Category: Podcast

In this podcast Judith Mole examines how we make decisions, what influences our decision making process and looks at ways we can make better decisions. Drawing on research from economics, psychology and neuroscience, she examines how the brain works and applies good general advice to a flying context and gives you some tools to try to help you make good decisions when it comes to being on launch and deciding whether to take off or not. The podcast covers topics like how to find people you can trust, examining your current emotional state, brain responses to experts and sky gods and tips for making good decisions when you are standing on take-off. Essential listening for new (and old!) pilots.

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In this latest podcast Judith Mole talks to John Hovey, an experienced first aid trainer and expedition leader with the with the National Outdoor Leadership School (www.nols.edu). The podcast looks at what to do in the event of an accident, covering liability, taking charge, moving a casualty, emergency procedures, kit to carry etc. This podcast could help you feel prepared if you have the misfortune to witness, or be involved in, an accident.

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Gavin McClurg is a professional adventurer. As well as circumnavigating the world by boat, he used to be in the US ski team, is an accomplished white-water kayaker and he currently holds the North American foot launch distance record (387 km), set from his home town of Sun Valley to near Helena, Montana. 

In summer 2014, Gavin and Will Gadd, himself a flying, climbing and ice climbing legend set out to complete a 700 km traverse of the Canadian Rockies and fly to the US border and into the record books – they did the distance flying, without any hiking. The aim was to make forward progress only when they were in the air. The project was filmed and sponsored by Reel Water Productions and Red Bull and will be released as “The Rockies Traverse”.

The Canadian Rockies are remote and there are few landing opportunities, which made the flying both exciting and dangerous. Added to that, Will and Gavin had never met before commencing the adventure. As a result of this amazing trip, Gavin and Will were nominated for the prestigious National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Award. In this podcast, Gavin explains the background to the journey and lets me have an insight into the planning and execution of this remarkable adventure.

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Kathleen Rigg is an extremely accomplished hang glider pilot based in Derbyshire, England. She has flown at the top level of the Women’s World Hang Gliding Championships for years, has been the British Women’s Champion numerous times and has been awarded the Royal Aero Club Individual Gold Award. 

With the number of hang gliders declining in recent years, paraglider pilots are getting less opportunity to fly with hang gliders and are therefore often unaware of their flying, launch and landing characteristics, difference in speed, etc. This lack of understanding had sometimes inadvertently caused problems for hang glider pilots and lead to friction between the two communities.

In this podcast Kathleen explains some of the issues about sharing the sky from the hang glider perspective and talks about what we can all do to make things easier for everyone – and that includes paraglider pilots as well!

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Ziad Bassil (Dust of the Universe) is passionate about testing gliders. He has flown a staggering number of them over the past 20 years. With his friends, he flies the mountains of his native Lebanon and makes glide angle comparison tests in moving air and writes up his reviews on his blog at www.dustoftheuniverse.com. He is completely independent and is not aligned to any company or brand. In this podcast we talk about what he does and he offers useful advice for other pilots on testing gliders and how to choose the wing for you!

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