Jon Chambers has competed twice in the Red Bull X-Alps and got to Monaco once – finishing fourth in the 2013 race.
In Cross Country 156 (Nov/Dec 2014) he explains how any pilot can take the techniques that X-Alps pilots use to train and turn them on themselves.
The aim is not to turn us all into Chrigel Maurer clones, but instead help us think how we approach our flying, where our limits are, and how we might push at our boundaries safely so we become better pilots and fly further, longer and higher.
In training my approach was to set myself routes and challenges that were, I thought, unfeasible. Until I started doing this I realised that I rarely landed out anymore on XC flights which indicated that I was staying well within my capabilities and no longer pushing my limits.
So I started doing things like trying to push through a col against a head wind, or trying to cross the Aravis from east to west in late afternoon conditions. By trying things that should not be possible I mostly failed but in the process learnt a lot about what was possible.
The full article is in Cross Country 156.
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