SAFA Skysailor Magazine

20 SKY SAILOR November | December 2020 Hot off the Cross Country magazine’s press comes this latest book. In an interview, lead author, Bastienne Wentzel, explains how and why it came about Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide is a new book for new pilots – from those taking their first steps into the world of free flight, all the way up to pilots stretching their wings to fly XC or learn advanced skills on SIV courses. The book has an international flavour, designed to be read, relevant and understood by pilots from Australia to Alaska. It’s published by Cross Country magazine, and our editor, Ed Ewing, co- authored some of the chapters, while the design team, Marcus and Charlie King, took many of the photographs and created the illustrations. However, the real driving force behind the book is paraglider pilot and science writer Bastienne Wentzel. We asked her all about it. Bastienne, tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you live? Lage Vuursche, The Netherlands. It’s a very small village 40km from Amsterdam but surprisingly secluded in a forest. I love to fly the Dutch dunes nearby in Wijk aan Zee! Strong wind soaring is great fun. How did you get into paragliding? My partner and I heard of the possibility to join a paragliding introduction weekend in Sauerland, Germany, with the Dutch paragliding school Inferno. It was spring 2001 and we were both busy with work, but decided to treat ourselves to this weekend. It was great fun and we made our first flights on Comets wearing purple and yellow harnesses. Then our plans for an overland journey took shape and we left The Netherlands to travel from 2002 to 2004. But paragliding stayed in the back of our minds. After we returned, we needed jobs and a house first before we finally Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide