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2018 Festival of Flight

24th Annual Festival of Free Flight : May 18-21, 2018

The event marks the start of the flying season for many people and is the largest gathering of Maritime pilots during the year.  With over nine different potential flying sites and friendly competitions, it is a social highlight for many pilots.

Flying Sites - Festival of Free Flight

 

2012 Festival of Flight at Fox River
Pilots enjoying the bountiful air of the 2012 Festival of Flight at Fox River.

 2018 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Flying (Friday – Monday) locations depend upon wind and weather conditions.
Location updates will be posted on white board in front of BlackRock Bistro (Main Street) and on Twitter @HPAAC – and see site map above.

Friday May 18

  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Pilot arrival staggered throughout the day. Location of pilots will be posted on white board at the Black Rock Bistro on Main Street
  • 7:30 (ish) dinner – Pizza and Movie night at Diligent River Hall.

Saturday May 19

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 0730 – 0800
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying – Check the white board for locations (dependent on wind conditions)
  • 7:00 pm – Lobster Boil – members only

Sunday May 20

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 07:30 – 08:00
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying – Check the white board for locations (dependent on wind conditions)
  • 18:30 – Dinner and AGM – Harbour View Restaurant

Monday May 21

  • Paramotor demo at the Pier 07:30 – 08:00
  • Pilots breakfast 8:30 am @ Harbour View Restaurant
  • Flying -Check the white board for locations (dependent on wind conditions)
  • Pilots leave throughout the day
  • Often the best flying of the Festival to be had by those who stick it out.

 

Hang Glider at High Head
Hang Glider at High Head, Nova Scotia.

Pilots from across Canada looking to visit the East should consider making the journey to Nova Scotia for this premier event.  With several days of potential flying and a lobster boil on the beach overlooking the scenic Bay of Fundy, this is a very special event.

Notice Regarding Pegasus Paragliding

Pegasus Paragliding, the foundation school for the sport in Atlantic Canada, now owned by Patric Stettler, will not be offering instruction for the upcoming season and the foreseeable future.

At this time it is uncertain when Pegasus will resume its service to those desiring to enter the world of paragliding. For those who are currently in the sport and who wish to progress in the sport via upgrading of their HPAC rating, they can still do so.Senior Instructor and (President of HPAAC) Michael Fuller will ensure that this service to the community is fulfilled. He can be contacted via personal contact or by using the Contact Us form on this website.

2013 Festival of Flight – Success

This year’s Festival of Flight occurred May 17-20, 2013 – and it was one of the best!

Although the temperatures were unseasonably cold, that did not prevent twenty pilots from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Ontario, from gathering to share stories, laughs and the sky.

The social events started the Festival, with dinner at the Glooscap Restaurant, followed by a special screening of The Boy Who Flies, a film by Benjamin Jordan. Thank you to Rod and Helen at the Hall – for hosting the film event.

Stormy skyline

Saturday was a complete blow out, with rain and strong gusty north winds that kept everyone’s feet on the ground.  That didn’t slow anyone down though.  Pilots used the opportunity for completing reserve repacks, something that should be done annually.  Thanks to the Fundy Geological Museum for providing space for us to lay our our wings and complete the repacks.

Pilots then gathered at the Pegasus ground handling field for a little bit of fun with kites – feet still firmly on the ground.

Scott launches a smaller kite while Ted looks on.
Scott launches a smaller kite while Ted looks on.
Guenter showing power kite skills
Gunter showing power kite skills

The social highlight of the Festival is the lobster dinner for pilots, a large beach fire on the shore of the Bay of Fundy makes for a very special time.  Many laughs and story telling, and fresh Fundy lobster eaten on the beach.  The view is not too shabby either.

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Sunday made up for the absence of flying on Saturday.  With light northwest winds in the morning, pilots journeyed to “High Head” at Wentworth first thing in the morning.  The air turned out to be excellent – and provided a total of 16 flights.

Patric Stettler showed us how it’s done at High Head.

Rob Bird takes to the air at High Head with his hang glider.

