HGFA Skysailor Magazine

22 SKY SAILOR January | February 2019 locals say wind direction is almost always good for flying here due to this geological characteristic. It’s a factor very similar to the consistent launch sites near Brasilia. I was lucky enough to be there over the weekend, so I got to meet a lot of the local pilots. I was surprised to see that the majority of them were very young, with most ranging between 17 to 35 years old, something I wasn’t used to since I started flying. They were all super keen about the sport and especially curious how we did things in Australia. The locals set a vague task along the range and advised me not to fly too near the house behind launch. Why? Because it was the Kazakhstan president’s home! Okay, good advice. We all launched and boated around the beautiful scenery for several hours in 600ft/min thermal conditions… I was absolutely stoked! As you would expect from a two-hour XC flight in an apron harness, I began to get a bit bruised and sore, so I chose a nice green hemp paddock to land in. After being retrieved, we pulled over for several 2L-sized plastic bottles of cold tap beer ($2 each) and continued on back to the clubhouse. I was overwhelmed by the friendly nature of all the Kazakhstan pilots. They made a huge effort to introduce me to their culture and make me feel welcome. Not only did they hook me up with flying gear, they took me out for dinners, for drinks and gave me a huge amount of local tips and onward travel advice for my journey south through the ‘Stans’. It was an eye-opening experience to see how passionate the pilots in this part of the world are. Though we flew conservatively over that weekend, always within easy glide of the flatlands, the potential for some epic flying deep in the mountains is enormous. Particularly paraglider pilots keen on hike & fly. I was told a few of the local paraglider pilots really push those limits and enjoy big 5000m altitude flights through the mountains and into Kyrgyzstan. Though half the limit-pushing is more to do with the pilots then needing to sneak back into Kazakh territory before border control realises. Either way adventure awaits. I highly recommend Almaty as a flying holiday destination. The best time of the year to fly is generally between mid-July to mid-September. During peak season, pilots are getting thermals between 400 and 1000ft/min (2-5m/sec) up to 8000 to 13,000ft (2500 to 4000m). There are even a select few who have been up above 16,500ft (5000m) on rare days. The official local record is 17,224ft (5250m). Some of the dates I’ll be locking into next year’s calendar are those of the back-to-back competitions they host in mid to late August – the Kazakhstan Open and the Eurasia Open Cup. With so many pilots travelling to nearby Italy for the 2019 World Championships, this could be a great (and cheap!) option for those wanting to extend their trip. Especially considering Europe’s flying season is finishing up by that stage. Worlds-after-party? For those worrying about the logistical nightmares that come with hang gliding in a foreign country, this club has got it all sorted. Each competition fee of US$100 includes all transport to launch and end of day retrieves… just not in the way you’re used to. The club hires two or three huge Hang Gliding in Kazakhstan Selfie On launch Photos: Billy Miller-Mcleod Friendly local club welcome My borrowed steed