SAFA Skysailor Magazine

9 WINTER 2026 | June-July-August SKY SAILOR The Safety Officer waits for a cycle, a gentle surge of air coming up the face of the mountain. They watch the long silk streamers placed down the slope. When the streamers point straight up the hill, the window opens. “Wait for it... wait for it,” the Officer whis- pers, a steadying presence at the pilot’s shoulder. “The air is coming. Feel it on your skin.” The launch is a frantic, violent blur. You lean your entire body weight forward, fighting the drag of the wing as it rises behind you like a giant, colorful sail. For a second, you are pinned to the earth, your legs churning like a cartoon character’s. Then, the wing takes the load. The elation is not immediate. For the first few minutes, most new pilots are in a state of hyper-vigilance. Every bump in the air feels like a personal attack. But as you find your first thermal and start to spiral upward, the perspective shifts. You see the shadow of your own wing racing across the treetops below. You see the town of Corryong shrink to a toy village. You realise that you are currently higher than the mountain you just stood upon. Photos: Bruce Agnew