SAFA Skysailor Magazine

9 September | October 2023 SKY SAILOR made the mission highly successful, despite not achieving the summit. (South African pilot Pierre Carter, also on the team’s permit, was successful in launching from the South Col and landed at Kala Patthar, near Everest BC.) In addition, the entire team was proud when three members of the climbing team made the summit and planted the ‘End Polio Now’ banner on the peak. Film maker Dr Joe Carter, from the Queensland University of Technology, docu- mented the campaign with a full-length movie, soon to be released at various venues, includ- ing adventure film festivals and on television. In April 2023, Ken and fellow climber and pilot Marcus Loane, both from the Stanwell Park Club in NSW, made a return trip to the Khumbu Valley. Marcus had supported the 2022 campaign and accompanied Ken through the Ice Fall to Camp 2 on Everest, together with earlier acclimatising hikes and flights alongside Sano Babu Sunuwar (Babu flew from the summit of Everest in 2011 and was charged by the Nepali government with assessing and approving Ken to be suitable to fly from Everest). Ken had previous high altitude flying experience when he launched from Choy Oyu (Tibet), the sixth highest mountain, in 2014, also for Rotary International’s polio eradication efforts. This year’s expedition intended to complete a high altitude launch from the summit of Lobuche Peak (6119m), this time on full size gliders, followed by a fly up the Khumbu Glacier and across the faces of the world’s highest mountains to capture some epic footage to conclude the final scenes of Dr Joe Carter’s documentary. Once again, the climbing permit proved problematic, although it was eventually issued by the Nepalese government (only the second ever issued for the Everest region), it came very late in the expedition, thus reducing our options to wait for a suitable weather window. There are severe penalties for flying without the proper permission, including arrest, confiscation of equipment, cancellation of climbing permits, large fines and possible deportation, therefore following the proper protocols is imperative, particularly when the real goal is to raise funds for charity and to aid the eradication of polio throughout the world. The only system for obtaining permits is by personal negotiation with ministerial government officials – this year’s permit was stipulated as ‘Test Flights’ with an obligation to supply video and photographic records to the Nepali Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation following the expedition. Our team were also required to launch flying the Nepali flags from their harnesses. Right: Ken and Marcus on Island Peak Summit Left: Team at Kongma La Pass between Island and Lobuche Peaks at 18000ft All photos: Marcus Loane