SAFA Skysailor Magazine

35 September | October 2022 SKY SAILOR Greetings fellow pilots. Let’s launch into this month’s offerings. We’re going to take a look at a site that has recently come back into availability – Red Bluff. This site perches on the side of Port Phillip Bay in Victoria and is surrounded by some very affluent suburbs with high-value properties on the other side of the very busy Beach Road that runs behind launch. The site is admin- istered by the Skyhigh Paragliding Club, and there are some very strict protocols in place, principally because of some of the reports you are about to read. If you do want to fly this site, make yourself aware of the protocols and contact Skyhigh; the possibility that this site could be lost due to the consequences of non-compliance are (pardon the pun) sky high. #1518 – Non-licensed PG pilot PIC was approached by an SO on launch at Red Bluff (Vic), and as a result of the discussion was found not to be holding SAFA membership. PIC held an FAI licence. PIC ceased flight activities and will endeavour to undertake appropriate exams and check flight. Pilots holding an overseas qualification must also hold membership of SAFA, either Visiting Pilot membership or Full membership. Pilots holding a qualification recognised by the FAI do not need to undertake a check flight. Pilots with other qualifications are required to complete the steps outlined on Form CER-15 - Check Flight Verification. They must present their overseas qualification, undertake a check flight with a SAFA Instructor and successfully complete the SAFA theory examination relevant to the qualification sought. Failure to do so and undertaking flight operations will place the pilot in breach of the CARs and their operations will not be covered by SAFA’s public liability insurances. #1541 – Incident: PG blown behind ridge at Red Bluff, safe landing PIC was flying at Red Bluff (Vic). After flying for 40 minutes in slightly lumpy air, they failed to recognise the visual cues of a gust front approaching from the sea, or that other pilots were landing. In the minutes before the incident, the wind speed rose; PIC was able to penetrate without applying speedbar and believed that all was okay. The wind speed picked up again as the gust front hit, and PIC realised this was now no longer the case. They immediately applied full speedbar, but could no longer penetrate forward. Over the course of the next 20-35 seconds, they were pushed back over the road at 60-80m agl. PIC then began to descend and aimed for a grassed housing lot, 5m wide, landing safely. This site recently reopened with very strict usage protocols which MUST be adhered to. The site is situated next to a very busy thorough- fare, in front of a very affluent suburb with ex- pensive properties. Should anything go wrong, the potential for considerable financial and reputational damage cannot be understated. PIC acknowledges they needed to recognise the cues that were available. They’d previously read wind conditions over the sea by the presence of white caps which weren’t present in this case. Instead there were dark gust lines. PIC didn’t pay attention to the other pilots AIRS Safety Wrap-up – August 2022 by Iain Clarke – SAFA Safety Management Officer