Last weekend's hang gliding clinic at Rylstone, NSW, was filled with MUD (after Friday's rain), ICE (early morning frosts), and AIR (70+ tows).

Above: A fun flight in the Moyes Malibu demo glider

The new Cloudstreet Winch, with hydraulic tension regulation, provided some smooth tows, as the Toyota Hilux drove along the grass airstrip.

Robert, the new owner of the Rylstone airstrip, is an old friend of Bill Moyes and is happy to have us.  $15/day provides use of the airstrip and clubhouse (kitchen, fireplace, hot showers), and even a mattress to sleep on if you want to stay the night.  Rylstone is a beautiful place to visit, and even better to see from a hang glider.  I've been lucky enough to fly this area a few times while competing at the annual Gulgong Hang Gliding Competitions.

Why the Cloudstreet Winch??? Back in 2007 I used an earlier model of this winch, while at a paragliding event in Utah with Superfly.  I noticed that all of the pilots were delivered safe, confident, high tows, with a fast turn around.  I was completely impressed with the operation and wanted one.  Finally, three years later, the latest CSW has made it to Australia.  This won't replace aerotowing for me, but it's another way to get airborne in my hang glider or paraglider. 

With a good winch, the options are endless....in fact, I have a friend that owns a farm near Narromine, NSW.  Besides being good company and a decent beer-brewer, his farm is positioned in a thermal PUMPhouse of Australia.  -Narromine is world renowned amongst sailplane (glider) pilots.  Well, he's OK'd some ground-towing in early summer, so I'll certainly be dropping in after his crops are harvested.

Above: Student pilot Rob Gray towing up in the Moyes Malibu

Check out the events page to see other hang gliding and paragliding tow courses that are coming up.

Below is the hang gliding video from the weekend: