Paragliding first day out of lockdown: Dust devil, Crash!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Kowabunga! Tracklog and flight replay, in-depth analysis, wing control advice and extras are available in the Extended Edition over on flywithgreg.com/

[@ZopcsakFeri]

And you get 10 extra points for Kowabunga! :D from another TMNT fan. Thanks for the video. I saw you above the rail tracks with a speed loop in your A's - is there a reason to be on the speedbar that low? Or am I mistaken about the loop and you just always have that in your A's?

[@vangeldermark3875]

Hello Greg, thanks for sharing this “accident “. Helpful, as always. Get rid of the ego in the sky is a great attitude. Learning from mistakes. Great message to all of us. Keep save and lots of happy landings.

[@sza1985]

Hey Greg. Glad you are ok. I have been watching your videos eversince I started paragliding 5 years ago, and this is probably the best video. Reason is simple, you spoke the unsaid code with such polite and caring manner. This so called unsaid self debrief almost always exist but no one speaks about it. Some are so scared to face their fears that they don't even speak to themselves about debrief. But you did, and did with a style! Bravo. For me this is of those like 'first time ever breaking the norms' videos. Just one feedback, where you said 4 to 5 pointers at the end on what went wrong, maybe consider adding what was a good alternate. For example 1st flight after lockdown, could have been an easy goal, not so ambitious, an easier glider, fly the day rather than self-defined goal. Cheers! and keep inspiring... 28 years wowww

[@youtischia]

Well said. Exactly right. He has admitted an error and made it public. Very rare in paragliding. Most just keep quiet.

[@crashnburnband]

Wise words from a Sage that we all need at the moment especially after the tragic events of the last few days.thanks Greg! The shadow of your wing shows how much wing you lost.

[@robertomirelman6295]

Great video, Greg. They say that experience is the sum of our errors which we reflect upon. Learning from other's mistakes is the closest we can get, without getting hurt :-) There are so many small and important details to learn about, that even experienced guys like you are not alwaqys aware of. I am a newbie with only two years flying experience, for me your videos are pure gold! Keep it up, please!

[@Derlorman]

Respect! Talking about and analysing other peoples errors is easy - being critical about your own decisions - that‘s the spirit!

[@ppgbobfather9919]

Thanks for such as great video Greg! Not only was it beautiful scenery and commentary but extraordinary from an educational standpoint. So glad that you are an expert pilot and handle it so well. A lessor pilot would not only have been hurt but likely would not perform the excellent introspective debrief "how could I have avoided a 50% collapse 50 ft agl?" Im confident that every PG pilot who watches this video will have learned an important lesson thanks to you, Sir Greg! Keep em coming and stay safe.

[@FlyWithGreg]

You're welcome bobfather, just passing on my experiences and hope they help .. I'm glad to have had a wakeup call so I can adjust my style and remove some complacency

[@Drako83]

Thanks for sharing Greg, really instructional. Glad that you are ok and loved watching the debrief and your positive attitude.

[@27niner]

As many comments have already said, probably your best yet. Humbling and honest analysis here. This has also been a big focus in gliding circles on when to switch from scratching(soaring) mode to landing mode. You became the thermal trigger only this time the barrel was too close to you this.Glad you got out unscathed and chose to share a powerful lesson for us all.

[@bjornsumner653]

@3:30 man, I hope we can find that unity and cohesion! Your videos are always inspiring! Thanks Greg for letting us behind the computer screens lives vicariously through you.

[@nicolalionello4421]

Really glad you are ok. Thanks for sharing!

[@alexbooo]

Thanks Greg for having shared this experience. It’s a really instructional video.

[@safranpollen]

The lesson from this at sunny hot days is better to land on a green meadow.🤗😁

[@PaulinTaegu]

Exactly! The last turn where it pushed him down headed directly for the green field was his out. Clear the tracks and fence on the downwind leg, see if still sinking fast and adjust for base and final leg turns back into the wind in the green field. Chances of getting slammed by the Dusty past the tracks and green field thermal trigger point are very low! 8^)

[@safranpollen]

@@PaulinTaegu I agree at all

[@crimsonraen]

Hey Greg, thanks so much for the video, and the debrief! :D Definitely important to learn lessons from our mistakes. SUPER glad you were able to walk away from that landing!

