Episodios

  • #268 Control Theory, Winning a PWC, and behind the scenes of X-Alps madness with Estefano Salgado

    #268 Control Theory, Winning a PWC, and behind the scenes of X-Alps madness with Estefano Salgado
    Mar 13 2026
    This episode features one of Valle De Bravo's most loved and successful pilots, Estefano Salgado. Estefano is a world-class trained chef who supported the Fra 4 team of Tanguy Renoud-Goud in the 2025 Red Bull X-Alps, is one of (maybe the only?) North American pilots to win a World Cup in recent history, is an elite instructor/guide for ParaglidingGuides.com and is a wicked story-teller! In this episode Estefano discusses his experiences in competitive paragliding, putting control theory into use, team management, and the importance of training and mentorship in the sport.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 12 m
  • #267 Bivvy and Adventure Flying by HANG GLIDER with Emi Carvalho

    #267 Bivvy and Adventure Flying by HANG GLIDER with Emi Carvalho
    Feb 27 2026
    Portuguese pilot Emi Carvalho got into hang gliding over a decade ago. Now living in Switzerland Emi is fully bi-wingual, and has instructed both hang gliding and paragliding. His passion these days is bivvy flying and depending on the weather will pick the kit that fits the mission, but more often than not the kit that fits the bill to have more fun is a short-pack hang glider. It's a bit heavier (similar to a light-weight paragliding tandem set up) and a bit more bulky, but you get to fly prone! In this fun talk Emi shares his expertise with short pack hang gliders, their development, and their application in adventure flying and bivvy trips.
    Más Menos
    59 m
  • #266 Serena Ronchi and the Comeback

    #266 Serena Ronchi and the Comeback
    Feb 13 2026
    In this moving conversation, Serena shares her inspiring journey of recovery after a life-changing paragliding accident and her incredible ascension once again to the top of XContest in the Sport class this year. She discusses the challenges she faced during rehabilitation, her mental battles with fear, and the strategies she employed to regain her confidence in flying. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes the importance of addressing fear and finding joy in flying, while also contemplating the lessons learned from her accident.
    Más Menos
    52 m
  • #265 – 8 years of Tandem bivvy’s with Dad across the entire Alps to Solo big air adventures at 16 with Martin Rejmanek

    #265 – 8 years of Tandem bivvy’s with Dad across the entire Alps to Solo big air adventures at 16 with Martin Rejmanek
    Jan 29 2026
    Martin Rejmanek and his father Honza, a veteran 5-time Red Bull X-Alps competitor completed the full length of the 2003 Red Bull X-Alps course from the Dachstein to Monaco by tandem bivvy using only their wing and their feet this last year. Father and son completed the amazing journey in different segments over the course of eight summers, starting when Martin was just 8 years old. Martin is now seventeen and graduated to flying solo last year, taking on the full breadth of cross country flying, SIV training and becoming a completely independent pilot. He's flown solo from Annecy to Chamonix over the Aravis chain. He's flown at over 17,000 feet over Mt Whitney in the Sierras. Inspiring to say the least.
    Más Menos
    1 h
  • #264 – A Monster record downwind wave flight across the US with Gordon Boettger

    #264 – A Monster record downwind wave flight across the US with Gordon Boettger
    Jan 16 2026
    Gordon Boettger discusses an extraordinary gliding adventure that took he and his copilot Bruce Campbell across the Rockies in mountain wave in an Arcus glider from Minden, Nevada to Dodge City, Kansas- 1112 miles on December 19th, 2025. Gordon shares his lifelong dream of soaring high (max altitude was near 28,000 feet!) and downwind in mountain wave and the technical aspects of his wild flight, including the use of night vision goggles (they took off at 0300) and the importance of very specific weather conditions to pull it off.
    Más Menos
    57 m
  • #263 Training, Wing testing, Hike and Fly Racing, Competitions, Acro, 2 Liners, Flow, Family and more with Michael Maurer

    #263 Training, Wing testing, Hike and Fly Racing, Competitions, Acro, 2 Liners, Flow, Family and more with Michael Maurer
    Jan 3 2026
    In this wide-ranging conversation with Advance test pilot and former Swiss Champion Michael Maurer we discuss various aspects of paragliding, including the challenges and dangers of being a test pilot, the influence of family on flying careers, the importance of competition, and the pursuit of flow in flying. We also touch on advancements in paragliding technology, the future of the sport in Switzerland and across the world, and the significance of training and preparation for competitions. Michael shares personal anecdotes about his experiences and reflections on his career, emphasizing the balance between risk and learning in the sport.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 12 m
  • #262 Into the Deepness with Keith Forsyth

    #262 Into the Deepness with Keith Forsyth
    Dec 20 2025
    Keith Forsyth began his flying journey with skydiving, then speed flying and wing suit base jumping but the lack of margin in speed flying and base lead him to XC Paragliding, where he's been drawing lines across the Pacific Northwest with what can only be described as a magical and inspired paintbrush. If you haven't been to the Pacific Northwest think alpine rain forest and big, jagged glaciated mountains. Rain, lots and lots of rain. DENSE impenetrable forest, deep gorges, few roads, lots of bugs, and very few places to land. Keith has been laying down bivvy lines across the Cascade and Olympic ranges of Washington and Oregon and Coast Ranges of British Colombia the last few years that are ambitious, bold, and absolutely breathtaking. Keith waits for a good forecast, packs up to 7 days of food, sometimes adds a packraft and takes to the skies. Sometimes the mission involves some pretty memorable bushwacking, other times a glorious paddle out and some fishing along the way, other times he'll find himself top landing an alpine meadow and sharing some space with a black bear.
    Más Menos
    49 m
  • #261 Soaring for smiles with Bonnie Hobson

    #261 Soaring for smiles with Bonnie Hobson
    Dec 4 2025
    Bonnie Hobson grew up in the midwest in the midst of endless cornfields, watching her neighbor fly his little bush plane. But soaring wasn't on her radar. Then in 2009 after a break-up and feeling like her life needed a shift she bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii. She saw some paragliders in the air, took a tandem and made a new life, and a new home. From the moment her feet left the ground Bonnie knew her future would be filled with chasing flying. Skydiving, paragliding, hang gliding, speed flying, paramotoring, parakites- if it's flyable, Bonnie is in the air.
    Más Menos
    Menos de 1 minuto