Masterclass: Hike-and-fly with Paul Guschlbauer

The popularity of hike-and-fly has exploded in recent years and it’s not difficult to see why with wings and harnesses getting lighter year on year. There’s the simple joy of being in nature, using human power alone – you hike carrying your wing, then the wing carries you. It also brings some advantages, helping you to tune into the environment and what the air is doing before you get to launch. And as the veteran mountain athlete, former Red Bull X-Alps competitor and now Wanderbird race founder Paul Guschlbauer explains – it’s also a lot of fun.

In this series he explains the joy of the sport, how to prepare for the perfect hike-and-fly mission and what gear you need (and don’t). You’ll learn what mindset is required, when to turn back and why good goal setting is key to planning a vol biv. You’ll also learn why you need to ditch the weather forecast when you’re on the hill and judge with your own eyes and why signing up to a hike-and-fly competition can help make you a better pilot.

Part 1: The joy of hike-and-fly

In this video Paul gives an introduction to hike-and-fly. He explains why it should be viewed as its own sport, why it’s still a hike-and-fly even if you descend on foot and why being able to hike down makes the sport safer. You’ll also learn some of the history of the sport and why, in Paul’s mind, it represents a purer version of flying than just cross-country. You’ll also learn why hiking up is not simply something to be endured but an integral part of the sport that helps you get into the right headspace before flight.

Part 2 – Making the decision to fly

What should you look out for when you’re hiking up? In this section, Paul talks though some of nature’s tell-tale signs from the movement of the grass to clouds on the next mountain. But you’ll learn not only to look externally but also internally, making an internal audit of how you feel before flight. Paul draws on his experience in the Red Bull X-Alps to share what he looks out for to be as efficient as possible.

Part 3 – How light does your kit need to be

Over the years the weight of equipment has fallen dramatically. Where once a vol biv mission would have entailed lugging a rucksack weighing 25kg, these days it can be done with less than 10kg on your back. But in this video Paul explains why you don’t have to obsess about weight. “You can always walk slower or get fitter,” he says.

Part 4 – Goal setting and progression

In this video Paul talks about goal setting. “If you adopt a hike-and-fly mentality the playground opens up much more than just by flying,” he says. You’ll learn how to adapt to different conditions and exploit the freedom that comes with hike-and-fly to choose alternative launches. You’ll also learn how to go “with the flow”, like water that avoids obstacles.

You’ll also learn why it’s important – even when you have big vol biv ambitions – to start small with mini adventures and then expand. Even big journeys should be broken into smaller parts to make them more achieveable he says.

Part 5 – Event, risk and mindset

In this video Paul talks about risk, drawing on his experience of three accidents – all of which occured in ‘non-dangerous’ situations such as an evening or last glide of the day. The learning he says, is to follow your heart and be really focused on doing the kind of flying you want to do. It’s when you try to do something to impress others – or “for the gram” – that things go wrong.

He also talks through the relationship between nature, equipment and the human factor for good decision-making. When those three things are in harmony the magic happens and we can “use nature’s energy,” he says.

In the second half of this clip, Paul talks about how to get into the right mindset before launch and how to maintain a clear head during flight, even when things get stressful and you’re dealing with collapses and other situations that feel scary. What he reminds us is that once upon a time just launching a canopy over our heads was overwhelming and all-consuming and we soon learnt to cope with that. In time, we can reduce the fear of flying.

Part 6 – Getting down

Get down or get away? That’s the question Paul poses in this short clip. When trying to escape cloud-suck, he says it’s better to get away from the situation, rather than stay and fight a losing battle with violently rising air. In that case, whatever descent technique you use will not be sufficient.

Part 7 – Learn with the Wanderbird

In this final video, Paul talks about Wanderbird, the race series he set up to encourage the sport among everyday hike-and-fly enthusisasts. “The idea is to have a competition as a method to improve and not to challenge yourself like crazy,” he says.

wanderbird.io