[@GC987]

Well done Greg. I nearly switched off at 8:45 - but carried on & so glad I did. Real smart to debrief yourself (particularly so after a lengthy non flying period). Very helpful to see you going through that process. The pre & post flying thinking was really helpful (and I'm a glider pilot rather than a paraglider pilot). Good stuff. Thanks.

[@jeremybarr6279]

Genuine, talented, and entertaining... thank you please keep it up.

[@nico_albrecht]

Excellent learning video for the ambitious pilot right here. Nice to see that you still saved everything in this situation.

[@arndwolvetang5025]

Amazing filming technique where you get the paraglider's shadow in the field below! Quite remarkable. Glad you are safe!

[@cincinus50]

I'm glad that you were not hurt. I like your attitude about kicking off the rust and getting back in the air. Great video on risk management and reviewing what happened after each flight to become a better pilot. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[@jeffsinason4336]

Thank you Greg for the great message about currency and complacency. My first flight after lockdown I found myself being extremely conservative in my decision making.

[@FlyWithGreg]

Wise man!

[@maiorfly]

Thanks for sharing Greg! That was a tense landing!

[@jeffbutler6729]

Glad you're safe after that "devil" got ya and good to see you back out enjoying the skies once again. I always love your analysis and sharing not only your highlights, but also the lessons learned from incidents such as these, which is where we all learn the most. I also recently had a blowback scenario that put me in a precarious situation, but through good decision making (and luck), I was able to land safely in very restricted quarters. I always look to debrief and make notes as to how I can improve in these situations. Thanks for your inspiration and continued sharing!

[@ripmanridin7092]

Learning everyday.............thanks for posing this!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Congratulations Ripman! You've won the monthly prize for commenters on my channel: a free month membership on Fly With Greg dotcom! Email greg at flywithgreg dotcom and I'll set you up ...

[@nathansciacqua1030]

You’re humble, intelligent and experienced, One super cool brother. Love your vids Keep them coming

[@theoski1326]

very nice debrief thanks for sharing it with us ! greetings from Annecy

[@cumuluslibre]

Hey greg, happy to see your fine.. i had a DustDevil on a landing near laragne 10 years ago.. just picked up for a few meters before touchdown and thrown on my side, a few bruices but i was ok.. I love the fact that we get a thorrow analyse afterwords,.. i think we should have more of them.. people should learn from accidents, like they do in aviation.

[@FlyWithGreg]

dust devils can be nasty little random things

[@arnekvinge6073]

Never hold the wing in a rosette when dustdevil arrive. It can easy trow you.

[@wild2flyparagliding160]

Yoh! Close one Greg! ;) It was a lesson I learned very early in my flying career (lucky I was flying a hang glider then) ;) But since then I have always advocated, never choose a ploughed field given a choice. They are almost always rough as hell! :)) Great video capture on the shadow!

[@FlyWithGreg]

7up, 6down .. never seen anything like it in the UK. Then again, it's always the unexpected things that get ya. So now I expect another one ... it'll never happen. :-) but a gaggle of vampire geese, now THAT'S more likely

[@moose7472]

Glad to find your channel! I love the thick skin displayed by the debrief. One thing that is my technique, set a minimum altitude (AGL) to bail on lift and secure the (safest) the landing. The only time I have ever broken down tubes (hang gliding) is in the exact scenario you were in. Fantastic debrief, well done! Hopefully many see this.

[@81darocha]

We’re always learning, and the safety procedures should always be on our minds. Loving and learning a lot from your KZbin channel. Abraços from Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil

[@dwilliamson8539]

My old glider, which I'd been flying for 13 years, was a write-off, after I got turned towards the trees, trying to land in a thermic brown field, which I knew was kicking off a thermal, just because I tried to land in the knarly air, next to where I would have parked the car. I, like you, could easily have glided to the next (not thermic looking) field and had a smooth landing but a short carry-out. I think that the moral is that we must try to think ahead a little bit! I was somewhat complacent, as I'd landed in that field, right next to the parking space, countless times, over the years.

