SAFA Skysailor Magazine

28 SKY SAILOR January | February 2020 Queensland fires cancelled the Teewah Maintenance Course After more than a few years of waiting, the Sunshine Coast Sports Aviators hangar at Teewah was finally erected and although not quite finished internally, they were ready to host a WM/Rotax maintenance course. The course was organised for the weekend of 9th and 10th November and ended up being over-subscribed with enough people on a waiting list to warrant a second course. We also had three refreshers in the SE Qld area who wished to attend, and they were subsequently booked in. Our host, Paul Reilly, was the club’s Secretary at the time and we arranged to meet him on Friday morning at the Tewantin ferry. He very kindly offered to take us across the ferry as the fire trucks had made the track unsuitable for us to navigate in our saloon car. We had previously been assured that the fires had already burnt around three sides of the airfield and that the hangar remained untouched and safe. All true. The hangar currently housed seven trikes and a PPG and it took us a while to set up the class- room ready for an early start the next morning. Driving along the track, everything on both sides was burnt and blackened, but the hangar was good. Strangely the runways were still green with straight black edges to them. The next morning we awoke to the alarm at 5am and the first text message arrived at 5:10 to let us know that Tewantin was closed. The ferry was still operating, but the roads to the ferry were all closed. I called Paul and he confirmed the situation. One of our attendees was already there and was unable to gain access to the ferry. Unfortunately that meant that the course was off. Paul then had to call all the incoming attendees to let them know, as Carole only had an email address for most of them. Tewantin re- mained blocked for the rest of the day as well as the best part of Sunday. However, Paul very kindly called us to meet him at the ferry mid-afternoon on the Sunday to return to the hangar and recover our equipment. It wasn’t all bad news though, as one of our refreshers for the course was John Elcock from Caloundra, who was getting ready to carry out the required 5-year rubber parts change on his XT-912 trike and said he needed a little help. As we were, kind of, in the vicinity, we agreed to call in to see him and help out, with the promise of bed and board, if needed, before we turned around and headed North again. It took the three of us the best part of two days, but we did manage to get most of it done, with a few things left for John to change/tidy up at his leisure. So, although the course turned out to be a non-event, we did end up with an impromptu holiday at NoosaVille in the accommodation we had pre-booked and we did manage to end the trip on a positive note, which is all good. Now, all we have to do is go back to the start and re-organise the course for another weekend. How hard can it be? We’re just glad everyone remained safe and hope everyone else around the Country did too, during this difficult and unpredictable weather. Kev MacNally Making goal Over many years, hang gliding gave me some of the most satisfying, rewarding and exciting experiences of my life. It also scared and challenged me, but never more than when I regained consciousness following a 2008 hang gliding accident which changed my life forever. Hang gliding can kill you, but there are even bigger challenges than flying to a goal paddock, staying alive was harder. In February 2020, the book I wrote about my experience and recovery will be in publication. Visit [thephoenixrising.com.au] for more. Helen Ross Lee New Products Basis Rausch paragliding gloves The PG glove Citrin, developed with feedback from Chrigel Maurer, this new summer glove protects from cutting injuries, is sturdy and robust, doesn’t make your hands sweat and fits like a second skin. Kristall Flex is a Double-Shell glove model. The backhand is made of two pieces, similar to a crab- shell, allowing independent movement and enabling free movement with very good air-circulation. Both available in sizes XS to XXXL. Danny @ [basisrausch.ch] News Citrin Kristall Flex Courtesy [noosanews.com.au] Photos: Kev MacNally Bakewell, WA Photo: Darren O’Sullivan