One of the most popular flying sites in the world, Oludeniz, is hosting Acro Attack 2008 Acro Championship on July 2nd, which forms one of the legs of the acro paragliding world cup. It should be a great event for both competitors and spectators.

The entry fee of 75€ includes accommodation, food, transport, speed arms, entry to the official parties, I.D card and a T-shirt.

The pilots who fly in the final will be selected by elimination rounds. Pilots that enter but are eliminated will not receive a refund but will continue to recieve the benefits listed above as the other competitors.

For more information, www.babadag.com

On May 9th Lois Grugger from the Salzburg Flying School staff flew a 112 km FAI triangle with the new BIBETA 4.

Professional tandem pilots don’t usually do much cross country - when the weather’s perfect they’re doing tandem rides, of course. That’s what Lois Grugger from Gastein has been doing for the past few years – until, that is, he unpacked his new ADVANCE tandem glider. After years of cross country abstinence the Salzburg Flying School pilot set out with Petra Lindbichler, a close friend, on a renewed hunt for kilometres - and straightaway set a new World Record with the Bibeta 4! (more…)

The Skywalk Range competition harness has been designed for pilots who expect maximum performance from their flying equipment, along with the highest level of comfort for hours in the air.

LTF (DHV) certified, the Range is a pod-style harness with an integrated, aerodynamically formed cockpit for flight instruments and camera and internal two-tier speed system. The seat back is adjustable and cushioned with a special webbed fabric for optimal comfort and foam back protector, and there are housings for water ballast or drinks systems. Austri Alpin carabiners are included.

The integral Rescue Container is found below the seat, with the handle attached in easy reach on the side.

The medium weighs in at 7kg, including carabiners, protectors and cockpit.

www.skywalk.info

The Globe rescue chute is a successor of the long-produced SH-1 and SH-bi reserves.

It has been created to give a stable descent, and its weight ranges modified so that its descent rate does not exceed 5.5m/s, something of special importance to PPG flyers.

This new model introduces a new canopy geometry, and the use of several types of cloth with different air permeabilities in order to produce the required characteristics. There have also been improvements made to the deployment bag and outer container.

Dudek hope that they have achieved a chute which offers “a comfortable ride in the otherwise very uncomfortable situation of saving one’s ass…”!

www.dudek.com.pl

Hans Bausenwein is the new Chief Executive Officer of the Paraglider Manufacturers Association (PMA). He has been involved in the sports of hang gliding and paragliding for a long time, and is well known by many pilots for his business activities as well as his sporting achievements. (more…)

The International Delta Swiss Championship was held in Stans near Lucerne (Central Switzerland) last weekend (May 8 - 12).

With a mind to using the event as a warm-up to the 2008 European Championship (which will be held in Greifenburg, Austria, in early June) the organisation went for quick, entertaining, and challenging tasks, with a special focus on the long, final glide. One task was cancelled due to rain.

The overall winnner in the Flexwing category was Primoz Crigar (SL, Aeros Combat), followed by Christian Ciech (IT, Icaro Laminar) and Alex Pioner (IT, Icaro Laminar). Martin Haerri was the first Swiss pilot in this class.

In the Rigid class, the overall results were 1: Jacques Bott (FR, Atos VR), 2: Thierry Parcellier (FR, Atos VR), 3: Markus Fiechter (CH, Atos VR).

www.deltaclub-stans.ch/sm08/

Advance’s first walkers’ glider, the Alpha 4 Hike, is now in production. The first gliders will be available next month.

The R&D team were very pleased that they managed to hit all the targets set for the glider in terms of its weight, small pack size, performance and certification (EN B / LTF 1-2 in all three of its sizes (23, 25, 28)). The glider weighs in at between 3.9kg (size 23) and 4.55 kg (size 28)

It is certified for a greater take off weight than the Alpha 4, effectively enabling a pilot to choose a smaller glider, and for it to cope with stronger winds. It also has thinner lines, both of these features enhancing its flying performance, but safety has not been compromised.

Advance would like to point out that compared with a “normal” ADVANCE paraglider, an ALPHA 4 HIKE’s lifespan will be clearly shorter, especially if doesn’t get kind treatment, due to the lightweight materials used.

www.advance.ch

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

I come before FAI to present a formal complaint against the ANDRADAS CUP
– FAI II CLASS event organizers.

The Andradas Cup will also be valid as the second and final round of the
2008 Brazilian Paragliding Championship, which will select and qualify
the Brazilian Team for the Paragliding World’s in Mexico 2009
It is my opinion that the organizers should prioritize the professional
competitors who, like me, have responsibilities with their sponsors.

I would like to point out that on the ABP – Brazilian Paragliding
Association - official website, the registering for the competition
would start on May 1st, contrarily to the information presented on the
organizer’s website (who is also a director for ABP), in which the
registering began on April 14th.

All the 150 available places were taken in the first 48 hours beginning
on April 14th, not according to what was stated on the ABP website.
Furthermore, these places were taken by a mix of unranked pilots and
foreign pilots, the latter with payment privileges not extended to
Brazilian pilots. I was able to register in time but the site had
problems and denied my registering.

I sent a memo to ABP explaining what had happened and arguing that I am
a ranked pilot able to qualify for the World`s 2009, having finished the
first round of the Brazilian’s in Valadares among the first 35 and that
I must have a place in this competition.

So far my plea has been ignored by ABP.
Therefore, I hereby appeal to FAI to intercede with the Andradas Cup
organizers, a FAI class II event, to review my registering in accordance
to the reasons aforementioned.

I appreciate your taking the time to evaluate my request.
Sincerely,

Carlos Bonifacio - CIVL 3024

Paragliding Pilot since 1993.

…

As part of the Scottish Nationals series, Flying Fever are hosting an Arran paragliding competition this weekend, 17th & 18th May.

BHPA club pilots and above are welcome. (more…)