SAFA Skysailor Magazine

35 November | December 2023 SKY SAILOR the ground. This resulted in a broken hip and an extended rescue/extraction process. No damage to equipment. Pilot should maintain awareness of the proximity of trees and terrain, especially when searching or thermalling in marginal lift. Concentrating too much on where the lift is, can be a distraction from this awareness. #1754 – PG tree landing and damage to glider, Mystic, Bright, Vic PIC was flying their PG from Mystic (Vic). They had over-committed to a desired LZ, having flown in overly demanding conditions. This led to the pilot not making this LZ and opting to land in a tree. Damage to three cells and the leading edge of the wing was sustained. No injury to pilot. Pilots are reminded to consider flying conditions (both current and near future) carefully before deciding to launch. Once airborne, pilots should maintain a safe glide to the nearest safe landing area if landing may be imminent. Pilots should avoid over-commitment to a desired landing area and have a safe Plan B available. We’ll keep heading north and duck briefly into the ACT. #1741 – Potholes in the sky, PG, ACT PIC was flying their EN-C paraglider in light thermic conditions at Spring Hill (ACT), a site they have flown for 20+ years. After launching into a light thermal, they were 384ft above the hill when hit by turbulence which twisted the wing 180º to the right and caused a 50% collapse on the left hand wing. PIC recovered this (opposite brake and weight-shift), but in doing so, suffered the inverse twist and collapse. The pilot managed to open the wing again, but it would not fly and entered a parachutal stall, collapsed 30%, descending at 6m/s. They impacted terrain approxi- mately 80ft below launch, in rocky terrain. A complicated compound fracture of the right elbow, as well as other soft tissue damage and whiplash resulted. The turbulence encountered here may have been the result of a convergence line Pantai Pandawa, Bali Photo: Maury Ellis