Preserving Access to Flying Sites

With the growth and increase in popularity of speedflying, tension has developed between speedflyers, tandem operations, and local communities.

In order to preserve access to our sacred speedflying areas, we must work to relieve these tensions.

Challenges

• Use of farmer's fields for landing
• Risk of scaring farmer's animals
• Paragliders & speedflyers sharing landings
• Speedflyers' lack of knowledge of air law and (paragliding) best practice
• Speedflying's dangerous image

I think that one notable issue is that many speedflyers are unfamiliar with paragliding conventions, such as ideal landing approach. This knowledge can be used to ensure that our flying is compatible with paragliding. For example, we must follow the direction of traffic landing before us, and landing into wind whenever possible. Smooth, smart and safe piloting is crucial if we are to build an image of speedflying as a sustainable mountain sport.

We depend on farmers for their produce, their land, and their hiking trails. Many of the hiking trails exist due to farming. Farming is an industry, an integral part of society, and we must appreciate this. Speedflying is a recreational activity, and as such, we must ensure that speedflying remains compatible and sustainable, also from the point of view of our farmers. We must respect the farmers, and their animals. Swooping over their animals is a sure way to create tension, and has in the past.

I am optimistic that as speedflying continues to grow, we will work together to support the fornation of clubs and develop integration with paragliding clubs when necessary.

For popular high-value areas such as Chamonix, we must be particulary careful to avoid accidents and develop productive relationships with the community and existing clubs. In future, it may be necessary to secure funding to ensure access to vital landings.

For the sustainability of speedflying as sport that is accepted and welcomed by society, we must work together. We must keep our friends safe, always helping when we feel necessary. Be honest with your friends if you feel uncomfortable, or if you see anything sketchy. We must also ensure that we learn as much as possible. The more that speedflyers also fly paragliders, the safer the sport becomes.