The GlideOmarama Team
The depth of experience and international makeup of the team at GlideOmarama is recognised as being it's greatest asset as well as a significant point of difference that sets it head and shoulders above all other gliding operations. This quality, together with the accumulated knowledge of the Omarama soaring environment and the enthusiasm of the GlideOmarama Team members for the place and their willingness to share their discoveries, sets GlideOmarama far apart from others.
Additionally to the permanent staff featured here will be talented guest instructors; extraordinary pilots from all over the world who periodically join GlideOmarama to share their knowledge and skills. Junior pilots join GlideOmarama each year on its cadet programme to support the team and guests on the airfield while gleaning knowledge and experience for their own development.
Whether you fly as a guest with GlideOmarama at Omarama, New Zealand or in the Western USA during its periodic excursions Stateside, the GlideOmarama experience in all aspects of gliding and cross country soaring in the mountains will ensure that you will learn exponentially and have immense fun along the way.
View GlideOmarama cross country flights logged on OLC.
Total time: 10,000 + hrs A successful racing pilot he won the US National Sports Class Championships in 2005. He is also the task setter for National and International races at Omarama. Gavin is the founder, owner and director of GlideOmarama and Gavin Wills Mountain Soaring School. He holds a US Commercial Gliding license, NZ Gliding Instructors Rating, and is an Executive Director of Gliding New Zealand. Gavin has owned and operated his PA18a, ski equipped, 180hp, 3 seat mountain flying Piper Cub since 1972 and has recently added a grunty GA200 Fatman with 260 hp to the GlideOmarama fleet as principal tow plane. Previously occupied as a Geologist, an internationally qualified Mountain and Ski Guide, a professional River Guide and an Avalanche consultant Gavin has operated businesses in New Zealand and various wild parts of the globe. As a documentary film maker he produced and directed the prize winning gliding movies "Windborn" and "Champions of the Wave". Gavin loves to share his joy of soaring taking pilots on adventurous flights deep into the NZ mountains or far across the high mountain deserts of Nevada and Utah. Visit Gavin's logged OLC cross country flights. ***** | |
Total time: 7,000 hrs As UK National Club Class champion and National team member G is a successful racing pilot. He achieved his 1000 kilometre diploma at Omarama with a flight that took only 5 hours and 53 minutes and averaged 174 kph! In July 08 G competed as part of the GB Club Class team in the World Championships at Rieti in the mountains of northern Italy. His campaign gained creditable 2 day wins and 10th overall; a pleasing performance at this hotly contested event. G holds a US Commercial Gliding license and is a UK Gliding Full Rated instructor and Regional Examiner. He has been teaching mountain soaring skills with GlideOmarama since 2000 both in NZ and the US. G has been British National Coach and Chief Flying Instructor at Nympsfield and then Booker Gliding Clubs in England. Before that he was a professional pianist and piano teacher. (Have him play for you on the decks of the Kahu with the sun going down over the distant mountains, it's a treat!) G is a talented soaring instructor who loves to share his deep technical understanding of the sport with all who care to listen. Visit G's logged OLC cross country flights. ***** | |
Total time - 21,000 hrs Winner of several UK Regional and National Soaring contests, Lemmy has been soaring continuously since 1956! During this time he has been Chief Flying Instructor for a number of English and RAF Gliding clubs, on the British Gliding Executive for six years and was one time British National Team captain. Lemmy flew with the RAF as a fighter/bomber pilot and then as a commercial heavy helicopter pilot with world wide experience. In Scotland he ran an International Mountain Flying school for helicopter pilots. There is nothing that Lemmy has not done in gliding from racing to repairs, from teaching to politics but his first love is soaring. Ask him about his first glider, a 1938 German Minimoa that he bought and refurbished in 1963. Or ask him about the weather - he is much sought after as a weather man and forecasts for gliding contests around the world. 'Lemmyweather' is pronounced daily to those at Omarama briefings and he is given rapt attention by those pilots trying to claim badges and planning tasks. Visit Lemmy's OLC logged cross country flights. ***** | |
