In Cross Country issue 158 (April 2015) tandem paramotor pilot Christophe Blanc-Gras heads to Svalbard to help shoot snowboarders, avoid polar bears and fly the man from the BBC.
Base camp has been dismantled and the last bags are ready to go.
Surrounded by thick fog, we’re waiting for Wes to come and pick us up by skidoo. Visibility is bad but I know the area well and ask Steve, our guide, if he wants to try his hand at flying.
Steve’s always up for something new and only needs a couple of seconds to make up his mind. There’s a light wind coming from behind us, but after a last gear check we’re good to go.
We take off in zero visibility but we have come to know the surroundings like the back of our hands. The motor powers us forward, the canopy inflates instantly and we’re up and flying straightaway.
I give Steve the steering lines – instructing him to fly in wide circles in order to stay in sight of the camp – and get my GoPro out so we can take the last selfies of the trip.
The temperature is around -30°C not taking into account wind-chill, and the consequences are immediate – the propeller and everything else quickly become covered in a layer of white frost; even our eyelashes freeze up!
We struggle to gain altitude but manage all the same to rise above the sea of clouds. The air is full of ice crystals and the view spectacular. We shout out our joy, this last flight is the cherry on the cake of an unforgettable trip…
Read the full article in Cross Country 158.
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