[@FlyRusty]

Greg glad you survived that one. Great analysis and full of pertinent and valuable information. Thanks

[@ianmiskin800]

Big credit for sharing this experience. Great film, put together so well! Fly safe everyone.

[@flyblueskyguy5863]

Maybe not an accurate description, but my first though was your other video...K L A P P E R ! ! Glad you are safe and flying again.

[@FlyWithGreg]

ahahhaha, yes indeed. I got klapped.

[@FluidBlow]

This is really inspiring to watch how this whole video is really humble

[@lewisjohn892]

Thanks for sharing this experience Greg - it takes courage to share the lows as well as the highs. Look after yourself buddy!

[@FlyWithGreg]

I actually really enjoy a close shave, it's so good for flying safety to reset safety margins before they get too relaxed and a big incident follows. So many small things I can improve on.

[@peterphil9686]

Your best one yet...! Very good analysis for intermediate syndrome pilots like me (1200hrs)

[@youtischia]

Brilliant video. Great idea to talk thru your decision to land there. Thank you so much.

[@milcog3662]

Thx for your reflections Greg, with both feet back on the ground! (Sort of....) Glad you re ok!

[@DamianChaparro]

Love this kind of break down. Big thanks.

[@kyleoglee]

Devils do spin up fast Greg. Hindsight is 20/20, so don't beat yourself too hard. Low saves in the flats at 10 meters are a fool's game anyway. Great video, didn't realize I hadn't subbed yet. Fixed that!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Kyle, welcome to the new show! where I shout at the clouds and beat the ground :-)

[@LarsKomm]

Hey Greg. Thanks for that video at this time as last week I had a similar experience. On final, I hit a just triggered thermal (not a dust devil though) that sent me flying backwards and upwards at like 30ft above ground. It was also over a brown dusty field. I was just able to catch the surge as I fell out of the thermal and landed harder than usual. Now I'm just at the beginning of my XC career so this was very eye-opening for me regarding choosing a landing field as my analysis of the incident was very much the same as yours. Gives me confidence in my abillity to avoid things like that in the future. Again, thanks for posting this.

[@FlyWithGreg]

Glad you're OK too Lars. Yeah we're programmed to look for lift, instead we need to look for smooth air for landing.

[@attilab.1061]

Thanks for your help!

[@crickhowellparagliding]

So pleased to see you're OK and thank you for sharing. What an event on your first day out of lock down! Thanks also for the analysis, something we should always do post accident, or any flight really. I suppose another layer of analysis/thought... Once you were that low, the speed record was gone I suspect? Yet something inside us keeps us positive and competitive, despite the odds being stacked up against us. Something we should all keep in mind and realise that even if we make these cool flights, then who, but us, really cares! See you soon I hope x x

[@FlyWithGreg]

Yes indeed Ali, I guess we are all wired to keep looking for a climb when we should have clear safety margins that dictate 'safe landing mode' should be engaged.

[@joel.fuchs_]

thanks for sharing, glad you're ok.

[@rhysfisher7063]

Very good post flight reflection Greg!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Rhys, it's great to have a close shave to reflect on, resets all the safety protocols!

[@charlesloyd1970]

Freedom is awesome. It allows us to get our minds right with flight. Love being up there with just my thoughts.

[@solentfisher]

I visited my short local ridge in the Czech Republic recently. It was sunny, baking hot (35c) with fairly strong frequent gusts 8-10m/s with only 2-3ms between. The wind sock was constantly changing direction by 20 degrees during these gusts. After an initial bodged pull-up I decided not to fly as I had a sense something was off in the back of mind. The wheat crop landing field at the bottom had recently been harvested and it was brown and bone dry. Today I recalled this video and your experience and I’m sure it was this that sent my alarm bells ringing last week

[@willpotter8343]

Glad you’re ok. PLF has saved my a** a couple of times

[@haukewalden2840]

It's amazing how fast a perfectly ok flight can suddenly turn into a "Oh shiiiit!" situation. Thanks for sharing this and reminding us all that even a very experienced pilot can get in situations that are hard to handle - I wonder what would have happened to a novice like me if that would have happened in that situation. Just a week ago a friend of mine was lifted like 2-ish meters above ground by a suddenly appearing dust devil. Not so nice if you get suddenly lifted, twisted around, and the glider above you has just the lifting capacity of a small umbrella...

