Lars!

Congrats goes out to Lars Banke on successful completion of his NOVICE Paragliding Rating with Vancouver Island Paragliding!

Lars first tried paragliding in the Okanagan and took some initial courses but the weather didn't work out and the distance was prohibitive.

Running a charter flight business (KDAir) up in Port Alberni still means he is an out-of-town pilot, but his commitment to freeflight has paid off nicely.

Early on in his course, I knew I had someone 'special' on my hands when he proceeded to thermal up to 8000' or so without any flight instruments over Mara Lake and landed after I'd driven retrieve. Some reigning-in was required (and implemented).

He put in his time kiting and coming on trips. This past winter he joined in on our Hawaii tour and managed a 3hr plus flight at Kahana, complete with a landing at Punaluu Beach. Photos HERE

Fast forward to today. I was off to Saltspring for a couple of tandems and Lars texted to say he was going to make the drive from Port and catch the 8:40am Crofton ferry. Well, he got there in time but the ferry was overweight so he had to wait until the next sailing.

Not to be outdone, he waited, caught the next boat and joined me for my second run which was just another sleddy.

I offered to drive him up for another before I had to catch the 1:50pm back and he was keen. Up we went and off he flew. I couldn't watch as I was pressed for time but I drove to the landing zone just to make sure. But he wasn't there.
?

Instead, he was up high near the towers on top of Bruce Peak, turning circles in the sky. I chatted with him on the radio for a bit as my ferry pulled away from Fulford Harbour.

He eventually landed at the Maxwell LZ for his first Saltspring XC flight.
Well done Lars!