Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton - Issue No.: 781 Issue Date: 22 Apr, 2024

Guest Speaker Brendon Jones: works as a physiotherapist and has owned his practice since 2004. However his real interest is flying. Became a pilot in 1992, but nowadays concentrates on paragliding and hang gliding. Describes them as weight shift aircraft.

Paragliding was first done in 1965 and started in Europe. People would sneek their craft up on ski lifts.

There are two basic types of paragliding. One is to fly off a cliff the other is to find a thermal. Brendon’s longest flight was three and a half to four hours. The longest flight that has officially been recorded is 580ks which took 5hr 40min.

Brendon has been to 6,500 ft in a thermal. A German woman went to 45,000 feet and froze but survived.

Brendon has learnt to appreciate clouds and Wedge Tail Eagles which do dive bomb gliders.

He mentioned kite surfing and also parachute flying (hard to control a round parachute)

Every flight is different with wind changes all the time.

At this stage B4H Moorey interrupted Brendon’s talk to tell us he (Moorey) could speak for two hours on everything he did wrong when he attempted to paraglide.

Back to Brendon… There used to be a club in Geraldton but they deliberate avoid having a club because of all the bureaucracy. There was a club called MW Soarers. It is compulsory to be a member of the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia.

Questions: KevWat – Do you have to register with the airport; Stabba – Do you need a clear day? LazloDines – Cumulo Nimbus with hail stones the size of soccer balls? Suki – huh? Ralphie – Is a hang glider better than a paraglider?

Vote of Thanks by B Rubble Councillor