No. 442 FEBRUARY 2026 The magazine of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association2 SKYWINGS FEBRUARY 2026 B attitude Enjoy the journey ELLIE SURTEES, DEVELOPING PILOT Although the conditions only allowed for a few extended top-to-bottoms with me, I’ll never forget the moment we soared above a kite poised in mid-air. My first thought was, ‘How is this even possible?’ I’ve been hooked ever since. I qualified as a CP fledgeling from Flying Frenzy in August 2024, a little daunted by the thought that I wouldn’t have my instructor at the end of a radio anymore. In my first year I was lucky enough to achieve 30 hours of airtime. I also went to the Lakes Charity Classic in June for their coaching group, to fly in the beautiful Lake District. After a few BCC rounds, I achieved my first XC of 11km at Talybont, which was a huge milestone. A few mishaps and plenty of learning were entailed as well, as you probably would in your first year. At times it’s felt like taking two steps forward and three steps back. Like having four or five aborted launches front of other pilots, thinking to myself, ‘Why am I still getting this wrong? I’ve done it so many times!’ Then comes the realisation that I need to spend a lot more time ground handling. It’s easier said than done, when all you want to do is lift your feet from the ground. I’ve had plenty to reflect on, so I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned from my first year as a Club Pilot. I hope that it might help other very low airtimers as they begin their journey. Weather and time permitting, it helps to try and fly as much as you can. It’s surprising how quickly the muscle memory disappears after a month, especially in the beginning. Club camp-out events or socials can be a fun way to connect with other pilots and hear their stories. Some of the events might have friendly competitions, talks, raffles, equipment swap/sell and Pilot revision sessions. By offering to do the odd retrieve I’ve met some interesting pilots who’ve brought so much knowledge. Whether that’s hearing comical flying stories, tips on tracking devices, or how to survive your first XC. They also give you those all- important retrieve credits that might come in handy one day. No question is ever a stupid one. It can be hard to raise your voice and ask genuine questions amongst a wave of different Telegram groups without fear or being judged by experienced pilots. But most people genuinely want to help you. Ask away! There can sometimes be a feeling you have that can influence your decision whether to fly or not. It could be your inner monologue telling your something, or a sense that something doesn’t feel right, even when the cause isn’t obvious to you. If a feeling is there, listen to it. It’s one of the things keeping you safe. One of the most important things I’ve learnt is to enjoy the journey and try not to be hard on yourself if you haven’t achieved something, or if you aren’t where you thought you’d be a year on. Whether that’s mastering a launch technique or finding a thermal. Each of us develops skills and confidence at our own pace, and truly we never stop learning. I’ve heard this is the same for all pilots, regardless of airtime and experience. I’ve found it fun to set myself mini- goals each time I go flying. It could be a Pilot task, or it could be to have a relaxed enjoyable flight with a trip to the pub at the end of it. It’s what keeps us going in this marvellous and highly addictive sport after all! My journey into paragliding began at Westbury White Horse in June 2022, where I had the opportunity to try a tandem with my uncle, Simon Headford. He’s been around the paragliding scene for decades, achieving an impressive 338km XC in South Africa in 2006, which earned him the British national straight distance record at the time.4 SKYWINGS FEBRUARY 2026 regulars 2 attitude: Ellie Surtees 6 news 10 dead centre 12 pilot profile: Sky Graille 14 comp lines 17 calendar of events 18 hang points 22 airmail 35 caption competition features 24 first impression: Skyman CC3 A solid, reliable lightweight 26 pilot confidence in paragliding help for the apprehensive 28 trials and tribulations further adventures in the sub-70 world 30 a paragliding journey in Piedmont Relaxed flying with all mod cons THE BHPA LTD8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RJ. Tel: 0116 289 4316. SKYWINGS MAGAZINEis 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, e-mail: office@bhpa.co.uk THE EDITOR