Two weekends at Golbasi with Ozgun and Yigit

Annie and I have enjoyed a couple of weekend's flying at Golbasi - on the 1st and the 8th - October, driving up with instructor Ozgun Babur from the Bilkent University paragliding club (Bilhavk). Yigit was instructing up there on both weekends too with his own group.

For the full gallery from Golbasi check out this link from the KHPA website.

It's interesting that in Turkey there are no official qualifications for paragliding - although the training is stict and follows the English 'Elementary Pilot - Club Pilot' system as far as I can see. I was invited to teach beginners since I was a 'club coach' - but coaches in Turkey teach the very basics ('lean forward...pull brake left...run to right...etc), not post-CP stuff. So I wasn't much use.

And the Turks dont have a governing organisation like the BHPA either. There is controversy here as to how independent from government and the airforce it should be. Of course paragliders want full independence. Some retired airforce personel want to bring paragliding under their own control, which needless to say would be a disaster for the sport here.

Next weekend - Olu Deniz and the AirGames!