Guido Gehrmann, former world hang gliding champion, has died in a plane crash. He was 38.
According to local news reports the crash happened yesterday, 1 May 2013, while Guido was attempting an emergency landing in a field near the village of Mils in Austria. He was flying a BD5-J Microjet as part of the Flying Bulls team.
The Flying Bulls confirmed the news on their website, saying:
Guido was respected for many years with the Flying Bulls not only as an excellent pilot but also for his wonderful personality. To Guido’s family and his many other friends, we share our deepest sympathy.
A local news website reports that the crash happened when Guido was returning home following a motor sport event.
He was seen attempting to make an emergency landing but crashed into a hillside near a residential building. The crash closed the main road for a short while.
A pilot’s pilot Guido flew everything: from commercial airliners to hang gliders.
A competition pilot from a young age, Guido won the Hang Gliding World Championships in 1998 and won silver at the Europeans the same year. He won silver at the Europeans again in 2002 and had won bronze in 1996.
After reaching the top in hang gliding he had gone on to attain his commercial pilot’s licence, while continuing to fly recreationally, for fun and as part of the Flying Bulls display team.
We extend sincere sympathies to Guido’s family and friends – we know he will be greatly missed.
A full list of Guido’s achievements in hang gliding:
1996: Bronze in the European Championships
1997: Fifth in the World Air Games
1998: Gold in the World Championships
1998: Silver in the European Championships
2001: Ninth in the World Championships
2001: Ninth in the World Air Games
2002: Silver in the European Championships
2003: Sixth in the World Championships
2005: Ninth in the World Championships
2006: Silver in the World Hang Gliding Aerobatic Championships
2009: Silver in the World Air Games
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