No. 441 JANUARY 2026 The magazine of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association 2 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2026 Battitude why do we challenge ourselves? JOHN WESTALL, LONGTIME HIKE & FLY AND XC PILOT From the military to rock bottom In my early life I served in the military. But while on active duty in Afghanistan, I sustained severe injuries that changed everything. Doctors told me I might not walk properly again. Rehabilitation became my whole world – more than ten years of it, and in many ways I’m still there. The setbacks were brutal. Failed operations, pain management and the constant struggle to relearn to talk again, to rebuild the basics most people take for granted. Progress was painfully slow. But, little by little, signs of recovery appeared – walking, running, swimming, fell walking, biking. Small victories that grew into larger ones. The first steps back After over six years, I finally got back on a windsurfer – the same thrill I had chased in my younger days. That moment gave me the confidence to try something new, something that would change my life: paragliding. I learned to fly cross country, and I was inspired by the late Steve Nash to pursue the most demanding form of my new passion – hike and fly. Step by step, flight by flight, I built my strength, my skills, and my determination. Dipping a toe into competition My first competition was the 2019 X- Lakes. I nearly came last – but I also made goal, and I was hooked. The adventure, the camaraderie, the challenge … it was exactly what I had been searching for. From there, things began to shift. Over time, as fitness grew and equipment improved, so did my results. Regular top ten finishes turned into podiums. In 2022, I won my first X-Lakes hike and fly competition, sharing the victory with Nick Hoult. That race was more hiking than flying – 20 hours on foot, just two in the air – but the result was hard-earned and sweeter for it. That same year I also won the X-Scotia and managed podium places in the other major UK hike and fly events, including the Eryri and Dragon. By 2023, I’d achieved something I never imagined possible – I won the Tri-Nations Trophy outright by securing victories and podiums across all three major races. Why it matters The trophies are nice, but here’s the truth: hike and fly gave me something far greater. It restored meaning, purpose, and strength of mind. It gave me a community of like-minded athletes, all chasing adventure on foot and in the air. And here’s my message to you: set yourself a goal This year, why not aim for the UK hike and fly competitions? Start training, build fitness, and strengthen your mental health. Tackle the Dragon, test yourself in the X-Scotia, and finish with the legendary X-Lakes. Whether you’re chasing the Tri-Nations title or simply your own personal adventure, you’ll discover something extraordinary. Don’t let time slip away My story proves one thing: life is fragile, and time disappears in the blink of an eye. Ten years can slip past before you even notice. Hike and fly gave me five golden years before my old injuries caught up with me. I’d do it all again tomorrow, without hesitation. So don’t waste time. Get out there. Pack your wing, lace your boots, and take your first step into the unknown. The mountains are calling – and the adventure you’ll find is worth every ounce of struggle. See you next season, in the ever-growing UK hike and fly community. Photo: Chris Sangwin For some it’s about chasing medals, records or recognition. For others it’s about pushing through pain, searching for recovery and rediscovering what’s possible. For me the journey into hike and fly began not with mountains but with struggle – one that nearly took everything away.4 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2026 THE BHPA LTD 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RJ. Tel: 0116 289 4316. SKYWINGS MAGAZINE is published monthly by the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Ltd to inform, educate and entertain those in the sports of Paragliding and Hang Gliding. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, their Council, Officers or Editor. The Editor and publisher accept no responsibility for any supposed defects in the goods, services and practices represented or advertised in this magazine. The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions. ISSN 0951-5712 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DELIVERY ENQUIRIES Tel: 0116 289 4316, THE EDITOR Joe Schofield, 39 London Road, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9BH. Tel: 01379 855021. E-mail: COVER PHOTO Anthony ‘Ant Man’ Shaw, Power 2 Fly/Moster 185 and Ozone Roadster 4 around 2,000ft above South Wales in late September. Photo: Anthony Shaw. THIS PAGE One of Gemma Scarborough’s first- ever paraglider flights at Nid d’Aigle, Morocco Photo: Clive Mason DESIGN & PRODUCTION Fargher Design Ltd. Killane House, Ballaugh, Isle of Man, IM7 5BD. PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Newman Thomson Ltd, One Jubilee Rd, Victoria Ind. Est, Burgess Hill, RH15 9TL. ADVERTISING Tel: 07624 413737 Email: SKYWINGS ONLINE All issues of Skywings magazine are now freely available DEADLINES News items and event/competition reports for the March issue must be submitted to the Skywings office by Friday January 30th. Letters for the February Airmail pages should arrive no later than Friday January 16th. Advertisement bookings for the February 2026 edition must