BPC Home

Site last updated 22/1/22

Formed 1st January 1973

We are a small group of enthusiastic paragliding pilots who are able to share the opportunity for excitement, thrills, pleasure and challenge, offered by the sport of paragliding. We operate at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester, Saturday & Sunday mornings (0630 in the car park), weather permitting. Bank holidays, too. We normally operate from around April, to somewhere around October/November. In summer, we try to get some in in the evenings.

Meetings:

Through winter, video conferencing will have to do. Details are posted in Facebook

Important information regarding prospective new/student members ...

Newbies:

It can be frustrating, we know.

Go outside your door. Does it look half decent?
Look up. Are the clouds inviting? (Not scudding along at 100mph!)
Is it raining?
Is the forecast good? (look for around 10mph max for Barton - the BBC weather is pretty good.)
Has your door blown to because of the wind? Is your wig still on?
What’s the pressure? Rising? High? Dropping? Low?

After your assessment, if still in doubt, call someone to verify.

This is actually part of your training. It’s important for you to get a grip on the weather, and figuring this out is vital. There will be occasions that you get to Barton and you are alone.... That just means you got it wrong. You haven’t climbed a mountain though, have you? No problem, go back to bed, and learn.

Next time.

There are lots of days we have to be optimistic, and just go for it. Lots of those times, we meet in the car park, get blown about, get wet, chat, curse, and go back to bed. It happens.

Next time.

We still get more flights than any other club in the country over the year.

(Don’t believe me? Prove different!)