The 6th Annual 2009 Arizona Flying Circus is scheduled for February 6 - 8, 2009 at the incredible Franscico Grande Resort, near Casa Grande, Arizona. Like an oasis in the desert, The Francisco Grande offers not just an incredible place to fly, but a number of welocme amenities, including an outdoor heated pool, restaurant, bar, and a premier golf course.
This event will be in a class all it's own, with many world class paraglider pilots performing exhibitions, putting on clinics and sharing valuable knowledge and experience. There will be some amazing base jumps from hot air balloons, possible paraglider launches from the roof of the Francisco Grande and a world record attempt by Bill Heaner for the first ever paraglider launch and landing in a hot air balloon!
The 2009 event will be limited to the first 100 registered pilots and promises to be a world class, one of a kind event. This event is about flying paragliders so open flying sessions will be abundant as will the action and fun.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available!
The Arizona Flying Circus is one of the most unique and entertaining powered paragliding events in the country. Held every February since 2004, it's the only event of its kind to be held at a resort. Imagine strolling from your hotel room, through the grass to the flight line and into the sky. The 2008 Flying Circus was an event to remember with incredible mild winter flying conditions each day. This DVD was shot in 1080p HD and contains over 40 minutes of video as well as a slide show. You will see the high energy acro and low level precision piloting and the fun to watch open flying sessions. Cringe as two skilled pilots fly a one of a kind trike and 11sm high performance wing for the first time. Study some perfect and not so perfect launches and landings and fly out to the mine and give chase to some other cross country pilots. Remember what it was like to taste flight for the first time as you watch two new pilots take to the air for the very first time via the MoTow. This DVD is a great way to remember the people and the flying that made the 2008 Flying Circus so much fun. If you attended this incredible powered paragliding event, then you need to get this DVD!
"A fun, ripping, razzing beautiful tour of the personalities, flying, and events of the amazing 2008 Arizona Flying Circus. This breathtaking paramotor video is a must see."
The 5th Annual 2008 Arizona Flying Circus is scheduled for February 8 - 10, 2008 at the incredible Franscico Grande Resort, near Casa Grande, Arizona. Like an oasis in the desert, The Francisco Grande offers not just an incredible place to fly, but a number of welocme amenities, including an outdoor heated pool, restaurant, bar, and a premier golf course. This will not be your typical PPG fly-in where accomodations consist of tents, mud, cold, and warm beer. Ths is gearing up to be the premier event in the nation with lots of activities being planned, including competitions, cross-county flights, bonfires, seminars, a raffle of prizes, and of course lots of flying.
The 4th Annual 2007 Arizona Flying Circus is scheduled for February 8 - 11, 2007 at the incredible Franscico Grande Resort, near Casa Grande, Arizona. Like an oasis in the desert, The Francisco Grande offers not just an incredible place to fly, but a number of welocme amenities, including an outdoor heated pool, restaurant, bar, and a premier golf course. This will not be your typical PPG fly-in where accomodations consist of tents, mud, cold, and warm beer. Ths is gearing up to be the premier event in the nation with lots of activities being planned, including competitions, cross-county flights, bonfires, seminars, a raffle of prizes, and of course lots of flying.
The 3rd Annual 2006 AZPPG Arizona Flying Circus is scheduled for February 2 through February 5, 2006 at the incredible Franscico Grande Resort, near Casa Grande, Arizona. Like an oasis in the desert, The Francisco Grande offers not just an incredible place to fly, but a number of welocme amenities, including an outdoor heated pool, restaurant, bar, and a premier golf course. This will not be your typical PPG fly-in where accomodations consist of tents, mud, cold, and warm beer. Ths is gearing up to be the premier event in the nation with lots of activities being planned, including competitions, cross-county flights, bonfires, seminars, a raffle of prizes, and of course lots of flying.
The 2nd Annual 2005 Arizona Flying Circus is scheduled for February 10 through February 13, 2005 on the 100 acres of grass out at PRA (Phoenix Regional Airport). Lots of activities are planned, including competitions, cross-county flights, bonfires, seminars, a raffle of prizes, model rocket launch, hot air balloons, and of course lots of flying. Food, drinks, shade, seating, porta-potties, and a wash station will be avalable. Also, dry RV camping and tent camping are encouraged.
We are planning an informal gathering out at PRA May 1-2, 2004. We plan to camp out at the field Saturday night. Activities inlude flying in the morning and evenings, food, and discussing the future and direction of AZPPG. Keep posted on the
The AZPPG 1st Annual 2004 Fly-In is scheduled for Friday, January 30 through February 1, 2004 on the 100 acres of grass out at PRA (Phoenix Regional Airport). Lots of fun activities will take place, including competitions, cross-county flights, bonfires, seminars, a raffle of prizes from sponsors, and of course lots of flying. Food, shade, seating, and restrooms will be avalable. Also, dry RV camping and tent camping are permitted.
PRA (Phoenix Regional Airport). Lots of planning is going into the event including a competition, cross-county flights, sponsors, food, and of course lots of flying. More updates will be added as the planning continues.
The plan is to meet from 3pm until the cows go home (ie after sunset) out at PRA (Phoenix Regional Airport) this Saturday, March 22, 2003. Looks like a bunch of people are planning to come. Several people have offered to bring grills, chairs, and a covered canopy. Feel free to bring family, friends, food to cook up, and drink.
Our 8th club meeting will be at Phoenix Regional Airport. It will be on the 27 acre grass patch from 3pm til after sunset.
For the flying, we have permission to use the football sized, all grass area to use at as we like. The only requirement, given this is an airport, is to be respectful of the airspace around the paved runways -- especially if there is other air traffic around.
After the sun sets, we will have a concurrent meeting with the new EAA chapter that is forming in the airport meeting room. They have invited us to participate and offer our input. Some of the issues of discusion are planned activities like a monthly gathering, the continuation of grass, making the area more accessible to family by offering concessions/food, grills, seating areas, etc.
It really should be a great gathering, not only for terrific flying, but to mingle with other like minded aviators.
Our seventh club meeting will be at McCartney site. The plan is to meet on Saturday, October 26, in the morning from 6:30-9am to fly and then have our monthly meeting from 9-10am.
If you like, family and friends are welcome. In the past we have had upwards of 50 people and 15 pilots. There is good incications this may be a record turnout.
Our fifth club meeting will be at a new place for a change of pace. We will meet at the Phoenix Regional Airport in the morning from 6am to 10am. This is the same location the Cooperstate FlyIn will be held in October. The plans are to fly first from 6, until it either gets too hot or too turbulent, probably around 8:30 or 9. Then we will have our meeting in an air-conditioned meeting room. Food and drinks will be available from a vendor.
So far a bunch of folks have mentioned they will be flying and going. In addition, we will have several other ultralight pilots who are planning on attending including a HG trike, a gyrocopter, and some GA planes. Safety is a big concern and the airport knows our capabilities and limitations of turbulent air, especially around other aircraft.
This is a very scenic site to fly from. Should be a load of fun for all. Visit the sites page for directions and the Bulletin Board for more upcoming details.
Fourth Club Meeting Summary
Posted July 14, 2002
The fourth club meeting was a success even though a bad weather warning kept us grounded. After a chaotic, last minute reschedule, 10 people met at the Pizza Hut in Casa Grande. Here is quick summary:
Several new faces and a few old ones. A really nice mix of people from South and Central Arizona. We had a great mix of avaition expereinces including 4 PPG pilots, a balloon pilot, an airline captain, a veteran skydiver, a gyro and HG trike instructor, and a few newbees.
Bill discussed the trip to Albequerque and I mentioned I got my BFI (Basic Flight Instructor) certification.
Tee-Shirt final designs were shown. Thanks to Kevin of http://www.desertimpressions.com for putting these together. People placed orders for 24 shirts and we had a committment for at least a dozen more. The cost of the shirts will be $12.