arrive by Monday January 12th. Copy and classified bookings no later than the following Saturday January 17th.JANUARY 2026 SKYWINGS 5 regulars regulars features triumph over adversity Antoine Girard takes on North America6 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2026 Bnews Scotland to France by paramotor In May paramotor pilots Anthony ‘AntMan’ Shaw and Nick Durham will embark on an expedition combining endurance, skill and adventure. Their mission is to fly from John o’ Groats in Scotland to Combiers, near Angoulême in France, in support of the mental health charity Mind – around 1800km as the crow flies. Their rules are simple: if it’s flyable, they fly. If not, they hike. Supporting them on the journey will be ground crew John Cooper and John Woods. The UK leg of the journey will take them to Portsmouth, from where they will take the ferry to Caen in Normandy. Their final destination is John Cooper’s beautiful Combiers farmhouse, HQ of Paramotor France [see Cultural Paramotoring, February 2023]. This unique expedition, part of a wider mission to raise funds and awareness for Mind, is intended to blend the thrill of paramotoring with the grit of long-distance trekking. Former World Champion Pascal Vallée is working on plans for 50 paramotorists to escort the duo across the finish line, attended by the mayor of Combiers. We hope to be able to follow their journey as it unfolds in the spring. Airspace infringements – an update from the FSC Several members of the XC fraternity expressed concern at the Airspace Infringements item in December's Safety Matters pages. In particular there has been some anxiety at the perceived tone and the suggestion of automatic sanctions being applied to pilots who had infringed airspace. The December statement, although correct, was not intended to imply an automatic de-rating would follow any airspace infringement by a BHPA Member (even though the exact wording was, carefully, '... may be "busted" back to CP.’) The December item was a follow-up to the Airspace Infringements article that appeared in August Skywings, outlining strategies to help pilots avoid infringements. It clearly said, 'If a pilot is found to have infringed airspace, the CAA can take actions ranging from requiring them to attend an airspace awareness course to prosecution. Except in particularly serious circumstances the BHPA acts as the governing body for our members, and the Flying and Safety Committee (FSC) will take appropriate steps. FSC may require the pilot to refresh their knowledge, and to demonstrate this by re-taking the appropriate section of the Pilot exam. In more serious cases the member may also need to attend a BHPA airspace awareness course before their Pilot rating can be reinstated.’ This policy, agreed by FSC, concentrates on knowledge and awareness, with sanctions being reserved for particularly egregious cases where the pilot is not co-operating with our education process. That process, including attendance at a BHPA Airspace Awareness course and requiring some pilots to successfully pass the appropriate sections of the new on-line Pilot exams, has already been successfully employed; the December article was intended to acquaint the broader membership with the new mechanism. For the avoidance of doubt, from April 1st, any member found to have displayed poor airmanship and significantly infringed airspace may have their Pilot rating reduced to CP (thus ruling out XC flying), after which they would be required to resit the air law/navigation part of the Pilot exam to recover their Pilot rating. If a member fails their Pilot exam re-sit, there is a standard three-month waiting period before the exam can be retaken. We apologise for the severe tone of the December statement, which failed to stress that any FSC response to a reported airspace incursion would be proportionate. Angus Pinkerton, FSC Chairman BHPA seeks website developer A reminder that, as announced last month, the Association is seeking the services of a website developer to update, maintain and potentially developer can be found within the flying community, but external applicants are not excluded. Prospective applicants should address the tender document at tendering process will identify a range of possible solutions and their associated cost, from which Exec will select an appropriate cost-effective solution. The closing date for tenders will be February 14th 2026. Drone towing of paragliders Tentative BHPA enquiries at the CAA on the prospects for towing paragliders and hang gliders with drones (see August and October Skywings) confirms that any such operation would be subject to the relevant Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems legislation. Authorisation under a ‘Specific’ category would be required. This covers a range of flying activities that are more complex than those allowed in the Open category. CALL THE SPECIALISTS 0800 5999 101 FOR BHPA MEMBERS life insurance EST 1989 Run by Pilots for Pilots We Fly What You Fly! Protect Your Family, Mortgage or Business 205 SkywingParamotors skyscraper ad 0125-297x104.indd 1 JANUARY 2026 SKYWINGS 7 Such authorisation will not not a cheap prospect. Drone aerotowing would be seen as ‘novel’ and an applicant should be prepared to wade through some serious red tape. Without an Operational Authorisation, towing by drone in the UK would be illegal. A further obstacle: manufacturer Sky-Tow is currently quoting $45,000 plus shipping from China. ATOM ground station discount