www.FlyingMax.com – Paragliding

The application deadline for the xAlps is coming up soon and the big question is, are we going to apply again to represent Canada in the race? It often crosses our minds, especially during the race, why are we doing this. What pushes us to train so hard, spend our “holiday savings” on it and dedicate so much time and energy in preparation and during the race? There is something very special about the xAlps, and something that no one will really understand unless they are part of it. However, one of the reasons for participating in it, is the adventure, which I share with my partner (Penny). The other is the mental aspect of the race, and to be able to do things you dream of. Many of which are hard to do on your own. Also the whole atmosphere of the xAlps, which includes everyone from the organizers, volunteers, supporters, sponsors and competitors. They are all like family or brotherhood, and everyone we have met over the years have played some sort of roll in our life, whether it be during the race or afterwards in a continued friendship or mentor. We are very proud that we have been accepted/invited 4 times to this amazing race, to experience the adventure, and to meet and make so many new friends.

Since the 2013 race, many new things have happened in our lives. Last October, I started a new business (www.TrappeurHomes.com) with a good friend, Aaron Cameron, which has taken off in a big way. It has been a lot of work, but a lot of fun at the same time. Furthermore, I have

decided to get back into Ultralight flying and teaching, and we are looking to get a float plane to explore the mountain lakes around here. Also on the agenda for next year is a holiday to Penny’s “homeland”, South Africa and experience the African life with the kids. Penny has recently also finished a refresher in open water sailing and she wants to go on a sailing trip with the kids for a couple months too. As you can see, with all this, and focusing on the new business, we will not have the time and dedication for the preparation and participation in the 2015 xAlps. For this reason we have chosen not to apply to represent Canada in the next xAlps. This decision was no an easy one, but in reality you only have so much time in day and instead of spreading ourselves too thin with all these plans and projects, something had to give. Thanks again to everyone who has cheered us on and supported us over the years, and who keep following our adventures through the available social media. Max, Penny and the kids

(near Mackenzie) and rented a Cessna 172 from www.BabinAir.com for the 680 km trip.There is nothing better then flying in the pristine Rockies Mountain trench in the winter. There are no words to describe the beauty, vast, wild and untouched landscape and even the pictures are not doing justice either. Skiing at Powder King was fantastic. Amazing hosts, super nice people and excellent snow. Thanks again to everyone making us feel so special. We had to change our flight plan on the flight

back due unsettled weather and it turned out to be a very exciting and scenic flight back via Prince George, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Revelstoke and the Rogers Pass. What a trip, can’t wait to fly there again! Click here for more pictures.

Click here to see more pictures.

Check out this video about our Whiteway (right in front of our doors)

Are you still flying in the winter? This is a question asked every year

I still hike up Mt. Swansea and do the odd flight through the winter, but most of the time we head up to Panorama www.panoramaresort.com and fly at the ski area.
We love skiing and flying there, and the resort is very generous to us pilots, and guests seem to really enjoy watching us soaring the skies.

Christmas day, Penny and I flew, dressed as Santa and an elf. We landed at the day-lodge with a good crowd of kids and adults waiting for our arrival. (click here for more pictures)

Over the Christmas holidays, we had beautiful weather and very good flying conditions, and were even able ridge soar.
Our New Years flights were fantastic and I really enjoyed the footage and the picture Penny took when I flew with the Canadian flag.

We have had several more flights since new years, with a lot of other local and out of town flying buddies joining us. If you don’t have any plans over the next couple of weeks, consider coming for a ski & fly at Panorama. More information is at my website at https://flyingmax.com/area/panorama/ 

If you have not heard yet, the annual Panorama Easter Flying Meet, which is usually held the Easter long weekend, has been moved  to March 28, 29, 30th. Because Easter is so late this year, we had to re-schedule it. For those of you who have never come to the event, you don’t want to miss it, and for the those of you who have, I know we’ll see you back again.

The take off is facing east and is an ideal morning to early afternoon site. The ride very well protected from the west wind as there is another ridge right behind at about 2500 meters and further west another ridge with 2700 meter high mountains. There is also some good potential of XC flights in the area and the terrain is spectacular.

 

           

The xAlps finished Friday July 19th at noon. This is 12 days after the start and was the minimum time set for the race. Crigel Maurer set a new record and finished the race in just under 7 days and it took more then 2 days longer for the next guys to arrive in goal. From the start, I felt pretty good and was very happy with my pace and performance until I had to do an emergency landing past Innsbruck (by Seefeld) into restricted airspace and I received a 48 hour penalty. I could have done a tree landing (in very rough conditions) on top of a ridge to avoid the penalty, but I decided to land 500 meters lower, and to my disadvantage, safely in a field. The good part was that Christa Vogel and Juergen Kraus (flying friends from the 80’s) lived near by and we could enjoy visiting them and were treated with their amazing hospitality. It got even better as the kids just showed up for a visit and stayed with us for the 2 days. It was fun to invite all the other competitors for a snack or meals while

they passed us, or landed in a field close by. After 2 days of watching 13 pilots pass us, we had to refocus and get back into race mode. Thanks again for the mental support from Stewart Midwinter to be able to start my own race and adventure from that position. We came from the very back of the pack (only 1 hour ahead of the last person) and fought ourselves into position 23. I was enjoying being in a close pack with such a great group of people/pilots and I was always close to my good friend, Andy Froetscher, who finished 17th. I was hoping to finish the race with him or better. Overall, it was an amazing race with very good flying conditions. We experienced a lot of set backs due the lack of local “area” knowledge. It was very frustrating thinking you know where thermals “should be”, what ridges and terrain would work better than others, only to find myself flushed down from 3500m to the ground and ended up having to hike up very high mountain passes more often than the “locals” The good weather also brought a lot of windy and dangerous conditions as well. We had flights in plus 50 km winds, in rain and thunder storms, but at the same time we had some long flights (one over 150 km) flying over glaciers and very beautiful terrain. We had hikes in areas we never would have gone to and met such a wide variety of people along the way, some who we’re sure were the start of a long friendship. All this would not have possible to do without the support I received. Thanks again to Mik Broschart for all his technical support, and who drove with his “fancy” RV and made it possible that Penny could walk and fly most of the route with me. Penny did an amazing job as a pace setter, along the flats, up the mountains, and because she figured she needed more of a workout, she’d run back down to the valley!! My stats for hiking was, 6 km/hr, 471 km distance and 40 km elevation gain. I would say that Penny did at least 90% of that, plus going down, cooked dinners, cleaned most of the dishes, checked weather, and was up earlier than Mik and I everyday to have breakfast ready, and everything ready and prepared for the day ahead ….. she is more then living up to her name (Powers). I would also like thank everyone who cheered us on and supported us throughout our training and during the race, A photo gallery will follow soon.

Wow, where is the time going??