Hang gliding, flying with an eagle, Forbes Australia 2010

[Falsogaleno]

like flyranch, Buenos Aires Argentina...

[MrAndrew1101]

@Falsogaleno looks pretty cool from their website...nice website home page photo!

[aerozg]

hah-hah-hah stayin' aloft stayin' aloft .. .. ..

[MrAndrew1101]

@aerozg always better the longer it lasts!

[aerozg]

@MrAndrew1101

nice videos, i'm learning to fly, and vids like this are inspiring, good job

[MrAndrew1101]

@aerozg that sounds great...my advice is to listen carefully to other pilots, but always stay within your own comfort zone and your own judgement, always have fun and remember to relax as it is a relaxed touch that is best to fly the glider that will give you the feedback on how it is flying and how to maximise the soaring. good luck and enjoy!

[aerozg]

@MrAndrew1101

a goop tip for sure, i'm still in the learning process but i have figured that out, never heard it anyone say it like that tho, so thanks for the suport. if i'm not ready i'm not going. if the winds are to strong i'm not going either, because i still can't control the glider so well and will probably smash the glider into the ground again :) i had my share of bent tubes and almost borken bones, but i hope after a few more training i will be past that.

[bigfred190]

seems such a long time ago that the crew towed at forbes mate. Always get a buzz whatching this one mate. good times eh!

[MrAndrew1101]

@bigfred190 man, it was a buzz! felt a bit mad. with this westerly wind still blowing as you predicted we have to live vicariously. Steve has now opened up the tow group now that he has the CASA procedures sorted - early next year would be a good time for another trip out west, maybe Feb when the Forbes thermals are booming!

[MrAndrew1101]

It seems this is a 'Little Eagle' rather than a Juvenile White Bellied Sea Eagle. Recently when fishing on the Hawkesbury one of those eagles (a juvenile) was flying around the little cove in which we were fishing, and they are (even as juveniles) much much bigger than the eagle that came and nipped the glider...and hence the very accurate name of 'Little Eagle' :-)

[SXS78]

The eagle is an immature White Bellied Sea Eagle [not a Wedge-tailed Eagle]~ which is very surprising considering Forbes is so far inland.. Though White Bellied Sea Eagles do go inland sometimes, especially along the Murray River.. Still very unusual to see a Sea Eagle there.!!

[MrAndrew1101]

@SXS78 thank SXS78, I was curious as to what type of eagle he was, maybe he was blown off course...regardless he looked in great condition and was at first just playing in the air currents flowing over the wing, like he was playing, later he got a bit more cheeky and was nipping at the glider...I thought he was being a bit territorial, each time I got up around 3500 he would fly back over. Nature can be amazing...thanks for the details :-)

[wiiskateit69]

@SXS78 omg that does surprise me, that a juvenile sea eagle would be flying alone in such a dry-like area.

[MrAndrew1101]

@wiiskateit69 hi WiiSkateIt, you might be right, the juveile white bellied sea eagles are bigger than this eagle. A father of another pilot, a keen bird watcher, identifies it as a 'Little Eagle', and the size, shape and coloring fits with the pictures too.

[chueffer]

Great video,maybe the eagle thought you were hot stuff.

[ridethespiraldotnet]

nice video mate

[MrAndrew1101]

@ridethespiraldotnet

thanks RideTheSpiral...the Forbes Aero Towing is great fun (and on this weekend too). The GoPro and Lumix take great footage. If yours was the Coastal Run video I came across from the SA pilot posting a link - that made for excellent viewing too :-)

[MrAndrew1101]

thks 0SkyDog, it was an amazing surreal experience in the Forbes flatlands after the mountains of Tumut...and yes, that is a good suggestion for the title. The eagle at first was just playing in the air currents off the trailing edge, though later he was nipping at the batons and landing on the top surface which didn't seem so playful!

[0SkyDog]

Great vid mate. Amazing to fly with the eagle that, and capture it.

You should change the title of the video, to something like, "Hang gider flying with an eagle". Nice work.