Philip has accumulated around 2000 hours since taking his first glider flight in 1977 while based with the NZ airforce at Ohakea, a North Island coastal site subject to sea breezes and low skies. He started instructing with the Wanganui/Manawatu Gliding Club in 1993 where there was easier access to the inland mountains and moved to Omarama in 2004. Enthusiastic North Island Regional contest participation in his syndicated Ka6 progressed to a partnership in the first DG1000 to come to NZ. Philip came to Omarama from the IT world. He still maintains the GNZ turnpoint database and works with GlideOmarama to produce a current list of known useable landout sites for pilots flying out of Omarama - visit Philip's website at http://map.xinqu.net/ Philip is a valued course instructor at GlideOmarama where he flies his DG1000 'to keep the Duo Discus pilots honest'. He is currently CFI of the Omarama GC. 'I never cease to be amazed at what a beautiful and complex environment we fly in at Omarama - it is always changing and offering something new. Having flown at Omarama since 1999 I find I've only scratched the surface of what's available. There's always another valley to explore, another ridge to run.' Visit Philip's OLC logged cross country flights. ***** | |
Total Hours 4,300 Bo has been teaching soaring at Omarama since 2001 first with Alpine Soaring and then with GlideOmarama. In his usual modest style Bo writes: 'As you know I am not a top gliding pilot...but I have 4000 hours, FAI gold, a diamond, a CPL-G and a PPL. In NZ I hold a gliding A Cat Instructor privilege and in England, where I have completed 6 seasons of professional instructing, I have the privileges of a Full Category Instructor. For the last 7 years I have been in Omarama, flying with numerous visiting pilots and have enjoyed every minute.' With his smile, a Duo Discus T and Piper Cub in the hagars and airside chalet as home, Bo does not need to think of much else! Those who have had the privilege of soaring with him will agree. He loves nothing better than a good red wine and showing visiting soaring pilots around his beloved mountains! Visit Bo's OLC logged cross country flights. ***** | |
Annie Laylee
Ash Hurndell
| Annie has been flying gliders and tugs for about 20 years and has accumulated some 2300 hours as a pilot. She maintains her currency as a syndicate owner in an ASW 24 with partner G Dale and with other glider pilots in an RV4, both aircraft being based at Lasham, Britain's premier gliding site. She adds a welcome touch of glamour and style to the gliding scene at Omarama as towpilot to GlideOmarama in the handy Super Cub and GA Fatman. Annie enjoys retrieving errant glider pilots from remote strips out of Omarama, finding the back country mountain valley flying a constant challenge to her accumulated piloting skills. *****
Ash is primarily a power pilot and has been working as an instructor on powered aircraft and teaching ground theory courses in Dunedin. He holds a New Zealand commercial pilot’s licence, C Category instructor rating, aerobatic and night instructor ratings and a multi-engine instrument rating. Ash began glider towing for Youth Glide Omarama and gained his tow rating in a 160hp Cessna 172, needless to say he is enjoying the extra power the tail wheel tow aircraft he now flys have to offer! He is relatively new to gliding gaining his A Certificate, oxygen rating and single seat conversion last season and finding that gliding in a challenging environment like Omarama and the Alps has done wonders for his power flying and meteorological knowledge in general. Ash will be with GlideOmarama as full time tow pilot and is looking forward to spending the 08/09 summer in Omarama, hoping to further his gliding experiences and log his first thousandth hour in the air this season. *****
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Devin Bargainnier |
Devin comes to GlideOmarama fresh from a full time flying season at Minden, Nevada. With total flying time of something over 1000 hours in gliders and GA he brings with him an enthusiasm for aerial exploration and photography of magnificent landscapes. Investment in a Ventus shared with other family members has permitted serious pursuit of US Regional and National contest flying and he is contending for inclusion in the US Junior team selections for Finland. Devin is part way through an aeronautics degree and intends to pursue a career in aviation. At Omarama Devin will be part of the junior team managing the GlideOmarama fleet - with stated presentation skills we have an expectation of highly polished wings, spotless canopies and an immaculate hangar! Visit Devin's OLC logged cross country flights. ***** |
Mandy has been the administration manager for GlideOmarama for four years and is often heard on the airwaves collecting ops normal calls from distant pilots. She is not a glider pilot but loves to fly accompanying Gavin on excursions in the Super Cub. She enjoys long hot gliding summers both in Omarama and the US and balances her life with the Omarama gliding activity with her 3 daughters. ***** |
free phone 0508 58 55 88 | phone +64 3 438 9555 | inquiries | bookings
"I have enjoyed the thrill of gliding in many places around the world, but the splendour of soaring NZ's Southern Alps from my home at Omarama is second to none. Come share it with us." Gavin Wills, Director, GlideOmarama.com