No. 449 SEPTEMBER 2026 The magazine of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding AssociationB attitude 2 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2026 In July the BHPA approved a new chapter in UK paramotoring. ParaCamp has become the Association’s first fully mobile club, operating without a permanent flying site and instead organising fly-ins and camping weekends at suitable locations across the country. It gives members the opportunity to experience a variety of flying locations while maintaining the structure, safety and standards expected of a BHPA club. The idea began last September when paramotor pilots John Wood and Anthony ‘Ant-Man’ Shaw recognised that many pilots were looking for something slightly different. Their aim was to create a club for sensible pilots who respected aviation rules, local communities, landowners and fellow airspace users, while helping to promote a positive image of the sport. John said, ‘We wanted to create a club where people could enjoy the freedom of paramotoring while flying responsibly. Looking after our flying sites and maintaining good relationships with landowners and the public is central to what we’re trying to achieve.’ The first event was a straightforward XC weekend that demonstrated the concept perfectly. Around 15 pilots flew from Hurst View campsite at Lymington to Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight, camped overnight and flew home the following day. John provided breakfast and coffee for everyone, and it quickly became apparent that while the flying had been excellent, the time spent together on the ground was just as important. Friendships were formed, ideas were shared and the foundations of the club were established. Like every flying club, ParaCamp soon discovered that not every weekend would produce perfect conditions. A gathering in Wales delivered excellent conditions on the Friday, before rain and strong winds brought flying to a halt. Rather than packing up early, members made the most of the camping weekend with good conversation and plenty of laughs. ‘If you judge a weekend purely by the number of hours flown,’ John says, ‘you’re missing half of what this sport is about. Some of our best weekends have been spent sitting around together waiting for the weather to improve.’ The weekend reinforced the belief that ParaCamp wasn’t simply organising fly-ins; it was building a community. By the time we arrived at Blue Mill campsite near Hull for a three-day fly-in in June, the format had become established. With the support of local organiser Owen Bants, pilots enjoyed excellent flying throughout the weekend. On the ground, a bar and catering van kept everyone fed and provided a natural meeting point throughout the event. The success of the Hull weekend convinced John that the time had come to establish ParaCamp as an official BHPA club. Following discussions at Green Dragons Airsports, everything began to fall into place. Green Dragons CFI Andy Shaw accepted the role of Club Secretary and assisted with the club’s application, while John successfully completed the BHPA Alternative Entry examination. The committee was completed when Marc Asquith agreed to become Club Coach, and Dave Green took on the role of Club Safety Officer. With the necessary requirements met, ParaCamp became the Association’s first fully mobile club. John explained, ‘Receiving BHPA approval gives us a solid foundation for the future. It means people know they’re joining a properly organised club that takes safety and good practice seriously, while still keeping the relaxed atmosphere we’ve always enjoyed,’ What makes the Club different is not simply that it travels, but that it has the flexibility to organise events wherever suitable flying sites, permissions and facilities come together. Rather than being tied to a permanent base, the club can arrange weekends across England, Wales and beyond, while also organising regular trips to Combiers, one of France’s best-known paramotor flying locations. For members the Club provides variety, new flying opportunities and the chance to meet pilots from across the country, all within the framework of a recognised BHPA club. That status doesn’t change the welcoming atmosphere members have already created; instead it provides a recognised structure that allows continued growth while maintaining high standards. The committee is keen to help experienced independent pilots gain BHPA membership through the Alternative Entry scheme, making it easier for more pilots to become part of the