SAFA SkySailor Magazine

7 March | April 2024 SKY SAILOR Learning to fly, together All photos: Emma Pane and Wesley Natgzam weather patterns. Airology’s teaching methods, dedication to skill development, and focus on challenging conditions, made it an exceptional and gratifying learning experience. Airology provided amazing ongoing support, and other supportive avenues, like the generous team behind the ‘Eager Eaglets’. We are grateful for the impact that gave us on our pursuit of our paragliding adventures. What attracted you to becoming a pilot? Riding our bicycles to the top of Mt Emu launch sparked our new found love for para- gliding, driven in turn by the incredible views. The PG2 course and our passion for outdoor sports solidified our appreciation for the sport. We live in Tawonga, near the base of the Tawonga Gap launch site. What was the most memorable experience from your training? Wesley: The first high flight from Mystic launch in Bright. The anxiety was palpable. Paragliding, inherently defying human instinct, required a mental shift to normalise the sen- sation of being airborne. Successfully landing after that initial flight, with cheers from Phil, Marie, and Sharon, marked a pivotal moment – a triumph over fear and a celebration of my newfound paragliding skills. Emma: I found the scariest thing was the first low slope flight we did at Gundowring. However, as soon as I landed, I remember Sharon coming over and being so excited for me, I could not wipe the smile off my face. One of the best parts was realising that I could overcome the fear and intimidation of learning to fly and enjoy being up in the air. It was pure joy witnessing others in my course overcome their own fears. I’ll never forget the cheers from the Airology team and fellow students. Do you have any plans to compete? While we currently say ‘no’ to competing, our competitive nature and drive for progression might lead us down that path unintentionally as we strive to get better. It has happened in other sports, so it’s hard to deny our desire to be our best. What are your flying goals? Our immediate goal is a novelty XC flight from Mystic over Tawonga Gap to the Kiewa Valley, maybe via Bogong, and landing back home. Future aspirations include longer XC flights and mastering advanced skills like proximity flying, spiral dives, and helicopters through hard work and progression.