Paragliding Prices for Novice Lessons in British Columbia

Provider	Price*	Location	Is Dealer?**	Accepts PayPal***	Notes
JetSet Paragliding	$2500	Fraser Valley	No	No
FlyBC	$2184	Fraser Valley	Yes	Yes	Equipment rental available.
DeimosPG	$2000	Fraser Valley	Yes	No	Equipment rental available.
iParaglide	$2397	Fraser Valley	Yes	No	Price does not include $160 - $320 in 'i4x4' fees. Equipment purchase required after flight 4.
Sea To Sky Paragliding	$2362	Pemberton	No	Yes
VI Paragliding	$3000	Victoria	Yes	Yes	Novice price as of January, 2016. Equipment purchase required after flight 5.
Paraglide Canada	$3472	Vernon	Yes	No	Price includes use of equipment for full course.
Freedom Flight School	$3000	Vernon	Yes	No

IMPORTANT NOTE(S): If purchase of equipment prior to or during the course of instruction is required - expect to add an additional $5000 to $8000 onto certification cost.

Schools will often advertise 'includes X flights' - it is important to know there is no established standard in Canada as to what constitutes a paragliding flight. It could be a single run down the training hill or a proper flight off the top of a mountain. Be sure to inquire what the program actually entails before making any payment.

* Price - includes tax (calculated if published price does not specifically include tax). Assumes combined PST/GST.

** 'Is Dealer?' - dealers will have beginner demo stock on hand that is frequently used for student training.  If the school is not a stocking dealer, odds are the student (you) will be required to purchase a complete paragliding kit before any instruction can be done - increasing up front costs.

*** If the provider does not accept PayPal (with its purchaser protection) - make sure to get a receipt.

DISCLAIMER

The posting of prices/links is in no way an endorsement for any of the above paragliding businesses. It is the responsibility of the client (you) to confirm that the instructor is properly trained, certified, licensed, and insured by an appropriate body. Paragliding is a dangerous activity that can result in serious injury and/or death.

leGPSBip - Solar Powered Vario/GPS Logger.

From the manufacturer: 

"Discover a new easy and light way to record your flight, check your altitude and speed as well as to control your lift and sink - all in one small device !"

Link to leGPSBip

Paragliding Video of my trip to Brazil in January 2016 with Steve Barton @ XC Brazil and Dean Crosby @ Active Edge Paragliding.

Paragliding Video: Weekend Rewind Mt.Woodside July 23-24, 2016.

Highlights: Appearance of the Niviuk Skin P (single skin), testing of the SJCAM M20 mini cam, and wife's first tandem with Martina @ Jet Set.

Stills of the weekend used in the video can be found under the FlyinOrange FB page.

Getting a different perspective: SJCAM M20

Any of you who have seen my videos from the past few seasons may have noticed that in addition to the helmet cam, I have a camera mounted on the harness.

The mount is a Flytec Universal Camera Bracket that was originally designed for use on hang gliders. One of our local XC experts, Brett Hazlett, discovered that this device could be mounted to a paraglider carabiner as well.

Flytec Universal Camera Bracket

Attached to this bracket was a GoPro Hero 2 - up until I managed to fry it in France in 2013 ('let the smoke out' sort of frying). Following that was a Hero 3+ which unfortunately disappeared from the hill last season.

Given the replacement cost - I figured it was time to test the waters of the Chinese clones.

First up is the SJCAM M20. Ordered in hard to lose red directly from SJCAM with a spare battery.

The form factor reminds me very much of a police body camera and the camera itself is capable of upwards of 2K video (4k with some interpolation).

Tiny? Yep.
Able to do 1080p @ 60 fps? Yep.

Looks like it fits the bill.

The camera arrived just last night - so I have no flying footage as of yet. Unboxing photos will have to do in the near term.

Package arrives via DHL.
DHL emailed with the tracking number and a link to prepay customs fees. If only UPS and CanadaPost could do the same.

Forms pulled.

Box openned.
Simple red bubble wrap around camera box.

Camera box exposed.

Camera box removed.

Pulling it apart.

Camera + Accessories.

Manual, stickers, + mounting options.

Camera in waterproof case
+ charging cable
+ spare battery (extra $)
+ cleaning cloth.

Gives you a sense of the camera size.

Rear screen.

Manual with button map.

Manual button map 2.

Camera on riser mount.

