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Flystanwell History

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History

1950's & 1960's

NASA experimented with a flexible wing as a recovery method for satellites returning from space. The idea was abandoned for traditional parachutes but the wing, called the Rogallo Wing, was adopted by water skiers as a way of gliding; they’d hold onto the wing in the manner hang gliders do now and lift off at a certain speed. Most people would hold onto the rope and follow the boat but Steve Cohen began to let go and take his own path gliding back down to earth.

1971

Steve, Ray Ryan, and John Ravelle were driving home from Saddleback when they stopped in atBald Hill – not far from Biggsy’s old Stanwell Tops shaping bay. Steve jumped first. “I just had a little glide down, nothing spectacular.” However, the second session yielded wildly different results. “The wind was quite strong. I’d flown in strong winds before, but never such clean air. I took off and just…stayed up.” Rather than falling with gravity, they each levitated on the wind pushed vertically by the rim of Bald Hill. The discovery of updrafts was a revelation.

1973-1975

The years 1973 to 1975 were hang gliding’s boom years when new spots were flown – including Warriewood and Long Reef on Sydney’s northern beaches, both pioneered by Steve – and the numbers swelled at the existing spots. Gliding captured the public imagination, and the mix of youth and freedom made for paint-by-numbers marketing. Blue Stratos filmed an ad at Bald Hill, Levis and Lee jeans too, and you know that if Red Bull existed in 1973 they would’ve been neck deep in it.

1976

Though he also maintains his changing feelings stemmed as much from the encroaching commercialisation of hang gliding as the crowds. Competition formats started being devised, lucrative prize money was offered and it heightened the risk in an already dangerous sport. “Hang gliders were getting pushed past what their operators were capable of.” It was a unique stance for a guy who always pushed the limits himself, the first guy to do a positive G loop in a hang glider, and whose gliders placed first and second in the first world championship. He could’ve benefitted if he stuck around, yet he didn’t. Restlessness struck again. In 1978 Steve unhitched himself from the hang gliding subculture that he founded and that in turn revered him. He took his last jump at Bald Hill and he’s never been back.

About Us

Stanwell Park Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club was formed around “1976”.

Our inspiration and heritage owes its origins to an engineer, explorer, astronomer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer, Laurence Hargrave. He is remembered by Australians on the old $20 note that was in circulation between 1966 and 1994.

In 1893, he wrote…

“The flying machine of the future will not be born fully fledged and capable of a flight for 1000 miles or so. Like everything else it must be evolved gradually. The first difficulty is to get a thing that will fly at all. When this is made, a full description should be published as an aid to others. Excellence of design and workmanship will always defy competition.”

As a club, we also live and fly with the same passion Laurence devoted to his flying machines and our site is made famous by the historical significance he left behind, as this was the location he chose to live, and to experiment with his flying machines.

It is so very easy to be completely immersed in the sheer beauty and expanse of the wonderful Royal national Park to our North and the magnificent scenic flight along the ridge to Bulli pass to our South, a total coastal ridge flying distance of some 30km.

As pilots and members at Australia’s Premier and one of the World’s most well known tourist attractions and coastal flying sites, we believe strongly in living by Laurence Hargrave’s philosophy.

The Flystanwell Club welcomes all pilots to come and share in our history whilst enjoying the wonderful club atmosphere and spectacular scenery that is the mountain ranges surrounding the lovely Wollongong Shire.

News

Some COVID 19 intiatives around the hill to stay

Adam Edgar2020-05-31T11:43:39+00:00May 31st, 2020|0 Comments

Some of the covid 19 initiatives have been so successful on the hill and we have been thrilled at the positive contribution these iniatives have made to flying operations at our site. These are things [...]

Club Name Change Survey

Adam Edgar2020-05-29T15:46:51+00:00May 29th, 2020|0 Comments

For many years SPHGPC known as Stanwell Park Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club has been the name we have used to denote our club. However, this is not actually the registered club name. Our club [...]

Contact Us

Rules of the Air

Gliders approaching head on must both turn to the right!

Site Briefing

Sometimes for safety reasons it is necessary to cease flying operations on the hill and clear the air. E.g Helicopter evacuation of injured pilots.

If this happens the procedure will be for the duty pilot to place a large white cross on the ground at the front of the hill.

They will also sound an air horn three times in quick succession to try to draw the attention of those pilots who may not have visibility of the cross. On seeing the cross or hearing the horn all pilots are required to land as soon as it is safe to do so.

If for some reason you have not seen the cross or heard the horn but you do see a helicopter approaching the area keep a safe distance away from the helicopter and land as soon as it is safe to do so.

Remember the helicopter may land near to our usual landing area in which case you must choose a suitable area at a safe distance away from it to land

Pilot Restrictions

All Pilots Must Be Financial Club Members

It is a requirement of this club that all pilots are financial club members.

Site rating is intermediate to advanced pilots.

Student and Novice Pilots must be supervised by a Safety Officer or Instructor.

Launch Areas

Bald Hill Has Two Main Launch Areas

South East Launch

East Face Launch

Novice Pilots must not attempt to launch from the East Face without supervision from a Safety Officer
East face is not suitable for launch in SSE-SSW wind directions