Category: Podcast

Our latest podcast is on dust devils. The Scientific American describes dust devils as “small, rotating columns of air that we can see because of the dust and debris they pick up from the ground, resulting from a mini-weather system that occurs when one piece of ground heats up faster than the ground surrounding it on a hot, calm, dry day.” They are also defined as heated thermal sources that should have been triggered but have become super heated, so that when they do release they do so with a surprising vehemence. Extremely dangerous near the ground, expert pilots do use them in competitions and during cross-country flying. In this podcast we talk about the dangers, safety, some tips and just how beautiful they are. 

Listen to the podcast below:

Simon Blake is a pilot from the north-west of England. Having learnt to fly paragliders, he was very diligent about noting down his flights and what he learnt from them. A few years ago he put his collected experience into a book called Prepare to Fly.

If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a goldmine of information for both new and old pilots. This is the authoritative guide to what you can do – in every aspect of your flying – to prepare in advance. Simon’s book covers it all. In this podcast he talks about flying being a journey, not a destination; things you can prepare for and many tips and insights he has learnt on the way.

Listen to the podcast below:

Jesse Williams on the X-Pyr.

The X-Pyr started in 2012 with just a dozen competitors. The first edition was 438km from Hondaribia on the Atlantic coast to Port de la Selva on the Mediterranean. The biannual race flourished from there, with top hike and fly competitors from all over the world now coming to compete in the race. Having been an X-Alps supporter twice, Jesse Williams competed in the 2016 X-Pyr. Jesse did exceptionally well in the race – his first ever hike and fly comp and he came 5^th, beaten only by Maurer, Mayer, Durogati and Arevalo. He battled injury, but continued until the last minute. He gained a place in the X-Alps as a result and comported himself very well there too.

Listen to the podcast below: