Cross Country Issue 262: January 2026
Welcome to the Adventure Issue – Cross Country 262 (January 2026)
8 December, 2025, by Cross Country
Flying is adventure
“As soon as we had a driving licence between us we put the hang gliders on the car and headed off. We had no money, slept outside, it was brilliant.” Talking with paragliding guide and former X-Alps pilot Michael Gebert this issue it was a joy to listen to him reminiscing about his early days in the sport. Driven by the sheer adventure offered by free flight he grabbed it all with both hands, driving 12 hours to his first competition when he was 18, then later planning flying trips by looking for places on the world map “with mountains and no war.”
Things have changed since he started flying, but the essence of the sport has stayed the same; to even sign up for a course you need a spirit of adventure, and from there the world is your oyster, as they say. And while the technology has changed and evolved since Michael first tied his hang glider to the roof rack, the fun of seizing the day and turning it into something memorable, even out of this world, is exactly the same. “I’m on a hike-and-fly,” photographer Henry George messaged while this magazine was hitting its deadline, “we’ve already flown off a peak at dawn!” It’s sheer joy.
Free flying is an adventure in itself, is my point, and you don’t need to travel far or embark on a month-long trip to find it. Simply stepping out into your own backyard is usually enough. That was the thinking behind our main feature this issue, to ask “guides and gurus” around the world for advice on flying their own patch. So whether that’s taking to skis to avoid the crowds in Annecy, heading into the wilds of northern Kenya on a paragliding safari, or combining e-bikes and lightweight kit in the Alps, we’ve got the inside track on how to do it. We hope you’re inspired.
All our free-flight journeys start with the same thought: where do I want to go and what do I want to achieve? For some of us that adds spice to our sport at the weekend, for others – like paramotor photographer Jeff Hamann who has recently been in Patagonia – it defines what you do over the next 20 years.
From a day out at home to a week in Tenerife to exploring unflown lines on a vol-biv in the Himalaya, our sports are infinitely scalable, given skills, equipment – and your imagination. Get out and fly!
Ed Ewing, editor
Features
Adventure Mode: On
A dozen guides and gurus share the love for their own backyard – and take us on their top adventures, from vol-biv in the Dolomites to safari flying in northern Kenya
Living the Dream
Travelling the world with globetrotting pilot and flying guide Michael Gebert and the Fly With Andy crew
Roll With It
Henry George and Marco Altibrandi head to Italy for a bike-and-fly adventure in the heart of the spectacular Dolomites
Paramotor Patagonia
Jeff Hamann braves epic logistics and bad weather to fly up close with one of Chilean Patagonia’s most spectacular glaciers
In the Core: People, news and insight
Big Distance in Brazil
It went off in Brazil in October with Seb Benz nudging 600k and setting a new Brazilian record
On Launch With: Davide Sassudelli
Pilot and mountain guide David Sassudelli shares his progression story and tells us about ‘that’ Red Bull X-Alps launch video
Dan Jones: ‘An incredible journey’
Paramotor pilot Dan Jones explains why you don’t have to travel far to have an adventure – and you don’t have to wait for summer.
‘Adventure is what drives me in life’
Paul Guschlbauer’s biggest adventure yet is sharing the joy of hike-and-fly with others
Flying IQ: Helping you fly better
The Head Game: Learning the language
Every light is an opportunity to learn and develop mental skills that can make a difference, says mental coach Benjamin Gaudry
Cloudbase: All you need to know
“Get to base” newer pilots are told – but what do you do when you get there? Bastienne Wentzel gets the experts to explain
The Long Game: Making friends with the invisible
What skills can other adventure sports give us for flying? And what skills can pilots take back to those sports? Gavin McClurg talks it through with Fabi Buhl
Weather: Forecasting for a new destination
How do you make a usable and worthwhile paragliding forecast for a place you’ve never been? Honza Rejmanek explains
Paramotoring: Heading out on the skyway
“Flying to new destinations is one of my favourite things to do.” Rich Dolan shares his top five tips for paramotor cross-country flying
Head in the Clouds: The Italian Job
“I just need to commit, keep up and learn”. Australian resident Allen Weynberg goes flying in northern Italy
Destination: Lanzarote
The huge Famara cliffs on Lanzarote have long been known to hang glider pilots, but few visiting pilots come to Lanzarote to explore the island’s XC potential. Tim Rochas goes exploring
Kitlist: Design insight
Packed for adventure
Adventure pilot and filmmaker Ben Kellett reveals what he takes with him on a vol-biv trip into the big hills
Design Insight: Vector Vario
The next generation of varios is here – Marcus King and Tom Payne get to grip with the technology behind them
Instruments for adventure
From beeper to flight instrument, we look at the different tech options available for when you’re going on a trip
Review: GoPro Max2
The original action-sports camera maker gets back into the 360 game with the new Max2. But can it reclaim the actioncam crown?
“GoPro: start recording!”
Marcus King takes a look at the options for capturing great content from the air
