Wellington Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club  
Newsletter: July 2008 (Note: all external links open in a new window) Home
May 2008 newsletter

Next Meeting: Tuesday 5 August 2008, 7:30 pm @ The Valley Club, 10 Daly St, Lower Hutt  (MAP).

Minutes: 3 June 2008

DVDs: Parachute repacks & New Zealand Air Games
Grant has been at an instructors seminar this last weekend and has two
interesting DVDs on parachute repacks to show - one by Angelo Crapanzano.
Kris will also bring the NZ Air Games DVD along to show if time allows....

SITEGUIDE
Grant will have copies available for those who have pre-paid!
 
Porosimeter
The Club is now the proud co-owner of a porosimeter!  The Wellington club will have it till the end of August.  Currently Kris Ericksen has it - give him a bell on 021 116 4558 or email on skf@paradise.net.nz - if you want to test the porosity of your paraglider. (This is a requirement of the annual WOF!)

Weather stations
The Weather Stations page has been updated with links to the Greater Wellington meteorological pages, plus also a couple of other very useful sites - check it out!!

Wind farms in the Wairarapa on the Puketoi Range
Contact Energy is proposing a wind farm development at Waitohora - near Dannevirke, and Mighty River is investigating a site further south on the Puketoi Range.  Ross Gray advises that on this range that: "The main problem is the complete lack of even marginal bomb landing areas within reach of any suitable (accessible) takeoff’s.  Having said that, the crest of the Rising Sun Road near Coonoor and the nearby Waihi Falls (worth a trip down the valley if you’ve never seen them – a little known gem!) looks great for takeoff’s but death for any hang glider who immediately bombs.  Maybe OK for Paraglider pilots but any bomb scenario will require landing either in a gully or on a ridge."

Flights
Sophie Mormede has done  a four day advanced course on take-offs when in France: she says that "4 days on training slope again almost killed me. I managed to fit in a long flight too."

Kris managed a one hour flight at Paekakariki on Monday 21 July!  (He's still seeing a physio for a finger injury sustained at the time.....)

Airspace Project
Check out the Airspace Project on the Auckland HGPC's web site!

Speed Flying
Check out this link on speed flying at Whakapapa!

Google Earth
A useful link for NZ stuff: http://geomatter.googlepages.com

Paraparaumu webcam
A link to the Paraparaumu webcam has been added to the weather page!

Retrieve driver!
Jane is keen to take photos for a personal portfolio of hang gliders and paragliders on the Kapiti Coast!  In exchange she will do "retrieve driving"! Call here on 021-074 7733 or 04-587 0159 during weekends.


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)