Monday 13^th January 2025

You weren’t there? You missed a treat! A break from paragliding, we had two engaging and entertaining speakers telling us all about alternative ways to enjoy the air. First up was our own Simon Scott who led us through the benefits of taking to the air under power. I’d certainly never realised there were so many options, up to and including 3-axis microlights that are to all intents and purposes real aeroplanes. Simon gave us the lowdown on the steps to be taken to obtain the necessary qualifications and finished up with some great views of Parlick turned into a snowy winter wonderland. Fantastic tuff, thank you Simon.

Next up was Philip Shultz, talking B.A.S.E. This was a roller-coaster ride around some breathtaking sights as Philip gave us a detailed insight into the world of base jumping. Far from being something only for crazy daredevils, we learned of the detailed planning and scientific attention to the finest details of design, construction and packing of the rigs used in this exhilarating sport. From low cliffs that barely seemed to have enough room for a parachute to open to tall buildings with incredibly tight landing options in parks between trees and roads festooned with lamp posts. Just getting to some of the locations was heart-stopping. Thanks Philip, quite an eye-opener for everyone.

Another successful PSC social night, enjoyed by everyone there.

Hi all,

The gate code for Winter Hill has been changed as of Friday 10th Jan 25 @3pm.

Please contact a member of the committee for the new gate code (WhatsApp/text/Telegram/email/FB messenger)

Please follow the rules:

1. Generally only the lower gate will be locked.
2. If both gates are locked they will have the same code.
3. The lock codes will be changed every 3 months or sooner if required.
4. Do not allow anyone to tailgate you through the gate.
5. Make sure the gate is locked shut behind you.  Do not leave unlocked, even if you know another member will be on their way in a few minutes.
6. On securing the lock ensure you scramble the code, DO NOT leave it on the unlock code.
7. PSC members must obtain the code from a member of the committee, DO NOT distribute it further.
8. Report any suspicious behaviour to a member of the committee.

Thanks

Andy

PSC Sites Officer

Monday 11^th November Club Night Meeting – SeaView Inn – 7:30pm

This was yet another excellent evening with Richard Meek presenting a well put together collection of slides and videos covering his flying exploits over the 2024 season.

Richard covered a very detailed preparation process which involved checking weather forecasts, national forecasts, finding the best site for the day (where-ever that was in the whole UK) and the potential routes and goal setting. Everyone was impressed by the level of panning Richard puts into this, even down to using Google Earth for the picking of potential landing fields close to his chosen goal. Indeed Richard even looks for railway stations nearby and the time tables for trains taking him back to this TO location. The only thing Richard, didn’t seem to do was pre-book his train ticket prior to the day!

Richard also showed some excellent videos of his epic flights and competition tasks, but also showed his human side of when things didn’t quite go to plan, such as the epic recovery of his wing when caught up in a significantly large tree!

I think all members present would agree this was an excellent informative and entertaining evening. Richard has presented at Club nights previously, and hopefully will present at future meetings to come. Certainly not one to miss!

India

If the mission of the BBC is to “Inform, Educate and Entertain” then they could take several lessons from Steve Kirby and Paul Redman who did all of that and more for an audience of enthralled pilots at the December Social. We were delighted to welcome 5 new faces belonging to some aspiring and recently-qualified pilots; let’s all do our best to make them feel at home in the PSC.

This was so much more than just a run-through of flights, as they packed in a whole world of sight-seeing and exploration of this fascinating country. Gradually drawing us in to the sights, sounds and overwhelming sensory experience that is India. Paul and Steve broke their journey up into 3 stages – the initial sight-seeing tour, followed by a free-wheeling adventure trip through the country before culminating in the full-on experience that is flying at Bir. They packed their talks with a wealth of facts and tips such as how to avoid getting your satellite tracker confiscated.

Thanks so much Paul and Steve for sharing your experiences, and being so open about your reflections on the flying. Inspiring stuff, and a lot of food for thought. To get a flavour of the talk, here is a link to some of their photos and videos.

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