With all the talk of modern gliders and equipment it was interesting to read the Nova team blog post on how they prepare and train mentally for their record breaking XC flights. They shared some tips and advise on how to plan the routes, prepare for the flights and stay motivated and focused on those (hopefully) long cross country flights.
Here are a couple of our favourites:
Wolfgang Bernhard
“In my opinion the essence that separates good from outstanding XC pilots is mental strength. Physical fitness and state of the art gear are elemental anyway. Before a long XC flight, I „fly“ possible routes in my head. When I pass special locations or scenery (glaciers, beautiful mountains etc.) I take time to enjoy.”
Matthias Kirchmayr
“Mental preparation is very important for a successful XC flight. The day before a flight, I check the weather forecast and work out a realistic route. I then imagine flying the chosen route several times and really concentrate on turning points and tricky sections. Yet, I have also experienced awesome flights with changed plans according to weather and conditions.”
“That’s very important. Paragliding is mainly a mental issue! After a collapse or heavy turbulences I try to analyse my fears and ask myself if the flight is still joyful. If not, I slowly land at a safe spot. If I can control my fears, I keep on flying – with maximum motivation.”
But perhaps the best advise of all comes from Werner Luidolt:
“Don’t think, Just fly”!
You can read the full post on the nova blog by following the link below.