Paragliding XC League
Dean Crosby who runs Activeedge paragliding school will be sponsoring the PG XC league this year. Dean is a BHPA 
instructor, Team Nova pilot, Ex British champion, and winner of the national XC league in 1993 and 2006.
There have been no flights made from the Dales so far this year, so you could be the first. The prizes on offer are:-
1st Place – Choice of any State of the Art Flying suit up to the value of £150
2nd Place – Nova Hoody
3rd Place – Nova fleece
For pilots new to XC there is also the Dales Club 100k XC Challenge
For the pilots who have never made a total of 100kM in any single season there is the 100k XC Challenge to be won. Is this the year that you could total 100k ? The reward is the challenge trophy, the respect of your fellow pilots and the prize is a really nice flight deck .
The Dales League will as last year be hosted by the British Paragliding Competitions website www.pgcoms.co.uk
To register simply select “competitions” and then “registration” from the drop down menu and then click on UK XC League, fill out the form which appears.
Once registered you can log in and enter your flights into the Dales HG or Dales PG league. Registration is free for the Dales league, however if you wish to have your flights displayed in the national XC league then there is a £5.00 fee. You can opt for this at any time during the season. For entry into the club league the minimum open distance is 5km, and 15km for turnpoint flights. All other rules are the same as for the national league. Flights for the club league must be made from a club site, which can include non-guidebook sites. You should be pilot rated if flying cross country; however club pilots can enter flights into the league, this is to allow mentored or BCC flights etc. to be included.
Please read the XC league rules at http://www.pgcomps.org.uk/xcleague/xc/rules.htm for more information on qualifying flight types and the scoring system.
The league opened on 1/11/2007 and will close on 31/10/08 if you have made any qualifying flights get them entered now!
British Club Challenge
The BCC is open to all members of the BHPA (British Hangliding and Paragliding Association). Designed as a friendly club level competition, the focus is more on fun and team flying than out and out racing. After an excellent season last year with many pilots achieving personal bests and their first cross countries, the Dales Club will be entering two teams again this year. If you are club pilot or pilot rated and want to improve you flying skills in the company of others, maybe leave the hill behind and go XC for the first time then the BCC is for you! The dates of the regional rounds will be announced soon but in the mean time if you want to join the squad or just need a little more information please email sean or kev and have a look at www.flybcc.co.uk
X-Lakes details announced.
The Cumbria Soaring Club have anounced details of their X-Lakes walking / wading / running / flying mountain marathon. Go to http://cumbriasoaringclub.co.uk/events/ to get the details.
Pilot Training Update…Final Details
Pilot Lectures 23rd Feb ‘
We are meeting at 10.00am for 10,30am start at the Croglin Castle Pub South Rd Kirkby Stephen CA17 4SY
Please do not be late
Directions: From the M6: Exit at junction 38 head Northeast towards Brough & Kirkby Stephen. As you enter KS you are slowed to 20mph to go over a bridge on a bend. The Pub is a large white building 100m past the bridge on the left.
From the A66: Take the Brough & Kirby Stephen exit & turn SW to Kirkby Stephen. Continue straight through the market place and straight through the set of lights (signed M6). 1/2 mile on your right is the Croglin Castle Pub. (A large white building).
From the B 6265 (Hawes): Drive past the present Northern paragliding Ctr at Dalefoot and through Nateby towards KS. 400m after Nateby by you go over a narrow bridge, 100m on take the next left, 400m on you reach a T junction and the pub is facing you.
Itinerary : There will be coffee etc available from 9.50am. We hope to kick off at 10.30 and do a revision covering all the theory subjects up to pilot level during the day, using PowerPoint presentation and a few props like air charts etc. With an anticipated finish at around 4.30pm
There will be a break for lunch at the pub, and the deal is that they have given us a free room but we will all buy our lunches there.
Note that this is a revision session and we are not actually doing the exams on this day.
Bring: An alert mind, something to make notes. Dinner money!
The lectures are free, (Though it is traditional to chip in to buy the instructor lunch!) and everyone is welcome, It does not matter if you are a hangie or a petrolhead, a club member or not You do not have to have been a student or customer of Northern or Sunsoar PG.
This only happens once a year at most so don’t miss it, even if you do not expect to be taking your pilot exam for a while!
See you there.
Ian, Ian & Neil
N.B. Panic Note For Dales Members:
The exam will take place on the 11th March at The Art Depot, Asquith Industrial Estate, Eshton Road, Gargrave, North Yorkshire BD23 3SE, Kindly arranged by Kate Maddison. Time to be arranged. Please see me (Kate) at the revision session, as I need names and membership numbers of those wanting to actually take the exam.
You will need a completed signed off Pilot Task Sheet, a calculator, pen, pencil (rubber) and £10 (note)
See you Saturday
Kate
Triple X Festival Tickets now on sale
See: http://www.leavesleyaviation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1027 for more information and to find out how to get tickets.
Northern Paragliding Pilot Exam Training Day
Saturday 23rd February 2008
Start time 10:30 – 11:00am
(Start time may change keep an eye on the DHPC website for updates). The Old Workshop, South Rd. Kirkby Stephen.
Everyone who emailed me for a place has one we have 13 members going at the moment which is fab. Places are limited so please check with me if you have not already booked, please don’t just turn up on the day.
The training day will be with Ian Currer at Northern’s new premises, it’s dead easy to find, it’s the building immediately after the Croglin Arms pub on the left just as you enter Kirkby on the road from Teebay motorway junction. They are not in there yet though, so if you need any paragliding paraphernalia (cause we all know when we can’t fly we spend money!!) they are still at Dalefoot but ring before you go to check opening times.
Please try to be on time and remember to bring a cash donation for Mountain Rescue/Air Ambulance. If you want a place or need any more information, training notes etc, email me katerawlinson@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks Kate
Dinner Dance 2008
The Annual Dinner Dance in Skipton at…
Herriots Hotel, Broughton Road, Skipton
This year sees the return of the dinner dance to the magnificent market town of Skipton…’Gateway to the Dales’ and will be held at Herriots Hotel directly opposite Skipton Train Station close to the town centre. This event is a yearly celebration of flying in the Dales which also gives us the opportunity to thank the farming community for the use of their land and the club would really appreciate your support in this. Come along and bring a friend – it’s a great night out! Download the ticket request form here.
Aerofix
I’m hoping to go up to Aerofix in Keswick tomorrow (weather permitting) to get my glider serviced. I can take yours too – just bring it along to the club night in Ilkley tonight.
Martin Baxter
01282 841060
Great Whernside Closed
We haven’t had permission to use Great Whernside for some years. My attempts to contact the landowners and re-negotiate met with little success until a paragliding accident took place on 31 Dec 07. I now know who all the landowners are! One of the them has asked us not to fly the site, at least for the time being and we have agreed to respect this. Our long-term access to this important site will depend on how we respect the ban: please do not fly Great Whernside until further notice. Note that there is no right to park by the cattle grid and the farmer may resort to clamping.
Martin
Humesett
As you may know I have been trying to renegotiate Humesett recently. The grid reference does not tie in with the T/O shown on the map and neither is suitable. Having walked the ground a couple of times I proposed a more suitable T/O but the headkeeper was not happy with this, and so we have reluctantly agreed to remove Humesett from our sites guide.
Not that great a loss. It isn’t as good at Stags Fell, doesn’t have a bottom landing, and is a massive walk up. I don’t know of anyone who has flown it in recent years.
Martin
