Going into Freefly Paragliding’s SIV course I was expecting to scare myself a bit, push my limits and feel more comfortable under my wing. What I got was all of it but it met my expectation 10 fold! In all honesty, I can’t believe I flew without it for as long as I did. The training was priceless and I’d do it again without hesitation.
I had previously done a SIV a few years before I took the freeflyparagliding course with Craig and was amazed at how well and easily he explained the maneuvers and the options that you had within each maneuver. I took the course to push myself a bit and too understand my wing,by the end of it my confidence was ALOT better and i felt more in control than I ever had under my wing.I would do one each year if I could:)
I have to tell you again how much I enjoyed the SIV course with you and how well organised it ran with the safety always coming first. Your instructions were brillient and I just wished we met a summer earlier!
I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for the SIV but I’m real stoked I did! Craig was an awesome teacher and has definately made me a better pilot. I’m safer under my wing and even pulled my first SAT! Worth every penny, Thanks FreeFly!
Doing this SIV course was the best possible thing I could have done for my flying and I wish I’d done it sooner, it really improved my confidence and my flying skills. Instructions were clear and the course was really well run, very confidence inspiring and a lot of fun. Craig managed to tailor it to everybody’s different abilities and it certainly exceeded my expectations. Thanks heaps
I decided to jump onto this course after hearing some great feedback from pilots around Queenstown. I had been flying for about a year and was looking to build some confidence and knowledge so I could take my flying up to the next level.
Craig was a superb teacher throughout the course, his knowledge and understanding of flight was immediately noticeable as was his thoroughness for safety.
One of my favourite aspects of the course was during the pre-flight briefings the archive of videos Craig had built up to show exactly how each manoeuvre was to be preformed along with examples of the manoeuvre gone wrong to show what caused it, how to prevent it and how to recover from it.
I was a little apprehensive about doing the course and pushing the boundaries of my abilities out of my comfort zone but Craig’s calm attitude and great judge of confidence and ability made the course a hugely enjoyable experience and one I won’t forget.
I came into the course with just over 20 hours flight experience and was somewhat concerned that I may be jumping in too deep. However the pre flight briefings, explanations, video examples and Craig’s calm demeanour meant that I felt comfortable and safe the entire time. I am now glad I decided to do the course so soon and I would suggest to anyone who is having reservations about doing an SIV course to book it for your next days off!
I’m a conservative pilot (i.e. I’ll be umming and arring about whether to launch or not when there’s already a gaggle in the air), and have never really felt comfortable coring properly, as I didn’t know where the spin point was on my glider, or any other glider. I’d watch so many pilots spiraling and often ask, when they first attempted that over land, how were they so sure that they were not plumeting to their death??…
At first, I didn’t know who’s SIV course to go on, so I did a bit of research. I’d looked at other SIV courses in NZ and Nepal. All sounded promising, knowledgeable and friendly, but I went for Craig’s course as he seemed to be the only one that flies these maneuvers (and more) every week himself. It’s part of his lifestyle and it was his regular exposure to the Acro world that nudged me to opt for his course. Also, the height of the launch area in Kingston is significantly higher than that in Pokhara, Nepal, meaning more maneuvers in less flights. That’s a bonus when the conditions can change quite quickly. And so I ended up booking with Craig Taylor.
Turned out that Craig’s a hardcore Acro pilot and has been flying Acro in Queenstown for the past 8 years. He flies several times a week and organises and runs the annual Acrofest here in Queenstown. It’s basically in his blood. He’s a very chilled and down to earth Kiwi. I got to Queenstown and he came picked me up from the airport. As we chatted on the way to town he insisted that I stay with him and his girlfriend (who incidentally turned out to be an amazing Acro pilot herself)!
There were two of us flying on the course. Another Kiwi from Dunedin and myself. Craig said normally he would have between 4 and 6 students, but as I was coming from Aus, he wanted to increase the chances that I get my flights in, in-case the weather turned. I don’t think that’s the norm, but how nice is that?! The first thing I noticed when I got to his place was the garaged high speed boat. He introduced me to his flat mate, another soft spoken guy who I got talking to lots later in the week. More about him later.
