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Name: | Brooke Whatnall NZ |
| Glider: | Niviuk Icepeak 6 | |
| Flying For: | 4 years | |
| AU Rank: | 13 | |
| WPRS: | 712 |
1. Where do you mostly fly?
Organya, Spain.
2. Which pilots most influenced you?
Tom Dorlodot, Raul Rodriguez, Horacio Llorens, Francois Ragolski.
3. Where and what was your most memorable flying experience, best flight ever?
Best flight ever - wow, that is a hard one. So many good memories. It has to be the 9 hours straight acro that I flew with my closest friend and coach, Mike Muldoon. Launching at 1:00 - we flew hard 10 minute runs through till 7pm, at which we caught a huge thermal 600m above the mountain. With this height we could push up the valley and fly Santa Fe, the local monastery, a first for the valley. From here we were doing heli and misty in front of the monastery. We somehow glided back to the mountain - flew to the top and top landed at dusk for a toilet break. Launching out again into the night time above Organya, I got up the courage to do my first tumblings under the night sky of Organya - an experience I will never forget.
4. What is your favourite flying site in your State?
Beechmont.
5. What is your favourite site in Australia?
Bright, Victoria.
6. What is your favourite site in World?
Organya, Spain.
7. What is you favourite item in your flying kit and why?
My AVA Sport Acro BASE Harness - its so nice having a magical little red handle that resets any mess you have made with your wing.
8. What do you believe to be your strongest flying skill?
Total wing control.
9. What do you believe to be your weak link?
Indecision.
10. What equipment do you use, Harness, Instruments, etc?
SupAir Skypper FR, Flymaster B1 NAV, Currently looking for a glider to borrow for the next comp season, Pair of warm gloves, My good luck beanie.
11. Best comp task you’ve flown so far, the most memorable?
Has to be the day we flew across the border from Mt Tamborine in the Canungra Cup 2014. I had the speed system pulley snap off the riser of my loaned UP Trango XC2 for the second day in a row, but somehow managed to fly the 110km with no bar, taking just over 6 hours. Landed 5 km short of goal, but didn't care - it was such a beautiful flight crossing the border. Landed and pulled a tick off my chest - little passenger.
12. Why do you fly?
For the love of the air, what else.
13. What are your personal flying goals?
Top 10 ranking in Acro Paragliding World Cup. Same for XC.
14. What tips can you give to newcomers to the sport?
Ground handling and wing control - this gives you the ability to be safe. Once you are safe and you have confidence in your skills, your mind is free to focus on the flying and you will do well!.