Association. Looking ahead, ParaCamp hopes to organise around 15 events each year combining flying, camping and good company at locations throughout the UK. ‘We’re not trying to replace existing clubs,’ says John. ‘We’re simply offering another way for pilots to enjoy the sport. If people leave one of our weekends having made new friends and discovered somewhere new to fly, we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do,’ If our first year is anything to go by, this new approach to club flying has every chance of becoming an important part of the UK’s paramotoring community. For membership enquiries, upcoming events or information about the Alternative Entry scheme, contact John Wood at paracamp@outlook.com, or visit www.paracamp.co.uk. On the road! The BHPA’s first mobile club DAVE GREEN, PARAMOTOR PILOT Photo: John Wood regulars 2 attitude: Dave Green 6 news 10 new products 12 safety matters 14 pilot profile: Tom Webb 16 comp lines 20 hang points 24 dead centre 26 airmail 27 calendar of events 35 caption competition features 28 Icarus Cup the HPA movement gathers pace 30 escaping with Escape! over the Soca Valley 4 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2026THE BHPA LTD 8 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 Alex Colbeck eclipses the eclipse on August 12th. Details on Page 27. Photo: Andrew Hawkes THIS PAGEBetterfly, Magpie and both Aerocycles ready to go at the Icarus Cup in July. Photo: Muhammad Sarguroh 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: ads@skywingsmag.com Online: www.skywingsmag.com. SKYWINGS ONLINE All issues of Skywings magazine are now freely available at https://www.skywingsmag.co.uk. DEADLINESNews items and event/competition reports for the November issue must be submitted to the Skywings office by Wednesday September 28th. Letters for the October Airmail pages should arrive no later than Friday September 18th. Advertisement bookings for the October 2026 edition must arrive by Friday September 11th. Copy and classified bookings no later than the following Thursday September 17th. SEPTEMBER 2026SKYWINGS 5B news 6 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2026 UK distance record falls On Saturday August 1st Benjamin Dry pushed the British open distance record to 334.9km on a Niviuk Peak 6, exceeding Mark Watts’ 2025 mark of 329km. On July 31st, dozens of pilots had flown big distances from Worcester Beacon, and the next day promised even better. By the end of the day several pilots had flown around 300km, including Richard Butterworth at 308km north of Ipswich, and Alex Colbeck on 296km near Stowmarket. Benjamin’s flight also exceeds Carl Wallbank’s 2015 hang gliding open distance records of 330.2km and 338.7km with turnpoints. After nine hours in the air, with climbs to nearly 8000ft, Benjamin came down 6km short of Covehithe beach, having avoided both Sizewell power station and the still-burning wildfire at Dunwich, as seen on TV. ‘Friday, July 31st was a splendid day with many 200km+ goal flights from Worcestershire Beacon,’ reports Benjamin. ‘On the train back late that evening, we saw that the next day was looking at least as good, suggesting an even earlier start from further west. ‘Reaching Llangorse early, we found Thomas Wycherley strapped in and ready to go at 09:45. He launched soon after and climbed out low, but successfully, as later I was able to see him in the distance. Despite general disbelief that the day could begin so early, I hurried to get ready. Graham Richards and I launched at 10:20, climbing out immediately in a beautifully strong thermal. Clouds were building impressively, but we got low before finding our next good climb in the Black Mountains. I later learned that Thomas had gone down near Ledbury at 55km. ‘But for us the day had started well. By 13:30 we were at 100km, meeting up with pilots who had flown from the Malverns. Our early launch from Llangorse had put Graham and me 30km ahead of those launching later. It was a real battle keeping out of FL65 airspace, and even FL75 had to be avoided. I got low several times, but it seemed that if one just hung on to weak lift it would steadily improve. I may have been very lucky. ‘Graham flew his first 200km to St Neots, where he burnt off 5000ft to get back and retrieve his car – thankyou for the lift, Graham. After reaching my goal at Bury St Edmunds (271km), I decided to follow a cloud street by cross-winding to the north. It seemed to be somehow related to the convergence line, about a km further inland but parallel to the convergence clouds. Keeping high, this provided reliable lift as far as Diss. ‘After this I crossed over to the convergence, where a lower cloudbase was forming in the sea breeze air. Even here there were a few thermals and I was able to follow a lifty line. I took the photo (above) passing the existing record at 329km. After a final glide pushing diagonally through the sea breeze, I eventually landed shortly after 8pm. Progress had been 34km/h, but nine hours 50 minutes in the air allowed 334.9km.’ CAA consults on mandatory EC In July the CAA released a new consultation document titled ‘A Proposed Electronic Conspicuity Mandate in the UK’. In short, they are consulting on the compulsory carriage of ADS-B electronic conspicuity devices by all aircraft. They note, carefully, that there may be other ways to satisfy their stated safety case. Together with other GA organisations, the BHPA intends to submit a reasoned set of responses; it should be available on the BHPA website as you read this. The CAA document has been circulated to BHPA clubs and they may have made their own submissions. Mandatory EC has been on the cards for some time. The BHPA and other bodies have been unable to deter the CAA from insisting on ADS-B technology, despite the proliferation of lightweight alternatives and EASA’s common-sense recognition of ADS-L in the role. The CAA is being driven by a 2025 instruction from the DfT that a national EC mandate is needed. This is propelled by the DfT’s determination to facilitate all forms of commercial and state- services drone usage as rapidly as possible. The issue has been thrown into sharper focus by a small number of recent Airproxes that have alerted the British and, particularly, the US military to the degree of GA activity in the vicinity o their bases. Like it or not, some form of mandatory EC for all air users within the next five years is all but inevitable. Responses to the consultation may make the eventual form less onerous than it appears, but we have certainly reached the stage where the unstoppable force and the immovable object collide. The consultation closes at midnight on September 22nd. Anyone can respond individually; it takes the form of a 30- minute online survey. Anyone taking the survey may find the BHPA responses useful. Find the CAA document at https://consultations.caa.co.uk/safety-and-airspace-regulation- group/ec-mandate/. The BHPA response will be at www.bhpa.co.uk by the time you read this. SEPTEMBER 2026SKYWINGS 7 Adv li vnur n liv e y ou r SIN SS‘‘MANMANSKY EDSIR SKY ybrid single sh THE SKINNGLE WERFWERFPO POTTOSOSM SHARK M acwith20%doublesurfkin DMUND FUL IS FUL ec K EDSIR t pomos SHARKDMUND lyFe&ikH orerful single skin fw crShort T www sttry flighounoss-cr hermalling T ly Fe &ik oo.skyman..w H aer Swiss push forward with mandatory ADS-L As in the UK, the Swiss government has been intent for some time on making all its air traffic electronically visible. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA/BAZL) has now confirmed that Electronic Conspicuity by means of ADS-L will be mandatory in all airspace by mid-2027. A one-year transition period for free flyers will end with full implementation by 2028. The Swiss government provides financial support for equipping with ADS-L-capable devices. ADS-L is the simple, low-cost European (EASA) solution to the problems posed by drones sharing airspace with manned aircraft. 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 or only require a software update, usually free. What does this mean to UK free fliers? That the Swiss are out of the starting blocks on mandatory EC. By requiring a minimal, inexpensive technology to a standard that already exists (ADS-L 4 SRD860 follows two years of development by EASA and major stakeholders), the Swiss are able to press ahead on statutory EC with minimal expense and inconvenience. Other European nations will no doubt follow suit in short order. The UK remains fixed in its preference for costly ADS-B, for which no usable, affordable technology exists that can be used by lightweight sport pilots. Yet simple, affordable solutions are already available (see DIY Electronic Conspicuity, July) that would adhere to the Swiss mandate. BHPA website progress The tendering process to select a new developer for the BHPA website attracted 16 applications. The evaluation, led by Paul Dancey and Mark Schaefer on behalf of Exec, included reviewing submissions, reducing the field to a shortlist and interviewing the preferred candidates to reach a recommendation for the way ahead. Paul