Sample video:

Branding the FlyinOrange

Well, this past week has been a flurry of activity for the FlyinOrange.

The switch over to YouTube from Vimeo (due to the 5GB/week cap on uploads) was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. After getting most (about 300 GB) of my old raw footage uploaded, I took a gander at the Google Analytics data for the blog.

Some interesting trends emerged.

I was expecting the typical user to be male, European, 35 to 45.

Instead,  you the reader are most likely in one of two age cohorts (18-25 or 25-35), with equal chance of living in North America, Europe, Australia, or Brazil, and is as likely to be female as male.

Looks like a little expansion is needed to try to tap the core demographic of most novice/intermediate PG pilots.

Onto Facebook we go.

...and we need a logo.

Logo

Facebook Page

Paragliding Kit Considerations: Comms Part 4 - Headsets

Motoring along.

We have a radio, we have a satellite tracker, and we've decided on a mounting platform.

Now time for augmentation.

Can you hear me now?

On the ground, everything on the radio comes through clear and concise. But once in the air, we can't make out a thing. The 30+ kph relative wind has a tendency of messing with the best laid plans.

If after experimenting with location and orientation we find that things are still not to our liking, then we need to look at additional technology (which of course comes with additional cost, complexity, and the opportunity for Mr.Murphy to visit).

Hand Held PTT Speaker Mic

A Hand Held Push To Talk (PTT) Speaker Microphone is the simplest, most flexible, and most reliable addition we can make. The unit can be moved around on our webbing, even positioned post launch on the riser. The cabling and connector will be fairly robust and capable of accepting the abuse from the typical paragliding day (including retrieve).

A quality Hand Held PTT Speaker Mic is a good place to start if a stand alone radio is just not working in terms of TX and RX clarity while paragliding.

Side note: I have a PTT unit that I take with me on courses/trips just in case one of my more complex (and seemingly failure prone) headset configurations acts up. It has saved me more than once.

Headsets

Wind noise still interfering with our ability to hear what is being said? Time to explore headsets.

Paragliding headsets come in one of two flavours:

1. Wired.
2. Wireless.

Wired Headsets

A wired paragliding headset is a good place to start when moving beyond the Hand Held PTT Speaker Mic. 

Motorcycle Headsets

At the lower end of the spectrum are units developed for use in motorcycling such as those manufactured by Tork, retailing around $50 Canadian. The sport model can be used with a full face helmet, while the open face model can be mated with a snowboarding helmet that has ear flaps designed to accept a sound system. 

But keep in mind, one gets what one pays for. These units will not last long - especially the thumb mount PTT switch and the open face boom mic. I took a similar unit to Annecy for a pair of SIV courses, removing the boom mic and PTT switch. Jocky Sanderson's voice came through loud and clear, even in a full on spiral. But the unit failed shortly after completing the second week.

Airsoft Headsets

Don't. Just don't.

Except ...

The Code Red Battle Zero Bone Conduction Headset. The unit relies on vibration through the jaw/skull for both TX and RX. The 'headphones/mic' sits on the upper most contact point between jaw and skull, leaving the ears completely unobstructed. Inbound voice has a 'voices inside your head' quality to it (though a little on the faint side) while those on the other end have noted that the users voice comes through loud and clear.  The cabling is kevlar lined and the connectors fairly robust. The headset, PTT unit, and radio connection cable are all separate and all individually replaceable.

The one catch (aside from RX voice being faint) is that the connectors are screw on, which precludes any chance of a quick disconnect in the event of a water/tree landing. It is highly recommended that users of this headset move their radio mount to a Chest Harness.

The vendor supports multiple radio variants (including the Kenwood connection used by Baofeng) but does not support Yaesu (and has not indicated there are plans to).

Paragliding Headsets

Dedicated paragliding headset solutions exist and certainly should be on the pilots radar for examination.

Two examples are the Thermal Tracker and the Gidercom Cloudbase.

Reviews of both have been fairly positive and they have options for both full and open face helmet form factors. 

Thats said, be wary of thumb mount PTTs as the wiring on even the high end units will fail given the amount of bending it typically experiences. Often times a thumb mount PTT with a broken wire will lock in the transmit position - quickly killing the radio battery and earning the wrath of any pilot in transmit range.

Wireless Headsets

At the cost of increased complexity and price, wireless solutions improve configurability by removing the need to consider cable routing restrictions.

