Oz Christmas

It's summer here (Airborne factory, Redhead, NSW, Australia)

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Dustin and Jonny

Video stars (Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona, USA)

Dustin writes:

Filming today in Arizona for a potential joint project with Jonny Durand.  A Canadian production company is pitching to some networks up there and we're hoping they're successful.  If so, we'll be flying and filming in some pretty incredible locations around the world to get it done!

https://www.facebook.com/flydustin?fref=ts

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Need an aircraft band radio operators license in Australia?

If you fly out of Forbes you do. (Forbes airfield, Australia)

Louise Warren <<louise>> writes:

1.  Register and pay for the course here: http://www.warrenwindsports.com.au/catalog/hang-gliding-instruction/vhf-radio-operators-endorsement-course.  This sets up your account and creates a work order for me.

Select a test date (23rd or 27th December) to take the exam online when you register, you will only be able to access the exam on the date you select.

2.  I will email you the course notes and study questions (which will not necessarily be any of the questions asked on the test) .

To access the exam, please follow these steps:

3.  Go to http://www.warrenwindsports.com.au/user login to your account.

This account is set up in step 1, and your password would have been emailed to you.  Please ensure you are able to log into your account prior to taking the exam.

4.  Access the student section of our website here: http://www.warrenwindsports.com.au/student.

5.  Select the Radio Operators Endorsement Exam and read the instructions carefully.  Be prepared for the multiple choice exam by studying the guides before hand.  You will have only 30 minutes to get at least 20 out of 25 questions answered correctly.

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Perlan

Hoping for 90,000'

http://ozreport.com/17.210#2

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/perlan-mission-ii-help-us-build-a-glider-to-soar-to-near-space

http://www.perlanproject.org/

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Hang Gliding Bracelets

From Guatemala

Tom Lyon writes:

Hello Hang Gliding Friends and Anyone Interested in Cool Wearable Artwork!

I'd like to introduce you to Majo Gularte of Guatemala and ask you to consider purchasing one of her awesome handcrafted coconut shell bracelets or necklaces.  Majo is a hang gliding friend, and like all of us who cannot resist the urge to fly, she has wanted to fulfill her dream of free flight for as long as she can remember.

Majo was taking beginning hang gliding lessons when she suffered a terrible accident through no fault of her own.  But what really amazed and inspired me was Majo's tremendous courage and determination to heal and go right back to pursuing her dreams.  We all know that feeling, but not all of us have the courage to do it.

You can read Majo's story in her own words and even watch her accident video if you wish at http://mydreamsmypassions.wordpress.com.  It's not easy to watch/listen to the video, but watching it and then reading her story does give the reader a sense of Majo's amazing spirit.

Majo is planning to come to the USA next to receive rigorous hang gliding training that will help her fly safely for the rest of her life.  She's selling her bracelets and necklaces to help fund her trip.  Please consider buying one.  I plan to!

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New New Zealand Distance Record

It's an island after all (Coronet Peak, Queensotwn, NZ)

John Smith broken the record on Thursday going 172.4 km.  He took off at the popular tourist tandem paragliding site, Coronet, near Queenstown.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/855264

https://www.facebook.com/extremeair.queenstown

He worked the morning teaching students and then took off around 1pm.

http://www.doarama.com/view/2987?webglfail=1

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Torn in half

In a cu-nimb (Las Aguilas)

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=p390150#p390150

After I got into the cloud, for about 45 minutes, I did experience all kinds of situations, collapses, rain, thunders, ice, frontals, and stalls.  It was dark, remember feeling lots of water, and being cover with ice.  Remember strong sounds of the wind passing thru the canopy, the canopy was making loud sounds, I kept fighting trying to keep the canopy open at all times, which partially worked till I got into a series of collapses combined with stalls, ending up with a big cravat.  Not sure If I was into a spiral dive, or an infinity loop, sure It was a very strong spiral, but felt like a tumbling, as I my body was hitting the bars very strong, and feeling a very strong force, pulling my entire body head first, thinking to myself that I was going to exit the harness from the upper part.

I began feeling dizzy and weak, partially let go and surrender, my memories came to me, my family my little niece, my husband my mom, I did not want to die that way, I had much to live for.  I came back to reality, all the sounds came back, all the pain and screaming came back, did try again and again to reach the reserve handle, but unable to, suddenly strong sounds came from above, at that time I did not know what it was, but the G forces went away, felt lost of air speed, grab the harness and went down to the reserve handle, and could not pulled with 1 hand, got my second hand there too, and managed to pull the reserve out.  Still in the clouds.

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Earth winds

Zoom down

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-91.61,28.09,510

Use the mouse to rotate.  Click on a spot.

http://earth.nullschool.net/about.html

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Moyes Merry Christmas

Flying high (Moyes factory in Botany, Australia)

Merry Christmas from all at Moyes.

Moyes is closed December 24th.  Reopen January 6th.

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Further Responses from Juaki

A letter to Águst

Juaki writes:

We will run a Category 2 competition called Spanish Nationals and Non European Hang Gliding Championship Arangoiti2014.  I have even the CIVL approval.

Dear Águst

I still don't understand the reasons why, but it's up to you.  I only want to let you know that I don't agree with the comment made on the FAI web site that the organizers accepted the cancellation of the event, as this in not true.

The budget is still the same considering only the pilot entry fees as the only income and it would still be viable and possible even with the high CIVL requirements.

Anyway we will still be running our Nationals at Arangoiti at similar dates to those proposed for the Euros.  It will be a Category 2 event and I will invite all those pilots willing to come.  Maybe we can call the event "the Non-European Championship".  I still have T-shirts remaining that I would like to use.

Maybe this could be the way, at category 2 events the CIVL requirements are not so high.

I may have to remind you that at the last Euros that I organized at Ager, we had more participants at the Pre-Euros than at the Euros, in equal safe conditions both, with half of the staff at the Pre's than at the Euros.  I also flew at the Pre's and there was also a last change of key officials as what has happened at Arangoiti.  You can ask Flip about this.  The situation has been exactly the same and both competitions were really successful.

A big debate has already been opened among the hang gliding community.  I think that this has been a wrong decision on your part.  I believe you have not thought about the consequences of this decision.

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Calling to US from Australia

Don't dial the plus signs

http://www.howtocallabroad.com/results.php?callfrom=australia&callto=united_states

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