Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast Gavin McClurg

We continue our “legends” series with alpinist, pilot and entrepreneur Dick Jackson, founder of Aspen Expeditions (1977) and Aspen Paragliding (1989). Dick begins his amazing story with his journey into alpinism and paragliding, starting with his early expeditions to Denali and the Alps. He discusses the early days of paragliding in Aspen, where they used wings primarily as a descent tool. Dick talks about the lightweight gear and the evolution of paragliders, as well as the camaraderie and community that formed around the sport. He shares stories of flying off unclimbed peaks, hosting international trips, and even taking Maurice Herzog, the leader of the first Annapurna expedition, paragliding. Dick also reflects on the loss of his friend Dave Bridges and offers advice on dealing with grief and the pathway to compassion and impermanence because…what’s the alternative? Dick reflects on his experiences in the mountains and the impact they have had on his life. He discusses the thrill of flying and the incredible advancements in paragliding technology. He also shares a harrowing story of a dangerous gust front during a flying event in Aspen. Dick talks about selling his businesses and the changes in the paragliding industry. He mentions his daughter (Tashi Jangmo Sherpa) and her love for skiing. He also discusses a Buddhist ceremony he attended and the spiritual connection he feels to the mountains. Dick reflects on the fear factor in climbing and flying and the importance of living life to the fullest.











Takeaways







Paragliding started as a descent tool for alpinists in Aspen, but quickly evolved into a soaring sport.The early days of paragliding in Aspen were characterized by camaraderie and a close-knit community.Dick Jackson shares stories of flying off unclimbed peaks and hosting international trips.He reflects on the loss of his friend Dave Bridges and offers advice on dealing with grief. Advancements in paragliding technology have allowed for incredible flying experiencesThe paragliding industry has undergone significant changesThe mountains and the sport of paragliding have had a profound impact on Dick’s lifeThe importance of living life to the fullest and embracing adventureThe spiritual connection and sense of peace that can be found in the mountains







Sound Bites









* “These were the original speed wings, seven cells and two to one glide.”







* “We did the first tandem off Aspen with Chris Blatchley. We both remember running about a third of the way down Walsh’s.”







* “I had never done any hang gliding. My first exposure to it was when we went to Denali and some guys had just flown off Denali and landed at the airstrip.”







* “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And wow, when Chris told me that, it’s like, you know, I don’t know the guy or anything, but man, that is serious, serious flying.”







* “It was really serious. And I have to say that it’s just so fortunate that nobody was even hurt when you consider what the potential was for that one.

My neighbor and mentor Nate Scales has been flying paragliders at a high level for over 30 years. He competed in the 2007 Red Bull X-Alps. Owned the US foot launch record out of Idaho, where conditions can be about as rough as it can get. He has been flying 2 liners since their inception in 2009. But until this week had never done an SIV, and never stalled a glider. He finally decided the time was right and it was time to conquer his fears. This is his story. Let’s call it a PSA for those on the SIV fence. Nate has had a nearly accident-free flying career. Chalk it up to skill and making good decisions and a good dose of luck but we all know this sport can bite, and it’s never too late to mitigate some of the risk. Nate is one of the finest story tellers there is. Enjoy!

Martin Scheel was one of the best climbers in the world when he discovered paragliding and the sky crack immediately became his new passion. His images and videos have entertained and awed for several decades across the free-flight spectrum. In the mid 90’s he helped create the Swiss League and has headed it up since. His collaborative efforts with generations of pilots have helped create some of the most successful pilots on Earth, including Chrigel Maurer, Stephan Morganthaler, Dominik Breitinger, Tim Bollinger, Nanda Walliser and many, many others over the past three decades. Martin organized the Superfinal in Disentis in 2022 and more recently the PWC in Grindelwald last week. He was out flying with the lead gaggle capturing videos of the competition. I sat down with Martin during a weather day to find out about his passions, creating excellence, the past and future of competition flying and a lot more. Enjoy!

Dr. Bill Beninati has a lifelong love of flying that led him to a career in the Air Force. He served as a physician specializing in pulmonary/critical care medicine, sleep disorders and operational fatigue, and flight medicine focused on medical and physiologic fitness to fly. For 13 years he was physician leader for the Air Force critical care air transport teams, and deployed multiple times to interesting and unfriendly places to do this mission. His civilian career led him to Utah where he is the Intermountain Health chief medical officer for a virtual hospital that includes comprehensive telehealth, advanced clinical command, and patient transport programs. He has an active research partnership with the Stanford Program in AI-assisted Care developing computer vision for patient safety. The not-for-profit air medical team operates over 50 aircraft across the spectrum from wilderness lift-hoist rescue through international critical care transport. They have rescued over 100 free flight pilots! He brings this expertise to the Global Rescue XRedRocks where he helps look after the safety of the athletes. His recreational aviation has included flying sailplanes, paragliders, and speed wings as well as skydiving. Today he is most active flying paragliders and sailplanes in the mountains of Utah.