[@FlyWithGreg]

Yeah, best thing we can do is minimise the risk where possible: good landing choices, good weather choices, good habits

[@nickb9397]

Greg, what a day ! If the length of my 'lockdown hair' is anything to go by, I'd be distracted on my first flight in ages too ! In a previous life as a fixed wing flight instructor on the metallic variety of aircraft, I used to tell my students about that magical mystery known as 'airmanship'. It's included in all your videos and as you pointed out, it's the attitude, the approach, the training, the application, the flight currency, the experience and the wisdom.....basically, the sum of everything that one puts into flying. If my meagre paragliding experience is anything to go by, 'feeling' can be added to the list. I told students about this because it can't all be taught, only learned. After incidents like this one, reflection is key and admitting that things didn't go quite as planned is the first essential step to bettering the moment. Analysis follows and the decision making process is modified for the future. I like your mental approach to everyday problems and really appreciate your videos. Ta !

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks, Nick. I like that. Airmanship. Has a nice ring to it, and the standard can always be raised!

[@Oomzilla]

Well said thanks NHS. Well done people that stayed at home.✌🏽❤️

[@guyetlaurence7142]

Great vid again, thanks. Dusties cannot be predicted, but risk can be reduced by sampling the air upwind of the LZ, then following sink to land, or catching lift to get up. Too many accidents occur due to going straight into an LZ, at the mercy of unchecked air. Clearly you were still in get-up mode, but an upwind recce would prevent surprizes. It has kept me safe in many similar spots, including nasty midday Porterville conditions! Hope this can help others. Safe landings!

[@coronadiet668]

Great video, a lesson learnt for the benefit of others🎉

[@FlyWithGreg]

Glad it was helpful!

[@2004helloWorld]

great debrief, thank you.

[@miguelsolorio5544]

Hi Craig that was little scary but I am glad you're okay, thanks for another great video, I am going to start my training on this month I am from San Diego California USA

[@stevebertieroberts270]

Good to see you up there again mate. Awaiting a break in the cold fonts here in CT.!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Steve! Now that I've had my Safety Reset I should be good for another couple of years :-)

[@stevebertieroberts270]

Greg that was such a freak incident no amount of experience could have easily anticipated that dusty. Your debrief was very informative and useful though regarding the element of complacency that so often stalks us. Everyone who watched this unexpected incident will forever be more forewarned than before. Excellent work. Cheers.

[@amseez]

I’m very glad you’re all in good shape! Although I don’t totally agree with your analysis of what happened Thanks for sharing

[@guilhermeb7615]

I'm glad you're ok Greg! Can you considering posting flying log on Ayvri along with the video description? Just looking for more ways to learn really. I've done 4 flights after the lockdown and it all been great so far.. its raining season in south of Brazil so not expecting much this time of the year.. Be safe.. Thanks for sharing!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Guilherme! Those sort of extras are already available in the Extended Edition - that's my plan, more indepth learning for members on flywithgreg.com, which supports the channel so I can make more free stuff as well. Track shows -3m/s, then +7m/s, then -6m.s. Wing didn't like that :-)

[@GTAGGARTIST]

You handled that just fine. Glad you're ok. Thank you for acknowledging the value of "stay at home". We are blessed if our biggest worry is when we can strap on the wing or the butt fan to fly. And the thanks to the Medical Workers! I'd like to try without a motor.

[@josselinmaestre9859]

Thanks for sharing it, especially with your analysis and feedback!

[@bobflyman]

Glad you walked away from that one Greg! Great educational video too.

[@avad71]

well done for posting this Greg!

[@peterphil9686]

Dusties on no wind or mild day... Well said GH... well said.

[@para.k]

Oh..It was dangerous moment😳 glad you're not hurt! and thanks for sharing this video!

[@RichardChambers]

A reason important and timely video, thank you for sharing. I'm glad you are unhurt.

[@cs9260]

Way to walk away Greg! You are absolutely right....S%&t happens! It can happen to anyone, no matter how good you are. Learn from this people. Thank you for sharing Greg!

[@rodrigoromero3584]

Excellent... thank U very much.