He briefed us in the evening and went over the maneuvers in detail with videos on his big screen telly, analyzing them and playing them in slow mo. In the morning we left for Kingston, a tiny tiny village about 20 minutes away from Queenstown. Virtually no one there. No joke, the scenery and serenity in Kingston makes Queenstown feel like a shanty town. The place is X-Alps territory undiscovered. He kept pointing out these towering mountains that they have been sampling left, right and center, that no one has previously flown. Kingston has so much potential, clear airspace for kilometers, and no one to fly it!
He supplied us with radios in water-tight containers and life jackets. There were 6 people in the crew. The first acted as launch marshal. The second, Craig, would come with us and fly to the bottom before each flight to test the conditions. He would then calmly instruct us on radio at the bottom. A third person followed underneath us in the rescue boat as we flew. The fourth person drove us up to launch and would bring the car back down. A fifth was doing all the filming (video footage of all flights are included in the overall price), and a sixth was doing the cooking (bbqs). It was one big happy family with lots of camaraderie and banter. They were all very well rehearsed and comfortable doing what they were doing. Yet, the impression I got, was that it seemed like an enjoyable event to them and an excuse to get together, more than a way of making money.
I asked if there was a First Aider in the crew. Craig is a First Aider and it is a legal requirement as an Instructor over there to renew the First Aid certificate every two years.
The drive up to launch was about half an hour on private land which Craig has access too. Conditions were smooth, with strong laminar wind coming offshore. This meant we did the maneuvers far from the shore (because of the strong drift) and could get a lot of flights in by the time we were close enough and low enough to land. Landing was on the beach. We would crab parallel to the beach.
There are several maneuver packages to choose from Basic to Advanced. I chose the basic, which still had some flexibility so you could choose certain maneuvers to concentrate on and mix and match.
Over 5 flights we did:
Big Ears
Big Ears with Speed bar
Pitching
B-Line stall
Asymmetric
Asymmetric with Speed bar
Horseshoe
Full frontal
Full frontal with Speed bar
PreSpin
Spin
PreStall
Full Stall with tail slides (excited just thinking about it )
Wing-Overs
Deep spirals
Reserve deployment while leaning into a 40% asymmetric collapse.
Some of the above, I did more than once. We did these over 2 days (if there were more pilots on the course, I suspect it would have taken longer). He asked if I wanted to do a 6th flight, and I said thanks but no. I was actually too tired to do anymore (at one point, I could have put my head down and slept on the beach. It just took it out of me).
In the evening, we would go over the video footage in great detail over dinner by the lake. He was very passionate and didn’t get tired of my incessant questions.
After the reserve deployment on the final flight, his team dried our wings and reserves by ground handling them (I felt a bit crap just watching them), and he took away the reserve and harness to repack it that night for me to pick up later. Again, included in the price.
With out going into the reason why (i.e. me), there was one maneuver that didn’t go as it should; the Spin, and it was pretty wild when my boot got caught in the lines! Real youtube stuff But Craig kept calm through out the whole thing. Very professional. Not once, did he sound stressed or raise his voice over the two days. If that was me looking up at me, I’d have screamed, “SWEET JESUS CHR… OH MY GOD, YOU’RE F%CKED DREW, PULL THE RESERVE, PULL PULL…”
Upon my return home, someone in my flying club asked me if I would go back next year. Yes definitely, everything permitting. This time with my family. Has it made me a better pilot? Not necessarily. I think you need more time now knowing these meanuvres and the experience that comes with it. But I know where the limits are now, such as Spin and Stall points, I know what to do if I have a Frontal etc. and that will make me much more prepared.
So as we were having dinner one night, and I was listening to conversations floating around about Ozone sponsorships and stories such as “…yeh, I was fortunate enough to go to China once, the Chinese government sponsored us to fly at an event…” etc, Craig leaned over and whispered, “You do know who that is you’ve been having a laugh with”, referring to his soft spoken flat mate. I starred blankly. “That’s Lino Oehl, SOL sponsored and 8th best Acro pilot in the world”. Cool!
