Tag Archives: flying techniques

#265 – 8 years of Tandem bivvy’s with Dad across the entire Alps to Solo big air adventures at 16 with Martin Rejmanek

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Martin Rejmanek and his father Honza, a veteran 5-time Red Bull X-Alps competitor completed the full length of the 2003 Red Bull X-Alps course from the Dachstein to Monaco by tandem bivvy using only their wing and their feet this last year. Father and son completed the amazing journey in different segments over the course of eight summers, starting when Martin was just 8 years old. Martin is now seventeen and graduated to flying solo last year, taking on the full breadth of cross country flying, SIV training and becoming a completely independent pilot. He’s flown solo from Annecy to Chamonix over the Aravis chain. He’s flown at over 17,000 feet over Mt Whitney in the Sierras. Inspiring to say the least.

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#260 On top of the World with Fabian Buhl

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German alpinist Fabian Buhl comes from a background of climbing and mountaineering and is credited with ascending some of the hardest routes on Earth. A few years ago while climbing in the Karakoram of Pakistan Fabian saw the potential of using a paraglider to access difficult objectives and removing the often long and dangerous approaches by foot. So he became a pilot. But his early attempts were scary and learning was slow and often frustrating. Fabi stuck with it and returned to the Karakoram with enough skill to pull off some solid objectives but he knew to truly take advantage of these “combos” of climbing and flying, and also to be safer he needed to hone his thermalling and XC skills. Fabian’s journey from climbing to paragliding highlights the importance of mentorship, the challenges of overcoming fear, and the thrill of mastering a new sport.

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#251 Risk and the Red Bull X-Alps with 9 time competitor Tom De Dorlodot

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In this conversation, four-time competitor and 2-time color commentator Gavin McClurg and 9-time competitor and Red Bull athlete Tom De Dorlodot discuss Tom’s continued recovery journey after a serious injury over a year ago snow-kiting in Norway and his recent emotional return to flying. They reflect on both of their recent Red Bull X-Alps experiences this June, exploring the dynamics of risk management in paragliding, the influence of gear and technology on performance, and the impact of media on the public perception of risk. The conversation also touches on the camaraderie among pilots and the future of the Red Bull X-Alps, emphasizing the balance between competitiveness and safety in high-stakes flying. We discuss the complexities of paragliding competitions, particularly the Red Bull X-Alps. They explore the pressures faced by athletes, the role of the organization when it comes to safety, and the tricky balance between racing and responsibility.

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#243 Flying and the Mind: A psychological journey with Paris Williams

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Paris has been flying hang gliders his entire life, and we’re the same age— so a long time. In this episode we explore the multifaceted nature of flying and its psychological implications. Paris has a PHD in psychology and is a practicing psychologist, and he shares his own journey from a challenging childhood and coming from a pretty dark place to finding solace in the skies. We discuss the evolution of hang gliding, the thrill of aerobatics, and the importance of mental health in the sport. We get into mindfulness practices  as a means to enhance performance and maintain presence during flights and the balance between competition and enjoyment and the need to reconnect with the joy of flying. We explore the intricate balance between striving for success and enjoying the journey in flying, and how letting go of the desire for achievement often leads to much better performance.

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#238 Acro, Test flying, SIV, Instruction, Meteo and Comps with Karlis Jaunpetrovics

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In this episode we talk about his journey to becoming an instructor, the challenges and intricacies of test piloting, his passion for acrobatics, his experiences flying in Taiwan, and the vibrant paragliding community he has encountered along the way. Karlis shares his passion for cross-country flying and the importance of mentorship in paragliding. He discusses the significance of finding the right instructor and community, as well as his transition into teaching SIV training, the 4 fundamentals of SIV, and how progression works when it works well.

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