PilotAware are offering a 20% discount on the ATOM ground station. With this technology, PA-equipped GA and microlight aircraft (upwards of 4,000 in the UK) can ‘see’ nearby hang gliders and paragliders carrying FLARM/FANET+ devices when either are in range of a ground station, giving the pilot a spoken conflict warning. The ATOM station simply translates our transmissions into the PilotAware protocol – think of it as an interoperability-buster. There are now more than 200 UK ground stations, yet some areas lack good coverage. The current offer brings the cost of an ATOM station down to an affordable £160. For an individual discount code, Sky Summits open new service centre On January 1st Sky Summits opened a new Paragliding Service Centre in Gloucester. It offers certified reserve repacks, wing inspections, trim tuning and annual servicing. Pre-trip checks are also available for pilots planning overseas flying holidays. ‘As our coaching and overseas guiding programs have grown, the new centre is a natural step toward supporting UK pilots year-round,’ said Sky Summits’ tandem pilot and guide Foram Pandya. ‘Our goal is to make high-quality, reliable servicing accessible and hassle-free.’ The centre offers fast turnaround times and manufacturer-aligned standards in time for the new flying season. Drop-off and collection is easy via the Gloucester/M5 corridor, or you can send your kit via courier. To schedule early-bird service slots, Mark Shaw briefs DHV safety seminar In November BHPA Senior Technical Officer Mark Shaw was invited to the DHV AGM in Schwangau, Bavaria, to take part in a safety seminar with DHV, FFVL, SHV and Austrian ÖAeC representatives. Topics included accidents and incidents, human factors, the changing climate, and safety work in clubs. Mark put forward the UK’s experiece and the BHPA standpoint on these issues; feedback from the 200+ audience and DHV officials was very positive. [Photo: Nina Klemisch/DHV] Dales Club: new management At its December AGM Martin Baxter handed over Chairmanship of the club to Mark Morrison [left in photo], having led the Dales club for 16 years. Ed Cleasby led a vote of thanks and presented Martin with honorary life membership; he was also awarded the Mark Sellern trophy, presented annually for services to the club. continued overleaf8 SKYWINGS JANUARY 2026 Bnews Chris Kay and Pete Darwood shared honours for the best XCs from Dales sites (171km and 727 points from six flights); James Maxwell and Jordan Whittaker also scooped several trophies. The club remains in safe hands, and its younger pilots show great potential for the future. [Photo: James Maxwell] Any Skywalkers around? In 1982, some years after the release of George Lucas’s Star Wars, the parascenders’ magazine BAPC News reinvented itself as Skywalker. This ran for seven years before being amalgamated with the BHGA’s Wings! magazine in May 1989 to become SkyWings! See what they did? Marc Asquith seeks any good- quality copies of Skywalker that are to be found. If you have any stashed away in the attic, please contact him at In brief Ed Cunliffe. In early November Ed Cunliffe submitted his resignation to the BHPA Exec. Ed has represented paramotoring and powered hang gliding on Exec since joining in 2006. When powered flying was more of an unknown entity Ed’s experience was invaluable. More recently his insights into the powered side of the sport have proved useful, and he has always been prepared to represent the Association at paramotor fly-ins. The current Exec team thanked him for his long service. X-Alps Challenger. The Red Bull X-Alps Challenger is a new three-day event with women’s and men’s categories, based at Mayrhofen. Day 1 will involve 1,250m of climbing; Day 2 short- distance mountain runs and paragliding descents, plus workshops led by X-Alps veterans. 28 men and seven women advance to Day 3 for an 80km H&F O/R. Leading either category wins a wildcard entry to the 2027 X-Alps. Registration for entry closes on April 28th. Go BMC withdraws insurance. On December 1st BMC Travel Insurance withdrew from covering any paragliding activity under its Alpine & Ski policy, citing the volume and value of recent claims. Policies bought before December 1st will remain in place until the expiry date. This will be a blow for many BHPA members as BMC was one of the few insurers offering travel and medical coverage. BHPA AGM. A reminder that the 2026 Annual General Meeting will be held at the Association’s Leicester Office on Saturday February 28th. Members receiving awards will attend in person; others will be able to participate online via a GoTo meeting link – see the BHPA website or Facebook page for details. Brazil tandem record. On October 29th Brazil’s Raul Evaristo flew 337.9km from Quixada aboard a Gradient Bi-Golden 3 to claim the previously-unset Latin American tandem free-distance record. Raul’s passenger is not named. Correction. The September 2021 issue of Skywings carried a note that membership was declined for a Mr Tony Beddoes in August of that year. This membership was not declined; Mr Beddoes had not applied to renew at that time. BHPA Treasurer’s Report I am pleased to report on the Association’s finances for the year ending 31st March 2025. This has been a more stable year financially. Income rose slightly following the 3% subscription increase introduced in April 2024, and expenditure reduced in several areas compared with the previous year. We also saw the full-year benefit of the staffing changes made in 2023/24, and