Time for another Ask Me Anything show! In this episode we tackle three questions that came in from our Patreon supporters. The first was to go deep on the new class of C wing 2-Liners. To answer this I sat down (virtually) with SIV guru Malin Lobb, who sees these wings in all kinds of configurations in his SIV courses. How do you know you’re ready for a 2-liner? Any downsides? How do they behave differently than a 3-liner and what do pilots stepping up for the first time need to be aware of? And a lot more great advice on piloting in general. Then I take on a question that came in about doing a bivvy in the Alps for the first time. Where to go, what time of year, how to connect with other pilots. It’s a big arena and can be daunting for your first trip! And finally I tackle a great question about assessing when you’re ready to take on something big. A new line, a bivvy, an expedition. When are you ready? Never! So go!
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Mike Vergalla, founder of the Free Flight Lab, discusses his journey into paragliding and his mission to explore the potential of paragliders beyond just a sport. He highlights three pillars of the Free Flight Lab: climate science, conservation, and safety. Mike shares his experiments with high-altitude paragliding and the potential for paragliders to be used in atmospheric research, weather forecasting, and environmental conservation. He also emphasizes the need for more data collection and research in these areas. The conversation touches on the environmental impact of paragliding and the responsibility of the community to protect the natural spaces they fly in. They explore the idea of using paragliders for scientific research, environmental monitoring, and community engagement. Mike shares his experiences with using paragliders to capture aerial images for scientific analysis and how this can contribute to understanding and preserving natural spaces. They also discuss the unique experiences and mindset that paragliding offers, including the ability to focus and be present in the moment. Mike also shares his insights on managing motion sickness while flying. Overall, the conversation highlights the potential of paragliding as a tool for exploration, research, and making a positive impact on the world.
Want to take part in Jessica’s Fear Injury Study? Here’s the invitation letter.
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The Free Flight Lab focuses on three pillars: climate science, conservation, and safety.
Paragliders have the potential to be used in atmospheric research, weather forecasting, and environmental conservation.
More data collection and research are needed to better understand the impact of paragliding on the environment and to improve weather forecasting.
The paragliding community has a responsibility to protect the natural spaces they fly in and be good stewards of the environment. Paragliding can be used for scientific research and environmental monitoring, providing a unique perspective and access to hard-to-reach areas.
Aerial imaging from paragliders can contribute to understanding and preserving natural spaces, such as identifying plant health and detecting environmental changes.
Paragliding offers a different mindset and experience, allowing pilots to be fully present and focused in the moment.
Managing motion sickness while flying can be achieved through breathing exercises and early symptom recognition.
Paragliding attracts individuals with a sense of adventure and a willingness to explore new possibilities.
Sound Bites
“This is the thing I’ve been looking for, right? I had hoped to, I don’t know, fly fighter jets or something, but I didn’t want to bomb villages.”
“We’re all unique. But we also all are taking advantage of an opportunity that has only existed basically in the last 30 years out of all history.”
“What can you do with that? And that’s really where the lab projects come in.”
“We love the park, we know you love the park, come fly with us and we’ll show you the park from an angle you’ve never seen it.”
“We have the same perspective as a UAV, some flying drone thing, you know, a helicopter, and we enjoy it, but also we can share it and maybe help fund local clubs.”
“We have this unique craft, we can do more with it and how can we connect these dots to make things more sustainable, right? For everyone.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
09:26 The Free Flight Lab and its Projects
12:43 Challenges and Opportunities in Paragliding
18:07 Data Collection and Research
31:46 Conservation and the Paragliding Community
36:14 Exploring Natural Spaces from a Unique Perspective
Eight years ago Jeremy Wilstein discovered a very simple concept called breathwork when studying the “Ice Man” Wim Hof. In this episode we dive into the many benefits of proper breathing and how a quick few minutes of intentional breathing can hack your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system to increase your performance, increase your safety, increase mental stability, and decrease anxiety and depression. Jeremy has been offering his breath work courses to our community in the US during competitions the last few years (which always end in a cold plunge in the Colombia River!) to the profound delight of everyone who has taken part. It feels great, it’s easy, it helps you in the air and on the ground. Have a listen and give it a try!
