Familiarization Flight

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Day 1.

The room at the Hotel Ibis is spartan but functional. As it is a transfer accommodation, I am not expecting much from it aside from it being comfortable and secure.

Hotel Ibis room.

The room includes the buffet breakfast that starts at 0630 hrs.

Hotel Ibis buffet.

0900 hrs the group gathers in the parking lot of the Vitoria Ibis. We are to be split across a pair of vehicles - a mini bus owned by Steve's retrieve driver Diogo and Steve's pickup. The trip to Castelo will take about 3 hours give or take, depending on how many speed trap cameras Steve manages to spot along the way. Speed limits here are draconian compared to back home and enforcement is via automated radar cameras - some well marked, some rather well hidden.

Noon - we pull into Castelo, a sleepy town of a few thousand (my guess anyways) and make quick time to the pousada we will be staying at, Lua y Sol. Lua y Sol has been a mainstay for Steve's groups in the past - though it is starting to show it's age. One can detect the hint of mold in the lower rooms of the main building (likely the result of the river next door flooding its banks during a particularly long rainy season), many of the fridges in the rooms do not work, and the hot water systems in the showers are a walking code violation (the water knobs are wrapped in electrical tape to reduce the likelihood of getting zapped while turning on or off the shower). Appears to be kind of the norm for anything shy of top end or internationally branded accommodation in rural Brazil (such as the pousada in Governador Valadares or the Ibis).

Update: the rooms in the upper level of the two story building are an order of magnitude better. If you are taking one of Steve's tours that pass through Castelo, be sure to require one of the 'honeymoon' suites (as one of the lads, Ashley, put it). Steve will understand what you mean. It will cost an extra $40 or so a night but it is well worth it.

The bare minimum.

By 3 PM Steve, Dean and and few of their friends have arrived. It becomes quickly apparent that the shear size of this group is going to put Steve's logistical skills to the test - especially if Mr.Murphy pays a visit. In addition, some quick mental math of the group size vs bus seats leaves me curious as to how Steve will arrange the groups transfer to Governador Valadares.

Update: two of the late joiners ended up taking the overnight bus to GV and will join up with us in the morning on Day 5.

Dean briefing.

We go through the familiar XCBrazil powerpoint briefing though flavoured for flying in Castelo. Sim cards and SPOTs are distributed to those that need them. The separate radio frequencies for flying and retrieve are posted along with a overview of the retrieve process.

Steve's powerpoint briefing.

Now that everyone is on the same page with respect to comms, retrieves, and general flying in the area - time to make our way to the hill. The drive is along a dirt road of varying condition and the steepness of the hill proper made for a right struggle on the part of the van carrying its allotment of pilots. By the last half kilometer Steve had to run circuits with the pickup to ferry pilots to the launch. Mr.Murphy has officially arrived.

Up top everyone kits up and launches into the rather mild cycles. A quick familiarization flight before sunset to shake the cobwebs sort of thing.

Sunset flight.

Only the hill had a different idea. The sun set but the climbs didn't dissipate. The entire valley lit up in the evening restitution ('magic air' in Canuck pilot lingo) with climbs exceeding 2 m/s at times.

Even as heavily loaded as I was - I had to search for small regions of 'sink' (weak lift for normally loaded wings). Pulling ears resulted in the same rolling oscillation as seen in Valle so they were let out sooner than liked.

Getting dark.

By this point head is on a swivel to make a count of wings nearby and keep track of where everyone is. Approaching the LZ, there are two wings below me and one above. I now navigate by the lights of the buildings and road, the lone tree in the LZ is barely visible in the growing darkness. I can also see the glowing screens of the varios of the two wings below and fall into a pattern above and behind them.

Setting up to land.

A very low and tight right hand pattern at tree top height, I set down in a run and kill the wing before it reaches the fence. 

Flight 1 down.

Video footage from flight:

Part 1

Part 2

Days 2 and 3 ...

Now that's service.

5AM. Even the cat is still asleep, a rarity. Normally by this point the howler is awake and downstairs awaiting the start of his feeding routine (he suffers from dementia and tends to forget there is food in the bowl, requiring an ongoing reminder until he is full).

