How Can Paragliders Climb Above the Cloud? | Technical 125km Mountain XC Explained

[@arielzlatkovski8636]

Your videos are phenomenal! The flying itself, the footage, the hyperlapses, the interspersed Ayvris, all the in-video explanations and supporting links. Wow. Thank you for putting this content out there!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Nice one! Very kind words!! 🙏😀

[@youdontdothis]

Seconded here! Really amazing content, I love details and explanations and, to be honest, I wouldn't mind even more of those 😁

[@Hemersonr]

make this my words too... great content... thanks for sharing

[@FrenchFlies]

Yeah, I have to also second this. Very inspiring, but also informative content. I watch a couple more videos and I really enjoy the content on your channel!

[@BenjaminKellett]

@@FrenchFlies Thanks mate, I really appreciate it! 😁

[@leah.internet]

What a flight! Fantastic content. Cows won't subscribe but I just did.

[@BenjaminKellett]

haha awesome thanks mate!

[@wonderfulworldofWoody]

You have a real knack for making these videos both entertaining and informative as well presenting as the truly epic scenery and footage. Aspirational stuff for any of us mortals. 😂

[@BenjaminKellett]

Hahaha cool! Thanks mate 😁

[@Warbird-Aviation]

Wow what a nice landscape, nomtrees and super video quality!!!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! 😃

[@MrWhynotnow]

You've done it again Ben! Continuing to improve your video quality all the time. The addition of the stop/graphics with arrows/explanation, along with the hyperlapse, maps, and tracking with the live-action and in-flight dialog is PERFECT. The balance is brilliant. For a couch pilot in snowed in Rocky Mountains USA, this is just the sort of escape I need. Your appeal is worldwide and attracts more than just avid PG pilots, but wannabe ones and dreamers like me. Awesome adventures that everyone loves!! I'm still putzing around with my first Low-end B groundhandling glider and haven't flown yet, so you're inspiring to say the least.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Amazing thanks so much mate! The flying up there must be great too, not long until summer now!

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

Agreed. Very educational.

[@peterelliott2914]

Yeah really liking the extra detail Benjamin. I'm in Chch and it's super handy from that pov but even for a wider audience it fills a huge gap in pg videos in general.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Brilliant! Thanks mate!

[@flyinbryanfpv]

Awesome content. Just wanted to say, having the heading hold on the 360 when you're thermalling really helps from a viewer perspective. I appreciate it being done that way

[@ryankim3612]

Yes. As others have stated, I REALLY appreciate the work you put into your videos; it is impressive. Thank you kind sir!

[@BenjaminKellett]

No problem mate, thanks for watching!

[@flightmonkeyuk6944]

Class video mate! Really enjoying the fusion of 360 and lid cam footage.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Brilliant! Thanks!!

[@KilkennyLights]

Thank you for putting up such good content. Cheers Frank Manning. Ireland.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers!!

[@the_pennine_paraglider]

Awsome!!! yes, I have just subscribed 😜

[@BenjaminKellett]

😎🙌

[@JakeMarcin]

Great video as always and as a new paraglider I appreciate the little bits of thrown in education there

[@BenjaminKellett]

Sweet! Thanks!

[@notthestig8524]

Looks absolutely stunning where your flying, cheers for sharing

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!! No problem!

[@henrimevolhon5225]

Magnifique Stéphane. L'agence de développement touristique des Dolomites devrait te payer pour cette belle pub du parapente dans les Dolomites. Bons vols.

[@benjaminford4511]

I am programming the rehab, fitness and recovery aspects for a mate who is attempting to make the XApls25, and this video has help immensely for me to understand the flying components and constraints. Thank you!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome!

[@petavon]

Another great video Ben. I am looking forward to coming over but probably next season now. Well dome mate.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cool! Thanks mate!

[@ruterovenezuela]

Excellent Insights about the clouds and convergence. Make more like them we learn a lot. Thanks

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cool! Will do!

[@hornetguruhornetguru1745]

Hey , so great to watch, fantastic work Benjamin and what an arena to fly in… fly safe

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate! 😃

[@hornetguruhornetguru1745]

HI Benjamin, I need come over and love to go flying with guys…I missing the Alps.. hurray be safe, cheers Ole

[@sebass156]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of the sky with us.

[@BenjaminKellett]

You're welcome!

[@johnoutside84]

Incredible flight! Thanks for sharing.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!! No problem!

[@tonywarburton4226]

Brilliant vid! Thanks again! Congrats on the Wanaka Open! Keep the vids coming, really enjoy your explanations of your decision making! All the best!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers mate! Glad you liked it!

[@vinceradford9753]

Cracking video again mate. Love the extra info, cheers.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!!

[@ramonfarooki1]

Brilliant, another masterclass, well done and thank you

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks! You're very welcome!

[@brentwat]

Wow, amazing! Really enjoyed this experience, well done. Editing, audio and walk-through very helpful!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Brilliant! Thank you!

[@TLSMatt]

Thanks. So well done, filmed and explained.