Joe Schofield, 39 London Road, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9BH. Tel: 01379 855021. E-mail: skywings@bhpa.co.uk. COVER PHOTO Adam Walsh having fun at the Long Mynd on January 4th. Photo: Clive Mason THIS PAGEAdam Walsh and Level Wings Flame receiving a bit of help from Sean Bird at the Mynd Photo: Clive Mason DESIGN & PRODUCTION Fargher Design Ltd. Killane House, Ballaugh, Isle of Man, IM7 5BD. PRINT & DISTRIBUTIONNewman Thomson Ltd, One Jubilee Rd, Victoria Ind. Est, Burgess Hill, RH15 9TL. ADVERTISING Tel: 07624 413737 Email: ads@skywingsmag.com Online: www.skywingsmag.com. SKYWINGS ONLINEAll issues of Skywings magazine are now freely available at https://www.skywingsmag.co.uk. DEADLINESNews items and event/competition reports for the April issue must be submitted to the Skywings office by Friday February 27th. Letters for the March Airmail pages should arrive no later than Monday February 16th. Advertisement bookings for the March 2026 edition must arrive by Wednesday February 11th. Copy and classified bookings no later than the following Wednesday February 18th.FEBRUARY 2026SKYWINGS 56 SKYWINGS FEBRUARY 2026 B news BHPA digital membership card returns The BHPA digital membership card web app, suspended in August, returns in February with several new features. Members can now upload a suitable photograph for inclusion on their ‘card’; this can be replaced at a later date if desired. There is an option for a member to share their membership card details with a competition organiser, and personal details can be included in the shared information if required. Once logged in, all BHPA membership details and qualifications, and the name of your club, are displayed on one page. Where appropriate, IPPI cards and FAI licences are included. It’s also possible to start your membership renewal process from within the app, making renewal quicker and easier. The account setup procedure is initiated by entering and submitting your registered email address. The resultant email will contain a unique link that will allow you to set up your account. All data and photographs are securely hosted on a separate server. Members with an existing digital membership sign-in will need to start over using the above sequence. Find the new card app at https://members.bhpa- membership.org. New Met Office weather service The UK Met Office has released a beta version of MAVIS, its new aviation weather service. It includes the existing briefing and other sources of aviation info, accessible online and via a web app. MAVIS is a more intuitive, user-focused product that brings simplicity, consistency and greatly improved visualisations to a complex field. Bespoke versions can be created for commercial, helo and airport ops, as well as for GA, glider pilots/free-fliers and balloonists. Note that at present it’s only beta-mode and ‘must not be used operationally’. Note too that the current Aviation Briefing Service will go offline in the spring. For access, FAQs and a comprehensive introduction, go to www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/transport/aviation/regulated/ mavis/index. WG6 progress Progress was made on revising the EN 926-2 paraglider flight test and EN 1651 harness standards at a WG6 meeting at DHV headquarters in December. Although the Working Group has met regularly online to progress these projects, the physical meeting at DHV HQ allowed members to study flight test videos and use the DHV’s test equipment to gain insights into real-world testing. Working Group 6 is the EHPU’s airworthiness committee, chaired by Angus Pinkerton with BHPA techie Mark Shaw as General Secretary. DHV and Para Test/Air Turquoise test pilots, test lab staff and group members from Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany and the UK were all present at Gmund. A new face was Matthias Hartmann, replacing the DHV’s recently retired Hannes Weininger. Europe’s EC solution Europe has chosen a simple, low cost solution to the problems posed by drones sharing airspace with manned aircraft. The standard, ADS-L 4 SRD860 Issue 2, follows two years of development by EASA and major stakeholders. It uses the regulated but unlicensed 860MHz band to provide an alternative path to that taken in the UK and US. Many free flight instruments are already configured for the new standard and only require a software update, usually free. PilotAware devices also only need a software update to be fully compliant; some are already transmitting the