Off label usage of snow/power sports solutions such as the since discontinued UClear HBC100+ and WT300 can provide for a reasonable cord cutting experience. 

The UClear HBC100, mounted using 3M Dual lock (mitigate entanglement risk).

Toggle mount of the WT300 BT PTT switch.

Similar options exist from Sena.

Otherwise, the full face Glidercom Raptor is worth examination. Starting at $350 US, it would be prudent to see if someone has a sample to take for a test drive prior to purchase.

Aside from cost, the biggest drawback of wireless units is the need to ensure everything is fully charged. If the battery in one component is left uncharged, the entire system is useless.

That's all fine and dandy, but what do you use?

The complete setup.

Baofeng BF-F8HP - basically an upgraded UV-5R.

Delorme InReach for Android/iOS

Code Red Battle Zero Bone Conduction Headset + PTT for Baofeng/Kenwood

Coaxsher RP-1 Scout

Paragliding Kit Considerations: Comms Part 3 - Pouches

Hooking it all up

Radio? Check.

Satellite Tracking? Check.

With Primary and Secondary Comms in order, now its time to mount everything up.

Holders

Clips/Velcro

The most basic of solutions involve simply mounting the radio/satellite tracker directly onto the harness using any provided clips or the flight deck using velcro tape. A secondary attachment via a leash of some form is a must - losing a piece of electronics worth several hundred dollars @ 1000 meters will not only be detrimental to our bank account, but also to any unlucky bystanders below.

Using the included clips to mount the radio to the harness comes with a downside - the clips are likely not easily replaced but very easily broken. Then we are left with a face slapping radio during a take off run. 

Using velcro to mount to the flight deck is not much more secure, especially if the radio employs an extended life (larger/heavier) battery. Then there is the minor matter that we are using up valuable flight deck real estate. Real estate that would be better suited playing home to some form of visual navigation aid.

Harness Mounted Pouches

A more secure method of mounting involves placing the radio/tracker in a pouch and attaching it to the harness. 

An increasingly common method used by paraglider pilots involves mounting a purpose built pouch onto one of the carabiners used to attach the wing. This configuration works best for radios paired with a headset or Push To Talk (PTT) speaker mike of some form. A secondary attachment via a leash (typically to the carabiner) is again a must.

The above example can be found at ParaSupply.

Another possibility is to borrow some tech from the military/law enforcement (Mil/LE). The Mil/LE world has devised a modular pouch system that accommodates many of their mission specific needs by supporting configurable layouts for ammunition, first aid, and communications. Referred to as Modular Lightweight Load carrying Equipment (MOLLE) , this system is exactly as the name implies. The attachment system for the pouches is known as Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) - a series of horizontally aligned 1.0 inch wide webbing strips sewn in 1.5 inch sections. Each 1 inch wide row is separated by a 1 inch gap. The pouch and webbing onto which it is to be attached have the same PALS configuration. A MALICE clip is threaded in an alternating manner underneath the aligned rows of webbing strips.

An example video of the mounting process.

Now our harnesses typically do not include PALS webbing, but a radio pouch backed with PALS can have a MALICE clip run through the webbing and then run underneath the cover for the shoulder strap tension adjuster.

One example is the Tactical Tailor Small Radio Pouch.

Radio snug as a bug.

MALICE clip in black.

If I were operating a school of my own, this is likely the method I would use to mount the radio and use a soldering iron to burn additional holes in the front of the pouch to reduce obstruction of the speaker. Then I would likely realize that what is useful for a school environment is probably useful in an SIV one as well.

Side Note: a MALICE clip can be used to also secure the satellite tracker pouch (such as the one included with the SPOT) to the shoulder strap adjuster covers. Useful for those who do not fly with a flight deck.

Keep in mind, we are attaching our radio and tracker to the harness in a more secure manner than just using clips/velcro and a leash (BTW - remember to use a leash, even with this solution). This may make things more difficult to remove when packing up (if we plan to use the radio/tracker during retrieve). Also if we use any form of wired headset with the radio, we are binding ourselves to the harness which will complicate extracting ourselves in the event of a water landing (especially if the pouch covers the plug).

Chest Harness Mount

Desire to keep your comms setup disjoint from your paragliding harness? Then a chest harness is likely the best way to accomplish this and still keep things relatively organized. 