After a successful day at High Head – the fun wasn’t over yet. Hearing that Scott and Brian were in the air at Fox River, everyone packed up and headed to Fox River for a sunset coastal soaring flight. Nine pilots were in the air at one time – and the scene of colorful wings and the stunning sunset made a special end to a great day of flying.

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Scott Newman and Chris Jette soar above the coastal cliffs at Fox River.
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Tim Parker (orange) and Tim Fedak soar the coast during the sunset flight at Fox River.

The icing on the cake was the excellent flying that happened at West Bay on Monday morning.  Eight paragliding pilots were in the air and soared high above the cliffs at West Bay. The sight was spectacular to see, and left everyone feeling that this may have been the best (and coldest) Festival of Flight yet.

Paragliders soaring above the cliffs at West Bay.
Paragliders soaring above the cliffs at West Bay.

A very special thanks to George and Deanne for their work putting the lunches together again this year.  Great sandwiches, fresh coffee, and tasty treats – add so much to this event.  Your efforts were greatly appreciated by all.

2012-05-19 11.48.29

And last but not least, thank you to Michael Fuller and to Patric Stettler (Pegasus Paragliding), for all of the work done in organizing this year’s event.

 

Spring Flying in the Maritimes

The spring weather has (finally!) arrived in the Maritimes.  The long-weekend included bright sunny skies and warm temperatures. There were reports of several pilots flying this weekend.  Guy explored a new launch in Medford and also took to the skies at Lawrencetown Beach.  It seems Guy was the first pilot of the year to fly Lawrencetown in the 2013 season.

Playtime at LTB from Guy Leblanc on Vimeo.

Not to be outdone, Chris found excellent lift at the recently improved Point Prim launch in PEI.  The action was caught on video by Brendon – who has discovered a new career in video production.

… and the 2013 season begins!

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More Site Work

2012 has been an active year for site development and maintenance in Atlantic Canada.  There was the work done to improve the launch at Dennis Beach, and the very scenic launch at Greenhill was also cleared by members of HPAAC.

Below is an animated gif that shows the progress of clearing the overgrowth in front of the launch, showing it in June, July, and November.

Thanks to George, Gabe, Tim P. and others who did the great work at Greenhill.

 

 

Successful Site Development

New Brunswick will be THE place to fly in 2013.

The HPAAC members have implemented improvements to a prominent New Brunswick coastal hang gliding and paragliding flying site at Dennis Beach.  Scott Newman lead the project from the NB logistics side.  Financial support was provided by HPAAC based on an plan approved by the membership at the 2012 Annual General Meeting.  Michael Fuller and Scott Newman collaboratively established a plan to widen and resurface the launch, then other members, family and friends all joined in to lend a hand.

The enhancement work was carried out in the last week of October.  Scott Newman was already busy betting prepared, and with the help of his father the two cut and stacked 250 square feet of sod.  A huge job done!  Then… “all hands on deck”.

With weather cooperating (and wind no good for flying – of course)… an excavator arrived on site to resurface the ground, then many hands began laying the sod.  Pilots from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick spent a very physical day raking and sodding the new launch.  A big thanks to the work crew of Scott, Michael, Ed Eustace, Ross Manning, and Brian Wheaten.

The Dennis Beach launch has now been resurfaced, the sod fertilized, and the winter winds have begun to blow on the Fundy shore.  With the new launch the Dennis Beach site will be THE thing to do in 2013 flying season.  The site is definitely something to put on your New Year’s Resolution list.

A very special THANK YOU to those members and friends of HPAAC who have donated money to cover the costs of this project.  You gave, and results have been achieved!

 

 

New Logo & Website

As Chairman of this organization one of the joys and pay offs for being in the position is when I can bring you great news of the work done by your executive to help advance our small world of free flight here in Atlantic Canada. So I am very pleased to announce that your Executive has worked to reconstruct the website, giving it a fresh new look. The website includes business and financial information along with project development details and other links.

To complement the new look of the website we have also collaborated in the revamping of our logo.  It was a good creative process.  So we hope you enjoy and find our work useful.

Fly Safe and Fly Far

Michael Fuller
Chair – HPAAC

 

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