Australia - best area and school to learn in

Dear all,

Having already spent 8 days (and considerable money!) hang-glider training in the UK, the conditions have been so miserable that I haven't even achieved an elementary license yet. On two occasions, I turned up at the school only to get just one straight, low hill flight the whole day. Whether this was just bad conditions, or just a bad school, it left me disappointed, but not deterred.

A friend and I are taking a year out to travel around the world. We will be in Australia in May 2000. We are travelling from Sydney up to Darwin, across to Cairns and back to Sydney via the east coast.

At some point during my travels in Australia, I would like seriously complete my license to the equivalent level of a BHPA 'Club Pilot' rating. My friend, who hasn't flown before, is also interested.

My questions are :

1) Can anyone who has flown in the various parts of Australia suggest the nicest area in which to learn? As in, which part has the best learning conditions, sites, scenery and schools?

2) Will attaining a rating with the HGFA count in other subsequent countries on our travels (e.g. USA) and back home in Britain?

I am dearly looking forward to becoming a qualified pilot, and I really don't think the UK is the best place to learn, although I am also looking forward to flying here when I return.

Please CC any replies via e-mail to <rossigee at bigfoot dot com>.

Thanks in advance,

Hi,

I just got back to the UK from Australia and whilst I was there I did some paragliding. I flew at Canungra (SE Queensland ) and some coastal soaring on the Northern Beaches in Sydney.

Unfortunately I have never flown HG so I cant realy comment as to the quality of training available. However, in the Canungra area there is a dedicated training hill, as well as hills that are suitable for soaring and thermal flying. Canungra is approx. 35km inland from the Gold Coast.

In the Sydney area Stanwell Park is probably the most famous site. It is about 50km S of Sydney. I have never flown there so cannot comment as to it's suitability as a training site.

I have even seen paragliders soaring the approx. 30' high 'hill' behind Cronulla Beach (just S of Botany Bay).

You would have to check with the BHPA ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) as to the transferability of an Australian qualification.

I don't know who are the good HG instructors in Australia, though the HGFA ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) should be able to send you a list.

Hope this is helpful.

Andy Summerskill

I have a friend who learnt HG at Byron Bay - they said it was excellent instruction. Don't have any more info than that I'm afraid.

BTW friend was a Brit

Cairns Far North Queensland If the southeasterlys are blowing you have guaranteed flights. Starting off on sandhills then going on to the Rex lookout. If the wind is not on go diving on the Barrier Reef. Good instructor very thoroughly and not taking any shortcuts. His name is Kevin Gilligan, Updraught Hang Gliding School, Ph (07)40553343 I can't help you about acceptance of the australian qualifications in England but I have seen some Pommie students learning here. Have nice Holidays

You mean like just north of Dee Why? I saw some ground handlers there during an offshore breeze and wondered if there were informal sites nearby that would be less crowded than Stanwell.

Long Reef is just N of Dee Why (in Collaroy I think), which is probably where you saw people ground handling, and is a good NE site. There is a site at Warriewood and there are several others all the way up to Palm Beach.

Can anyone tell me exactly where the launch site for cronulla is? I actually went out there today but did not have a clue...I want to do some low level stuff...

Found you an index page for everything Cronulla http://www.cronullacoast.com.au/advertisers/index.htm
I haven't been to the area but it sounds like fun