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A Deeper dive into how breath work works and how it helps:
BREATHWORK and PARAGLIDING
Breathwork has been a pivotal part of my life over the last 7 years and for awhile I have thought this could be an impactful topic for other pilots in our community. I have identified a few topics which I believe the majority of pilots will be able to relate to. These topics deal with safety, mindset, dealing with altitude, and performance recovery for hike and fly athletes. We can geek out on some science and then I would want to incorporate actionable breathwork exercises which people can begin to incorporate.Â
DECISION MAKING AND SAFETY : This is a pivot topic for all pilots and often when we get stressed while flying, our focus narrows and our ability to take in more information decreases. The result is poor decisions and a potential accident, when there was a safer or better option. When we have a sympathetic nervous system response (ie Fight or Flight) we have a release of adrenaline and cortisol into our bloodstream, increase in heart rate, narrowing of focus, and often we stop breathing or our breathing becomes rapid and shallow. We begin to fixate on one option as opposed to taking in more information. If you are aware of changes in your breathing as a result of turbulence, rotor, or wind (which is often because we are scared) you can breathe in a certain way to calm the mind and downregulate your nervous system. As a result your vision widens to take in more information, your heart rate decreases and you become aware of far more options for a safe outcome to your fear. I recently got into a situation in Colombia where I went for a thermal, deep in the mountain, with no way to glide out. I didn’t get the lift and had one slim landing option on a ridgeline. I felt my breathing change and my fear response began to heightened. By shifting my breathing to deep nasal breathing I could feel my fear response decrease, vision broaden, and I was able to set it down on the slim ridgeline. We can get consumed in fear so bringing the awareness back to the breath will immediately decrease the fear we perceive.
PERFORMANCE + RECOVERY – This topic is especially relevant for the Hike and Fly athlete. All athletes are looking for a performance edge and a faster way to recover from brutal workouts. Breathwork not only increases your performance but also speeds up and decreases muscle soreness. By practicing breathwork with long retentions you are able to simulate high altitude training. The kidneys will produce more EPO, which will then in turn produce more Red Blood Cells in the body which are responsible for carrying Oxygen to your tissues and transporting CO2 back to the lungs to be expired. When we train at higher altitudes our body does this naturally and this is why when we go to lower altitudes we feel like superman! Even if you live at sea level you can practice these breathing techniques to stimulate the production of more red blood cells (without having to dope like all those olympic athletes). For recovery, when we have muscle soreness it is because of a build up of lactic acid in the muscle which is a by-product of the work we have completed. With these breathing practices you are able to voluntarily and temporarily raise the pH of your blood into a more Alkaline state from the acidic environment that is creating the muscle soreness. This is a quick and immediate feeling in the state of your muscle soreness which will allow you to recover faster.
MENTAL STABILITY, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION – I think we can all agree that flying paragliders is an extremely mental sport. When our minds are clear we can fly with less fear and make better decisions. When we are consumed with issues at home, our own anxiety, depression or limiting thoughts…our flying suffers. We also know the pilot who’s mental wellbeing is determinant upon constantly flying and when the weather is crappy that pilot’s mindset is crappy as well. While paragliding brings us so much joy, the inability to fly (based on the weather, injury, work, etc) can strip some pilots of their ability to be a good person outside of flying. Anxiety and lack of enjoyment in daily life can set in. Breathwork brings you into the present moment and is also shown to release as much adrenaline as someone’s first bungee jump. This release of adrenaline is what brings calm, clarity and balance to our lives, it’s the feeling you feel after a long flight and it’s a feeling you can replicate in the comfort of your home when the weather is not lining up or you don’t have the ability to get your fix by flying your glider. Think the pilot who hasn’t flown for weeks and is a total shit head.
ALTITUDE TRAINING – Breathwork with hypoxic training stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells which in turn carries more oxygen throughout the body. This is why athletes train at higher altitudes and then compete at lower altitudes. As paragliding pilots we ascend very quickly to high altitudes where our mental and physical performance deteriorate. We all don’t have the ability to train at high altitudes so when we fly we can experience altitude sickness, especially if we live at sea level. Through certain breathwork practices which can be done in the comfort of your home, we can simulate high altitude training so the body begins producing more red blood cells which will in turn carry more oxygen and therefore allow us to make better decisions at high altitudes. This goes along with Performance and Recovery.
We continue our “legends” series with alpinist, pilot and entrepreneur Dick Jackson, founder of Aspen Expeditions (1977) and Aspen Paragliding (1989). Dick begins his amazing story with his journey into alpinism and paragliding, starting with his early expeditions to Denali and the Alps. He discusses the early days of paragliding in Aspen, where they used wings primarily as a descent tool. Dick talks about the lightweight gear and the evolution of paragliders, as well as the camaraderie and community that formed around the sport. He shares stories of flying off unclimbed peaks, hosting international trips, and even taking Maurice Herzog, the leader of the first Annapurna expedition, paragliding. Dick also reflects on the loss of his friend Dave Bridges and offers advice on dealing with grief and the pathway to compassion and impermanence because…what’s the alternative? Dick reflects on his experiences in the mountains and the impact they have had on his life. He discusses the thrill of flying and the incredible advancements in paragliding technology. He also shares a harrowing story of a dangerous gust front during a flying event in Aspen. Dick talks about selling his businesses and the changes in the paragliding industry. He mentions his daughter (Tashi Jangmo Sherpa) and her love for skiing. He also discusses a Buddhist ceremony he attended and the spiritual connection he feels to the mountains. Dick reflects on the fear factor in climbing and flying and the importance of living life to the fullest.
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Paragliding started as a descent tool for alpinists in Aspen, but quickly evolved into a soaring sport. The early days of paragliding in Aspen were characterized by camaraderie and a close-knit community. Dick Jackson shares stories of flying off unclimbed peaks and hosting international trips. He reflects on the loss of his friend Dave Bridges and offers advice on dealing with grief. Advancements in paragliding technology have allowed for incredible flying experiences The paragliding industry has undergone significant changes The mountains and the sport of paragliding have had a profound impact on Dick’s life The importance of living life to the fullest and embracing adventure The spiritual connection and sense of peace that can be found in the mountains
Sound Bites
“These were the original speed wings, seven cells and two to one glide.”
“We did the first tandem off Aspen with Chris Blatchley. We both remember running about a third of the way down Walsh’s.”
“I had never done any hang gliding. My first exposure to it was when we went to Denali and some guys had just flown off Denali and landed at the airstrip.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And wow, when Chris told me that, it’s like, you know, I don’t know the guy or anything, but man, that is serious, serious flying.”
“It was really serious. And I have to say that it’s just so fortunate that nobody was even hurt when you consider what the potential was for that one. It’s blowing all over the place. And that was kind of a wake-up call. It’s like, hmm, maybe we ought to pay a little more attention here.”
“No, no, no, that was an evening of flying and we had a bunch of visiting pilots around. It was mid, I don’t know, mid season. And, and it was just like, you know, where everybody was really excited about flying.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:02 The Evolution of Paragliding in Aspen
09:12 Adventures in Paragliding
14:31 Reflections on Grief
39:57 A Harrowing Experience with a Gust Front
43:22 The Impact of the Mountains on Dick’s Life
46:08 The Spiritual Connection and Sense of Peace in the Mountains
53:12 Living Life to the Fullest and Embracing Adventure
My neighbor and mentor Nate Scales has been flying paragliders at a high level for over 30 years. He competed in the 2007 Red Bull X-Alps. Owned the US foot launch record out of Idaho, where conditions can be about as rough as it can get. He has been flying 2 liners since their inception in 2009. But until this week had never done an SIV, and never stalled a glider. He finally decided the time was right and it was time to conquer his fears. This is his story. Let’s call it a PSA for those on the SIV fence. Nate has had a nearly accident-free flying career. Chalk it up to skill and making good decisions and a good dose of luck but we all know this sport can bite, and it’s never too late to mitigate some of the risk. Nate is one of the finest story tellers there is. Enjoy!
