SAFA Skysailor Magazine

25 July | August 2021 SKY SAILOR This issue I’d like to start out with a big thank you to our AIRS Managers, indeed, all of our Safety Officers and volunteers out there. Without them we would not be operating as safely as we are able to. Without our AIRS Managers providing their expertise and knowledge of local sites, processing of AIRS reports would take a lot longer than it does now. Thank you folks, your assistance is greatly appreciated. If you have filed an AIRS report, you will hear from an AIRS Manager to talk through what happened. Please assist them as much as you can – you aren’t in strife, we just want to know as much as you can tell us to help everyone else to learn from what happened. Safety officers are highly valued members of our commu- nity. They give of their time freely, often forgoing opportu- nities to fly themselves in order to assist other pilots. As an organisation, we ask a lot of them and do not acknowledge their contributions as often as we should. So, many thanks to all of you. If you are interested in taking the first step to help others and give back to our community, have a talk with your club officials and Safety Officers. We always welcome those with a genuine interest in safety. Now to this issue’s wrap-up of AIRS reports. We’re going to start off in Victoria and wind the clock back to look at some older reports that have been reviewed. Let’s go coastal for a while. AIRS #849 – PG spin at Bells Beach PIC was a very low hours pilot, flying their paraglider at Bells Beach (VIC). Although advised to land on the beach, the pilot approached deep and high for a top landing, then spun the wing on the right, about five metres above the ground. They hit the ground flat on their back, the impact area being dirt with only a few very small shrubs, released their leg buckles, right shoulder strap and took off their helmet, but stayed prone. As they impacted only about 20 metres behind the busy launch area, helpers arrived immediately. Stable fracture(s) of vertebra(e) resulted. AIRS Safety Wrap-up – June 2021 by Iain Clarke – SAFA Safety Management Officer