There are several Search and Rescue (SAR) chest harness manufacturers whose product meets our needs quite well.

One such example is Coaxsher.

A chest harness allows the paraglider pilot to simply step into and out of their harness without having to worry about disconnecting a headset, keep their radio and satellite tracker on hand during retrieve, and have a consistent comms platform without having to worry about which harness they may be using (hike and fly vs distance XC).

The biggest disadvantage is the lack of line of sight to the radio and tracker if the pilot wishes to adjust device settings (such as a radio frequency) mid-flight.

And again, a secondary connection via a leash is a must.

Continued with Radio Headsets in Part 4.

Paragliding Kit Considerations: Comms Part 2 - Satellite Tracking

Plan B: Look to the Sky

Radios work wonderfully when they have line of sight to someone else listening on the other end. 

Place a large mass of rock in the way - they don't work so well. Flying alone with no one on the other end, might as well carry on a conversation with the clouds.

Flying XC or even just bobbing about at your local site alone - you need a Plan B to back up that radio.

The answer: satellite tracking.

A satellite overhead will have a much clearer line of sight to you than a pilot on the backside of the mountain and the two options I will present have contracted out to a dedicated emergency response service in the event the subscriber (you) is in trouble.

SPOT Satellite Communicator

Almost always the initial choice of pilots wanting a backup to their radio. 

Compared to its main competitor, the Delorme InReach, the SPOT is priced much more competitively both in terms of unit cost and subscription plans (especially for Canadian residents). The Gen 3 messenger unit above can be found retailing for just over $150 Canadian (of note: there is a promotion at the time of this article offering a 50% rebate) and service (including unlimited tracking) is $150 / year.

The one catch: the SPOT Satellite Communicator utilizes the Globalstar Low Earth Orbit  (LEO) constellation, which comes with some limitations.

Notice India/Nepal and especially notice South Africa - spotty to zero coverage in some of the meccas for paragliding.

Delorme InReach

Paraglider pilots are increasingly turning to the Delorme (recently acquired by Garmin) InReach for their satellite tracking needs. Utilizing the Iridium LEO constellation, InReach has complete global coverage (unlike SPOT). The service is also capable of transmitting not only location information, but altitude as well - useful for a retrieve service trying to determine if the pilot is about to land. The ability to do two way messaging via a SMS like service is also available.

But these improvements come at a cost.

One can expect a unit to cost 2 to 3 times as much as the SPOT (the above InReach Explorer will cost north of $450 Canadian) while subscription plans go anywhere from reasonable for EU and US residents to outright highway robbery for those registering from Canada/New Zealand/Australia (especially with respect to tracking). Mitigating the pain for those of us in Canada is the ability to suspend service for part of the year. 

GEOS Worldwide Monitoring

Both SPOT and Delorme have partnered with GEOS Worldwide to provide 24/7 monitoring in the event a subscriber requires assistance (triggered by activation of the SOS button on the device).  GEOS helps coordinate with Search and Rescue and will notify the emergency contacts you have registered on file with your device. 

Of note: Service levels will vary across the world, especially in countries that may be facing a trade embargo by the United States (where GEOS is based). Additional costs incurred by GEOS in the subscribers rescue may be passed on to the subscriber (i.e. helicopter extraction). Accidental activation of the emergency beacon can result in expenses and penalties being levied upon the subscriber (don't let your toddler get a hold of the device).

One Last Note (or two... or three)

Regardless which unit you get - they need to be fed with lithium batteries. Alkaline will not be able to  keep up with the power draw these devices require nor do they work as well in the cold temps we frequently find at altitude.

If you are going to get an InReach, be sure to get a plan with tracking (which the SPOT includes). Tracking allows others (via a webpage) to see a breadcrumb trail of our movements. This is very useful if you fail to arrive at a predetermined time/destination - fellow pilots and rescuers can narrow down where they need to search (or simply hang tight while you hike out).

If you are a paragliding pilot and do get a SPOT/InReach (with tracking) - consider signing up for Dave Wheelers XCFind page (a donation of $20 I am sure will be greatly appreciated by Dave).  XCFind centralizes the SPOT/InReach tracking info for pilots, making it a one stop shop for figuring out who is where.

Continued with Radio Holders in Part 3.

Paragliding Kit Considerations: Comms Part 1 - Radios

"Aggress or regress, never sit still."