new standard and being tracked by the ATOM network of ground stations. Solutions also exist for drones and manned aircraft. A mobile phone version is under development. The new protocol allows access to airspace shared with drones in Europe. Many of the instruments we currently use will now conform to an internationally recognised standard for EC; they will work in a large number of countries but not in our own. It also means a legal standing for the instruments we use. AirDesign moves house In January Austrian paraglider manufacturer AirDesign GmbH moved its HQ to Wolfenschiessen in Switzerland and became AirDesign Gliders AG. The move is not unconnected with the arrival of new shareholder and partner Michael Witschi, a Swiss national. A former PWC and X-Alps contender and founder of the Eigertour H&F race, Witschi is a very successful international businessman and AirDesign’s Swiss dealer. They say he brings industry knowledge to support their next phase of development and market presence. Air Design was started in 2011 by Stephan Stieglair and Martin Gostner, both of whom are still on board. Neil Kinnear Hang gliding pioneer Neil Kinnear succumbed to a brain tumour in late 2025 at the age of 73. Not widely known in British hang gliding circles, Neil was born and grew up in India, arriving in London in 1961 to complete his education, and eventually studying at Cambridge. In 1976 he began flying on the South Downs with the Southern Club. After a short time teaching in the UK he took a job at Dharamsala, teaching Tibetan refugees. Having completely dismantled a Wasp Falcon 3 to export it, he went on to pioneer 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 fl yingcover.co.uk FEBRUARY 2026SKYWINGS 7 Indian hang gliding and seek out many new sites; visiting British friends would often be asked to bring out spare parts. In the 1980s, with US-based Brit Keith Nichols, he opened up the potential of Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh, now India’s most important paragliding site. At Dharamsala Neil helped to found the Tibetan Children’s Village network and saw it grow from 30 pupils to many thousands. He returned to the UK in 1987 to teach, retiring in 2007 to develop the ‘Mathsquake’ maths programs for school-age students. He is remembered by many for his love of teaching and his quiet courage. BHPA seeks website developer We remind those in the field that the Association is seeking the services of a website developer to update, maintain and potentially renew www.bhpa.co.uk. It is hoped that a developer can be found within the flying community, but external candidates are not excluded. Prospective applicants should address the tender document at https://www.bhpa.co.uk/pdf/BHPA_Website_Tender.pdf. The tendering process will identify a range of possible solutions and their associated cost, from which Exec will select an appropriate cost-effective solution. Note that the closing date for tenders is February 14th. BHPA subs to rise The Association anticipates breaking even for the year ended 31st March 2026 following last year's modest surplus. Although the last year has been a more stable financially, membership numbers continue their gradual decline and inflationary pressures persist. With effect from April 1st 2026 the headline BHPA individual Annual Adult Membership will increase by just under 10% to £192. Other annual memberships will be: Family, £177; Concessionary (under 21/over 67 and disabled), £172; and Non Flying unchanged at £62. Two-year membership will cost £315; Three-month membership £120; Adult Day membership £33. The Rejoining fee payable on annual memberships will remain at £35 and the Direct Debit discount is unchanged at £7. Full details, including instructor and school rates, will appear next month. In brief Accuracy record. The first World and European Junior con- secutive DC record was set at Kosovo’s Prishtina Open in December. Arbër Shala, who is just 15, scored zero three times in a row and went on to win the event, the final round of the Kosovo national cup. Silver went to Migjen Shala and bronze to Fanol Shala. Anisa Shala was 8th, Andy Shaw 13th and Myri Ewington 29th! BHPA AGM. In case you missed it … another reminder that the 2026 BHPA AGM will be held at the Association’s Leicester Office on Saturday February 28th. Members receiving awards will attend in person; others can attend in person, or online or via a GoTo meeting link – see the BHPA website or Facebook page for details. BHPA