[@BenjaminKellett]

🙏

[@hugomakin7033]

I might have seen a better pg xc video but not sure. Superb! Great to see the route you took Ben. I had a 40ish km off Mt Maude back in something like 2003/4. Aiming out to the flats in a westerly but a sea breeze came in and I surfed the front up Lake Hawea. Was great to see familiar peaks again :-). Keep making the vids!

[@BenjaminKellett]

Haha awesome! Sounds like an exciting day out!!

[@markmillar5209]

Great flight and great explanations of the conditions and decisions you made along the way. The flying on the South Island of NZL looks spectacular.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!! Yeah it's something quite special here!

[@pastyves]

Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing flight ! Really appreciate you explain what your seeing in the clouds and what you do about it. Vive le parapente!!! :)

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@Stolflucas]

Excellent video! Greetings from Brazil

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!!

[@alexrands2580]

Spectacular! Well done. And thanks for the education. I'm embarrassed to say, I bought a ZeoliteGT just because you make yours look so good. (Still Never flown it😊)

[@BenjaminKellett]

Don't be embarrassed! Smart move because they're awesome gliders! I've had 4 🤣

[@BenjaminKellett]

Have you flown it now? What do you think??

[@EARAISED]

Enjoyed the video! This is Art

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks very much!!

[@alex-in-the-wind]

Fantastic video once more! Informative, entertaining, lovely to watch - a great job indeed! Please keep on doing them! 😎

[@BenjaminKellett]

Awesome thanks mate, I will!!

[@smled9256]

Amazing footage mate.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!!

[@apexjunky]

Nice playground you have down there👍

[@BenjaminKellett]

beautiful eh

[@geotourer]

Awesome and thanks for sharing so much info for so many reasons.

[@BenjaminKellett]

No problem!!

[@Jesse_Dhue]

Epic video! So amazing! Learnt so much Thankyou

[@BenjaminKellett]

You haven’t even watched it 🤣

[@leonalden8866]

Firstly thanks for doing these videos learning so much! Especially the convergence explanations helped alot. Was the possibility of rotor a concern when you crossed over to the east side of Roys peak or was the westerly flow too weak? Also what helmet are you wearing? I need a new one!! 🙂

[@BenjaminKellett]

I could tell by the speed I was approaching the ridge that it wasn’t going to be too bad, if I had a strong tail wind passing over it’d been different. I’m using a Mammut climbing helmet, it’s light weight which is good. But you could get something with more protection for flying to be honest. Thanks for watching!! 😁

[@CoIoneIPanic]

Real stuff mate. I'm impressed with how you can talk and navigate us at the same time wait did I just see a hill called Breast. What the f are you all doing with Geography down there?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!! Haha yeah there’s a couple interesting ones for sure!

[@5ty717]

Awesome bro

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks!!

[@davideophile]

Woaahhhh. Thank you for this phenomenal video, especially explaining what was going on with the weather. How did you get back to civilization from the farm you landed at?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers mate! Yeah wasn't far from the highway, hitched hiked back home, it took about 5 hours.

[@davideophile]

@@BenjaminKellett woah. That's quite some travelling. Is there no public transport over there?

[@BenjaminKellett]

@@davideophile Nah, maybe one or two mini buses a day from Christchurch but you'd have to book in advance. The hitching is pretty easy though! So long as you land near a road!

[@davideophile]

@@BenjaminKellett yeah? People still stop over there? That's awesome. I really want to get into cross-country flying but the mountains over here have lots of rebel groups who wouldn't let you go home after you land in their territory. Haha.

[@timoatley7116]

Brilliant and informative videos, really enjoying your content. Quick question that has probably been asked and answered but I couldn't find it, what is you 360 camera mount setup?

[@BenjaminKellett]

I attach it with a small rig clamp mount on the invisible selfie stick

[@dirkdiggler3009]

Nice videos. Subbed

[@denishooper2618]

great vid thx a lot

[@BenjaminKellett]

No problem!

[@kiwihayden76]

Magic day

[@siegwaldhelmbrecht6727]

Amazing

[@onewheelisbetterthan2]

Why are there not more people that do this....i cant wait to get a rig and start practicing

[@321oe]

Great content🙏 How can you be sure that the higher cloudbase is formed by two air masses? Is there an option that cause is just different relative moisture in the thermals?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Well you kind of answered it there, the two different airmasses have different moisture/temperature that's why there is two different cloud bases.

[@santiagodsl]

Fantastic! I would love to know how do you make those time-lapse time-warp shots, a small tutorial would be amazing.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate, I just keyframe the direction in insta360 studio then speed it up in premier with some motion blur

[@seosiappa]

멋진비행 잘봤습니다😊

[@ic3man420]

Love your video. Your explanations of the winds are great. Only suggestion is to remove the beeping noise. its almost unbearable.

[@BenjaminKellett]

Haha yeah sorry about that, I need it for the flying unfortunately. Unless someone can tell me how to remove it in premier?? 🤔

[@MatiasNombarasco]

way to go man, a what time did u landed on this one?