Never settle, experiment even if the end result is a regression. In other words, strive for continuous improvement.

Those that follow this blog with any degree of regularity know that continuous improvement is a corner stone mantra of mine when it comes to paragliding.

Improvement of skills, improvement of knowledge, improvement of judgement, and ... improvement of equipment/kit.

Improvement via investigation. Investigation via experimentation.

Comms

Communications are critical in our sport. Aside from flying tandem, we operate effectively alone. Even when flying with a partner, a stroke of luck or a subtle change in conditions can cause significant separation. Being able to quickly and easily 're-sync'  with a flying buddy can have a big impact on a paragliding cross country flight ('going XC'), especially in 'sticky' conditions where climbs are few and far between and route changes may be needed.

Even more important is the ability for us to communicate with fellow paraglider pilots and rescuers in the event of a mishap.

Simply put: Some form of comms should be considered on par with the reserve - don't leave the hill without it.

Radio Options

FRS/GMRS

Family Radio Service (FRS) / General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios are often the mainstay of paragliding schools due to the lack of a license requirement for the operator and low cost. But beyond the school environment, especially in Canada, they see little use in the paraglider population.

Limitations on frequency (limited to 14 channels of FM UHF for FRS and 22 for GMRS) and power (0.5 watts for FRS and 2 watts for GMRS*) will find these units quickly replaced by the newly minted Novice.

* GMRS radios in the US can operate at up to 5 watts of power but have a licensing requirement. US GMRS radios that do operate at 5 watts are technically illegal in Canada.

Channel	Use	Frequency (MHz)	Channel	Use	Frequency (MHz)
1	FRS/GMRS	462.5625	12	FRS	467.6625
2	FRS/GMRS	462.5875	13	FRS	467.6875
3	FRS/GMRS	462.6125	14	FRS	467.7125
4	FRS/GMRS	462.6375	15	GMRS	462.5500
5	FRS/GMRS	462.6625	16	GMRS	462.5750
6	FRS/GMRS	462.6875	17	GMRS	462.6000
7	FRS/GMRS	462.7125	18	GMRS	462.6250
8	FRS	467.5625	19	GMRS	462.6500
9	FRS	467.5875	20	GMRS	462.6750
10	FRS	467.6125	21	GMRS	462.7000
11	FRS	467.6375	22	GMRS	462.7250

* CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) - often referred to as 'privacy' codes. Privacy is a misnomer - this sub audible tone system actually acts more as a filter. If you have a CTCSS code selected, you will only hear transmissions from other radio operators who have activated the same code. Anyone who has the code unselected ('open') will hear everything on the channel, including transmissions by those employing a CTCSS code.  Using a CTCSS code is a good way to help filter traffic on a commonly used channel if 'chatter' is a problem.

Tone	Frequency (Hz)	Tone	Frequency (Hz)
1	67.0	20	131.8
2	71.9	21	136.5
3	74.4	22	141.3
4	77.0	23	146.2
5	79.7	24	151.4
6	82.5	25	156.7
7	85.4	26	162.2
8	88.5	27	167.9
9	91.5	28	173.8
10	94.8	29	179.9
11	97.4	30	186.2
12	100.0	31	192.8
13	103.5	32	203.5
14	107.2	33	210.7
15	110.9	34	218.1
16	114.8	35	225.7
17	118.8	36	233.6
18	123.0	37	241.8
19	127.3	38	250.3

Aviation/Airband Radio

The greater the frequency of contact with other aviation stakeholders, the greater the need for an airband radio.

Airband is limited to 108 to 137 MHz, with the upper 19 MHz typically reserved for AM voice.

2 way comms between dedicated AM and FM radios is not possible, though some higher end FM units can receive AM. This is important to remember for the pilot who may wish to use a non airband radio to communicate with other free fliers yet still be able to maintain contact with a control tower and/or powered aircraft - 2 different radios will be required. Attempts to bring to market a dual purpose radio have thus far demonstrated less than stellar results.

A government issued license is typically required to be able to operate an airband radio.

Citizens Band (CB)

An anachronism employing AM in the 27MHz frequency range, you may ask why Citizens Band is even mentioned here.

Australia.

Australia implemented their own take on an unlicensed radio service for the general public which continues to see widespread use in rural parts of the country. Australian CB operates using FM around 477 MHz. It is commonly used by the paragliding population in that country. Something to keep in mind if travelling down under.

