HGFA Skysailor Magazine

26 SKY SAILOR September | October 2018 When the south-east trade winds blow between May and October, paragliding pilots from all over Australia flock to the picturesque Bukit Peninsula in southern Bali, keen to experience breathtaking scenery from above – where towering clifftops meet turquoise waters and pearly white beaches. E scaping the winter chill on home soil, pilots of all skill sets descend on the Balinese shores this time of year in an endeavour of gaining flying hours and skills that can be taken back with them in time for the start of the Australian season. HGFA Secretary and Cloudbase Paragliding Australia co-owner Mark Rossi; in conjunction with his business partner, Chris Rogers, have been running tours to Bali for the last 14 years. According to Mark, between May and October is the perfect time to soar the beautiful Bukit Peninsula, as the SE trade winds blow across the southern Nusa Dua coastline, providing perfect flying conditions. “Aside from the excellent trade wind conditions, we go to Bali to escape the Australian winter. The weather fluctuates between 26 and 30ºC daily, and it makes for a fantastic change from being stuck under a duvet in your lounge room, that’s for sure,” said Mark. “Bali offers flying aimed at a range of pilot skills, from novice to advanced. It’s also an excellent opportunity to make some new paragliding buddies in a relaxed, family-friendly environment. The pilot skill evolution that can be achieved in a week in Bali is nothing short of remarkable, when you fly day after day for several hours.” As the jungle meets the sea, pilots are drawn to the spectacular scenery along the southern Nusa Dua coastline, marvelling at incredible ancient temples, crawling with monkeys, the manatees, towering clifftops and endless stretches of white sandy beaches. “Together, our team has 40 years combined experience running tours in Bali. Pilots of all skill sets and ages are welcome and our tours are aimed at those individuals wishing to gain flying hours and skills that they can take home in time for the start of the Australian season,” explains Mark. “We excel in developing PG2 and PG3 pilots. Aside from the long hours of soaring that are available, we concentrate on the development of core skills such as ground handling, strong wind launch techniques, top landing precision, ridge Chasing an Endless Summer