In Richard BachÂ’s famed novel, Johnathon Livingston Seagull returns to his flock to teach other gulls the delights of perfecting aerobatics. He and his squadron of young gulls are shunned by the flock, and dismissed as outcasts. In a similar manner, many governing bodies in paragliding have cold-shouldered aerobatics and discredited those who attempt to teach others the art. Matt Gerdes questions current attitudes towards professional aerobatics clinics

Canada’s Pete Powell reflects on his long road of learning to fly