A diary of the Aussie team's journey through the 2007 Paragliding
Worlds at Manilla, Australia
Pilot Profile
Name:
Viv Williams
Age: 38, Marital
Status: Have a partner.
Job and how often in a typical week would you fly:
Sales Consultant, and definitely not enough
Sponsors: GIN Gliders
1. What equipment do you
use:
Glider: GIN Boomerang Sport proto
Harness: Advance Impress
Vario: Brauniger
Compeo
GPS: Garmin 76 map.
2. Approx hours airtime:
Approx 550 hours
3. When did you learn to fly and where?
Got my licence in Dec 2000, Auckland New Zealand. But then moved to LA and flew
Marshall for a year – great place to learn thermalling
4. Best site in Oz:
Bright – so many different challenges
5. Best site O/S:
Laragne France – great flying with so many different options, and
great friends
6. Best comp task you’ve
flown so far, the most memorable:
In Canungra this year, came in third..
7. Why do you fly:
Where do I start – why wouldn’t you fly?
I fly because of this fantastic feeling I get when I am in the sky. It’s
hard to describe but it’s some combination of being entirely removed
from the ground and concentrating totally on the observations and activities
that will keep me there. The paraglider’s version of being in the “zone” maybe.
I am detached from everyday life, watching the beautiful world around
me; the majestic clouds as they form and dissipate, the spectacular scenery
below me and that magical place off in the distance where sky melds with
ground.
8. Best flight ever:
The most memorable is still landing with a mate in a paddock overlooking
a beautiful lake after flying our first 100km flights
9. Worst flying experience so far:
A hard landing in St Vincent le Forte, France. That which doesn’t
destroy you, makes you stronger
10. What tips can you give to newcomers
to the sport:
First of all enjoy yourself. Same for the rest of the
tips. However you fly, what ever direction it takes
you in be it evening soaring, international acro competition
or XC, it’s your experience, enjoy yourself!
11. Who do you most admire in our sport?
Lady Judy Leden – what an awesome woman. If I did half as much
as her I would be impressed. And she’s a really generous individual
12. What are your other favourite
hobbies/sports:
You mean there are others? Love getting out on the mountain bike and
recently have taken up dirt bike riding. To balance it all out, I also
enjoy a good book
13. Favourite band and song?
David Gray has been a fav for a while now. Song - She's Always A Woman
By Billy Joel, …..just ‘cause no one’s perfect…
14. Best book you’ve
read so far?
Best non fiction has got to be Secrets of Champions
15. Have you ever thrown your reserve?, if
so tell us about it.
Nope
16. Biggest flying mistake so far?
Flying in a too crowed site
17.
What are your personal flying goals
To travel the world and have enough skill to be able to fly good
XC at any site I choose
18. Where are you going to be in 10
years time and doing what?
Embracing the world, doing amazing things
Pilot Profile
Name: Viv Williams
Age: 38, Marital Status: Have a partner.
Job and how often in a typical week would you fly:
Sales Consultant, and definitely not enough
Sponsors: GIN Gliders
1. What equipment do you use:
Glider: GIN Boomerang Sport proto
Harness: Advance Impress
Vario: Brauniger Compeo
GPS: Garmin 76 map.
2. Approx hours airtime:
Approx 550 hours
3. When did you learn to fly and where?
Got my licence in Dec 2000, Auckland New Zealand. But then moved to LA and flew Marshall for a year – great place to learn thermalling
4. Best site in Oz:
Bright – so many different challenges
5. Best site O/S:
Laragne France – great flying with so many different options, and great friends
6. Best comp task you’ve flown so far, the most memorable:
In Canungra this year, came in third..
7. Why do you fly:
Where do I start – why wouldn’t you fly?
I fly because of this fantastic feeling I get when I am in the sky. It’s hard to describe but it’s some combination of being entirely removed from the ground and concentrating totally on the observations and activities that will keep me there. The paraglider’s version of being in the “zone” maybe. I am detached from everyday life, watching the beautiful world around me; the majestic clouds as they form and dissipate, the spectacular scenery below me and that magical place off in the distance where sky melds with ground.
8. Best flight ever:
The most memorable is still landing with a mate in a paddock overlooking a beautiful lake after flying our first 100km flights
9. Worst flying experience so far:
A hard landing in St Vincent le Forte, France. That which doesn’t destroy you, makes you stronger
10. What tips can you give to newcomers to the sport:
First of all enjoy yourself. Same for the rest of the tips. However you fly, what ever direction it takes you in be it evening soaring, international acro competition or XC, it’s your experience, enjoy yourself!
11. Who do you most admire in our sport?
Lady Judy Leden – what an awesome woman. If I did half as much as her I would be impressed. And she’s a really generous individual
12. What are your other favourite hobbies/sports:
You mean there are others? Love getting out on the mountain bike and recently have taken up dirt bike riding. To balance it all out, I also enjoy a good book
13. Favourite band and song?
David Gray has been a fav for a while now. Song - She's Always A Woman By Billy Joel, …..just ‘cause no one’s perfect…
14. Best book you’ve read so far?
Best non fiction has got to be Secrets of Champions
15. Have you ever thrown your reserve?, if so tell us about it.
Nope
16. Biggest flying mistake so far?
Flying in a too crowed site
17. What are your personal flying goals
To travel the world and have enough skill to be able to fly good XC at any site I choose
18. Where are you going to be in 10 years time and doing what?
Embracing the world, doing amazing things
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