no further changes were made during the year. Membership numbers did, however, continue their gradual decline. We ended the year with 6,854 members, down from 7,012 the year before. This trend remains a concern, as subscription income is central to funding the Association’s activities. Total income for the year was just under £1.29 million, and total expenditure came to around £1.25 million. Insurance costs fell again, from £568k to £544k, equating to about £79 per member. Spending on Flying & Safety Committee activities and competition funding also decreased, while Skywings and office costs remained broadly in line with the previous year. After all income, expenditure and year-end adjustments were taken into account, the Association achieved a surplus of £33k. This marks a clear improvement compared with the deficit reported in 2023/24, and brings us back to the level of surplus we had planned for over the medium term. Our reserves have strengthened accordingly and remain within the level required to protect the Association over time. Looking at expenditure on a per-member basis, the overall cost of running the Association fell from around £181 per member in 2023/24 to approximately £177 in 2024/25. The most significant reductions came from insurance, FSC activity and competition costs, with other areas remaining relatively steady. Looking ahead to 2025/26, we currently expect to break even. A notable positive is that we have secured a three-year fixed-price agreement for third-party liability insurance at £560,000 per year, giving us stability in an area that has seen considerable volatility. The main financial risk now facing the Association is the continuing slow decline in membership numbers. Maintaining a strong safety record remains essential, as insurance claims directly affect future premiums and subscription levels. Please fly safely, maintain a good lookout, and help keep our sport as safe and affordable as possible. A summary of expenditure per member is shown in the accompanying chart. Angus Langford, BHPA Treasurer • Insurance £79 (81) • Office and support costs £41 (40) • Technical and Flight Safety Committee £22 (27) • Skywings £23 (21) • Competition funding £6 (£7) • Other membership costs £6 (£7) Comparative (2024) costs in bracketsFormer hang gliding Worlds team Gold Medallist and longtime school proprietor Ron Freeman died suddenly in November, aged 69. Son of a former circus tightrope-walker, at the age of six Ron was juggling and balancing on a wire in his backyard. He became involved in hang gliding in 1974, and came 3rd in his first competition, the Scottish Open, in 1979. Later he flew on the team that won Gold at the 1981 World Championships in Beppu, Japan, and again at the 1985 Worlds at Kössen, Austria. In 1983 he won the Norwegian Championships at Vågå, and in 1984 set a new Scottish XC record at 54 miles. In 1993 Ron began instructing, later taking over Northumberland Paragliding with Selby Potts. Together they helped develop many flying sites and became the mainstay of Northumberland towing. In 2004, now single-handed as CFI at Northumbria Airsports, he began to teach paragliding too. Meanwhile he had become interested in trying to secure the (then) £30,000 prize for the first pilot to fly 100m from Bognor Pier at the annual Birdman competition. In 2008 the event moved to Worthing; Ron held records at both sites and at Eastbourne too. He won most of the Birdman events he entered, culminating, in 2014, in securing the reduced £10,000 jackpot by breaking the 100m barrier. From a 30ft platform he had flown 159.4m, on a modified Aeros topless wing, a record that remains unbroken. Ron generously shared the prize with Tony Hughes, with whom he been sparring at the Birdman since 1994. Ron’s students knew him as a supportive and passionate advocate of the sport. That hang gliding and paragliding remained alive in the north-east is largely due to his energy and strength of character. Recognisable from his broad Northumbrian accent and habitual smile, Ron was also incredibly fit, leaping up precipitous hills with his glider and harness like a man possessed. He was also respected across Northumbria’s competitive squash community and had been county champion multiple times in different age groups. An honorary life member of the Northumbria Hand Gliding & Paragliding Club, he was awarded the RAeC’s Ann Welch award for instructing in 2023. He is survived by his wife Jacquie and his children Conor, Laura and Timothy. [JS] Quick facts abo out the NG series: weight(m²) Surface g)(k Max load NG g)weight (kg)t (k G NG light The world´s leading rescue systems Use of high-qu• even at low spe g, g • Available in 3 s certified accord • New, innovative • Excellent sink r to a jump from • Very reliable op • Intelligent, light ality lightweight materials eeds gp sizes as NG and in the light versio ding to EN12491 e X-Flare concept for high efficien rates, each just over 5 m/s, equiva a height of about 1.3 m pening and extremely good pend tweight construction for fast open g, NG 140 Ser NG 120 Ser -geneous load distri --flares for homoX NG 100 Ser on NG light, ncy alent dulum stability nings, 33 1401,85rie 291201,6rie 25100rie1,45 1,49 5 1,3 18 6 concept. -Flare innovative X s to the , thankface -Nearly flat top sur 5 1, for fa ow L ast opening canopy height projected surface area bution across the large geneous load distri stability pendulum outlets for air defined Precisely Ron Freeman 1956 - 2025 Photo: Richard SheppardNext >