Cat aside, so begins the first day of a trek that will not cease until 6PM the following day.

Vancouver->Toronto->Sao Paulo->Vitoria.

With the reservation crisis of the previous day resolved attention turns to last minute packing details before embarking on the pre-legs (commute via train and Skytrain to YVR).

Kit is packed and passport pulled out along with the handful of Reals left over from last year. Steve has already messaged via Whatsapp indicating he will be gathering up the core group arriving from the UK 6 hours after I land. In addition Steve suggests cabbing it to the airport hotel in Vitoria to get a head start on sleep as the next day is going to be long.

Parting ways with spousal unit at Waterfront Station, I make my way onto the Canada Line Skytrain. I have no problem keeping pace with the morning rush. A testament to the lightness of this years travel kit vs. years past.

At YVR the glider bag is wrapped and dropped off at the Air Canada Priority Members check-in. The Customer Service Rep notes I have a long two days ahead of me and asks if I am aware of the location of the Lounge.

Oh yes. Quite.

After a quick trip through security I manage to score a corner of tranquility in the Lounge and catch up on work emails.

1030 hrs, Gate C46.

Our ride pulls in just as I arrive at the gate.

The short haul workhorse - an A321.

All in all the flight was uneventful and the crew under the guidance of Flight Director Rosie was right on top of things when a curve ball was thrown their way.

Upon arrival in Toronto I am the first to deplane and am met by a young lady bearing a name tag of Giselle and holding an iPad showing my name on the screen. This cannot be good.

I confirm for her it is likely I she is looking for and her immediate reply is one to alleviate any concerns, "Do not worry sir you connection to Sao Paulo is fine."

Visible sigh of relief.

The lady then continues, "I am here to escort you to your driver, if you would like?"

"Driver?"

"Yes, to the international terminal. This is a service we like to share from time to time with our premium customers, but if you prefer to walk that is ok as well."

"I'm game for the car, please, lead away."

Mah ride.

After a short jaunt across the tarmac in a rather decked out recent model Bimmer, we arrive at the International terminal. Giselle escorts me up to the Maple Leaf lounge and bids me a enjoyable trip.

I could get used to this.

Now with four hours to kill I find a spot to plop down in the lounge and go about grazing the 'feeding trough' in the food area. The mac'n'cheese coupled with a chicken dish catch my attention. And while the open bar looks plenty inviting, it is not on the menu for yours truly this eve. There is still a long way to go.

Chillin' in da lounge.

A colorful way to cap a night off.

Time crawls by. A few laps of the lounge to kill the boredom. Constant monitoring of work emails to ensure everything will go smoothly in my absence.

At last. Less than an hour to departure.

At gate 71 is parked our bus - a 787 Dreamliner or what I like to call the 'Fire' in Boeing's 'Fire and Ice' duet. The lithium cells on the 787 had a small problem catching fire in the early days while its larger 'Ice' sibling, the 777, had a tiny issue with fuel lines freezing.

Fire and Ice.

Oh the irony if I were to become part of an incident featured on 'Mayday' (having watched the show religiously back in the day). But as one can probably gather, if I am here typing - the aircraft likely survived.

In any case, once onboard I begin to toy around with all the electronic features populating the pod - including the seat itself.

A proper sized tv screen.

Another control screen on what appears to be a detachable game controller.

And yet another screen for in seat functionality.

How firm would you like your bed? 

And the overhead lights or perhaps the opacity of your windows?

So many electronic control options. So many things that will need frequent replacement ;)


Climb out from Toronto is smooth and meal service is started promptly.

Bye Toronto. Thank you for sharing the best part of you, your airport.

Fish and an enclosed space. Bad idea Air Canada - just a bad idea.

Post meal the lights are dimmed and everyone beds down to make the best of the long haul.

A few hours later...

7k down. 1 and a bit to go.

Land in Sao Paulo, clear immigration and customs, grab glider bag and off to the domestic connections desk for LATAM.

