Newsletter: January 2006 (Note: all external links open in a new window)
Next Meeting: Tuesday 7 February 2006, 7:30 pm @ The Valley Club, 10 Daly St, Lower Hutt (MAP).
Minutes: December meeting - no business undertaken! 20 people turned up to the Ayutthaya Thai Restaurant in Petone and had a great time!
Thoughts for pilots who want to improve (part I) - Guy Harding
An excellent article by Guy on improving your flying - it's directed
at hang glider pilots, but lots of stuff here for the paraglider pilot too!
Hang Gliding News - Guy Harding
Lots of stuff about hang gliding flights earlier in the season (Apologies from the editor for not getting this and previous item into the previous newsletter....)
New WHGPC site!
The club now has a new web site: http://whgpc.wellington.net.nz
The Hang-dog web site will hopefully redirect people to this site in the near future! The site is "under development". www.paraglide.wellington.net.nz and www.hangglide.wellington.net.nz also redirect to this site!!
Is anyone keen to be the web master for it? Contact Kris!
Kourarau Site notice - Barry Baxter
All pilots flying east of Kourarau are asked not to fly too low over the deer farm on the western side of the range. It is located just to the north of the saddle where the main road passes over the top of the range.
The farmer is a sailplane pilot and I spoke to him after landing on the neighbours land. He had been riding his bike across the paddock and said that the animals were quite spooked. We as a club do not need any issues with injured or dead stock on neighbouring land to one of our regular sites.
The potential is very high for deer to panic upon being overflown by hang - paragliders as unlike top - dressing aircraft they are completely unfamiliar with us.
Landing in any of the paddocks is totally out of the question as deer in the roar season are very territorial and are quite capable of inflicting death on humans. Even the farmer won't go in the paddock at this time.
Flying over at altitude is okay but if low please use common sense and try to avoid this area.
Heliport
A heliport is proposed to be constructed at Wharekauhau (near Ocean Beach). CAA is receiving submission until 24 February. We will discuss this at the club meeting on Tuesday. Details (PDF)
Wairarapa Paragliding League: 21 - 23 January
Five pilots turned up on the Saturday -and ir looked like it should be a great day. Was all a bit bumpy and Andy Maloney got the furthest at about three kilometres! Photos of the day... Everyone decided to head off to HB - which was blown out on the Sunday. Nice boating about around Te Mata Peak was had on the Monday!
New Pilots
Martin Cowley is in Wellington till mid-March - give him a call if you
are going out flying!
021 0238 1893
St Arnaud League # 2
Dates: 16-19 March 2006 (Thurs-Sun). Reserve: 18-21 March 2006 (Sat-Tues)
Sites: Inwoods, Blowhard, Murchison.
Cost: $10 per day, maximum $25. Maximum $20 for Tasman or Marlborough Club pilots. Includes maps, turnpoint list, $5 comp levy and $5 local sites levy. (BBQ optional extra).
Special Information: Vehicles used on forestry access roads must be equipped with fire extinguishers (be sure to contact the organiser regarding weekend hire, if you will need to get one for your vehicle). The Mt. Murchison site is available if we have sufficient 4WD vehicles. A range of holiday accommodation is available in St Arnaud and Tim will be arranging the renting of a bach or two for interested pilots for around $15-$16 per night.
Contact: Tim Percival percivalATactrix.co.nz 03 548 7397 or 021 238 5141
Vector Magazine
CAA produces a regular magazine on aviation issues - you can subscribe FREE to it! Send an email to info@caa.govt.nz saying: "I would like to request a Vector subscription as a Part 149 Pilot
Certificate holder. I do NOT currently have a CAA client number. I hold a paragliding / hang gliding certificate."
Antarctic flying
Jude Tarr and Mark Patton headed to the Antarctic Peninsula in December intending to fly off a mountain. Read about it on the Northanger's (yacht) website www.northanger.org. Go to the current expedition section to get to their weblog.
WEB SITES - GENERAL
How to thermal better - from XC Magazine
Outdoor activities: guidelines for leaders - hang gliding and paragliding SPARC
360 degree view of Brooklyn wind turbine
Extreme Ironing
Parachute landing!! (Video)
HANG GLIDING WEB SITES
Oz report videos - some excellent stuff here: HG & PG
Final approaches (PDF)
PARAGLIDING WEB SITES
Kaimai adventures by Ken Jackson
Dean Shaw's Wanaka photos
Kris Ericksen is a news item in the ODT
Tandem record set in Wanaka
Email Kris at whgpceditor@backup.net.nz with any news you may have!
Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned forever skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return" Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Always be aware of where
you are going to land!......