As new new pilot of less than a year flying paragliders I am still coming to grips with what my glider and I can do. Taking part in the course with Craig has expanded my horizons to the capabilities of my wing beyond my wildest dreams. The confidence I have gained is invaluable.
Craig and his team were fantastic, friendly, and easy going. I would highly recommend and encourage new and experienced pilots to do an SIV with free fly paragliding. And don’t forget the fabulous scenery you get to fly in!
My wife and I did Craig’s SIV course in February 2012. It was fantastic – from the logistics through to the instruction and flying, we were highly impressed with Craig’s course. For anyone looking to do an SIV course or just to advance their flying skills, this course is highly recommended!
Several years ago I had a midair collision and a plummet to the earth. So … doing the SIV course was pretty much an ‘OK so I will show up and most likely whimp out’ sort of thing for me, more of an ‘I don’t want to be left out while my partner flies’ than a ‘yeeha I am going to do collapses and stalls!’ And yet, despite feeling like my heart would explode a few times, under Craig’s steady instruction, careful deconstruction and with his calm voice in my ear, I found myself giving everything a whirl (yes yes maybe it was a conservative whirl!). Craig handled the very differing levels of experience, skill and bravery in our cohort with professional ease and I believe we all left with more than we hoped to gain.
Craig is an excellent instructor, capable of providing valuable guidance and insight to all levels of pilot progression. His instruction is acutely calculated and planned out, but his natural ease enables him to adapt to the specific needs of any pilot. Whether you are looking to open up to new safety skills for the first time or you are trying to expand to advanced levels and techniques, Craig has the skills, understanding, and compassion to help you make it happen. Thanks Craig!
Going into Freefly Paragliding’s SIV course I was expecting to scare myself a bit, push my limits and feel more comfortable under my wing. What I got was all of it but it met my expectation 10 fold! In all honesty, I can’t believe I flew without it for as long as I did. The training was priceless and I’d do it again without hesitation.
J.D.
Queenstown, NZ
I had previously done a SIV a few years before I took the freeflyparagliding course with Craig and was amazed at how well and easily he explained the maneuvers and the options that you had within each maneuver. I took the course to push myself a bit and too understand my wing,by the end of it my confidence was ALOT better and i felt more in control than I ever had under my wing.I would do one each year if I could:)
I have to tell you again how much I enjoyed the SIV course with you and how well organised it ran with the safety always coming first. Your instructions were brillient and I just wished we met a summer earlier!
Oliver
Perth, Australia
I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for the SIV but I’m real stoked I did! Craig was an awesome teacher and has definately made me a better pilot. I’m safer under my wing and even pulled my first SAT! Worth every penny, Thanks FreeFly!
Rich Bisdee
Queenstown NZ
Doing this SIV course was the best possible thing I could have done for my flying and I wish I’d done it sooner, it really improved my confidence and my flying skills. Instructions were clear and the course was really well run, very confidence inspiring and a lot of fun. Craig managed to tailor it to everybody’s different abilities and it certainly exceeded my expectations. Thanks heaps
I decided to jump onto this course after hearing some great feedback from pilots around Queenstown. I had been flying for about a year and was looking to build some confidence and knowledge so I could take my flying up to the next level.
Craig was a superb teacher throughout the course, his knowledge and understanding of flight was immediately noticeable as was his thoroughness for safety.
One of my favourite aspects of the course was during the pre-flight briefings the archive of videos Craig had built up to show exactly how each manoeuvre was to be preformed along with examples of the manoeuvre gone wrong to show what caused it, how to prevent it and how to recover from it.
I was a little apprehensive about doing the course and pushing the boundaries of my abilities out of my comfort zone but Craig’s calm attitude and great judge of confidence and ability made the course a hugely enjoyable experience and one I won’t forget.