and Mark’s endorsement of Ibex Creative of Kendal as the preferred candidate was accepted by Exec and they will move forward to implement their proposals. The intention is to deliver a minimum viable product to replace the current website with a more modern, organised and searchable platform, yet provide a foundation for future development. The BHPA Exec will receive updates as key milestones are reached. Paul and Mark have undertaken a significant workload in managing this process and will now engage with Ibex to bring the new website into service. Fair and robust procurement means examining many submissions and engaging with shortlisted Translation: USSP: U-Space Service Provider; ATS: Flight Information Services/Air Traffic Control8 SKYWINGS SEPTEMBER 2026 B news suppliers; it involves much time and effort. BHPA Chair Jenny Buck has thanked Paul and Mark on behalf of Exec for their professionalism and commitment. Ibex Creative is a professional web design company founded by Pat McVey in 2004. Pat was previously involved with the import and distribution of paragliding equipment, working first for Lyon Equipment with Edel Paragliders, and later with his own company Air Base, importing FreeX paragliders. He was also a very keen pilot for many years, taking part in the Nationals at Piedrahita and St André. We look forward to a constructive relationship with Pat and Ibex. New Southern Club website The Southern Hang Gliding Club has launched a new club website at www.shgc.org.uk. ‘Our 500+ members now enjoy access to a digitally-enhanced flying experience, designed and delivered in-house by talented club members,’ says Club Secretary Matt Roach. ‘New features include a digital logbook with 3D IGC file replay. This is linked to BHPA pilot development tasks, which can be assigned to club coaches for sign-off to help Red Ribbon and low airtime CPs capture their achievements.’ The new website includes a detailed 3D site guide, OGN data and a full range of weather resources to provide situational awareness before pilots launch. There’s also an XC Planner, Retrieve Drive Finder, a digital membership card and incident reporting capability, plus a club league and waypoint competition. All this is integrated with the club’s Telegram channels. The functionality of BHPA club websites is improving all the time; the SHGC’s new site puts it right at the forefront of pilot-friendly usefulness. We are impressed! The wheels of injustice! In 2007 the CAA were notified of an intention to seek an Airspace Change Proposal to establish Class D controlled airspace around Inverness airport. When the finally ACP appeared, ten years later, GA Alliance volunteers duly spent hundreds of hours amassing data and constructing a reasoned response. In July this year Inverness submitted notice of a new ACP, most likely to result in a Transponder Mandatory Zone if approved. There is no mention of the original ACP, gathering dust for nine years despite many unanswered inputs from the GAA. The airport is indirectly owned by the Scottish government through Highland & Islands Airports Ltd, whose own data shows a decreasing average of fewer than 25 daily commercial movements in 2024. A weary GAA volunteer writes, ‘After 19 years of pain, bloody hard work and God alone knows what costs, we start again!’ The wheels of injustice turn slow indeed! Gone phishing! In the interests of openness, BHPA Staff and Exec. names, job titles and email addresses are listed on our website. As a result their identities can be recreated by bad actors to generate plausible phishing emails coming, apparently, from BHPA people and bearing messages such as, ‘Can you handle this – I’m in a meeting right now – can you buy some Amazon Gift cards, I will refund you when I get free …’ Such requests should be ignored and deleted. Access to your address is not through any BHPA data breach. Likewise, emails offering to sell the BHPA mailing lists are equally spurious and have not arisen from any data breach. The contents of such emails are harvested from public facing pages like the Club Contacts list and Clubs’ own websites. SkyWise reminder Attention is drawn to the CAA’s SkyWise bulletin service, which allows you to keep up to date with news, safety alerts, consultations, rule changes, airspace amendments and more. It’s a useful route for receiving CAA bulletins on a range of topics, not least developments in airspace and airspace policy. The most recent bulletin, aimed at all power pilots, highlights practical actions to improve decision-making in the event