Hi everybody!
I'm Giacomo, a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Sheffield, and I'm seriously considering doing my EPC and CPC courses to start exploring this amazing sport.
However I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with. 🙂
1) How doable is it to para-glide in the Peak District during the winter? I've read online that the UK is not the best place to para-glide in the winter due to the strong winds and cold weather, but I would like to hear first person experiences, especially about this part of the country. 🙂
2) How much should I expect to buy for a decent beginner glider (probably second-hand to reduce the costs, but safety is #1)?
3) I don't have a car, so I'm limited to public transports from Sheffield. The only school within reasonable reach is Peak Airsports (~1 hour Sheffield->Hope + walk) and that's about fine, however I was wondering if there are para-gliding sites that are faster to reach from Sheffield.
Also (for post-certifications, so maybe in the medium-term), how often do you guys go gliding? Are there regular meetings? Anyone going from Sheffield that fancies a little chat in the car on the way to the sites? 😛 (I'm willing to pay for oil xD)
Just asking because I'm pretty sure that it would be very helpful to fly advised by veterans during my first flights. 😛
4) I've seen a couple of youtube videos about wing collapses -- trying to scare myself off. xD
Reasonably, how likely is it to incur in similar accidents? Again I'm thinking about the strong wind that blows in this area. :/
Thank you in advance to everybody, and hopefully see you guys soon! 😀
Hi Giacomo and welcome to the DSC forum.
In answer to your questions;
Question 1 - It's very doable and actually a great way to learn. In the Uk we tend to fly in stronger condition than our european counterparts as our hills are slightly smaller than their mountains, so we need the dynamic lift from stronger winds. Learning in winter is a great way to learn as it'll teach you the fundamentals before having to deal with thermal flying. That's the way I learnt and it enabled me to progress quite quickly.
Question 2 - For a new setup you'd be looking around £4k (Roughly broken downWing £3k, Harness £500, reserve £250, Vario £120, and a few bits and bobs) If your looking to buy second hand then I would highly recommend getting advice from either a dealer, instructor, club coach etc. as there's a lot to look out for, especially if you intend to by from places like eBay where there is a lot of equipment sold that isn't airworthy or may not be right for for various reasons like weight range, glider performance etc. But to answer your question on budget you could get a 2nd hand setup for around £2k
Question 3 - There are loads of pilots that come/travel through Sheffield and even if you caught a train to Hope then there'll always be people driving past so this isn't too much of a problem especially when you start making new paragliding friends.
Question 4 - Try not to look at these videos if they scare you!!!! I couldn't when I was learning. There are a lot numpties out there who think they don't need training or do silly things. Once your qualified then some videos may be beneficial to watch as it's a good way to learn from other peoples mistakes. And mistakes only happen from pilot error. The fact that you have these concerns are good as it shows that you've got a level head and not gun-ho. It's a relatively safe sport if you can manage the risks we take, and apparently Horse Riding is more dangerous. Proper training will teach you how to react to situations like collapses.
Hopefully this has answered all your questions but if you've any more then please feel free to ask.
Kind regards
Lee
Winter flying in the Peaks? Here's a VERY cold but fun flight from a few years ago on Mam Tor.
Hi Giacomo,
We have 2 training schools in the peaks near you, both I think will pick you up from Hope station, and as Lee say's there is plenty of people coming out from Sheffield. Best thing to do is contact a school and have a go ..
The weather looks good for Sunday, so come and visit and talk to people...
Sheffield is a great place to live if you are into Paragliding.
Yes learning to fly in the UK is not simple but it is rewarding.
The University used to have a flying club with flying equipment for students to use?
All the best with your plan. S Hudson CFI . www.d-f-c.co.uk