Hoppy's Paragliding Photos

Hoppy flew a Windtech Amber glider for 110 hours or so, now flies a UP Kantega. He is a Pilot rated sort of person with 200 hours. He is member of the Southern Hang Gliding Club even though he doesn't fly a hang glider. He finds that the weather is only good during the week when he is at work, and when it is good at the weekend, all of Sussex is flying at the same site. He has also flown at a variety of sites around Europe including: Saalbach (AUT), Les Arcs (FR), Morzine (FR), Samoens (Flaine)(FR), Annecy (FR), Lanzarote (ESP), Alicante (ESP) and Piedrahita (ESP); his favourite being Mayrhofen in Austria. These are some pictures that I've taken whilst doing the flying thing. Click on the picture for a larger one if you feel the urge. Some are taken in the Alps, others in England. It's quite easy to separate the two - the Alps are the ones with the mountains and sun. England is the flat one.
I also have some Lanzarote pictures but I haven't scanned them in yet

SE England (Southern Hang-gliding Club)

Hoppy flying around at Firle

Someone else flying around at Firle

Ground handling at Firle

Firle on a very cold December afternoon

People learning at "Mount" Caburn

Flying around at "Mount" Caburn

Hoppy flying around a few thousand feet above High and Over, on the Cuckmere river

Hoppy about to land after another glorious 5 minute flight at Devils Dyke

Beachy Head

Taking pictures whilst I should be thinking about not crashing at Beachy Head.

Taking pictures whilst I have no chance of hitting the other punters at Firle Bo Peep. Why was I the only one in the thermals?!

Mayrhofen (with Kelly Farina of Austrian Arena) June 2004

Flying in Mayrhofen with Kelly seems to be coming a bit of an obsession. In June 2004 we had a spectacular week, hooking thermals to over 3500m, high above the surrounding mountains.Kelly's Organisation.

Top landing on the Filtzenkogel

Hanging around somewhere near cloudbase one evening. Spectacular

Approaching Mayrhofen from Kaltenbach. Around 3000m

A view of the austrian / Italien border from 3500m. The peak on the bottom left is the Ahornspitze (2973m).

Hoppy gliding back towards Mayrhofen one evening from the Ahorn.

Morzine, autumn 2002

A few of us went to Morzine with Flight Culture. Unfortunately the weather was a bit pooy, so there was much parawaiting to be had :-(

Taking pictures whilst I should be thinking about not crashing into the cliff at Avoriaz.

Annecy pictures from September 1999

Several budding pilots from Imperial College went to Annecy to complete their CP course with Irwyn & Jane. They have a nice renovated Mill with its own landing field. Well recommended.
They have a website here
We also went to the St Hilaire flying festival which was scary as hell for us novice pilots, especially watching the chopper picking people out of the trees. Looking around was definitely safer.
The house - with windsock
The view from Irwyn's house
Taken from Entrevernes. La Forclaz is at top left, Verthier landing field is in the middle, just by the lake.
Taken from Entrevernes. Irwyn's house is just below the rocky outcrop. Loads of landing fields, some covered in horse poo.
Taken from La Forclaz. Lake Annecy
Imagine hundereds of people of all nationalities all cheering as you take off. Only the nearest can stand on your lines...
My target was the field next to the target. I have about 800m of height to lose
The funnicular train to the top of the ridge.
Take off at Le Grand Bounard. I should have taken skis.
Le Grand Bounard.
Le Grand Bounard landing field (Le Bouchet). No the paraglider near the mountain won't make it to the field!