In this episode Bill takes us on a deep dive into the physiology of hypoxia, sleep and aging and what we can (and should) do to help combat the effects of each when it comes to flying. Hypoxia can greatly reduce our mental acuities, often without our knowledge. It can be sudden and can be radically different from day to day. The bottom line- when operating at altitude even the most prepared and acclimatized need to build in more margin. Come along as we explore three subjects which can really impact our safety and ability in the air.







If you want to take a deeper dive on sleep hygiene Bill gave a very comprehensive talk on the subject for the XRedRocks participants last year. It’s a fascinating talk:

John Heiney started hang gliding in 1978 and he’s still going strong today. His photographs of free flight have been on more than 50 magazine covers. He broke the Guinness World Record for looping in 1988. And then he broke his own record again ten years later! He was crowned the world aerobatics champion four times. He’s a machinist; diesel rabbit aficionado (he’s driving his fifth these days); hang gliding instructor, has more than 40 wings in his garage; worked on numerous commercials and films; designed gliders; was a test pilot; stunt pilot and has invented dozens and dozens of camera mounts to capture the magic of flying. His incredible flying stories span over four decades. Grab a cold one and kick back, you’re in for a treat.







Find out more about this legendary pilot on his website UpShots







John would like to thank the following for their contributions to the development of the Predator Glider:







Dick Cheney, Dave Sharp, Dave Chapman, Greg Zoellick, Greg Bain, Aaron Swepston







And that these people who contributed to the development of the Saturn:







Dick Cheney, David Beardslee, Peter Radman, Leon Dauksa, Tom Webster, Paris Williams, Lisa Verzella, Rich Cizauskas







And Joe Spinney for keeping the Predator and Saturn alive.













Photo Steve Skinner























Photo George Adkins

Kinga Masztalerz gets after it. She picked up paragliding not too long ago, but has been pretty fierce about chasing it hard from the beginning. She’s tackled the Red Bull X-Alps twice, flown all over the world, runs her own hike and fly race in New Zealand, and instructs at home in New Zealand and in places like Bir, India. But her journey has had quite a few scary bumps on the way. We start off with her experience in the X-Alps. She shares her initial excitement and overwhelming feelings during her first race in 2019 and the disappointment of being eliminated and the emotional impact it had on her. Kinga also talks about her injury in 2021 and the challenges she faced in participating in the race. She reflects on the changing dynamics of the Red Bull X-Alps and how her approach to flying has evolved over time. She emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, using her own rather scary ones early on as a catalyst towards building confidence as a pilot. Then we get into her coaching journey and the importance of understanding the mental and physical aspects of flying. She shares her experiences with overcoming fear and gaining confidence, and how she developed her coaching program to help other pilots navigate their own flying journeys. Kinga also talks about the balance between turning a passion into a business and how guiding and coaching actually adds to her love for flying. Lastly, she introduces the Wanaka Hike and Fly Race, a fun event that combines adventure, socializing, and flying in the beautiful Southern Alps of New Zealand. Enjoy!







Find our more about Kinga here:







Kinga’s website: https://kingamaszta.com/







Kinga’s coaching: https://kingamaszta.com/coaching/







Connect with Kinga on Social:







Instagram: @kingamaszta https://www.instagram.com/kingamaszta







Facebook: @KingaGoneWild https://www.facebook.com/KingaGoneWild







Wanaka Hike & Fly race: https://wanakahikefly.nz/











Takeaways









* Flying progression is not a linear path, but rather a bumpy journey that involves mental and physical challenges.







* Coaching can provide valuable guidance and support for pilots as they navigate their own flying journeys.







* Turning a passion into a business can add to the love for the sport, as it allows for sharing knowledge and helping others.







* Mistakes and failures are essential for learning and improving in the sport of paragliding.









Chapters







00:00 Introduction and Background







01:19 Kinga’s Experience in the Red Bull X-Alps







07:25 The Changing Dynamics of Red Bull X-Alps







09:38 Emotional Moments in the Race







13:01 The Shift in Kinga’s Approach to Flying







16:20 Flying as a Reflection of Life







22:35 Learning from Mistakes and Building Confidence







36:15 Coaching and the Journey of Progression







41:30 Passion for Flying and Guiding Others







48:06 Learning from Mistakes and Cheap Mistakes







58:58 Wanaka Hike and Fly Race