Wyalkatchem

Description

Towing paddocks 200km east of Perth, base of operations for the Western Soarers Club. Location of state soaring championships competition.

Although a daily log in is not generally required at any of these sites, the paddocks are not always available. If in any doubt as to the current permission status for the paddocks contact Western Soarers Hanggliding Club and/or the site owner. Towing on any paddock is not permitted during a total fire ban, paddocks in crop are obviously out of bounds, and paddocks should not be driven on if they are so soft that deep ruts and bogging may occur. John Salmon's place is often locked.

Western Soarers go towing at Wylie most weekends and have a hangar set up at the airfield there, and tow cars. Aerotowing operations are often conducted by Skysports flying school which is based there and teaches hanggliding. Western Soarers have a payout winch and can tow paragliders up. They are happy to share the tow fields with paragliders. To fly in the paddocks Western Soarers have negotiated access to you must be a member of Western Soarers ($10 per year).

The town of Wyalkatchem has an excellent hotel with great meals and cheap rooms, budget bunkhouse accomodation at the railway barracks, a hospital, swimming pool, and is a multiple Australia tidy towns winner.

Flight

Being 200km inland, the thermals can be stronger and higher than around York. This location was chosen by Western Soarers for its perfect location for cross country hanggliding, and the town facilities. You can fly any direction for a long way without hitting airspace, but you may reach the end of civilisation (roads) if you go more than a couple of hundred kilometres northeast. It's flat open farmland for the most part so landings are easy, and there's a good network of gravel roads, but it would pay to have a retrieve driver, there's not a lot of traffic if you were planning to hitch back.

Airspace limit is 10000ft. The WA state soaring championships for hanggliders and paragliders is held here annually.

Site Records:

PG: Open Distance 236km Justin Post Nov 03. Declared Goal 130km Justin Post Nov 03 (State Record). Out and Return 65km Mike Dufty Nov 02 (State Record).

HG: Open Distance 313km Phil Wainwright Nov 02 (State Record). Out & Return 132km Mark Thompson Nov 02 (State Record). Triangle 70km Karl Ruckriegel Feb 02. Declared Goal 261km Phil Wainwright Nov 02 (State Record)