Any extra money collected from shirts or food will be added to a "Kitty" shoebox to cover basic club expenses.
Plans for the next meeting were hammered out. Richard Ankrom, a part owner of the Phoenix Regional Airport, offered us to have our next meeting at his airport. The date is Saturday, August 24 in the early morning. Details to be posted soon.
Future meetings are to be tentatively scheduled for the 3rd Wednesday of every month (changing it from the 1st Wednesday). We did this since the moon is darkest near the 1st Wednesday of the month and fullest near the 3rd Wednesday. It sure would be nice to meet under the bright moon.
Kevin P. of http://www.desertimpressions.com has graciously put together a bunch of incredible Tee shirt designs and cool club catch phrases. These designs were recently shown at the club meeting on June 5th. The
Our third club meeting out at McCartney Site had a terrific turn-out and was a load of fun for all. There were 16 cars, trucks or vans that made it out and over 40 people with 9 pilots flying. A fixed wing aircraft, three trikes, and 7 back-pack units were out at the field or in the air. People started arriving around 5:30pm and stayed till 11pm. Pilots flew until just after sunset and then we had our meeting huddled around the warm pizza, glowing lights, and good conversation.
Here are a few highlights of the meeting: Keven gave us some great insight on club T-Shirts with over a dozen incredibly creative designs and phrases. Smokin' Bill offered a superb GPS clinic discussing the background of navigation and where modern GPS satellites and traking fit into the picture. And Mo retold the humorous story of Tod mistakenly flying over one of the maximum security Federal prisons in Florence earlier in the month.
Next month's meeting is scheduled for the same place, McCartney Site, on July 10th.
Our third meeting is planned for June 5th, 2002 at the McCartney site in Casa Grande. Many folks will arrive from 5 to 6 and fly until the sun sets. Then we will have our meeting with pizza delivered to the field.
Added Calendar of Events Section
Posted June 4, 2002
The AZPPG Calendar is live! This is an great system to view and post events related to PPG functions.
It turned out the weather was perfect for flying. Great air: 4-6 mph laminar air with a high layer of stratus clouds that gave way to an incredible sunset.
Joe had his first solo after a bunch of very close attempts. Persistence paid off and he was finally airborne for an incredible evening flight. Bill was a huge help as we ran with Joe holding his harness and keeping him headed into the wind. Finally Joe made it into the air and had a great flight and super landing.
A bunch of other people were out for flying fun. If memory serves me correctly, a role call of the big kids included Tod, Craig, David, Mike W., Ken, James, Brad, Zane, Mike E., Tod B., Maria and there were at least 5 or 6 little kids running around.
We ordered pizza and David thought $15 was too much tip to give the Dominoes driver for coming all the way to the field. So he and Mike W. volunteered to pick it up. Needless to say, they arrived with the pizza just as we finished the meeting. BTW, I still owe David for my share.
The meeting was really informative with some excellent feedback and a good get together for all. Bill put on a GPS clinic that was really useful, describing how the darned things work in layman's terms. These things sure are usefull tools for easy navigation and Bill has spent a lot of time learning them inside and out.
The next AZPPG meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1st. the plan is to meet out at McCartney field prior to the meeting for some flying and meet at 8pm. Also planned is to have Dominoes deliver some pizzas to the field. Yeehaa!
What an incredible first meeting! Ten people showed up for an evening of pizza, beer and good PPG discussion. A bunch of issues were discussed including the new AZPPG.com website, a possible new logo, the desire for tee-shirts or other wearable stuff with a AZPPG logo on it, some posibilities for flyins or trips, upcoming events like the Parastars and Sun n Fun Conventions and the Balloon Fiesta, fun stories and experiences both good and bad from newbies and experienced pilots, copies of the first USPPA newsletter "Powered Paragliding", and our next meeting on May 1st.
It is really nice to see such active and strong interest in this club idea. I'm glad this idea is taking off!
