Episodes

  • #237- Removing the Anxiety of Vol Biv with Tim Pentreath

    #237- Removing the Anxiety of Vol Biv with Tim Pentreath
    Jan 9 2025
    Four years ago almost to the day we released a podcast with veteran UK pilot/adventurer Tim Pentreath that explored his "Gumball Rally"- a vol biv adventure open to anyone in the Alps every summer. At that time Tim and his friends were just getting getting started. This show is a follow up with Tim to find out how it's been going. The answer- quite well indeed! The Gumball continues to grow, continues to generate a ton of smiles, and they continue to cover a lot of very cool ground.
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    55 mins
  • #236 Soaring through History with Butch Peachy

    #236 Soaring through History with Butch Peachy
    Dec 28 2024
    In this continuing series on legends in the sport I sit down with Butch Peachy to discuss his over 40 years of flying hang gliders and his continued passion today. We begin with Butch's early days in hang gliding, his unique adventures including being (likely) the first to vol-biv with a hang glider, and the evolution of the sport. Butch shares crazy stories from the 70's, his experiences in competitions, and how music has played a role in his flying adventures.
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    51 mins
  • #235 A Record is Crushed in Norway with Arne Kristian Boiesen

    #235 A Record is Crushed in Norway with Arne Kristian Boiesen
    Dec 13 2024
    On June 10, 2023 Arne Kristian Boiesen, a veteran paraglider from Norway stepped off one of his local sites outside of Oslo hoping to go pretty big. 9.5 hours later he'd flown his Niviuk Peak 6 343 km from launch, a remarkable 90 km farther than anyone ever had in Norway, flying nearly due north across epic terrain, landing just south of Trondheim. The record stands today.
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    1 hr
  • #234 A lifetime in the clouds with Chuck Smith

    #234 A lifetime in the clouds with Chuck Smith
    Nov 29 2024
    Free flight tends to attract some rather big personalities to its crutches. And among its most interesting and passionate devotees is American pilot and pioneer Chuck Smith. Chuck learned back east on the dunes in the US with his brother in the late 80's under the tutelage of climbing legend John Bouchard. From there the search for airtime and the love of the flying community brought him all over the world. The people he's impacted or been impacted by is an impressive rolodex of the history of flying.
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    1 hr and 57 mins
  • #233 A Monster day in the Owens with Gordon Boettger

    #233 A Monster day in the Owens with Gordon Boettger
    Nov 15 2024
    Gordon Boettger has achieved remarkable feats in wave flying, breaking records with a 3100+ km flight in 18.5-hours using night vision goggles and strong atmospheric wave. This Monday I joined him for a thrill ride where we covered nearly 1200 km in 7.5 hours, launching at 0330 using NVG's, reaching altitudes of 24,500 feet, showcasing the incredible future potential of soaring.
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    44 mins
  • #232 An Impossible Story of Survival with Ben Lewis

    #232 An Impossible Story of Survival with Ben Lewis
    Nov 1 2024
    Canadian pilot Ben Lewis shares his perilous and rather unbelievable cloudsuck experience paragliding in Bir, India, where extreme turbulence led eventually to a harrowing near-death "landing." After losing control and suffering severe injuries, he emphasizes the importance of weather awareness, risk management, and community support in adventure sports, providing vital lessons for fellow adventurers.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #231 Chasing Excellence with Evan Bouchier

    #231 Chasing Excellence with Evan Bouchier
    Oct 17 2024
    Evan discusses his transition from extreme kayaking to paragliding, highlighting the significance of tandem flying, competition experiences, and mental techniques like intuition and visualization. He reflects on challenges, the thrill of flying, and the importance of resilience, emphasizing the parallels between sports and his aspirations in cross-country paragliding.
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    51 mins
  • #230 Hugh Miller and making the Glide to Sailplanes

    #230 Hugh Miller and making the Glide to Sailplanes
    Oct 5 2024
    Hugh Miller, a renowned paraglider pilot, has recently transitioned to flying sailplanes, capturing interest with his first competition experience. His journey highlights the challenges and excitement of learning a new aviation discipline. The piece reflects on the differences between paragliding and gliding and explores the unique skills required for the latter.
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    51 mins