[@BenjaminKellett]

at 4:23. It was a bit if a shame because the day still had many hours left to fly and I took off so early, it was on for 200km for sure. As I'm packing up in the hyperlapse in the back ground you can see the sea breeze convergence developing, I just stuffed it up in the flats and landed early. Ah well! Plenty more seasons to try again!! 😎

[@MatiasNombarasco]

@@BenjaminKellett o well, as you said, plenty of chances next season. Hope to see you there soon mate. Keep your feathers dry

[@Adventure_Bum]

Epic

[@BenjaminKellett]

Thanks mate!!

[@rrocketman]

Livin the life 😎

[@BenjaminKellett]

Cheers!

[@GeeGeeNZ]

Hey Ben thanks so much for this great video, so much interesting informations there! I can see the forecast of the day on RASP is clear west. You are explaining taking convergence north of Lake hawea if I'm correct. With the step shape of cloud. Was those convergence the point where the westerly wind was meeting the thermals on the east sides of the mountains? (As being still morning so sun heating this face?) And so convergence is not only 2 winds meeting, but also wind/thermal and even 2 thermals ? At 9:40 I'm a bit confused with the westerly and the cold easterly Cheers mate !

[@BenjaminKellett]

Yeah so there is more than one type of convergence for sure, I mean it essentially two pieces of air colliding and going up. That could be sea breeze, it could be meteo wind, valley wind etc. The step in the cloud is because one air mass (in this case it’s on the east) is cooler so the cloud forms lower. This helps identify it is convergence. Yes this day was predominantly westerly, this westerly wind (at about 9 minute mark) is colliding with an easterly wind about Timaru creek. That easterly wind there is likely caused by an area of low pressure developed by strong thermic activity over the range. That particular spot, along Timaru creek often has convergence set up there on good days. I’ve flown it several times this season and rarely had to turn for that 30km stretch.

[@turkeyphant]

How do you keep the One R recording for so long? Do you have a 512GB SD card and power bank constantly connected or something?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Yep exactly. 512gb SD, will get just under 12 hours of 5.7k on there. Then a fully charged camera and a 10,000 MaH battery will do about 10 hours recording I’ve found. When it’s really cold the batteries don’t last as long.

[@danielcapp]

Ben, why did you change from the F Race to the BV1?

[@BenjaminKellett]

Because the BV1 is more robust, has heaps more storage and is more fit for bivvy flying which is more what i do than hike an fly.

[@cloudsurferireland]

Hi Ben what 360 camera are you using thanks

[@BenjaminKellett]

It’s the Insta360 one R

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

Can you recommend any good books on paragliding weather knowledge and strategies to keep aloft ? Would be interested how you learned the skills.

[@BenjaminKellett]

There's heaps of good books that XC Mag sell! xcmag.com/shop/?ref=55 xcmag.com/shop/product/understanding-the-sky-new-edition/?ref=55 xcmag.com/shop/product/thermal-flying-new-edition/?ref=55 xcmag.com/shop/product/advanced-paragliding/?ref=55 But also if you're not already you should subscribe to the magazine, every issue has heaps of information in it, weather, glider design, inspirational stories. Well worth it. xcmag.com/subscribe/?ref=55

[@petergreis]

Which glider are you flying?

[@BenjaminKellett]

The Ozone ZeoliteGT ML

[@Itsallgoodtogo]

What do you do for a living? It seems I can never catch those perfect days due to work.

[@BenjaminKellett]

I was a chef for the last 10 years or so, I took this summer off and now I'm flying tandems but it's very quiet!

[@MrWhynotnow]

@@BenjaminKellett Oh wow mate! I may have to take a trip to NZ and do a tandem with you. I was actually just asking Nick N what he thought of the idea of a tandem XC competition with male/female teams. You might just be heading in an exciting new direction there.

[@makaronie08]

3:00 when you have backwind before, you are now flyin in lee Lmao not in rough thermals xD...

[@BenjaminKellett]

haha yeah, lee side thermals for sure!

[@j.m.5199]

Where are the trees?

[@BenjaminKellett]

haha much lower down! In truth in parts of NZ there aren't many!

[@WBtimhawk]

15:17 yeah they're not gonna subscribe, the youtube algorithm is out of control. Who knows, maybe in 10 years this video will go viral among the cow demographics

[@BenjaminKellett]

🤣

[@SkillzzzSkillzzz]

I like how nobody gives a fuck about the stay out of the clouds visual flight rules...

[@theeyeinthecloud]

😂 specially me as a pro pilot. I just met a guy who was inside the TMA and thought there were no plane here: I told him that I was precisely often flying there at that same altitude sometimes on approach to the airport with Airbus 320… I don’t want to be caught behind that kind of wake turbulence personally. About publishing this, it is a bit like showing how to cross a red light; the owner of the video take the responsibility…

[@oldwaitekauri]

Practically pornographic...

[@BenjaminKellett]

🤣🤣🤣