I came into the course with just over 20 hours flight experience and was somewhat concerned that I may be jumping in too deep. However the pre flight briefings, explanations, video examples and Craig’s calm demeanour meant that I felt comfortable and safe the entire time. I am now glad I decided to do the course so soon and I would suggest to anyone who is having reservations about doing an SIV course to book it for your next days off!
I’m a conservative pilot (i.e. I’ll be umming and arring about whether to launch or not when there’s already a gaggle in the air), and have never really felt comfortable coring properly, as I didn’t know where the spin point was on my glider, or any other glider. I’d watch so many pilots spiraling and often ask, when they first attempted that over land, how were they so sure that they were not plumeting to their death??…
At first, I didn’t know who’s SIV course to go on, so I did a bit of research. I’d looked at other SIV courses in NZ and Nepal. All sounded promising, knowledgeable and friendly, but I went for Craig’s course as he seemed to be the only one that flies these maneuvers (and more) every week himself. It’s part of his lifestyle and it was his regular exposure to the Acro world that nudged me to opt for his course. Also, the height of the launch area in Kingston is significantly higher than that in Pokhara, Nepal, meaning more maneuvers in less flights. That’s a bonus when the conditions can change quite quickly. And so I ended up booking with Craig Taylor.
Turned out that Craig’s a hardcore Acro pilot and has been flying Acro in Queenstown for the past 8 years. He flies several times a week and organises and runs the annual Acrofest here in Queenstown. It’s basically in his blood. He’s a very chilled and down to earth Kiwi. I got to Queenstown and he came picked me up from the airport. As we chatted on the way to town he insisted that I stay with him and his girlfriend (who incidentally turned out to be an amazing Acro pilot herself)!
There were two of us flying on the course. Another Kiwi from Dunedin and myself. Craig said normally he would have between 4 and 6 students, but as I was coming from Aus, he wanted to increase the chances that I get my flights in, in-case the weather turned. I don’t think that’s the norm, but how nice is that?! The first thing I noticed when I got to his place was the garaged high speed boat. He introduced me to his flat mate, another soft spoken guy who I got talking to lots later in the week. More about him later.
He briefed us in the evening and went over the maneuvers in detail with videos on his big screen telly, analyzing them and playing them in slow mo. In the morning we left for Kingston, a tiny tiny village about 20 minutes away from Queenstown. Virtually no one there. No joke, the scenery and serenity in Kingston makes Queenstown feel like a shanty town. The place is X-Alps territory undiscovered. He kept pointing out these towering mountains that they have been sampling left, right and center, that no one has previously flown. Kingston has so much potential, clear airspace for kilometers, and no one to fly it!
He supplied us with radios in water-tight containers and life jackets. There were 6 people in the crew. The first acted as launch marshal. The second, Craig, would come with us and fly to the bottom before each flight to test the conditions. He would then calmly instruct us on radio at the bottom. A third person followed underneath us in the rescue boat as we flew. The fourth person drove us up to launch and would bring the car back down. A fifth was doing all the filming (video footage of all flights are included in the overall price), and a sixth was doing the cooking (bbqs). It was one big happy family with lots of camaraderie and banter. They were all very well rehearsed and comfortable doing what they were doing. Yet, the impression I got, was that it seemed like an enjoyable event to them and an excuse to get together, more than a way of making money.
I asked if there was a First Aider in the crew. Craig is a First Aider and it is a legal requirement as an Instructor over there to renew the First Aid certificate every two years.
The drive up to launch was about half an hour on private land which Craig has access too. Conditions were smooth, with strong laminar wind coming offshore. This meant we did the maneuvers far from the shore (because of the strong drift) and could get a lot of flights in by the time we were close enough and low enough to land. Landing was on the beach. We would crab parallel to the beach.
There are several maneuver packages to choose from Basic to Advanced. I chose the basic, which still had some flexibility so you could choose certain maneuvers to concentrate on and mix and match.
Over 5 flights we did:
Big Ears
)
Big Ears with Speed bar
Pitching
B-Line stall
Asymmetric
Asymmetric with Speed bar
Horseshoe
Full frontal
Full frontal with Speed bar
PreSpin
Spin
PreStall
Full Stall with tail slides (excited just thinking about it
Wing-Overs
Deep spirals
Reserve deployment while leaning into a 40% asymmetric collapse.
