2011 iP2 Paragliding Pilot Winging Ceremony and Flight Club Oct.28/11

iParaglide Flight Club Friday October 28th was an epic paragliding celebration for all of 2011!

Thanks to all the paraglider pilots and their friends who came down, we were a presence indeed.

The Yaletown Brew Pub has that special energy that really soars on a Friday night. Tough to beat. In this case the World Series baseball game was on Texas VS St. Louis. Had pilots cheering.  

The evening opened with some great food and drinks. 

Dinner was followed by all pilots proclaiming the Paragliding Pilots "Creed": a commitment to a lifetime of safe flying.  

This seasons group of paraglider pilots was a particularly close knit group, offering each other support, spending hours together kiting at Vanier Park, and practicing all the skills necessary to become good pilots.  I had an especially good time coaching them all and I want to thank and commend each of them for their dedication and hard work.  They are all truly worthy of their wings.

Beyond the great student paraglider pilots, we also had some great new Assistant Instructors.  I want to thank Degas Levesque for kicking off the season with a stellar performance radiating positive energy and always keeping pilots enjoying thier paragliding day. While he could not join us at Flight Club, this time, we joined him in spirit, with a heart felt thank you from the team.  We hope to connect soon and celebrate in full.  

Russell Smalley really hit it out of the ballpark this season. With only limited paragliding experience himself, he dug deep and drew on personal strengths, including a great radio voice, and kept the students in a calm centered state of abiding, while orchestrating accurate landings in the Riverside LZ. Thanks Russ! 

The evening switched over to the Paragliding Pilots winging ceremony, with iP2 wings being awarded to graduating pilots who successfully achieved their iP2, HPAC Novice and/or USHPA P2 pilot certifications. Some of the pilots began in 2010 and completed their final requirements early in 2011.

Tom Martinson completed his iP2 paragliding rating and also has done iParaglide SIV and Reserve seminars. Tom has been out to just about every Flight Club since inception, and his enthusiasm for the sport is much appreciated. He flies the Icaro Cyber2 in blue/black/white and an Energy Light harness. 

Mark Carter completed his iP2 rating and has done two SIV seminars and a reserve seminar with iParaglide. Mark was out at many of the morning slope soaring sessions at Diefenbaker Park, always willing to lend a hand fixing students paragliders and offering support. Thanks so much Mark! His conservative approach to flying and attention to ongoing pilot education should serve him well in the future. His paraglider is an Icaro Wildcat in orange/black/green/white combined with an Energy Cross harness.

Jeff Neale earned his iParaglide iP2 wings including a spectacular SIV performance in 2010, consistently the highest on tow, and some well executed maneuvers. He was second in a close race for iParaglide's 2011 Top Gun Paragliding Pilot Award. His wing is an Icaro Wildcat in black/red/white combined with an Energy Cross convertible harness.

Craig Fleming graduated with iP2 wings including an SIV seminar, in which he learned first hand the dynamics of the spiral! Nice to overcome adversity with some real progression. He soars on the classic Icaro Force in turquoise color combined with the light weight convertible Energy Cross paragliding harness. 

Melissa Hope achieved her flying dreams with her iP2 pilot certification and has done two Reserve Seminars. She wins 2011's Most Improved Paragliding Pilot Award. She had to overcome the significant challenge of learning to fly when she did not even have a drivers license yet!  Piloting is like driving in three dimensions: speed judgement, closing distances, turning, vehicle clearance: so you can imagine the level of difficulty. Through hard work spending significant time kiting, at training hills, and landing field approaches, she has really stepped up and earned her wings, after a slow start. Congratulations! She flies an Icaro Instinct in blue/silver/white with an Energy Light harness.

Russ Smalley was smooth and consistent in his flying, getting his iP2 wings.  He has also attended two SIV seminars and a Reserve seminar. His relaxed nature, positive outlook, and ability to give precise directions has allowed him to step up as an Assistant Instructor in record time. He flies an Icaro Cyber 2 in blue/black/white and the Energy Light harness.

Jim DeLaHunt comes from a fixed wing background and has now learned to soar on the lightest aircraft on the planet, achieving his paragliding iP2 wings.  He attended the 2011 Reserve and SIV Seminars, where he got to practice the C-Stall, a Cyber 4 innovation. His paraglider is the Icaro Cyber 4 in black/red/silver and this is complemented with the Energy Cross harness.

Kaitlin "Ducky" Sherwood got her husband Jim trying the silent flying alternative, as something they could do together.  She overcame an upset stomach from the adrenaline dump of her first paragliding experiences and spent countless hours honing her launch skills at Vanier.  She earns her iP2 wings including a Reserve Seminar and a SIV Seminar.  Flying a bright red/black/yellow Icaro Cyber 4 paraglider and a Energy Cross harness, she will be hard to miss in the sky!

Mike Bobick is a close contender for Most Improved Pilot of 2011, working hard to get his iP2 wings.  A triathelete, it came as a surprise that he had some difficulty with launches, early on in his paragliding.  After we grounded a number of iParaglide pilots from mountain flying until they had spent more time kiting, he really took the issue to heart. He may have the most kiting hours of any student ever at iP2 graduation. Congratulations Mike, for going beyond the required homework: your launch is now solid. An orange/black/white Icaro Instinct and Energy Cross harness has him zipping around the sky.

Simon Beaumont displayed a natural aptitude for the sport early on, so we placed him on an Icaro Wildcat. He has acheived his iP2 wings as well as having successfully completed Reserve and SIV seminars.  Simon gets 2011's Top Gun Paragliding Pilot Award. Beautiful forward and reverse launches, accurate landings and smooth coordinated flying have been with him throughout the season. At Simulation of Flight Incidents (SIV) training, he consistently towed the highest. His quick and precise responses to radio commands meant we could work a more aggressive training progression, especially on spirals and wing-overs. His spot landings were intially coached at the SIV, but through a gradual transfer of responsibility, by the end, he was pinning landing on the narrow beach strip on his own. Congratulations! Simon flies an Icaro Wildcat black/red/white and the Energy Cross harness.

Guy Herrigton is an iP2 grad of 2008.  It was great to catch up and issue his wings. He has completed Reserve and SIV seminars. Currently he is working on his iP3 Intermediate Paragliding Certification and flies an Icaro Maverick 2 high performance ENC paraglider in a stunning two-tone green/black/white with the Energy Light harness. 

Stephen Brownsett is an iP2 grad of 2008.  It was great to catch up with him and issue him his wings. 

Kris Klimek is a 2003 iP2 graduate. Great to catch up and issue his wings. 

Lukas Ircha is a 2002 iP2 graduate.  It was fun catching up and issuing his wings. 

Wishing all iParaglide 2011 iP2, HPAC Novice and USHPA P2 graduates a lifetime of adventure, flying paragliders.  

Fly high, fly far, but above all, fly safe, and enjoy the flights!

Comments

[Degas]

It's so great to see all those smiling faces!! I as well look forward to my next flight... for there I have been and there I long to return!!! A special thanks to Dion for sharing the love of what quite possibly could be ,.. THE BEST EXPERIENCE ON EARTH!!!