That is one seriously compressed wing.

Bob's - makes MacDonalds look like fine dining.

Umm ... ok.

Bag dropped off and new boarding pass issued - off to Terminal 2 it is. Venture through security and track down Gate 229.

Oh look, another Airbus 320 variant.

No premium cabin on this flight but the airline was kind enough to hook me up with exit row seating and no neighbour. Unlike last years flight with Azul, the cabin crew on this LATAM flight spoke fluent English. An added plus in the event things go sideways and we end up diverted.

But no diversion is to be had.

Arrive at Vitoria on time despite having to take a longer track in avoiding afternoon storms over Rio. Collect the bag and grab a 10 Real cab ride to the hotel.

Finally. Here.

Word on WhatsApp - we meet in the morning at 9AM.

Day 1 in Castelo ...

Day 0 of the trip that almost wasn't.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Chillin' in the AC Lounge at YVR, awaiting my 11 AM flight to Toronto (with subsequent connections to Sao Paulo and Vitoria, Brazil).

Rewind 24 hours to a rather confusing morning.

The day before the first leg of my trip southward is due to depart, I attempt to check-in and print boarding passes. Enter the booking reference code and departure city as is the norm. Error, no record found.

*arched eyebrow*

Try again.

Same result.

Curious.

Scour email to find my frequent flier number and log into the Air Canada web portal. Open my current booking.

The originating city shows not Vancouver but ... Toronto???

Back to email, dig up the booking confirmation email from last fall. Originating city definitely shows Vancouver. 24 hours to get this fixed and the clock is ticking.

Punch the digits for the Air Canada reservation line. After the prompt for language the line informs me that I can expect to be on hold for 30 to 40 minutes. Obviously I am not the only one having a problem.

Patience not being my strong suit, back to the web and the AC Latitude portal. I acquired Elite status with AC just this year and I recall the info package mentioning a priority reservation line for Elite members. Dial up and viola, instant customer service rep.

I explain the situation and get a reply, "Let me put you on hold for a second."

A minute later the rep returns and informs me that I can be put on the 11AM in Business. Would have preferred the original 1030 AM as it is a 767 with the pods (vs. the 11AM Airbus 321 with 2 by 2 Business) - but I am not in much of a position to negotiate. In either case, the 5 hour layover in Toronto can absorb the later departure.

11AM it is.

No idea what went wrong with Air Canada's computer system but thankfully I was able to spot the problem early enough to mitigate (vs. being relegated to standby).

Hopefully this is the first and last of the issues waiting in the wings.

Packed up.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Sometimes, just sometimes I even impress myself.

The travel kit is down to the bare minimum with the wing, harness, reserve, and all of my clothing in a 60 litre glider bag (for reference, a typical glider bag runs about 110 litres - so I am working with just over half the capacity many of my counterparts will be travelling with).

3 outfits of clothing in the Scrubba (my portable washing machine).

Glider in ultralight concertina bag.

Gin X-Lite bag with Skywalk RangeAir, Source hydration pouch and the Scrubba.

Wing added.

And voila.

Likewise the carry on is little more than a 5.11 MOAB 6 (with approximately 16 litres capacity) with my helmet strapped to the outside (using the included 5.11 Tier system straps looped around the chin strap).

Carry on + helmet.

This setup allows for the glider bag to be back mounted while the MOAB rides in the front. Call it lessons learned galavanting around the globe going from plane to train to bus to foot and back. No suitcases or drag bags here. Mobility is key.

Full kit + the obligatory One Shot Tactical 'Team Canada' cap.

Onto the trip ...

Less than 2 weeks to Brazil (oh and that Yellow Fever thing).

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Mid January.

High off of the PB week in Valle over Christmas, my eyes start to look forward to early March and a 2nd tour with XC Brazil. The tour last year was met with one of the strongest El Nino events the region had ever seen that thought to bring with it a continuous onslaught of rain. The hope is that 2017 will prove drier (and far more flyable).