Some of the above, I did more than once. We did these over 2 days (if there were more pilots on the course, I suspect it would have taken longer). He asked if I wanted to do a 6th flight, and I said thanks but no. I was actually too tired to do anymore (at one point, I could have put my head down and slept on the beach. It just took it out of me).
In the evening, we would go over the video footage in great detail over dinner by the lake. He was very passionate and didn’t get tired of my incessant questions.
After the reserve deployment on the final flight, his team dried our wings and reserves by ground handling them (I felt a bit crap just watching them), and he took away the reserve and harness to repack it that night for me to pick up later. Again, included in the price.
With out going into the reason why (i.e. me), there was one maneuver that didn’t go as it should; the Spin, and it was pretty wild when my boot got caught in the lines! Real youtube stuff
But Craig kept calm through out the whole thing. Very professional. Not once, did he sound stressed or raise his voice over the two days. If that was me looking up at me, I’d have screamed, “SWEET JESUS CHR… OH MY GOD, YOU’RE F%CKED DREW, PULL THE RESERVE, PULL PULL…”
Upon my return home, someone in my flying club asked me if I would go back next year. Yes definitely, everything permitting. This time with my family. Has it made me a better pilot? Not necessarily. I think you need more time now knowing these meanuvres and the experience that comes with it. But I know where the limits are now, such as Spin and Stall points, I know what to do if I have a Frontal etc. and that will make me much more prepared.
So as we were having dinner one night, and I was listening to conversations floating around about Ozone sponsorships and stories such as “…yeh, I was fortunate enough to go to China once, the Chinese government sponsored us to fly at an event…” etc, Craig leaned over and whispered, “You do know who that is you’ve been having a laugh with”, referring to his soft spoken flat mate. I starred blankly. “That’s Lino Oehl, SOL sponsored and 8th best Acro pilot in the world”. Cool!
Launch Site:
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/pano_top.jpg
Launch Site Close Up:
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/launch.jpg
Lee Side:
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/lee.jpg
The landing area and beach:
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/landing.jpg
Beach where we were setup:
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/setup.jpg
Drying our gear after reserve deployment!
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/dryinggear.jpg
Evening Dinner View
http://www.thesalemlot.com/siv/night.jpg
As new new pilot of less than a year flying paragliders I am still coming to grips with what my glider and I can do. Taking part in the course with Craig has expanded my horizons to the capabilities of my wing beyond my wildest dreams. The confidence I have gained is invaluable.
Craig and his team were fantastic, friendly, and easy going. I would highly recommend and encourage new and experienced pilots to do an SIV with free fly paragliding. And don’t forget the fabulous scenery you get to fly in!
My wife and I did Craig’s SIV course in February 2012. It was fantastic – from the logistics through to the instruction and flying, we were highly impressed with Craig’s course. For anyone looking to do an SIV course or just to advance their flying skills, this course is highly recommended!
Several years ago I had a midair collision and a plummet to the earth. So … doing the SIV course was pretty much an ‘OK so I will show up and most likely whimp out’ sort of thing for me, more of an ‘I don’t want to be left out while my partner flies’ than a ‘yeeha I am going to do collapses and stalls!’ And yet, despite feeling like my heart would explode a few times, under Craig’s steady instruction, careful deconstruction and with his calm voice in my ear, I found myself giving everything a whirl (yes yes maybe it was a conservative whirl!). Craig handled the very differing levels of experience, skill and bravery in our cohort with professional ease and I believe we all left with more than we hoped to gain.
Craig is an excellent instructor, capable of providing valuable guidance and insight to all levels of pilot progression. His instruction is acutely calculated and planned out, but his natural ease enables him to adapt to the specific needs of any pilot. Whether you are looking to open up to new safety skills for the first time or you are trying to expand to advanced levels and techniques, Craig has the skills, understanding, and compassion to help you make it happen. Thanks Craig!