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Martin Scheel was one of the best climbers in the world when he discovered paragliding and the sky crack immediately became his new passion. His images and videos have entertained and awed for several decades across the free-flight spectrum. In the mid 90’s he helped create the Swiss League and has headed it up since. His collaborative efforts with generations of pilots have helped create some of the most successful pilots on Earth, including Chrigel Maurer, Stephan Morganthaler, Dominik Breitinger, Tim Bollinger, Nanda Walliser and many, many others over the past three decades. Martin organized the Superfinal in Disentis in 2022 and more recently the PWC in Grindelwald last week. He was out flying with the lead gaggle capturing videos of the competition. I sat down with Martin during a weather day to find out about his passions, creating excellence, the past and future of competition flying and a lot more. Enjoy!
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Dr. Bill Beninati has a lifelong love of flying that led him to a career in the Air Force. He served as a physician specializing in pulmonary/critical care medicine, sleep disorders and operational fatigue, and flight medicine focused on medical and physiologic fitness to fly. For 13 years he was physician leader for the Air Force critical care air transport teams, and deployed multiple times to interesting and unfriendly places to do this mission. His civilian career led him to Utah where he is the Intermountain Health chief medical officer for a virtual hospital that includes comprehensive telehealth, advanced clinical command, and patient transport programs. He has an active research partnership with the Stanford Program in AI-assisted Care developing computer vision for patient safety. The not-for-profit air medical team operates over 50 aircraft across the spectrum from wilderness lift-hoist rescue through international critical care transport. They have rescued over 100 free flight pilots! He brings this expertise to the Global Rescue XRedRocks where he helps look after the safety of the athletes. His recreational aviation has included flying sailplanes, paragliders, and speed wings as well as skydiving. Today he is most active flying paragliders and sailplanes in the mountains of Utah.
In this episode Bill takes us on a deep dive into the physiology of hypoxia, sleep and aging and what we can (and should) do to help combat the effects of each when it comes to flying. Hypoxia can greatly reduce our mental acuities, often without our knowledge. It can be sudden and can be radically different from day to day. The bottom line- when operating at altitude even the most prepared and acclimatized need to build in more margin. Come along as we explore three subjects which can really impact our safety and ability in the air.
If you want to take a deeper dive on sleep hygiene Bill gave a very comprehensive talk on the subject for the XRedRocks participants last year. It’s a fascinating talk:
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John Heiney started hang gliding in 1978 and he’s still going strong today. His photographs of free flight have been on more than 50 magazine covers. He broke the Guinness World Record for looping in 1988. And then he broke his own record again ten years later! He was crowned the world aerobatics champion four times. He’s a machinist; diesel rabbit aficionado (he’s driving his fifth these days); hang gliding instructor, has more than 40 wings in his garage; worked on numerous commercials and films; designed gliders; was a test pilot; stunt pilot and has invented dozens and dozens of camera mounts to capture the magic of flying. His incredible flying stories span over four decades. Grab a cold one and kick back, you’re in for a treat.
Find out more about this legendary pilot on his website UpShots
John would like to thank the following for their contributions to the development of the Predator Glider:
Dick Cheney, Dave Sharp, Dave Chapman, Greg Zoellick, Greg Bain, Aaron Swepston
And that these people who contributed to the development of the Saturn:
Dick Cheney, David Beardslee, Peter Radman, Leon Dauksa, Tom Webster, Paris Williams, Lisa Verzella, Rich Cizauskas
And Joe Spinney for keeping the Predator and Saturn alive.
