https://ozreport.com/22.248#1

Bruce the tug pilot writes:

On the 8th December 2018 Scott Barrett on an Airborne C4, Michael
(Jako) Jackson on a Moyes 5S, Viv Clements (Dalby President), on a Icaro Laminar
14.1 along with six of our regular local pilots came to Dalby with the
possibility of a good flight according to the Met forecast.

I launched Viv for a test flight at 8.45am. "I will come back and land," he
said, "I only need five minutes to check her out as it is not my glider, it's
Swendo's"." I landed and towed Scott, then Jako. Around 9.00 am Viv came back,
did not land but hooked up with Scott who had flown east to his start circle,
then drifted back to Jako. They drifted out of town at about only 2300 feet
above ground.

I don't worry much about wind under 35 kph so I don't really know what the
actual velocity was. I let the boys estimate that. If anyone but Scott Barrett,
or one or two others, had rung me and said, "I would like to launch at around
8.30 am", I may have stayed in bed a little longer, but Annie's dad and I hit
the road at 4.45 am. Towing my Dragonfly trailer we arrived at Dalby at 8.06 am
and ran out some ropes.

Smokey arrived at 9.00 am and we then towed the other six. The rest is history.
Scott's 500k nominated goal with paper work. Jako (Michael Jackson) 500k, no
paperwork, Viv Clements (Dalby President) 400.8k. Congratulations to all, you
are incredible athletes. Now Viv is a Kiwi and we all know that bird can't fly,
but this one can. As Boof always said, "How good is Dalby!"

The HGFA sends out:

A Lismore pilot and member of the Hang Gliding
Federation of Australia, has set an Australian Hang Gliding record, soaring
500km to a declared goal over the spectacular Queensland outback – a total of 10
hours in the air.

Reaching ground speeds of over 100km/hr, Scott Barrett from Northern NSW flew
sky high, taking off in an unpowered hang glider from the Dalby Hang Gliding
Club and landing in Charleville on December 8.

The 10-hour flight has broken the previous record by 150km. Scott made the
record flight by starting out being towed up behind an ultralight aircraft.

“I released from the tow at 2000ft above the Dalby airport and made my way alone
over the big open Queensland skies - over the cotton fields, the gas fields, the
scrublands and huge cattle stations,” he said.

“It’s wide open and dry and perfect for an awesome flight - it gets a little
remote but it is beautiful country to fly over.”

Three pilots flew independently on the day; Viv Clements of Brisbane made a
400km flight, Michael Jackson of Brisbane also made a great unprecedented flight
to the same declared goal at Charleville, but with a different start point,
making his distance just a little shorter.

“I had a number of encounters with Wedge Tailed Eagles who made an effort to
come and fly inquisitively and cooperatively with me,” said Scott.

“It’s amazing what is out there and how big the stations are.  I was not
following any roads, just looking where I needed to find the next rising air or
plotting a course to get past forests and maintaining a focus on getting to goal
safely. This has been a most memorable experience.

“I had a lot of water, oxygen and survival equipment for the flight.  I was
carrying CB and airband radios, a spot tracker, EPIRB, parachutes, food,
blankets and other essentials.  But in the end, I landed at the goal and
retrieval was easy.  I had steered a hang glider around for 10 hours, but it had
also taken a year of waiting for the right weather and I was happy and tired.

“I’ve enjoyed going and flying the record, and the terrain that I flew over. I
will always remember it was really spectacular.  Watching the sunset from just
under a 10,000 ft cloud base late in the day and gliding the last 40km to goal,
was a special moment. I could not yet see my goal as it was too hazy that late
in the day, but my instruments told me I would make it as I glided slowly and
silently through beautiful smooth air and enjoyed the view.  An Australian
record was awaiting and I had time to enjoy just being there alone in the air.”

Information on record attempt:

Record type - distance to a declared goal, for a
class 1 (flexwing) hang glider

Distance achieved – 500km, previous record was 343km set in Victoria

Aircraft - unpowered hang glider, a class 1 flexwing hang glider. Make: Airborne
Wind sports C4-13

Start - Dalby Hang Gliding Club, Dalby Airfield in Darling Downs QLD.

Finish - Charleville QLD

Launch method: aero tow (using 90m of rope behind an Ultralight aircraft)

Maximum height 10,000ft

Average speed 50km/hr, maximum ground speed - over 100kph.

Time in the air 10 hours.

There is no previous record.