Channel	Frequency (MHz)	Channel	Frequency (MHz)
1	476.4250	41	476.4375
2	476.4500	42	476.4625
3	476.4750	43	476.4875
4	476.5000	44	476.5125
5	476.5250	45	476.5375
6	476.5500	46	476.5625
7	476.5750	47	476.5875
8	476.6000	48	476.6125
9	476.6250	49	476.6375
10	476.6500	50	476.6625
11	476.6750	51	476.6875
12	476.7000	52	476.7125
13	476.7250	53	476.7375
14	476.7500	54	476.7625
15	476.7750	55	476.7875
16	476.8000	56	476.8125
17	476.8250	57	476.8375
18	476.8500	58	476.8625
19	476.8750	59	476.8875
20	476.9000	60	476.9125
21	476.9250	61	Unused
22	476.9500	62	Unused
23	476.9750	63	Unused
24	477.0000	64	477.0125
25	477.0250	65	477.0375
26	477.0500	66	477.0625
27	477.0750	67	477.0875
28	477.1000	68	477.1125
29	477.1250	69	477.1375
30	477.1500	70	477.1625
31	477.1750	71	477.1875
32	477.2000	72	477.2125
33	477.2250	73	477.2375
34	477.2500	74	477.2625
35	477.2750	75	477.2875
36	477.3000	76	477.3125
37	477.3250	77	477.3375
38	477.3500	78	477.3625
39	477.3750	79	477.3875
40	477.4000	80	477.4125

Amateur  

Go on any course, attend any comp and you will find amongst the equipment prerequisites - handheld 2m Amateur Radio. Primarily operating between 144 and 148 MHz using FM, Amateur Radio has gained widespread adoption by the paragliding community due the portability/light weight of the current generation handhelds, reasonable power output (typically 5 watts) and a healthy parts aftermarket. In addition, a plethora of makes and models exist for the pilot to choose from to fit any budget -  everything from high end Japanese built units down to mass produced Chinese variants.

One model in particular stands out:

The Baofeng UV-5R.

The -5Rs low cost, reasonable quality, and compatibility with the Kenwood headset connector has made it the go to radio for pilots around the world. Gone are the days where a 'cheap' radio would run in the hundreds of dollars, now options like the Baofeng can be found for less than $50 Canadian.  A radio lost, stolen, soaked, or seized can now be met with no more than a resigned sigh given that it is effectively disposable at the aforementioned price point. One could simply buy two -5Rs and have a spare waiting to be put in service for less than the price we would previously pay for a single radio.

One need only look at the frequency ranges supported by the Baofeng UV-5R to get a sense of why I specifically mention it.

136-174 MHz and 400-480 MHz.

Look at the above tables. I'll let you deduce what is possible (though very likely illegal in certain locales - you the reader are responsible for making sure that this radio will not break any laws where you are flying) .

The majority of countries that allow use of Amateur Radio have licensing requirements.

Continued with Satellite Trackers in Part 2

Canada Day @ Mt.St.Benedict West Coast Soaring Club FlyIn

Tyler, the WCSC BoD member in charge of Safety and Events, kindly arranged a second FlyIn to get the club together over the July long weekend. This time around it was at Mt.St.Benedict north of Hatzic Lake to the east of Mission, BC. Benny has been a labour of love for Al T, a long time club member, local XC pro and owner of XC Paragliding. Al has poured countless hours, sweat and machine time into fixing up the road and preparing a great launch with amazing flying potential. Today was the perfect day to introduce Al's 'baby' to the rest of the club.

After Andrew B officially kicked off the FlyIn with the first launch, I queued up and followed suit.  The upper launch is a little snug for a forward, but fine for reverse with a decent wind.

LZ briefing. The LZ is huge.

The drive up. Includes obligatory foot in photo.

Looking out from the lower launch.

Lower launch awaiting clearing and grooming.

Looking back. Upper launch is around 1100m.

Looking forward.

The 'knob' to the west, go here, turn left.

Arriving at the clear cuts along the S/W side of the knob, including the still  in development lower launch at 600m. The LZ is the green patch in the centre with a circular stand of trees.

Surfing the clear cut. It was buoyant, but the cloud made sure it was tame.

South side of the LZ looking back towards the knob.

Heading south.

No wind today.

Didn't quite nail the landing target.