of a partial power loss. Ticking the right boxes allows elimination of extraneous stuff so you only get what is relevant to your type of flying. Find SkyWise at http://skywise.caa.co.uk. Ken Raines retires A BHPA Examiner and then Chief Examiner over the last 25 years, Ken Raines has decided to retire. As Chief Examiner Ken would receive reports of the exams conducted by the Tech Team, and step in to support them if there was any dispute about an outcome. In that time he has overseen the examination of hundreds of pilots for Instructor, Senior Instructor, Dual Pilot and other licences, and led the FSC’s Examinations Panel in maintaining the high standards required of those running schools and other BHPA licence holders. Ken, a former firefighter, has also delivered dozens of First-Aid courses to pilots and others. Although these can sometimes appear to be routine, in Ken’s hands a first-aid course was always an eye-opener; few came away without an enhanced understanding of what first aid training was about. A story is told of Ken turning up at a school to conduct an inspection. The instructors whispered among themselves: ‘Does that guy even fly?’ It was clear they had Ken down as a ground- bound box-ticker. Later, examination complete, Ken asked to borrow a canopy, laid it out and conducted an absolutely faultless launch. The instructors realised they had been in the presence of one of the greats of our sport. And one who didn’t miss a trick. We thank Ken for his long service and superlative judgement, and wish him well in his retirement. In brief BHPA AGM. The 2027 AGM runs at the BHPA’s Leicester Office on Saturday January 23rd at 11am. Any member who may be considering joining Exec must contact Chair Jenny Buck (jennifer- buck@bhpa.co.uk) for further information. Nominations to stand for election must be received at the BHPA Office no later than 4pm on Friday October 30th; contact office@bhpa.co.uk for a form. Any member wishing to raise a discussion topic or a formal Proposal should email details to the Office by the same date. Free shuttle app. Stefano Madeddu’s GlideLoop is a free web app for paragliding clubs that run shuttle services. It replaces a group chat with a structured tool where pilots can see the day’s schedule and book a seat; admins get clarity and freedom from notifications. GlideLoop contains over 10,000 sites. When a club joins, pilots can see who runs the shuttle and book a seat before they arrive. It works on any phone in English, Italian, French, German and Spanish. Details: stefano.madeddu@enexon.eu. 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Spanish paraglider pilots Alvaro Romaro Camacho, Marcelo Sánchez Vílchez and Francisco Javier Reina Lagos have claimed the European straight-distance-to-a-declared- goal record at 360km. All flying Niviuk’s X-One glider, the trio launched from Arroyomolinos de Leon in south-western Spain on July 8th. Col du Monde. Not content with his 2025 world and European Free distance triangle records, set at 358.6km from the Col de l’Izoard in August 2025 and ratified in April, on July 9th French star Edouard Potel improved on his own numbers to claim 363.4km from the same jumping-off point. Et encore! Barely a month later, Baptiste Lambert, fresh from winning the SRS at Grand Bornand, claimed 377.5km under the same heading … from the Col de l’Izoard! On the same day Czechia's Hugo Hadaš flew 347.2km from the Col to claim Hans Petit's 2025 world and European Junior free distance triangle record. And hangie Mario Alonzi flew an Aeros Combat 334.9km from there to claim World and European HG free distance triangle records. Unbelievably, neither of these records has ever been claimed by a hangie! Merit awards. Nominations are sought for the BHPA Merit Awards. If you know a member who has consistently gone the extra mile over a number of years, please nominate them. Often these people are behind-the-scenes activists, hidden from the public eye. Club coaches, committee members, site negotiators; the people who keep the show on the road. Citations should arrive at the Office by Friday November 13th. Coaching course dates. This year’s autumn and winter BHPA Club Coaching course schedule has been established (see page 13). Paragliding fatality. We regret to have to report that BHPA member Steve Metcalfe, 63, died on July 4th whilst paragliding at Piedrahita, Spain. A BHPA Formal Investigation will investigate the circumstances of the incident; a report will appear in due course. We offer our sympathies to Steve’s friends and family. Next >