An email appears from the tour organizer, Steve Barton, suggesting that everyone arrange to get the Yellow Fever vaccine ASAP as a situation was starting to unfold within the state we would be flying (Minas Gerais - MG). For yours truly this presents a particular challenge. Being on a number of drugs that are contradictory to the vaccine means one of two things, get an exemption certificate for the vaccine or stop treatment. Fearing that the outbreak might not be brought under control in time by the authorities, I go with the latter.

Today.

Reading the latest news it looks as if this was the right call.

Tuesday is my date with the needle for YF. This turn of events has made for a window to get every other vaccine I might be missing out of the way (the drugs would have rendered them ineffective otherwise). Tetanus, typhoid, Hep A/B, cholera are all done with rabies (and a YF booster) likely after I get back. Future plans are for increasingly remote flying destinations so might as well get the shots done now.

The catch of course is with most of the treatment stopped, things are trending slowly for the worse. With joints now able to gauge the weather better than Enviro Canada, the kit for the trip is going to be trimmed to the bare minimum to reduce weight. On the plus side it will be a good test of the vol-biv load out I am contemplating taking to Nepal in 2018.

That said, it is all but a nuisance in light of the latest message from Steve today - daytime highs hitting 40C.

Less than 2 weeks and counting.

Bring it.

2017 Canadian Paragliding Nationals: Signed up

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

The pilot list has been updated and yours truly is officially attending (and so far the only EN B wing which will be lumped in with the EN C class). Next steps are prep for the trip to Brazil and get up to speed on the nuances of the Oudie 4.

Steve Barton from XC Brazil has already distributed waypoint files for the trio of sites our group is expected to fly (Castello, Governador Valadares, and Baixo Guandu) so hopefully Dean will have daily tasks assigned to help focus the flying (and allow for the Oudie to see some early season action).

Performance Coaching with Pat Dower

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Oceania.

I've travelled far and wide in search of the gurus of our sport. Some of which are 'household names' such as Jocky and Kelly, others more akin to the sage hidden in the mountains. Regardless the individual I chance upon, my overarching plan has been little more than locate and sponge what knowledge I am ready to receive.

Looking forward, this will no longer do.

A longer term ambition forms. An ambition not of numbers but of place and experience. But said place and experience comes with risk and is not for the ill prepared. Preparation requires a roadmap and a roadmap is best drafted with assistance.

So enters one Pat Dower.

Many a pilot will recognize Pat from his Cross Country magazine submissions. Others from his courses run in the UK (and EU):

Amongst the services Pat offers is 1:1 performance coaching that is tailored to the individual needs of the pilot.

After having contacted Pat regarding my goal, where my flying is, and pointing him to this blog (to help fill in some blanks), we arranged a Skype call last week to dig further into what I want to accomplish and the next steps in working towards it.

Out of it came:

1) Time to start tip toeing into the deep end. I am more than capable of flying in the rougher stuff - start nudging the boundary of what is comfortable and the pilotage skills will follow (as will stress inoculation - aka bump tolerance in local flying lingo). This especially includes launch conditions.

2) The gaggle. Become tolerant of the gaggle. Valle was an excellent first step, build upon it. Start analyzing the flow of the gaggle and be extra observant as to the reason why I choose to part ways with the gaggle.

3) Capitalize on coaching during the Brazil trip. Dean is a great coach, do not let that opportunity slip away. Make sure daily tasks are assigned to help focus the flying for the day. Try to get at least one day of dedicated time and feedback (the greater the quantity and quality of feedback, the better).

4) A handful of articles on thermalling and the mental aspects of flying were recommended. Review them. Where does my flying fit into what the articles describe.

5) Fly the Carrera Plus as much as possible. The Explorer may be a good wing, but the Plus has been winning comps. There is a reason for this and it isn't just the pilots flying it.

6) The XC season in the Fraser Valley is short so find every excuse to get to the hill, not excuses to avoid it.

7) Find the better pilots, try to stay above and behind them as much as possible. Put their decisions under the microscope - why did they take this XC route for the day, why did they take the path they did in executing that route, why did they leave the current climb, why did they go on bar when they did, etc?

So begins the first steps of a new journey.