Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 27, 2013 Posted February 27, 2013 Hi all, Just a quick introduction to myself as a keen aviator. My name is Peter Bowyer, I currently fly and teach Paragliding for a living full time at my base/classroom/shop in Murrumbateman just 1/2 hour drive from Canberra. I also have a passion for STOL and self launch sailplanes. I have been surrounded by aviation all my life. If any of you are ever interested to learn one of the purest and most simple forms of aviation be sure to give me a call for a chat, I'm sure I can help to get you badly addicted to our amazing sport! Fly to our website at www.paraglide.com.au or call me anytime on my mobile 0412 486 114 I look forward to hear from you and thanks for your time. Regards, Pete
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Peter, can we contact you on this forum?
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Yes, you can certainly contact me via the forum but it might be a slow response. I try to be away from my computer flying as much as possible:-) its much faster to contact me on my mobile as I'm always out and about. Or alternatively you could email me at [email protected] I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Pete
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 So who will answer our paragliding questions on this forum?
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 So how dangerous are they? RAA is about 1 in 1000 fatalities every year, not sure what the injury rates are but they would be fairly low.
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Paragliding is as dangerous as you make it. I've been teaching full time for the last 12 years and the worse injury since I've been instructing with one of my students has been a broken ankle and they had prior ankle issues. As in most forms of aviation your attitude toward safety is everything. Do you have a real name fly_tornado? or is everyone/most anonymous on this forum as well? I never have understood why people don't use their real names? Please don't take offense I just don't understand why if you didn't want to say something you wouldn't stand behind it with your real name otherwise people say just anything.
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 This isn't Facebook. Being able to exist semi-anonymously is one of the internet's virtues. You probably need to read up a bit on identity theft, sooner rather than later.
ayavner Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 welcome Peter! Is paragliding where you jump off a high place such as a mountain and glide your way to the bottom under a steerable parachute? If so, I remember once when i was in Bozeman, MT USA I was hiking up one of the local mountains with some mates and there were a couple of guys doing that, and I remember thinking how much fun that looks and how serene it seems just floating your way down. That was before I started flying lessons, but the memory stuck with me... have to try it some day. cheers! (Adam)
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Yes, fly_tornado, I also run a business and using a false name or being anonymous isn't a good move for business or your credibility. Thanks for the hot tip though:-)
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Hi Adam, Paragliding has come a long way. We often fly for 1-2 hours ridge soaring and sometimes all day we catch thermals and fly cross country for hundreds of kilometres. I just got back from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro as part of www.wingsofkilimanjaro.com and we had planned to fly from the summit but the weather beat us this time as we had strong winds from a tropical cyclone situated off the coast nearby. Next time though! Be sure to check out Paragliding and I assure you that you'll love it! Its simple, portable, as safe as you make it and fun.
skeptic36 Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Hi Peter Do you do the ones with the motor strapped on their back as well? Regards Bill
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Put it this way Peter, we all have real lives. But do you want to possibly open the door to crooks every time you register on a site on the internet? You're good at your job and the internet crooks are good at theirs too. As a Facebook user, do you worry about who Facebook sells your personal and business data too?
ayavner Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 sounds cool Peter! Though i am almost certain that I am only one more expensive hobby away from Spousicide... I will definitely put it on my list, just will have to lay low for awhile after getting the pilot cert (at least until I can show that its useful for something)
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Hi Bill, Thanks also for your interest. Yes, we teach Paramotoring as well. Firstly you need to do a nine day License course to learn to fly a Paraglider and get your restricted/supervised pilots license then you can start your endorsement to start learning to fly with a Paramotor on your back. Ideally the more airtime you have accrued in a normal Paraglider the safer and easier you'll make the transition to powered flight. Paramotoring opens up many more flight possibilities and is the ultimate for that trip around Australia being so portable and easy to launch from small paddocks or airfields. A license course starts at $1990 for a nine day block course and we have License courses scheduled most months of the year and we teach all year round. I look forward to hear back from you:-) Regards, Pete
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 How many hours do you get out of a wing?
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Adam, Its useful for staying sane (mental health), checking out fishing spots, incredible for aerial photography, banner towing with a paramotor, photography for real estate agents (income producing)!!!!! what more do you want? Put it on your list but don't wait till you're too old! also, much cheaper hourly operating costs, thereby happier misses, longer marriage.... fly_tornado Yes, I hear you. I really don't like Facebook and putting yourself out there as I realise we are quite vulnerable but its a catch 22 when operating a business. You have to put yourself out there though. I do genuinely thank you for your concerns though. Cheers, Pete
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Paraglider life: 400 or more hours from a wing but rarely does anyone wear out a wing. They are usually obsolete and updated with a new model well before they wear out. Did you know that a modern normal paraglider weights just 5-6 kilos for the wing alone and that there are now ultra lightweight versions that weight just 1.35 kilos! and a matching harness for just 1/2 kilo. Hike and Fly is becoming very popular amongst pilots these days. You climb a beautiful mountain then fly down, or thermal up again and fly cross country. I'm telling you guys, you're missing out! I haven't even told you about Parahawking yet. Google it first and check it out. Bloody amazing! Pete
ayavner Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 I watched some videos on this very site the other day on parahawking. Beautiful!
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Adam, put it on your bucket list as well. I can vouch for it being one of the most incredible experiences any pilot can have, its surreal. But with Parahawking its not going to be around forever the birds are becoming endangered and being wiped out due to the drug diclofemac and the local farmers giving it to their cattle. Once the beast dies the drug remains in the cattles bloodstream and meat and when the birds feed on the carcass they die within 24 hours. Sadly its wiping out Vultures and many other birds of prey in the Himalaya and throughout India and Nepal. You had better learn to fly a Paraglider soon so you don't miss out:cheezy grin:
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Eeeew paragliding over a cattle carcass! Peter, have you done any fixed wing flying?
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 No we didn't fly over any carcasses. And yes I have flown and spent quite a bit of time in fixed wing aircraft as my father was an Airforce then airline pilot and a flying instructor as well. I never did get my license though and its one of my biggest regrets. I didn't like everyone telling me I was going to be a pilot and wanted to find my own way in life. I shouldn't have fought it was my destiny and I'm only really ever happy 100% when I'm flying. I just got back from Africa and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro and part of my role there was looking after flight operations with safety with our Paragliding side of the event, unfortunately the weather put an end to our Paragliding as we had very strong winds. Part of the planning for the event though included a number of reconnaissance flights in a STOL Maule and we climbed and flew around the mountain on three occasions and I had a number of goes at the controls and loved it, just like I always did and was very comfortable with the flying, and controls. I recently fell in love with the Savage Bobber when I saw it. Looks like a very nice simple, fun aircraft. I want one, bad!
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Bags a ride in the bobber! So what is the maximum wind a learner can safely fly a paraglider in? Do you know the guys @ Tribal Flight?
Guest Peter Bowyer Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 0-20mph is generally what we teach in. You can fly in more wind when you're experienced. Yes, I know the guys at Tribal Flight.
fly_tornado Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 So how many hours before you are competent in most conditions?
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