Some people will do anything for a free paraglider … Rhett Rockman gets up close and personal with his MacPara
A fantastic year in the competitive world of paragliding didn’t only make him a national champion but a legend in everyone’s heart as well . Only a rainy day could make Rhett sit down for an interview with me so when that day happened I grabbed him and here’s what came out of it. By Francois Pernoud. First published in Cross Country magazine in 2002
Francoise Pernoud: Hi Rhett.. Congratulations on your new title
Rhett Rockman: Thanks
Not too bad for a trained farmer from Melbourne, Hey?
F.P: What? You really did train to be a farmer or you’re pulling my leg here?
R.R: No! No! I’m serious.. I lived in Melbourne the first 20 years of my life, tried to be a farmer and one day I went to Quirindi (NSW) to register my truck and I came across an advert on paragliding in Manilla (NSW)
and thought, why not?
F.P: Then what?
R.R: Well, I first wanted to fly a hang-glider, didn’t know about paragliding!
Being the best and easiest option at the time, I went for a tandem with Godfrey Weness.
What I felt up there was quiet amazing, and that special feeling followed me home to Melbourne.
F.P: What did you have in mind then?
R.R: Fly more, of course!!!! So I sold everything I had and moved to Manilla, a month later .
F.P: From then on, you learned how to fly, and lived your “new found” passion to the fullest?
R.R: Yeah!! I flew everyday that was flyable, got some great advice from my best mate Enda Murphy (ex Australian National champion) and watched a lot of flying videos
and drunk beers!!!!!!
F.P: Your first glider was?
R.R: ITV, Merak. I bought it second hand for $1000 and totally wore it out. Then I went straight on a comp wing (Omega 3). My next 200hrs were under an Omega 4. Then a prototype Omega 5 (in 9 months, I put 400hrs on it!!!),. I really flew as much as I could..Between helping Godfrey at the farm, with his students, doing my tandem pilot licence.
F.P: How did you survive financially?
R.R: I saved up some money when I was in Melbourne, which helped me a bit and I was doing some tandems while in Manilla..
F.P: Do you still fly with the Omega 5?
R.R: No, about a year ago I moved away from Manilla to live in Tamworth (42kms South ), get a real job and save some money. My girlfriend Lisa works there and it was time for me to move on from Godfrey’s, witch meant leave the glider behind and fly with my own wings
sort of speak!
F.P: So, what about flying then?
R.R: Well, I was given the opportunity by Phil Hystek (from South-East Queensland paraglider) and Gin to fly a Boomerang 2.
Jimmy Pacher’s spare glider!
F.P: And then, did you find any work at all?
R.R: Odd jobs here and there, until I had enough money to start my new business. With a local cotton farmer, Col, we set up a towing business in Breeza (West of Tamworth). It’s called, A Breeze Paragliding. It’s a payout winch using a rope on the back of a ute. The strips are in all directions with a minimum length of 2km and maximum of 4.25 km. Col is the winch operator and I am the instructor / observer. You can get as high as 2000 feet (about 750 m) in no time and safely.
F.P: Did you get busy during the season?
R.R: Yeah, we even got the French team last Dec-Jan to try to beat the world record distance. But the weather wasn’t with them! Sandie Cochepain was our first tandem tow!
F.P: Who are your “sort of” idols in the flying world? Or should I say, who are you looking up to?
R.R: Enda Murphy
for his great advice on flying in competitions and pushing me to do better and more all the time. And Raul Rodriguez, for his great acrobatics and his sense of humour and all
.
F.P: You’ll be the next Rodriguez from what I’ve seen so far! Your SAT looks pretty good. My son Axell (years old) thinks the world of you and wants to fly like you
R.R: Yeah,
he’s a pretty cool dude. I’ll teach him one day!
F.P: Mmmmmmmmm
we’ll see! How old are you anyway?
R.R: Why that question?
F.P: Well you seem to have had a fast life so far!!..And you’re still young!!!
R.R: I’m only 27
and being flying for only 5 years!
F.P: Did you really always want to fly?
R.R: Yes but back in Melbourne, I had other hobbies, like snow-skiing, jet-skiing, wind-surfing
. I even got an offer to be part of the Victorian team for snow-skiing when I was 14-15 years old.
F.P: What is your goal, today?
R.R: Win a competition.” I never actually won a comp.
F.P: I think you’ll get there very soon. I wish you all the best
R.R: Thanks. Can I have a beer now???
Updated in January 2011
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