015 UK Paragliding XC League as 'the League' and have rounded all distances to the nearest kilometre.
Paraglider pilots' tales from the United Kingdom (UK) cross country (XC) paragliding season 2015. Pilots' Tales (2015 UK PG XC) Peggy Williams: "I had some really memorable flights during the year. Flying off Aonach Mor in Scotland and looking down...
Winning paraglider pilots from the United Kingdom (UK) paragliding cross country (XC) season 2015. Paragliding XC League Winners 2015 Winners of the 2015 National Paragliding Cross Country League: 1st overall: Carlo Borsattino, Niviuk Artik 4 (1424.7 points) 2nd overall: Philip...
Paragliding United Kingdom (UK) cross country (XC) season report for Summer and Autumn 2015. Summer 2015 UK Paragliding XC 7th June turned out to be a record day for XC flying in the UK: 130 pilots logged XCs totalling 12,261...
Getting the most out of a good XC day often comes down to a simple decision: do you leave the hill as soon as you can (and try to stay up all day) or do you wait till it's good and blaze a trail on speedbar to cover more ground during the strong part of the day?
Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino recounts his decisions and tactics on an epic flight from Selsley Common hill near Stroud in Gloucestershire to near Eastbourne in East Sussex, when his leading position on his sports class wing (Skywalk CAYENNE5, EN C) was put to the test against the relentless racing of Mark Watts on his competition wing (Ozone Enzo 2, CCC).
Each year Skywings Magazine presents the Wings Over The Cloud award for inspiring writing. This year Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino has won the award for his articles: Super Sunday and If We're Lucky We'll Make Bexhill.
The Ion 4 is Nova's new entry level EN B glider. It's suitable for talented beginners, but most pilots will enjoy its superb performance to safety ratio. With its lightweight concept it should also be a hit with the Hike & Fly market and those who just want a lighter pack. It can be ordered with student risers or with a speedbrake riser (for XC pilots wanting to steer on the rear risers without affecting the camber and spoiling performance). Greg and Simon at Flybubble tested the Ion 4 out. Read their reviews here.
Niviuk says "The docile and intuitive character of this new model brings full awareness in flight, handling ease and provides the means to progress in all phases of flight with peace of mind." What does this mean, in the real world? The Progression Class is full of exceptional modern wings designed to appeal to low airtime pilots. What special characteristics does the HOOK 4 offer, and to whom is it suited?
The Pi was an astounding design but some aspects kept it limited to being mainly a mountain wing. Advance have learned from the first project. Have they perfected the concept in the Pi 2? It has some impressive characteristics and surprising performance. Instead of a bomb-proof wing for quick descents, our reviewers found a fully developed paraglider, capable of XC flying. Flybubble Greg: "I kept looking up and thinking, how is it doing that?" Flybubble pilot Phil: "You get the feeling it's put together with precision and finesse."
The Advance Alpha 5 was an outstanding first wing that took beginners well beyond the school environment. The updated design boasts less weight, fewer lines and double 3D shaping at the leading edge that is bound to give it more performance. The Alpha 6 also promises 'air scoop technology' that increases the stall resistance when flying slowly. With all these improvements, is it still suitable for training? Does it meet the needs of adventurous beginners and recreational pilots?
