http://www.abc.net.au/newcastle/stories/s2111695.htm?nsw

We're at "Smithy's Airport", a wetlands area about 20 kilometres east of the Newcastle CBD, favoured by members of the Hunter's ultralight community, and blokes like Paul Roche.

With engine started up, and safety gear on (helmet, wrap-around sunnies, knees pads and a parachute, meters that read wind speed and velocity, radios for communication), Roche picks up his light aircraft and walks towards the runway.

"Stand back, there's some big wind gusts coming through," he says.

As the wind gusts blow the aircraft this way and that way, Paul Roche sticks a mouth-controlled throttle between his teeth and bites down hard.

The beefier sounding buzz swells as the propellers slice big arcs quicker and quicker through the air behind the glider's big wing.

Then, without warning, Roche runs directly into the wind and the glider lifts his large frame into the air, climbing, climbing, climbing - within 10 seconds he is 100 metres off the ground.

Paul Roche is one of small band of dedicated motorised hang gliders in the Hunter, who all seem to know each other by their first names.