Kite Surf Hebrides
August 29, 2007 on 6:40 pm | In Power Kiting | No Comments
This year has seen the start of my kite surf school on Lewis. Things have been pretty hectic of late with more and more kite surfers coming over to play or learn. This has been a fairly wind less summer for once but this hasn’t stopped the fun. I am glad to say that 6 islanders have now completed their IKO level 3 with another 4 on their way. This means they are now able to enjoy the water safely and get some air! September is already looking like a busy month for teaching as well as some top sponsored riders arriving on the island to check out the awesome world class conditions.
We are heading off on our first Kite trip to Portugal with some of the local kiters, an opportunity to practice in a warmer climate ready for next season. If all goes well this will be a regular trip to experience the waves and flat lagoons of the Algarve. Keep an eye on www.kitetrek.co.uk for future excursions.
I would like to congratulate Helen Thompson of Tiree for winning round 5 of the ladies BKSA competition in Aberdeen. She now lies 2nd in the overall competition, good luck! Maybe in the coming years there will be some more Hebridean challengers.
David Hepworth
http://www.wikc.co.uk
Teaches kite buggying, landboarding and kite surfing at Western Isles Kite School on the west coast of Lewis. David is an IKO/BKSA instructor.
The Walking Man comes Flying
August 23, 2007 on 10:48 am | In Paragliding | No Comments
Ground handling up the string with DHV 1 Mescal Skywalker.
8th Aug SW Catacol - Janie (67yrs old) flew tandem with Maurice raising money for charity and fulfilling her desire to fly.
Marek and Maude (visiting pilot from Canada) practised small flights. Aaran and David began their training in the big field with Trevor moving onto small flights at the end of the day. Jamie swapped wings with Paul. Jamie stayed up for a bit but missed the thermal he stood watching his wing skying out in a cracking thermal above the cliffs.
9th Aug: South strong wind. Students ground handling at Torrylin shore whilst visiting Flying Fever pilots Ian, Graham and Bill who had trained with us before flew along the coast. Graham going XC to land near Kildonan.
A very wet few days followed which luckily coincided with the Weavefest at the Burnside Gallery. I had been asked to help as I was the last person left on the Island who knew how to set up the four shaft floor loom. I had done a years spinning and weaving apprenticeship when I was 16. From the depths of my memory the knowledge resurfaced and it was fun to be spinning again. It felt like a real community with everyone coming in for a go.
My brother Tim and dog Pip admire Lilly Savage’s new kittens
Luckily I had taken a photo of my mums half drawn picture of my niece Natasha as she left her art folder out in the rain. www.patsykeen.com She draws commissioned portraits from photos.
17 Aug: Harry enjoyed his first qualified soaring flight and gained 45 mins airtime. 
Pam enjoyed a tandem with Maurice whilst her family watched.
19th Aug: North and North West flying at Newton and practising at Catacol field.
Nick and Jill have a tandem as son Grant watches.
20th Aug: North - ground training Catacol scout field, Johnny has a funday and Kenny starts Tandem training. Ground handling in the field.
21st Aug: South East bowl at the String - Great fun skimming about it feels more like flying when you are a foot above the ground.
Lousie has a tandem flight and carries the glider.
We met the walking man pushing his adapted 3 wheel baby carriage over the Bougille and Maurice reversed for a chat and offered him a tandem flight. Brendan flew him tandem up at Newton Shore in Lochranza. www.walkingman.org
Zabdi takes the choice of a flight and avoids changing a nappy.
Flying Fever sticker on the walking mans buggy. Email for FREE stickers.
Zabdi Keen
http://www.flyingfever.net
Paragliding instructor and tandem pilot and run a paragliding school on the Isle of Arran and in Nepal. New mother overcoming the challenges to continue being in the hills with my new baby.
Carl Loses the red Ribbon
August 3, 2007 on 12:33 pm | In Paragliding | 1 Comment
Carl qualified with us last Autumn and back over to Arran for some soaring at Bennan. He passed his 10hrs and cut the red ribbon. You wear a red ribbon tied to your harness for the first 10hrs of flying after your club pilot license. It warns other pilots to keep clear!
Carl and David have a soaring competition at Cleats (a 20foot hill) The kids have a stop watch - David manages 2 minutes to Carls 28 seconds! You must turn the paraglider flat, use weight shift away from the hill.
31.7.07
Strong Southerly winds ground training and small flights at Cleats then soaring at Bennan.
Tom and Wil after their tandem flight at Bennan, they are from Australia visiting Uncle Kenny who owns one of our flying sites.
30.7.07
Northwesterly soaring at Thunderguy.
Zabdi and Kieth fly X-country to Catacol. Keith is just starting his Elementary pilot this week with his friend Angus who flew with Maurice.
Angus is 6ft 6 so a very tall passenger! 
It’s quite windy with good height in the wave from Kintyre. Visiting pilots Bill, Ian and Graham enjoy soaring way down the coast they qualified with us last year.
2nd August
Ian finished all his club pilot tasks and qualified CP in 8 days flying within the last two weeks. He will come back and fly with us to consolidate his knowledge and join the Aberdeen club and fly under the guidance of the club coaches whilst building up his airtime.
Graham a pilot who qualified with us last year soaring at Drumadoon before going to land on the beach by the golf course. He miss read the strength of the wind and on turning in to his final approach at the end of the beach found himself blown backwards and crossing powerlines (too low) went to land in somebodys garden.
When you are paragliding and expanding your knowledge you always need a large margin for error!
When its windy always check penetration by turning into wind early and choosing a large area to be blown back over without obstacles then you can reverse into your landing. When your feet touch the ground you want to collapse the glider using rear risers or c-risers so it doesn’t produce lift. Then run towards it and round the side , if you fall over collapse it by pulliing on one riser only and keep reeling it in.
We headed off to Ballygown to practise ground control and small flights with Angus, Keith, Josh and Ian.
Angus going for take off - good body position
Keith after getting a collapse from jumping on takeoff - DON’T JUMP - that’s why we practise low down. This is not how to carry a paraglider!
Rhiannon helping light a fire in the rain. The pilots walked back down at Catacol.
Kenny heads off on a west Coast tour with his paraglider, camping gear and climing kit in the paniers of his new motorbike. He is hoping to fly at least once on every Island - Good Luck!
Flying Fever is sponsoring Ulric Jessop and Aidean Toase in the Red Bull X-Alps challenge an 850km race that starts in Austria and finishes in Monaco. 30 international athletes compete by air and on foot follow the race on www.redbullxalps.com
Zabdi Keen
http://www.flyingfever.net
Paragliding instructor and tandem pilot and run a paragliding school on the Isle of Arran and in Nepal. New mother overcoming the challenges to continue being in the hills with my new baby.
