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OPENING EVENT 2003 - (Photos below)Is it possible to convert Paraglider Pilots to Class 5 Hangliding in 5 days?For our opening week in 2003, we thought it would be interesting to see if Paraglider pilots could use their existing "air-aware" skills to flying the latest high performance, carbon fibre hangliders.For this experiment I gathered together a cracking team:
Bad weather ate into much of the week, rain, hail and even snow fell (unheard of in central Spain in May.) This meant only 2-3 days of actual flying time. Everyone on the team worked extra hard, early, late and between storm showers to maximise flying time. The result was many 100's of flights safely completed.
Bob, Daniel, Simone and Graham all got to
fly the class 5 gliders solo. Daniel and Bob with 2 days Graham on day 3
- all making good landings - if not a little hairy :-)
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On
our arrival to the village we were welcome by the Guardia Civil
(Spanish police)...
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When we arrived at the airfield everything seemed
perfect: the sun was shining, ploughs covered the field, and many
gliders were on the air. Gustavo Elizalde (SP), rigid wing pilot,
and Claudia from Ojovolador takes their time to make pics. The
next day the rain would arrive...
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Judy Leden (ex HG world champion) was Daniel Crespo's full time
instructor for his conversion from paragliders to hang gliders.
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To have an idea of the level of the event at
Aerotow.com: We had 7 brand new 'Atos' gliders (made by the German
company AIR) for the pilots to demo them during the week.
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3 days of bad weather but, as usual, after the
storm we had the rainbow...
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Rigid gliders, ready to go.
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Bob
Drury wastes no time: with the girls, Simone and Claudia.
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Aeronautic
engineer Felix Ruhle, "father" of the Atos, just before take-off.
What about a new helmet design, Felix?
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So, we cannot fly? Well, let's dismantle an
Atos!
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Felix Ruhle, the 'guru' of rigid wings, teaching
how to check the structure of an Atos.
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Simone Simpson, the only female paraglider pilot
in the experiment, showed that girls can fly HGs in 3 days too.
The aerotow launch seems to be an easy alternative for those who
are not very strong to run with a HG on their shoulders.
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The 'normal' PG pilots of the experiment: Simone
and Graham learned to fly hang gliders. They needed only a little
more time to be ready for class 5, but the weather played a bad
trick on the training program.
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Advanced students of the Aerotow.com 'skills conversion'
experiment: Daniel Crespo and Bob Drury learned to fly HGs and
take off by aerotow; and they both flew class 5 gliders on the 3rd
and 4th day of training.
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Graham Brading, 'normal' PG pilot, did his first solo flight on a
hang glider on his 3rd day of training.
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Pupils studying to be converted from paragliders
to hang gliders.
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Pre-launch check. Nobody leaves the ground
without being carefully checked under the strict safety rules of
the BHPA.
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Felix Ruhle and Chris Jones, listening to one of
the briefings at the airfield house club.
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Flying over the valley of Avila in the trike.
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Daniel Crespo, Matt Taggart and Simone Simpson,
"working" in the kitchen at Aerotow.com
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Judy Leden and Jurgen, two of the "teachers"
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Instruction in tandem
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Judy prepares her pupil for his first SOLO flight, in the Tandem
HG with ballast.
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And
there he goes!
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Intruder among the hang gliders: a paraglider!
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Judy and Daniel, during one of the instruction flights.
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Bob
Drury also received instruction in the tandem, from Mark
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Tandem instruction over the (now) green valley of Avila.
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"Look mum, I'm flying with Judy!"
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Spanish pilots, smiling after a good day of flights: Jorge, Joan
and Gus.
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Chis Dawes was both instructor and tug pilot (he's Judy's
husband). Here, in the Dragon Fly talking to Bob and Matt before
launching.
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Simone making Felix smile...
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Evening atmosphere at Aerotow.com. Felix gave us a very
interesting speech about the design and development of the Atos
and their flying characteristics. In the image, Matt asks him a
question.
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The
Spaniards (except Ali, who's an ex-pat Brit) payed full attention
to the lectures -all of them in English!
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Party time! Matt, Daniel and Simone behind the bar.
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An
Ojovolador tatoo on Matt's back
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Dani and Matt
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All the gliders rigged and waiting on the field.
If it doesn't rain we go!!
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Joan gets ready for launch. He was one of the 4
Spanish HG pilots who got aerotow rating during the week.
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After a loud "All out!" he leaves...
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Busy airfield at Aerotow.com
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Daniel, before his first flight in an Atos, with Felix Ruhle (who
could still smile!)
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Daniel gets ready to be aerotowed
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Daniel Crespo (landed all well and with the Atos in one piece) and
Claudia Riquelme: the Ojovolador Team.
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The
Spanish guys having a beer in Piedrahita, while Avila is under a
storm!
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Graduated HG pilot: Daniel, after 3 days of
training.
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Bob Drury with Jurgen, after his first flight in
a rigid glider in tandem (Atos, of course)
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Jorge, just before take-off.
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The launch marshall cheks Jorge with the help of
Jesus (another Spanish pilot!)
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Matt Taggart (ex PG competition pilot, and the
man in charge of the kites section of Ozone) was converted to
class 5 last year.
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Pilot ready to go in an Atos
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Matt, with a post-flight grin
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Gus
and his Aeros Stalker (a russian machine), being towed
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This is how an Atos tandem looks from the
ground.
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Judy teaches Daniel.
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Jesús and his wife Tania, from Tarifa (south of
Spain)
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Daniel, Chris Dawes and Matt
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The historic and picturesque city of Avila seen
from the air. It is distant only 10 km from the Aerotow.com
airfield
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The 'organiser' at Aerotow.com, Mark Taggart
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