HGFA Skysailor Magazine

SKY SAILOR 7 September | October 2018 backgrounds can bring. Not everyone needs to be competing at the world level, but for every keen pilot you can retain in the sport, you have another opportunity to lean on the skills and expertise that person brings into the community.” For Kirsten, who began flying powered aircraft at the age of 16 and took up paragliding 10 years ago, female role models in the sport of paragliding are important in inspiring other pilots to let their dreams of flying take off. “We should take inspiration from the women in this sport, who are going out and setting their own goals without being constrained by the expectations they might feel,” she said. “Kari Ellis is killing it, she is in the top 10 of the Australian National Ladder for 2018 and finished 40th overall at the World Championships last year. She is not a huge pilot compared to the average male pilot, and yet size and gender are not holding her flying back. We need more role models like her and we need to encourage every pilot to take responsibility for their own flying. I’m adamant, that every pilot must own their flying and by this I mean, they must take responsibility for every aspect of their flying – the equipment, weather forecasting, gear purchases, networking with other pilots for information, identification and mitigation of skill gaps and planning for the day’s flying. I’m hoping to instil this message through exposing participants to other women pilots who understand and demonstrate these skills. If we can change our mindset, I think we can change the level of diversity in our sport. I hope this year’s fly-ins will encourage further skill progression, that allow these pilots to go back to their clubs and inspire other women pilots at home.” About the Women’s Fly-ins The fly-ins are being run by Kirsten Seeto, with the assistance of another PG5-rated pilot. In the initial year, these events are for women paraglider pilots with a minimum PG3 rating. The restrictions around attendee eligibility have been implemented to maximise safety so that Kirsten can focus on event delivery for the series’ debut year. No instruction takes place during these events; you must be a fully qualified pilot, ready to make your own decisions about your flying. For further information on the ‘Altitude with Attitude’ series of women’s fly-ins, please contact Kirsten at <kirsten.flys@gmail.com > or visit [altitudewithattitude.info ]. Photo: Kirsten Seeto