1. All fliers must be current British Paragliding and Hang Gliding Assocaitiob flying members, have an equivalent rating of CP or above or hold current 3rd party liability insurance equal to that of the BHPA.

2. Before flying any coastal site, please call the Bridlington Coastguard station and alert them of your activity on 01262 672317.

3. Membership of the ‘Sir George Cayley Sailwing Club’ is mandatory and expires automatically if the annual subscription is not received by the renewal date.

4. It is each member’s responsibility to ensure that all equipment is in safe airworthy condition and conforms to the B.H.P.A. requirements.

5. All pilots must wear a suitable helmet when paragliding, rated to EN 966, or at any time they are attached to a glider ground handling.

6. The Club recommends members should not fly alone.

7. Fliers must know and obey the rules of the air.

8. Members should not fly new sites without first checking with, and preferably going with, a Sites Officer or Club Coach.

9. It is your personal responsibility, when paragliding, to ensure that you are fit to fly and that conditions are not beyond your ability.

10. Details of BHPA insurance and Club membership should be carried at all times.

11. Members must adhere to specific site rules for individual sites.

12. Gliders should be kept away from takeoff and landing areas when not in use.

13. Do not fly close to takeoff and landing areas when others are preparing to take off or land.

14. Carry out a pre-flight check before every flight.

15. Paragliding accidents or incidents (including verbal exchanges pertinent to site use) must be reported to a Club Official within 24 hours. This does not negate the need to send an accident/incident report directly to the B.H.P.A.).

16. Dogs must be kept on a suitable leash at all times and not be left unattended.

17. It is recommended that ‘NOTAM’s are issued when paragliding inland sites (particularly midweek).

If you intend to fly the coast remember that the RAF Air/Sea Rescue helicopter may pay you a visit at some time during your day.

This becomes a major issue if you are paragliding in the Filey bay area, especially at Reighton, as the helicopter generally flies at cliff height and is therefore hidden from view as it rounds Flamborough Head.

IF YOU GET CAUGHT BY SURPRISE IT’S TOO LATE.

Ring the Coastguard beforehand and let them know you are there, on the number given – tell them where you are flying and always remain vigilant.

ONLY FLY IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT BEACH TO MAKE A SAFE LANDING IF REQUIRED.

Know the tide times and watch out, as different parts of the coast are subject to different speeds in which the tide comes in. For example, Filey, being a shallow beach, loses beach very quickly, as opposed to Hornsea which retains a significant amount of beach at high tide.

This can change on the coast from not enough to blown-out in minutes, and vice versa.

Always monitor the wind strength when paragliding and use the sea as a guide. Please note: Breaking waves (white horses) out to sea are often indicators of an increase in wind strength.

Be prepared to land, wait a few minutes and assess the conditions again. If the wind picks up during a long cliff run push out from the cliff. A sudden drop in wind strength may mean you have to land unexpectedly.

Always have a plan and be thinking about your landing options.

The dangerous thing about rotor on a cliff is that there is no magic formula to work out its extent.

Significant rotor can exist just behind the cliff edges and there is no way, other than experience, to tell the location or extent of such rotor. Wind speed and direction are major factors. Clay cliffs alter shape throughout the year and therefore the areas of rotor change too.

The low-level rotor is mostly experienced during inflation, making paragliding difficult at some locations. When in the air stay on the seaward side of the cliff. Do not fly behind the cliff as rotor can lead to loss of control which could ruin your day and maybe your life.

Always land as close to the edge as possible and remember that approach becomes more difficult in stronger winds. If experiencing difficulty, land on the beach. Never attempt to land on the high cliffs where the sharp profile can cause severe rotor.

The lift band along cliffs is affected by many factors and active flying is required, adjusting the distance from the cliff to keep within this area of lifting air.

Often, pilots new to paragliding along a cliff, soar too close to the edge. This is not only more dangerous because you are travelling fast and close to a solid object, but you are not necessarily exploiting the best part of the lift band.

Cliff height, wind direction, wind speed and air density are all factors which dictate how far from the cliff edge the lift band is. What we do know is that it can be quite wide on some days and narrow on others. On good days 400ft is achievable at distances of 100m from the cliff. When paragliding on higher cliffs such as Bempton expect 500ft above CTH generally.

Dangers associated with long cliff runs include abrupt changes in wind strength as mentioned in 3 above. The weather on the coast is a microclimate and the wind can change from 14mph to zero in five minutes. Bays only 10 miles apart can have completely different wind directions. Know the tide times, because when paragliding, the wind may drop to zero when you are 5 miles into the run.

Assuming you can land safely, can you then get up the cliff? Tides are critical to deciding if it is wise or possible. If the wind is not square on, is it safe to go downwind first, can you get back into the wind? Check it out by turning back upwind several times during your outward leg. Sea breezes tend to veer during the day making a headwind return inevitably if you first head North. The topography of the coast changes, ie take off at Bridlington is SE but to get to Flamborough you need to traverse S and SW facing cliffs.