Cross Country Issue 264: March / April 2026
Whether chasing 100k in Colombia or soaring through the canyons of Iceland, it's the simple pleasures that keep us coming back
9 March, 2026, by Cross Country
This is the time of year when many pilots set themselves some goals. “This year I’m going to crack 50/100/200k…” “I’m going to make sure I fly once a week…” “I’m going to go on a trip to Colombia…” “I’m going to rack up 100 hours…” “I’m going to learn about airspace (properly)…”
There is method in this – set a goal, break it down into achievable steps, and then complete each step until the goal is attained. Once goal is got sit back and enjoy the warm glow of achievement.
Except sometimes something else can happen, which is what happened with Ariel Zlatkovski after he spent a year with the goal of flying 100 x 100km flights in a year. As he freely admits, in retrospect it wasn’t necessarily the best sort of goal to set. Because although he flew a lot over the year – more than 800 hours! – the journey to his goal didn’t really make him happy. In fact, his goal became a weight, a self-imposed deadline he might miss, a failure to avoid at all costs: a trap.
His article, which is almost certainly one of the longest we have ever published, explores all this in depth and is a compelling read. Two things stand out in it for me: his description of feeling utterly gutted when he ‘failed’ and didn’t make 100km, but missed it by a few k. And his description of a simple soar along a ridge to top-land and get water while on vol-bivouac in the mountains in India. On that one – there and back, out-and-return – he smiles and feels the joy again.
It can really take a long time to truly appreciate this lesson: that at its heart free flight is about the joy. We can build whatever we want on top of that – competitions, online contests, towers of comparison and performance – but it is the simple pleasures that give us the most. I take my hat off to Ariel, I really do.
There is lots more in this issue too. From photographer Ryan Southwell’s incredible photos of his exploration of Iceland by paramotor, to flying the Cauca Valley in Colombia with top pilot and guide Seb Ospina, to unpacking the new wings in the ever-evolving EN-C class. Enjoy the issue!
Ed Ewing, editor
Features
On Tour in Colombia
“Our base for Roldanillo was an ‘ex-narco finca’.” Marcus King joins Seb Ospina in the Cauca Valley
Project 100k
Ariel Zlatkovski set himself an incredible goal: one-hundred 100km flights in a year. He bares his soul
Over Iceland
“It’s hard for your brain to actually process it.” Ryan Southwell explores the magic of Iceland
Exploring the Oberwallis
“Incredible views of the Matterhorn.” Roger Fischer shares his hike-and-fly secrets with Tarquin Cooper
In the Core: People, news and insight
On launch with: Julian Carreño
“My first time flying XC was basically by mistake.” Julian Carreño shares his story
My Flying Life: Joanna Di Grigoli
The Venezuelan competition and cross-country pilot on what matters most
Flying IQ: Helping you fly better
The Head Game: Managing your emotions
Mental coach Benjamin Gaudry explains how to keep control
Learning to: Fly the Alps
“Do they have thermal goggles?” Ferdi Vogel’s foolproof guide to finding thermals in the mountains
The Long Game: Taking a step back
“There will always be risk.” Unpicking the statistics of safety and our sport
The Ski-and-fly path to enlightenment
Juraj Koreň on the five steps to reach ski-and-fly nirvana
Kitlist: Design insight
Design Insight: Choosing your first XC harness
Malin Lobb on what to look for when choosing your first XC pod harness
Design Insight: The New C-Class
The EN-C class has evolved rapidly – we talk to designers to find out what you need to know
Design insight: Supair Savage 2
The best of both worlds? Designer Pierre-Yves Alloix unpacks Supair’s new Savage 2 (EN-C)
