SAFA Skysailor Magazine

13 January | February 2022 SKY SAILOR (HGAWA). As one of the few advanced pilots in Western Australia at the time, he took on the position of examiner at the club. He has made many contributions to the safety of the sport, having been heavily involved as a Senior Safety Officer with SAFA over many years. “Western Australia had been without a qualified instructor for several years, which is why taking on the role of Club Examiner was a significant step for the future of the sport. My role was responsible for helping create a new pilot rating system which was to be introduced by the then HGFA, now SAFA,” Rick said. As Rick took on further university studies in business management and his career pro- gressed, he continued to give his time to hang gliding, training new students and making improvements for the sport. Some of his many notable achieve- ments includes obtaining a letter of agreement for a release of airspace from 3,500ft to 10,000ft over a 10Nm radius around a local Perth site. He also secured 21-year long term lease agree- ments from local council and grant money from the WA power utility (Western Power) for one of the state’s world class coastal sites, Sandpatch, just outside Albany. Rick continues to be involved in negotiations of long-term agreements with other local councils to fly various beach sites in and around the coastal suburbs of Perth and other areas of the state. He has obtained annual Clockwise from opposite page: Rick paraglides at Mt Bakewell Swinburne Hang Gliding Club open day recruitment A happy Rick flying his GT The Hill Flyers Club meets at Mt Bakewell, WA Uni club days Photos: Courtesy Rick Williams