SAFA Skysailor Magazine

44 SKY SAILOR September-October-November | SPRING 2025 in the airmass, totally unobstructed views of mountains and coastlines, the thrill of foot launching off a hill, and the ability to sneak in a quick coastal soar after work. Their portability is another huge advantage, allowing me to fly all over Australia and overseas with minimal logistical fuss. Gliding, meanwhile, offers its own set of advantages. A broader wind range means more flyable days, and superior penetration into wind opens up routes impossible in a hang glider or paraglider. Best of all, gliding tasks usually end where they began. The routine of sunset drinks back at the airfield is a welcome contrast to hang gliding’s dusty roadside waits and late-night retrieves after landing a hundred or more kilometres away. Looking ahead Gliding hasn’t replaced flex wing free flight for me; it’s complemented it. Each discipline sharpens the other. Gliding broadens my understanding of con- vergence lines and cloud streets, whilst hang gliding and paragliding hone my eye for ground triggers, and the routine practice of landing in sight-unseen places From Mountains to Airfields