courses Mar 28-29Club CoachSky Surfingdavid.e.harvey@googlemal.com07799 197345 Apr 22-24Instructor/Sen. CoachTBCstephanie-blankley@bhpa.co.uk0116 289 4316 BHPA club repack sessions Feb 8TV Big Fat RepackAldershotwww.tvhgc.co.uk/events Mar 1Sky Surfing RepackSouthamptonsites@skysurfingclub.co.uk Please book all repack places in advance; clubs may require money up front or a deposit.8 SKYWINGS FEBRUARY 2026 B news December 31st, 10am – New Year’s Eve. I’m thinking of going flying, but the dense mist outside my window, to say nothing of the very light wind, makes me think again! Instead, I guess I’ll read again about the wonderful flights you guys have been experiencing over the course of the year. Then, of course, I have to choose the best of the best and give you my verdict. So let’s crack on. I start looking through my twelve 2025 copies of Skywings, all neatly together in their usual place, with my remarks on the front covers. The January Attitude page, Mastering wing control and building confidence by Andrew Fowlie, was a very good piece about SIV and gaining self-reliance. A definite contender. 11.30am. I stop for a coffee break and open the front door to check the weather. Still misty. Oh well. To continue … First I read again Alastair Collis’s Magic Thursday. A 178km loop flight from his home near Whistler, British Columbia, launching from a new ‘Mayday’ site, surrounded by conifers. Brilliant prose and eye-watering photos. Next up it’s highly experienced Wessex member Sean Staines’ Attitude piece in April, Why I don’t fly a pod. Well he does … just not all the time! I can relate to this, because I too like to leave my pod in the car and slip into my ‘nappy’ harness for a light-wind float about, especially on a summer’s evening. July Skywings had two fine articles. The hang glider’s guide to hitch- hiking by Jeremy Soper, and Developing as a pilot by Rene Jungbar. Superb writing from both pilots. It doesn’t get much better than this! Until October, when Darren Brown popped up with One of those flights you remember forever … Flying the imposing 8,000ft mountains that are the famous Sierra Ferrera in Spain, with a backdrop of the High Pyrenees. At take-off Darren describes conditions that were less than optimal, with light and changeable winds. But then tells us how he eventually made a 160km. flight. Blow by blow, he paints a picture of highs and lows, with determination as his co-pilot. A 9-up at 6pm was the icing on the cake. Brilliant story! 1pm. The sun still hasn’t broken through. And the wind just isn’t playing ball, if you get my drift. So my choice for the Wings Over a Cloud Award for 2025 goes to Darren Brown. Well done, mate! Mike Hibbit BHPA 500 Club WIN CASH PRIZES AND HELP THE ASSOCIATION! Winners will note that payments of the above sums have been made to the account from which they contribute to the 500 Club by standing order. In case of error, please contact Marc Asquith on 07802 525099. November winners John Vernon £134.60 Adam Sullivan £67.30 Jason Harper £33.65 Shaun Sunderland £20.19 Tim Dunn £16.83 JJ Jardine-Paterson £16.83 James Goldsborough £13.46 Keith Burley £13.46 Gerald Nolan £10.10 Adam Dullage £10.10 BHPA £336.48 December winners Nicholas Lukes £134.00 Dave Sheppard £67.00 George Allen £33.50 Michael Paice £20.10 Neil Grayson £16.75 Paul Adams £16.75 John Vernon £13.40 John Casson £13.40 David Wicks £10.05 Nigel Waller £10.05 BHPA £335.00 The 2025 BHPA ‘Wings Over a Cloud’ AwardFEBRUARY 2026SKYWINGS 9 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 •Available in 3 s certified accord •New, innovative •Excellent sink r to a jump from •Very reliable op •Intelligent, light ality lightweight materials eeds 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 NG 140 Ser NG 120 Ser -geneousloaddistri --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 8 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1RJ Saturday February 28th, 11am. Attend in person or via GoTo Meeting link; it is hoped that those receiving awards will attend in person. • Election of Officers to BHPA Executive Committee • Officers’ reports to AGM • Presentation of BHPA Awards • Members’ discussion forum THE AGM WILL BE LIVE STREAMED FOR ALL TO PARTICIPATE – SEE THE BHPA WEBSITE OR THE BHPA FACEBOOK PAGE FOR DETAILS notiidepxe sselmaeseno niseitrnuoc owterolpx loohcS tnempoleveD AAHBA P E .swwwtacalendar2026oureeS sctisigol deganamylluf ,spuorgllam sertunevdA thgilFeerF &CXdediuG ,gnihcao S C !spotsedlimit—om.csummitsykNext >