[@Hemersonr]

i liked the debriefing of this day... first law... never change the landing spot... lol... sometimes we got distracted by the goals that we setup... huge fan

[@majortom8014]

Hello Greg, I really like your videos. You have a symphatic style and I have learned a lot from your videos! This video is also very instructive and reminds us that we are heavier than air. I'm looking forward to your next video. Happy landings!

[@comsol2008]

Looks like the field just East of Plumpton station. If so I had a massive collapse coming in to land over that same field last year. Had enough height to recover it before landing.(just)

[@alasdair1571]

Very honest with yourself

[@yucekaracagil3167]

I am by means no expert. But from the dozens of videos I have watched on youtube, I can say the problem was choosing the plowed field instead of green lush field. Because those type of fields seem to be warmer than those greenish areas so they trigger dust devils more than usual. Thanks for sharing. This was very informative.

[@randys1889]

Glad you're ok. Cheers from Southern California USA ~

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thank you!

[@LadoAventureiro]

Thanks for sharing!!!

[@SilverSniper75]

From a fellow Cape Townian being a first month paragliding student here in Germany, I must say this has me a bit nervous. A guy like you with so much experience can make a mistake, heck I can only hope to keep it as calm as you did.

[@FlyWithGreg]

Flying demands eternal vigilance.

[@yoginero]

Greg, how about a video lesson on parachutal near vertical landing for tight spot emergency landings? Thanks for the videos!

[@FlyWithGreg]

yes I plan to jump off my roof when I'm bored enough, but while it's flyable I'm making other more, ah, uplifting videos :-)

[@FlyWithGreg]

ah, you mean the landing approach bit ... yes this could be included in a landing lesson I'm doing, thanks for the suggestion

[@ludocean]

Thanks Greg for your feedback, it's so generous, thks...And happy you are not issue. I didn't live your chance, but i had chance , I'm alive 😉👍, thks

[@patrickaubichon]

good assessment. we are all human. that's how I approach bmx.

[@nzrestoration9486]

Wise man, you will live a bit longer, many would have broken an ankle or leg, worse damaged the spine. Great review but I don’t understand why you didn’t fly over the railway line to the green field? I would just like to say that I haven’t flown for 12 years but this series has given me new enthusiasm to start again, I miss flying but don’t miss the heartache of losing friends, it’s a balance I guess but I’m 60 now , a fit 60 so I can still fly. Thanks for your input and your wisdom. J flying New Zealand.

[@ziadbassil]

Glad you're ok Greg !!!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Ziad! What has happened to the UK weather? Completely unexpected 7m/s up then 6 down. Usually it's 'indoor flying' over here :-)

[@avugiak]

Landing with style I'd say, you and others iv enjoyed helping keeping are flying safe and effective, all ways good information here!!!

[@FlyWithGreg]

More like 'falling with style' here but thanks avugiak :-)

[@MichaelNelson-0]

Almost zero experience pilot here, but just wondering, watching the video, specifically right at 7:02, the right side of your wing has just risen quickly and then collapsed as shown in your shadow and you're about to spiral to the right down to the ground - the shadow also shows your right brake pulled down significantly. I was wondering, if you had been able to shift your weight just before that moment to your left riser, would the outcome have been likely to be more stable? (Makes me wonder whether it's worth training my reaction so that if I get a sudden lift on one side that could potentially stall to begin shifting weight away from that side, even though it will increase my turn in the mean-time).

[@lesvolsrandodadri584]

Glad you're alright 👌

[@xavierdupla9766]

Hi Greg, could you describe the flying instruments you use ? Your smartphone is for XC track et you have a vario next to it ? (and thanks a million times for your fantastic videos and positive energy)

[@localhawk1]

Hmm, had a simular situation in the past. The right decision would be to "hands up" when the glider pitches back so hard. In such a height you do not expect anything like this (I missed it). Good that everything went well. Thanks for the video.

