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Annecy 2015 - 4th day
Annecy 2015 - 3rd day
Annecy 2015 - 2nd day
Annecy 2015 - 1st day
Handy Hammock Launch
Outdoor Trophy - Press Release
More Niagara Flying
Niagara Flying
Jason and Roy resume training
Closing down sale
Ike
Slovenia Paragliding Trip - 1
Free paragliding magazine
Paragliding Accomodation in France
DVD Review - Flying the Falls
Himalayan paragliding
PPG Training (Sunday)
PPG Training (Saturday)
Annecy - Jason's 2nd dbag - final day
Annecy 2007 - Mont Blanc - day 7

Who Killed The Electric PPG
Who Killed The Electric PPG
Christmas Presents for Paraglider Pilots
Christmas Presents for Paraglider Pilots
Come fly with us
Hi Mark
Hi Mark
Hi Mark
Hi Mark
Where are you based
Where are you based
Finger Lakes this weekend
Finger Lakes this weekend
Don't unclip your leg-straps if you might re-launch
Don't unclip your leg-straps if you might re-launch
Italy valley flight
Italy valley flight
Italy valley flight
Italy valley flight
Free Paragliding T-shirts designs

Alpine Sky Tours - 2004

I would like to thank Dave, Toby & Fritz at 'Alpine Sky Tours' for two excellent holidays. It's just a shame that I now live in Canada. I guess I'll have to start saving for the air fare! If you've not flown in the Alps before you don't know what you are missing. Car parking near take off, launch matting/ramps. Cafes at launch and landing. Stunning, massive scenery and great food. I can't wait to be back there.
(Day 1) (Day 2) (Day 3) (Day 4) (Day 5) (Day 6) (Day 7)

Day 3

Another nice breakfast cleared away and we were all in the minibus on the way to Chamonix (2100m asl). We passed stunning scenery on the route and arrived to the sight of multiple paragliders spiral diving over the town. After a bit of sky staring we were all loaded and ready to go. One way (no-one planned to ride back down) single ticket for the day were 8 Euros. We arrived to see a few other gliders laying out and were soon doing the same. For those of you that have not seen Chamonix takeoff, it is facing Mont Blanc with a cable car wire right across it. You have to fly under the cable car before you can gain height. Camera gear out and connected for a foot mounting I was first off, quickly followed by the rest. Conditions were bumpy to say the least. Even on my stable glider I was getting bounced around a bit. The temperature was reasonable, so hands were not frozen as has been the case before. Despite rough thermals height gains were minimal, nowhere near what we had experienced last summer (2003).

Several minor collapses later I decided to go in for a landing, as I judged the clouds to be moving a tad too fast for my personal taste. Wind speed in the valley had indeed increased, but nowhere near what I anticipated. With tons of height left and no desire to work hard to get back up, I burned off excess height with a spiral dive. Unfortunately the g-force bent the foot mounting I had cleverly crafted out of a coat hanger, black insulating tape and some velcro. The result shot ends up pointing skyward for most of the spiral with me at the right of the frame...until I bend it back! See for yourself at the 'chamonix link' in the video gallery or click here). Dave was down on the ground before me. I only wish I had the camera facing forward as I came in on target....I almost got him! Soon everyone was down, except 'Aussie Steve' who decided the landing field was far too easy a target to bother with and promptly landed in a back garden between power lines and behind a hotel. His unique landing style proved to be a theme of the holiday.

The content of this site is ï¿½ Mark Andrews 2005-12, mandrews1973@gmail.com