Nokia n8 producers

One week ago, I received a message on Youtube, which I usually take as a 80 % spam. It was even worse when I saw that it was headlined with “Would you like to be a N8 Producer?”

Well, I said, let`s have a look at it, in the end I would like to be a producer somehow :)

I opened the message where it was clearly seen that it was sent just to my name and was followed by the words where a girl named Lydia from Womworld said how they like my hang gliding videos.
Not a spam anymore.

I read all the message where it was described that they want me to produce a 3 minute video with brand new Nokia N8. They would send it to me for 14 days where I will have a chance to make out of it as much as I can.

First 8 winning videos will get the price, 1 week of Florida for two persons at Cape Canaveral the zero G experience. Yes Tim, you should maybe schedule for a flight back home in beginning of March :)

I took a chance to play the game, so I sent an email to this nice miss Lydia where we scheduled my 14 days for last two weeks in January.

The package is shipped so I am expecting it to arrive on Friday. The idea was born, now the procedure of making the rigs for the camera is going on. Oh, I am with out the glider at moment, but thankfully my ex-student will land me his Combat 07 for aerial shots. Primoz was also willing to help me and have a test flights here in Nova Gorica with his new 13.5 Combat.

So, if everything comes together with a great factor of weather I should be having the video on to participate in the Nokia N8 competition.

If it happens for real it will be great, if not I am pleased that my videos have been noticed.

Stressful 14 days ahead of me :)

Slowing down the take off

As I saw what is possible to do with this "slow down the movie plugin" I wanted to take a look at takeoff also. I took one where I shot from the wing, since we have an upside down option on GoPro it is easier to do it. This was launch on the ramp above Gorica on a day with really low wind.




On the last day of the year Polona got us together by emails, the idea was to see each other and fly on the last day of the year. I humbly asked if I am allowed to come with a paraglider as I am with out the wing at the moment :=) They allowed me to come.



Well it was nice as I did not had to carry the glider for last km to the starting place on Kovk, but, in the air, ah in the air….
Quite many pilots came, I saw also some new faces under the hang gliders and even better, young faces :=)




There is one thing I found out this day while flying, shift gear down while flying a school paraglider as when you turn around you might see that you are quite low for a glide to the landing :=)

Time is runing fast,

so let`s slow it down. When you browse the internet sometimes you come across some very usefull things. I got a new plugin for my Premiere video editing program that can slow down the video with adding the frames, so the video stays nice and smooth.

My first attempt was to see the slow moition of my landing. Still a LOT to learn with TWIXTOR plugin but it looks good enough. Computer had to burn for 3 hours to render this shot.



Kermit, my last glider went to a new owner to south Italy and I am super happy to see it flying already in videos that are coming from Francesco.
I got a lot of answers from Jeff O`brien, Gerolf and Primoz about gliders for 2011 but in the end I choosed for me the cheapest option to buy a brand new Combat 13.5.
Well the cheapest in the way that I get new wing for the first time in my life.

Aeros made a new glider with 13.5 square meters with aspect ratio of 8.5. The tail worked out good for me last season as I felt really safe with it in the air. I am looking for something the same this year. It is a question of handling with this aspect ratio but they say it should be the same as previous models. We will see soon enough in February. Long wating for me.



So when I wait, I clear up my head with some small jump with a paraglider. Last time I was on take off and noticed woman and a man preparing for base from paraglider. I started behind them and tried to catch the jump with the camera. Here is the shot from 2 days ago.



So my friends, we`re in the end of 2011, whish you all the best in new year, many and
safe landings.

Chasing the sun

One week of nice weather and almost no work during the weekend. Seems like the stars aligned for me after long 2 months with pouring rain. On Friday I woke up with a flu but I was consistent to fly next day no matter what.

Me, Alan and Italians Lupo and Davide, went to the ramp above Gorica, it is nice that here you get company to fly almost any day you go for it. Ramp is nicer then paragliding take off as you have enough of space to start your flying in a normal way and it takes you more time to get bombed out.

Well, December and sun here in Slovenia truly makes a hang glider pilots dream. Where else you can fly such a thermals in middle of winter.
Few more weeks and the day will start to get longer again, thoughts are in 2011 already.

In two days I took GoPro with me and made this nice little video of us chasing the sun in the middle of winter. Enjoy it!

Chasing the sun in December (Winter hang gliding in Slovenia) from Matjaz Klemencic on Vimeo.

Talking about winter in Slovenia or better, Nova Gorica

Winter came with lots of snow also here in Slovenia. We had a price giving of Slovenian free flying association on Friday last week. Next day, paragliders had a Winter leauge competition at Lijak in Nova Gorica. The day was predicted to be a good one. Snow almost to the landing zone provided good gradient from the Vipava valley so they had a superb day in the air. I used this day as one of rear free days to chill out my head from every day working. Well it was a mistake...

You can look at the video of Primoz Susa, one of the Slovenian top pilots, also a Red Bull X-Alps contestor from 2009.

Paragliding WinterCup - Fantazija, Task2 from primozjavascript:void(0).susa on Vimeo.

This years prices of me and my club

Aeros WINTER race

It is on again. Aeros was so satisfied with last year organisation that they decided to do it again in Vipava valley. It started with winds over 200 km/h but already next day we flew. This years date is set to 16th to 20th February. If this date does not provide enough good weather then there is a reserve date 23th to 27th of February.

It is going to be cold this year, I guess, but the area of Vipava provides some of the most amazing flying in that period. So, are you willing to start early this year? Go and check the HOME PAGE of Aeros winter race.

Drowning land

Slovenia is in past month a land of rain. I think I saw sun for 3 times this month. Doesn`t help you with your thoughts either not with your general feelings.
Seems like it autunm is an era of problems which feel even bigger when you don`t get the satisfaction of flying for a long time. I was working late this friday and woke up to a strange light out of the window. THE SUN!
As I had to work early again I woke up my room mate and beggged him for his paraglider. While still half sleeping he asked me why the hell I will fly and why he won`t. Don`t worry you can sleep longer today as weather is like sh.... I said to him :)

It was like sh.. but it was possible to just jump down and have at least a small spark in this era of rain. Here is a shot from Saturday.