[@jackcarver8234]

Always carefull about the ground where born thermal, i have the same shit not long ago but i was up enough to take contrôl back but that was rock and roll

[@Larzemensch]

Hi Greg, thanks for sharing this. I’m glad your okay! I noticed you breaking pretty much, just shortly after getting your legs out. Could that have been perhaps triggered the collapse some more? Save flights and happy landings! Cheers, Lars

[@firstnamelastname2669]

Watching in slo-mo it looks like the flare is started at 6:57, a full seven seconds before 'landing'; so it looks like you may have a point - we all know that temptation to flare a little earlier. However it could have been active flying at the edge of the turbulence, hard to say without being on the controls. How many pilots would publicise their incident? Great contribution Greg.

[@grantcrossingham1774]

Hi Greg, good analysis. Alway hard to see from a video whether there was something stopping you from choosing the large green field on uour last turn?

[@micinvit]

Nice video. Thanks.

[@lorifilho3112]

Thanks a lot for share this video. I fly in Brazil and this can happen offen here. I really expect to learner with it. Would you share how you mounted the compass on your harness?

[@dwilliamson8539]

Although you'd got your feet down, on the approach (which seemed to be pulling on enough speed to keep the nose down but then it still pitches up when you hit the lift. Would the speed bar be any use to prevent this?), when you get zoomed up, your right heel seems to get hooked in the harness as you try to get feet and knees together for the impact, until the very last second. Is this a design fault of the harness?

[@dwightbernheimer331]

Looks like the Green Field would have been the Better choice mate... You want dust devils, come to Arizona... We'll give you all you want... Thanks for posting...

[@russellwilson5246]

hi greg is that the xalps 3 you were exited about in a test? i remember you said it was solid....i notice it does not open it self.why did you not open the wing? you had 5 seconds to open it.i notice the glider turned 180 deg and the only thing that stopped the rotation was the ground.why did you not stop the wing from rotating?

[@htamerursavas]

Why were you landing anyway? In great days you should not land unless you have a very good reason. That was a great wing control i wonder if you stall the flying part before the impact or not. If so did it help ???

[@FlyWithGreg]

I had a very good reason! I made a mistake with my line and ran out of altitude :-) I think I kept most of the flying part flying till landing, the tip goes in and out of stall right at the end and the whole wing is open as my feet touch the ground .. so I needed just a few more metres. What I was mostly trying to do was prevent a dive and turn, to limit the landing velocity. It's easy to roll a vertical landing, but not one that comes in at an angle.

[@larssorenson9916]

Thank you for another great educational video - with your accompanying humorous trademark 😆 what footwear do you use? What is your feeling about the difference between the heavy duty HanWag paragliding boots Vs something less supportive in a landing like this?

[@andycopland3179]

I hit some funky wind under an 84sq/ft parachute. I PLF'd and probably saved my life, but I was broken all over and two broken legs and back later.... I'm back at it.

[@arnekvinge6073]

Somthing termals altso do is change wind direction. Altso weather front, seabreas, rainshowers, can change wind direction rapid. I had 3 hard landings from rapid wind change. So I try no to land before or after the change or pic a better landing aera.

[@stephendeese97]

Hi Greg, thanks for sharing this minor accident. I"m glad you are ok. 1. Were you flying with back protection? If so, why kind? 2. In such a situation, is it better to PLF or land on your airbag? Thanks Stephen

[@PaulinTaegu]

He's flying a certified Pod harness with some minimal back protection. Never ever count on that to save your back! Say it, PLF, PLF, PLF!!! Even a compound fracture of one or both of your legs is better than a spinal injury that possibly results in total paralysis!

[@entelin]

"And that ladies and gentleman is why you need to practice your PLF!" That ladies and gentleman is why I'm a hangglider pilot XD

[@PaulinTaegu]

He walked away with little more than his pride injured! A hangglider hitting a Dusty that low on final is a lawn dart coming in head first! With your added speed and weight that might have proved fatal for a hangie! 8^(

[@entelin]

@@PaulinTaegu It takes a lot more. A hanggliders speed means they keep flying in turbulence that may collapse a paraglider. A PG is always flying near stall, and the bar decreases wing compression which is even worse. A HG is nowhere as near susceptible to this kind of thing. Go looking for videos of HGs hitting dustys low. It's happened for sure, but events worth mentioning are comparatively rare.

[@elcazzador4778]

Hey ! What mouth gopro mount do you use ? Thanks !