Lift and Laughter - February 2007

At the end of March, Peter Rexer will lead a PLF clinic at the beach
where attendees can practice this useful skill.  In April there is a
Spring fly-in at Elk Mountain from April 20-22 – come to experience
great spring flying and the exciting road to launch where you find out
if your vehicle is really a 4WD vehicle.  Shortly after the Elk fly-in,
we are planning a spring fly-in at Anderson Flat on May 5-6.  For those
who have not yet flown these sites, come to get a site introduction and
meet some local pilots.  Please check the BAPA Event Calendar at  for
details.  If you want to stay at Gene Pfeiffer’s cabin for the Anderson
Flat fly-in, be sure to RSVP to Gene. 

The annual BAPA Thermal Clinic will be held on May 19-20, most likely
at Potato Hill and then we’re planning to have a Summer Solstice fly-in
at Hat Creek on June 22-24.

At the May 2 BAPA meeting in South San Francisco, Celia Pender will do
a short slide show on flying in Slovenia.  Come to hear about this
great place to fly and travel.  The July BAPA meeting in Milpitas will
be on July 11 to avoid the July 4th holiday.  Josh Cohn will give a
slide show on the Paragliding World Championships this year and discuss
various topics of interest.

That’s all I’m going to write about for now – I hope that everyone has
a great flying year this year and that you come to the BAPA meetings
and events!

And now a few words from Brent …

…if you’re reading this you may be asking yourself:  Who is this guy
and how did he get involved with BAPA?  Let me shed a little light.
First, many of you are probably aware of Ann’s persuasive
influence…hence my cheerful acceptance as Co-Director!  Secondly as Ann
noted earlier, our activities focus this season is upon expanding
BAPA’s reach to include more novice and intermediate pilots…a category
to which I ascribe.

For two-plus years, I’ve been almost exclusively a coastal pilot
rushing to lay-out my wing whenever possible, eagerly anticipating the
lift of the “posh” Pacific breeze.  I’ve logged a lot of hours and I’ve
had a ton of fun but often found myself wanting more.  That’s why I’m
here…hanging out with BAPA, hoping to find a few brave, experienced
souls willing to introduce “newbies” like myself to the greater
pleasures of paragliding.  In return, I hope to facilitate an
interesting and enjoyable calendar of events for the season.

One that comes to mind has to do with the very essence of our sport.
Over the years, I’ve been alternately associated with falconry or the
preservation of birds of prey on some level.  My personal love of
flight originated with these birds and the magic of their morphology
(which we so crudely imitate with our huge fabric wings).  Depending
upon interest, an opportunity for BAPA members to study the flight
mechanics of “The Masters” up close and personal may be a distinct
possibility.  Ann and I will be seeking your guidance this season to
determine what you as BAPA members would like to see most.  Don’t be a
stranger!  Happy and safe flying!v