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Kinga Masztalerz gets after it. She picked up paragliding not too long ago, but has been pretty fierce about chasing it hard from the beginning. She’s tackled the Red Bull X-Alps twice, flown all over the world, runs her own hike and fly race in New Zealand, and instructs at home in New Zealand and in places like Bir, India. But her journey has had quite a few scary bumps on the way. We start off with her experience in the X-Alps. She shares her initial excitement and overwhelming feelings during her first race in 2019 and the disappointment of being eliminated and the emotional impact it had on her. Kinga also talks about her injury in 2021 and the challenges she faced in participating in the race. She reflects on the changing dynamics of the Red Bull X-Alps and how her approach to flying has evolved over time. She emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, using her own rather scary ones early on as a catalyst towards building confidence as a pilot. Then we get into her coaching journey and the importance of understanding the mental and physical aspects of flying. She shares her experiences with overcoming fear and gaining confidence, and how she developed her coaching program to help other pilots navigate their own flying journeys. Kinga also talks about the balance between turning a passion into a business and how guiding and coaching actually adds to her love for flying. Lastly, she introduces the Wanaka Hike and Fly Race, a fun event that combines adventure, socializing, and flying in the beautiful Southern Alps of New Zealand. Enjoy!
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“In comparison [to the flying scene] the rest of my life has been a disappointment.” –Tom Peghiny.
This quote came into my inbox a few months ago from Hugh Miller at Cross Country magazine with the words “you’ve got to interview Tom!” If you’ve seen the incredible film “Big Blue Sky” which documents the early days of hang gliding you’ll recognize Tom Peghiny (if you haven’t- watch it, it’s awesome). Tom started flying hang gliders at the age of 13 in 1969. He was the youngest person to compete in the first US Nationals at Sylmar, CA in 1973. He was the youngest person at the first World’s in Kossen, Austria in 1975. And Tom says he’s even more passionate about flying now in his 60’s than he’s ever been. In this episode Tom discusses his early days in hang gliding, the progression of the sport, the influence of RC flying on his understanding of air, the need for safety and regulations, his experience at the World Championships in Kossen, and the design of the Peregrine, Kestrel, and Merlin wings. Tom shares his experiences flying on Mount Washington and other memorable moments in hang gliding and being a test pilot; and the wonderful and rather incredible history of flight that has absorbed his life, and the transition to paragliding in the past few years which has stoked his passion further. Enjoy this chat with a one of the godfathers of the sport!
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Early hang glider designs were crude but conceptually advanced, and they influenced the growth of the sport.
The first World Championships in hang gliding showcased the sport’s potential and led to the establishment of safety measures.
Tom Peghiny played a significant role in the development of hang gliding, both as a designer and a test pilot.
Hang gliding competitions and the camaraderie among pilots contributed to the growth and popularity of the sport.
The transition from hang gliding to paragliding brought new challenges and opportunities for Tom. Paragliding can be a lifelong passion, with individuals getting hooked on the sport and continuing to fly even in retirement.
Triangle flying is a challenging goal for many paragliders, as it requires stable conditions and low wind speeds.
Memorable flights and competitions can create lasting memories and connections within the paragliding community.
Financial stability in paragliding can come from various sources, such as sponsorships, involvement in related industries, and diversifying income streams.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:00 Early Days of Hang Gliding
08:03 Progression of Hang Gliding
11:51 RC Flying and Understanding Air
19:08 First World Championships in Cosen
25:03 Tasks and Performance at the Worlds
25:59 Designing the Peregrine Wing
27:41 Early Hang Glider Designs and European Influence
28:30 The First World Championships and Safety Concerns
31:14 The Hang Glider Manufacturers Association and Safety Measures
32:33 Tom Peghiny’s Background and Role in Hang Gliding
34:20 Thermal Flying and Advances in Hang Glider Design
36:33 Flying on Mount Washington and Other Memorable Experiences
41:13 Competitions and the Growth of Hang Gliding
42:45 The Impact of Hang Gliding on Tom Peghiny’s Life
48:50 The Dangers and Safety Concerns in Hang Gliding
52:27 Transition to Paragliding and Initial Apprehensions
54:35 Introduction to Paragliding
55:12 Early Experiences with Paragliding
56:11 Flight Design and Paragliding
57:19 Getting Into Paragliding
58:09 Becoming Hooked on Paragliding
59:09 Goals in Paragliding
01:00:29 Favorite Flight and Craziest Thing Seen in Flight
