Adventure often runs in the blood of Kiwis, and in Louis Tapper it runs thick. Long before Louis got hooked with flying he broke a world distance record in kitesurfing in Brazil and was (and remains) a pretty hard-core paddler. When he discovered flying he dug in hard. Louis competes regularly in World Cups around the world; is a 5-time New Zealand National Champion; and currently holds the out and back triangle records in New Zealand. In this episode we explore many aspects of managing risk, beginning with his epic in Brazil. We discuss the crossover between paddling and flying, best-practices for progression in paragliding, and the lessons Louis has learned from flying sailplanes. The conversation then shifts to the topic of the recently published New Zealand Safety and Accident Report, which Louis and several others researched and penned. We dive into what the comprehensive report uncovered, why it’s almost always a string of errors that lead to an accident, where the greatest change is needed, who is most at risk, and why too many accidents in paragliding, speed flying, and hang gliding keep happening. We explore the concept of human factors in accidents and the potential for applying lessons from commercial aviation to improve safety in free-flight. Turns out it remains pretty obvious: it’s the basics that can make a big difference- ground handling, launching, and landing. Louis emphasizes the importance of margin and observation in reducing accidents and the importance of personal approach, wing handling, and situational awareness. The conversation also highlights the significance of decision-making and why pilots don’t throw when they should, the risk assessment for different pilot levels, and the need for a community-based safety approach. The slow progress in changing the safety culture in New Zealand (and around the world) is acknowledged, along with the compromises in safety associated with lightweight gear. An important talk with a fun individual! Enjoy!

To read the Safety Task Force Report go here.

To see the FlyTop approach to safety that Louis discusses in the show go here.

What is old is new, 20 year old recommendations for the Hang Gliding community that still stand true today.

Éxcellent collection of safety ideas and concepts- Now in English

French study on Paraglide instructor accident rates (turn on subtitles)

Takeaways

• Persistence and thoughtful decision-making are important in extreme adventures.
• Observation and risk management are crucial skills in paragliding, hang gliding and speed flying.
• There is a need for better accident reporting systems and a focus on human factors in paragliding.
• Lessons from other sports, such as backcountry skiing, can be applied to improve safety in paragliding.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:32 Kitesurfing and Distance Record

04:03 Challenges of Flying in Brazil

05:09 Sailing Experience and Challenges

06:06 Risk and Safety in Flying

08:34 Unofficial Distance Record

09:35 Learning from Mistakes and Challenges

10:25 Managing Cortisol Levels

11:46 Nick Neynens and Independent Thinking

16:13 Crossover between Paddling and Flying

20:23 Progression in Paragliding

22:58 Flying Sailplanes and Paragliding

28:24 The Importance of Accident Reporting

32:24 The Safety Report and its Purpose

35:02 Underreporting of Accidents

38:08 Human Factors in Accidents

41:36 Applying Lessons from Commercial Aviation

43:08 Backcountry Skiing and Paragliding

43:54 The Future of Safety in Paragliding

44:19 Addressing Basic Mistakes in Flying

45:58 Importance of Ground Handling and Margin

47:00 Key Factors in Launching

48:16 Common Mistakes in Landing

49:38 Lack of Observation and Margin in Landing

51:42 Personal Approach to Flying and Safety

53:09 Importance of Wing Handling and Situational Awareness

54:28 The Role of Decision-Making and Throwing Reserves

55:53 Risk Assessment for Different Pilot Levels

58:19 Risk in the First 100 Hours of Flying

01:01:40 Successful Safety Approaches in Norway and Other Countries

01:09:33 Slow Progress in Changing Safety Culture in New Zealand

01:14:26 Comparison of Risk Between Expert and Intermediate Pilots

01:17:39 Compromises in Safety with Lightweight Gear

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25:34 — 58.8MB)

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