A diary of the Aussie team's journey through the 2007 Paragliding
Worlds at Manilla, Australia
Pilot
Profile
Name:
Brian Webb
Age: 50, Marital Status: partnered
Job and how often in a typical week would you fly:
job, hmmm - fly every day it's XC'able
Sponsors: Gradient Gliders
1. What equipment do you
use:
Glider: Avax RSF (the new Avax SR7 should be here soon)
Harness: Advance Impress
Vario: Flytec 5020
Sunglasses: Anything polarised that are cheap enough to scratch or lose and replace
easily
2. Approx hours airtime:
Kinda lost count, really should have kept a more complete logbook,
would have been great to be able to look back over it
3. When did you learn to fly and where?
Devils Dyke, England around 1985, started flying paragliders on those lunchbreaks
when I could get away from the office. The hang glider took too long to set
up for the time that we had so we tried paragliders.
4. Best site in Oz:
Canungra was not on top of my list for a
long time but as I understand it better I am getting more and more
impressed.
We are so lucky to have such strong and diverse areas.
5. Best sites O/S:
Point of the Mountain, Snowbird, Olympus, Jupiiter,
Inspiration Point, these are just some of the sites around the
12,000' mountains that surround Salt Lake City, Utah. Excellent
XC, great infrastucture and all in english
6. Best comp task you’ve
flown so far, the most memorable:
The last task of the 2006 US Nationals, I had dropped a few
places and was looking for a good result. The task was an 85km
triangle
across some incredible mountain ranges and in some awesome
air. During the flight the vario had not
just gone off the scale but had simply given up making any
noise, I guess it couldn't see the point.
We
had a great race over some superb terrain, goal was back
at the home town of Sun Valley and I led the way in. Despite
being first in goal I took second place behind Eric Reed. He
took the speed section seconds before me but was so low that
he had to go back and spend 90 minutes scratching
to get back up to make goal and win the task.
7. Why do you fly:
I enjoy playing chess, and playing chess with nature is kinda fun.
8. Best flight ever:
My first ever XC flight, from Devils Dyke. That first flight opened up
a world I had no idea could exist.
9. Worst flying experience so far:
Watching a pilot lose control and spiral into the ground, that dreadul
gut wrenching feeling of helplessness and horror
10. What tips can you give to newcomers
to the sport:
You must find some balance between your compulsive
passion for flying and your family and friends. There
must
be room
for everything
11. Who do you most admire in our sport?
Craig C, Freddy G and Rhettski are all right up there
12. What are your other favourite
hobbies/sports:
Squash, chess and cards, love a good game of canasta
13. Favourite band and song?
Dire Staights, Sultans of Swing
14. Best book you’ve
read so far?
Lord Of The Rings / Tolkien or The Old Man and The Sea / Hemingway
15. Have you ever thrown your reserve?, if
so tell us about it.
Twice, at SIV's - if you have not done an SIV then book one now
16. Biggest flying mistake so far?
Rushing a landing beside an injured pilot
at Flowerdale and becoming a bigger casualty
myself
17.
What are your personal flying goals
To help Australia to a team spot of 5th or better
18. Where are you going to be in 10
years time and doing what?
60, hmmm, good question
Pilot
Profile
Name: Brian Webb
Age: 50, Marital Status: partnered
Job and how often in a typical week would you fly:
job, hmmm - fly every day it's XC'able
Sponsors: Gradient Gliders
1. What equipment do you use:
Glider: Avax RSF (the new Avax SR7 should be here soon)
Harness: Advance Impress
Vario: Flytec 5020
Sunglasses: Anything polarised that are cheap enough to scratch or lose and replace easily
2. Approx hours airtime:
Kinda lost count, really should have kept a more complete logbook, would have been great to be able to look back over it
3. When did you learn to fly and where?
Devils Dyke, England around 1985, started flying paragliders on those lunchbreaks when I could get away from the office. The hang glider took too long to set up for the time that we had so we tried paragliders.
4. Best site in Oz:
Canungra was not on top of my list for a long time but as I understand it better I am getting more and more impressed. We are so lucky to have such strong and diverse areas.
5. Best sites O/S:
Point of the Mountain, Snowbird, Olympus, Jupiiter, Inspiration Point, these are just some of the sites around the 12,000' mountains that surround Salt Lake City, Utah. Excellent XC, great infrastucture and all in english
6. Best comp task you’ve flown so far, the most memorable:
The last task of the 2006 US Nationals, I had dropped a few places and was looking for a good result. The task was an 85km triangle across some incredible mountain ranges and in some awesome air. During the flight the vario had not just gone off the scale but had simply given up making any noise, I guess it couldn't see the point.
We had a great race over some superb terrain, goal was back at the home town of Sun Valley and I led the way in. Despite being first in goal I took second place behind Eric Reed. He took the speed section seconds before me but was so low that he had to go back and spend 90 minutes scratching to get back up to make goal and win the task.
7. Why do you fly:
I enjoy playing chess, and playing chess with nature is kinda fun.
8. Best flight ever:
My first ever XC flight, from Devils Dyke. That first flight opened up a world I had no idea could exist.
9. Worst flying experience so far:
Watching a pilot lose control and spiral into the ground, that dreadul gut wrenching feeling of helplessness and horror
10. What tips can you give to newcomers to the sport:
You must find some balance between your compulsive passion for flying and your family and friends. There must be room for everything
11. Who do you most admire in our sport?
Craig C, Freddy G and Rhettski are all right up there
12. What are your other favourite hobbies/sports:
Squash, chess and cards, love a good game of canasta
13. Favourite band and song?
Dire Staights, Sultans of Swing
14. Best book you’ve read so far?
Lord Of The Rings / Tolkien or The Old Man and The Sea / Hemingway
15. Have you ever thrown your reserve?, if so tell us about it.
Twice, at SIV's - if you have not done an SIV then book one now
16. Biggest flying mistake so far?
Rushing a landing beside an injured pilot at Flowerdale and becoming a bigger casualty myself
17. What are your personal flying goals
To help Australia to a team spot of 5th or better
18. Where are you going to be in 10 years time and doing what?
60, hmmm, good question
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