SAFA Skysailor Magazine

36 SKY SAILOR November | December 2024 AIRS Safety Wrap-up – October 2024 by Iain Clarke – SAFA Safety Management Officer Greetings fellow pilots. Strutharama! As I write, we’re experiencing a burst of real winter weather here in Tassie, and it shows no sign of abating. Ground handling would result in a rapid transit, either across Bass Strait or the Tasman! I’m starting to pull together the stats from AIRS for the last financial year and will put together a report for the next issue. One item of interest I can note now is that no-one is re- porting near misses. This is something I would like to see changed, as we can all learn very valuable lessons from these events. Unlike accident or incident reports, near misses are things that don’t eventuate, but could very well have occurred and resulted in something more serious. If you have had any of these events, please, feel free to submit a report. Let’s dive into this issue’s offerings. We’ll start by looking back at some of the oldest reports awaiting airing, then jump forward to some more recent ones. #1564 – PG hung up on tree on launch at Crackneck, NSW PIC was preparing to launch their paraglider in gusty conditions at Crackneck (NSW). They launched during a gust and lost their balance, falling onto their back. They kept flying the wing which then took a frontal collapse which then shock reinflated as they were getting to their feet and got hung up on the tree at the rear of launch. Pruning of the tree was required in order to free the wing. One rear line separated from the glider’s trailing edge. Caution must be exercised when choosing to launch in gusty conditions. Ensure the surrounding area is clear of obstructions and be prepared to kill the wing if the inflation or launch goes awry. #1573 – PG collision with a member of the public at Cooks Terrace, NSW PIC was landing their paraglider at Cooks Terrace (NSW). Whilst experiencing difficulties getting their legs out of their pod harness. PIC over-corrected their wing control inputs and collided with a member of the public, who suffered abrasions to legs and elbow. Pilots should adopt landing posture well before their landing approach (i.e., legs out/ down), especially when landing in a constrained or crowded area, and devote all their attention to controlling the aircraft on approach. #1575 – PG incident on 12/11/21 at Stanwell Tops, NSW PIC launched their paraglider at Bald Hill, Stanwell Park (NSW), in 9kt of wind. The sky was overcast, conditions showed some light rain from distant clouds. PIC was soaring the hill and noticed rain approaching, so headed to the landing zone. Rain began before landing could be safely achieved, resulting in the glider becoming wet and difficult to maintain height. PIC then headed for alternative landing at Stanwell Park beach, however, due to the reduced glide angle they landed in a treed area. No injuries were suffered as a result. The glider was retrieved with moderate damage requiring repairs.