Went out for 3 flights today, all at different locations, and having scouted the area and even done a perimeter walk I was getting all set up for the last flight of the night to catch the last of the sun on the longest day of the year here in the UK, when suddenly I heard what sounded like a 2-stroke engine firing up, and before I I had time to think to myself 'WTF is that?', a powered paraglider launched in the field next to mine, and only about 50 meters from my left !! '****' I thought - no flyings for me then until he is WELL out of the way !
But it turned out he was only gonna be in the sky for 7 minutes, and landed in that same field, just before I found the way into it and walked determinedly in his direction ! He seemed keen to get to his car before I reached him, but alas, he failed !
And so followed a very interesting conversation, which took in everything from the comparative rules for those guys vs for us (a discrepancy so ludicrous as to beggar belief), his attitude towards drones being in the air at the same time as him, and how close works for him, and he showed me some incredible apps that were showing him wind speed in real time at ALL the levels at once, AND what the thermals were up to - it was fascinating.
There was something of the Ridley Scott about the man - he came across very as professional and knowledgeable, and was kind enough to listen to me bombard him with a relentless array of questions about the thing he is doing that I so badly want to do, but am not sure I trust myself not to die doing...
But anyway, of all the encounters we typically get in the field, I thought it would be good to share a positive one - what a delight to chat to and compare notes with a different kind of flyer !
A man, and his PPG, earlier.
But it turned out he was only gonna be in the sky for 7 minutes, and landed in that same field, just before I found the way into it and walked determinedly in his direction ! He seemed keen to get to his car before I reached him, but alas, he failed !
And so followed a very interesting conversation, which took in everything from the comparative rules for those guys vs for us (a discrepancy so ludicrous as to beggar belief), his attitude towards drones being in the air at the same time as him, and how close works for him, and he showed me some incredible apps that were showing him wind speed in real time at ALL the levels at once, AND what the thermals were up to - it was fascinating.
There was something of the Ridley Scott about the man - he came across very as professional and knowledgeable, and was kind enough to listen to me bombard him with a relentless array of questions about the thing he is doing that I so badly want to do, but am not sure I trust myself not to die doing...
But anyway, of all the encounters we typically get in the field, I thought it would be good to share a positive one - what a delight to chat to and compare notes with a different kind of flyer !
A man, and his PPG, earlier.
