2nd Class of 2009 in Norfolk
For the past two years, in April, we have been packing the Airways Airsports van, hooking up the winch and trundling off to Norfolk Hang gliding and Paragliding Club to train up new members. Mark Riches contacted us again in the summer and was keen for Airways to come back in September as he had more people keen to join them.
We had six keen students wanting to do paragliding CPC, and the single person for Powered Paragliding turned out to be three. Together with a couple of winch conversions thrown in for good measure, it was always going to be a diverse 10 days of training.
Day one and two of the course came, and so did the wind, but the time was put to good use with the guys on the CPC course getting though all the theory side, leaving only the really good bit to do, which was flying. A high pressure was pushing in nicely off the Atlantic that was going to set us up for the next five days of flying. Sure enough, Thursday morning came and so did the high pressure. We were flying by 10am; all the students pushed on really well after the frustration of sitting in a static van for two days getting lectured - they were keener than they probably ever thought they would be! Friday brought more of the same, and because of their efforts, they were all doing high flights and circuits by close of play on Friday. This gave them Saturday and Sunday to settle in to circuits and with lots of club members flying over the weekend, it was a great opportunity to meet other club members and get to know the environment that they would be enjoying in the future.
In the mean time I had started the teaching on power, and winch conversions - all was going well and there were lots of happy faces. The weather could not have been better. Monday came and the students were well into the CPC exercise and starting to look a bit tired around the edges. So with increasing winds forecast for the Tuesday I called a rest day for everyone.
Wednesday came with the second high pressure of the course and the CPC students all reached their goal. By Wednesday night I had signed off all six CPCs, plus the two winch conversions and two on power Paragliding. This left only Pete-the-Greek who needed only a couple more circuits on the Paramotor to bring him up to speed.
Thursday was a bonus day. The now “ex”-students flying, with Pete towing them, I could sit and watch them as they enjoyed their new-found sport. In the morning I had chatted to them about using thermals if they encountered one. Nevertheless, later on when I took a tow and started to thermal away from the field, it was real surprise to me, and a privilege, to see two of my students chasing me as we climbed to a 4500ft cloud base. That was a really superb afternoon of flying and we could not have had a better end to what was a fun filled course.
That just leaves me to say well done to Peter, Mathew, Carl, Nigel, Ran and Piotr for the gaining the pg cpc tow. Crawford, Cefn and Pete the Greek for pilot pg power. Andy and Chris for pg cpc tow conversion.
And special thanks to Mark Riches and Pete the Greek for all the help you give us to that helps make these course run.
Regards.
Andy
Captain’s Blog.
29/9/09.
