The Cloudbase Mayhem podcast is where you will find fascinating and educational interviews with the best free-flight pilots in the world. If you fly a hanglider or paraglider, if you fly acro or cross country, the Cloudbase Mayhem podcast is where we glean how the great pilots of the world get there. Hosted by Red Bull X-Alps pilot, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and current holder of the North American foot launch record, Gavin McClurg. Follow me on Instagram @gavinmcclurg or on Facebook @ facebook.com/gavinnmcclurg or Twitter on @cloudbasemayhem.
https://www.cloudbasemayhem.com
Episode 65- Myles Connolly and Reserve Toss Hindsight 20/20
Two days before the Monarca kicked off in Valle de Bravo, Mexico this January our podcast editor Myles Connolly had a cascade episode low and threw his reserve for the first time. Myles got hung over 80′ off the ground in a dead tree without injury. Some locals came to help out quickly but when things started getting a little tense a calm head prevailed and Myles got down to the ground safely. In many ways, a benign event. But after a couple weeks of processing and reliving the day Myles breaks down the entire day for us, from the drive up to the launch and talking about the Theo De Blic episode and throwing the reserve (ie setting the mindframe), to the series of small but important mistakes that happened along the way. This is something most XC pilots dread- having to throw your reserve. We’ve talked many, many times on this show about how well they work and how important it is to get out the laundry- but there are MANY, MANY things that lead up to getting into a situation where you have to throw in the first place, most of them preventable. But we don’t often talk about all the little things that once it’s out could go wrong. There are a ton of lessons here for pilots at every level. A great episode to make our community safer.
A buck an episode, that’s all we ask.
Subscribe to the Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast on Stitcher Radio, Google Play, Tune In, or ITunes!
Show Notes:
First if you’re looking for the “Pilot needs ride to car” sign I mention in the episode go here.
* The psychology of throwing
* Communication mistakes- using the InReach correctly, using your radio correctly
* What is “scratching” and is it safe?
* How to avoid complacency and be wary of the signs
* The importance of SIV and why Myles thinks this was his biggest mistake- not having done one
* The importance of emulating and being around better pilots
* Identifying the situation, the time it will take to get out of it and when to throw- ie AWARENESS
Mentioned in this episode:
Eagle Paragliding, Rob Sporrer, Alas Del Hombre, Miguel Gutierrez, Theo De Blic, Reavis Sutphin-Gray, Pal Takats, Garmin InReach, Jon Hunt, Will Gadd, Mitch Riley, Chris Santacroce, Enrique Figueroa, Mitch Mcaleer, USHPA, Ben Abruzzo, Bruce Marks, Nick Greece, Andy Read