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Hi Chris,
I just wanted to thank you again for the great experience learning to fly with Super Fly! In coming out to Salt Lake City as a complete beginner I didn't know quite what to expect over the next 12 days I had planned for learning to fly and getting my P2. I couldn't have asked for a better instructor or experience. Your patience, experience, focus on safety, and teaching style were great to work with, and as I got to know and talk with other pilots in the area, I saw the respect they all have for you and realized how lucky I was to be learning from you.
56 flights in 12 days! Between the training hill, tandems, desert and lake tows, and top of the hill flights I got a great opportunity to build my skills in a variety of different situations. A big plus for me was the opportunity to go towing with you and try out various maneuvers, always with your calm voice in my ear over the radio, knowing that I could just trust to do what you were saying. Being able to learn what a frontal or asymetrical collapse feels like, feeling the centrifugal force pulling on you in a spiral turn, the 'elevator drop' feeling of a b-line stall were all incredibly valuable in helping build my confidence and skills as a novice pilot.
My 12 days of a learn-to-fly vacation in Salt Lake are over, and unfortunately I've had to return to the "real world". I already miss being out on the South side each morning, the comraderie with the other pilots, and even the "parawaiting" for the right conditions. But I've got a set of solid skills to build upon, and great memories of my time learning to fly. Learning to fly is something I've been dreaming about for years, and I knew I had achieved it during my final flight before returning home - 40 minutes soaring on the South side! I can't wait for my own equipment to arrive so I can get back out and fly here locally, and I look forward to coming back to Salt Lake City again and again as well.
Thanks for helping make a dream come true!
-Chris R
Dear Super Fly Team
Monday was a completely non-productive day at work for me – the sun was still shining just like is was on Sunday and all I wanted to do was go flying. I am guessing that this is how the bug starts, next I be quitting my job, and traveling all over the world to go flying. Maybe in 10-15 years I will have the experience to be a top-notch instructor like you guys. Well, I will try not to get ahead of myself.
Seriously though, thanks for the opportunity to do this. After doing these maneuvers, I can’t imagine anyone flying without doing some of these, the confidence and understanding of how the glider behaves is invaluable. As a beginner (or probably anyone for that matter) some of the things we did over the water would be stupid to do over the ground, so an opportunity like this doesn’t come along every day, and I am sure glad I took advantage of it. I did six tows to 2500+ feet in an afternoon. When it was suggested that I do some tows with you, I thought that I was way too fresh (5 high flights) to gain anything from it, Was I wrong.
Thanks again, Jim.
DO NOT FLY IN VALLE WITH SUPERFLY!!!
Ever find a ‘secret’ treasure you wanted to keep to yourself? The perfect untracked ski run, a great bike trail, somewhere you want to quietly tuck away and only share with your most trusted friends? In paragliding terms, the Superfly Valle trip flirts with that status. You know that pretty much every pilot would benefit from the stellar flying sites and superlative coaching, but on the selfish side, the temptation exists to keep this on the DL. Still, a week of two flights a day, predictable thermals, radio instruction, shuttles, nice lodging, decent food… the responsible thing to do would be to share this with as many pilots as you could, right? Alright, FINE, here is the straight skinny, then, but keep it to yourself, OK?
Their reputation pretty much speaks for itself, but humor me while I add one more endorsement; Chris and Jeff are very, very good at this. As someone20who has given and received quite a bit of professional instruction over the past three decades, they compare well against any training I’ve seen. Obviously, they have strong flying skills, but also communicate those skills, related concepts, and ideas very well, while simultaneously adapting to the level of each pilot’s needs. Their level of measured personal interaction allowed me to maximize how much I took away from the trip; the learning was pretty much non-stop, both on the ground and in the air. Their decade plus of Valle experience also means that logistics are a non-issue; you hang with pilots of a similar empassioned persuasion, you sleep, you eat, and you fly. No worries.
So, DO NOT go to Valle with Super Fly, but if you do, please keep it to yourself! -J Hull 12/08
Chris Santacroce
Super Fly, Inc.
8683 Sandy Parkway
Sandy, UT 84070
Dear Chris:
I just wanted to drop you a short note to thank you, Jeff, and your other instructors for the wonderful experience that I have had learning to fly paragliders with Super Fly. As a commercial pilot and flight instructor with over 3,000 hours in many different types from Piper Cubs, to sailplanes and twin engine turbines, as well as over 1,000 hours in ultralights, I expected learning to fly a paraglider to be a lot like flying everything else that I have flown. It was not, but the patience, experience, and skills of you and all of the instructors at Super Fly helped me quickly learn the differences and understand what it takes to fly as close to a bird as a human can probably ever get! I could never have imagined how enjoyable this type of free flight really is.
The equipment was all in excellent condition and during my training I got to fly several different wings. After getting signed off as a P2, I really appreciated being able to continue to use Super Fly’s gear for the over water training and to build time until we could make a decision on which wing to purchase. By the time we made a decision and my wing arrived, I had over 100 flights and 26 hours of flight time. Even though it is now nine months later, Chris, Dale, Jeff, and Carson all continue to comment on my flying, whether it is to complement me on how I am doing, make suggestions as to what I should practice, or correct a bad habit I have picked up. I greatly appreciate this follow through because I know that it continues to make me a better and safer pilot. The wing, harness, and other gear that I purchased are all excellent and I am very pleased with the decisions that we made.
Thanks again to all of you for making this a fantastic learning experience and introducing me to this wonderful sport.
Sincerely,
Sandy C
Chris,
As always thanks for all your expertise and enthusiasm. Your ability to teach people gliding skills and to learn to enjoy soaring in the air is exceptional. I had an unbelievable time last week. I can't believe I was speed gliding in just hours. It was quite the thrill! Hopefully the weather wiill be a bit more cooperative next time so we can add some skis to the Nano! You took the mystery out of using a paramotor as well as getting towed. Your gradual teaching methods on flying and landing with a paramotor on my back made it fun and easy. Thumbs up to the towing experience and to Superfly!!! Looking forward to flying with you again in the very near future.
Chuck M
I just wanted to say thanks for a super awesome weekend at the maneuvers clinic. Thanks for the incredible tows and the outstanding instruction!
Chris - you really made me feel at ease and you have amazing patience! I had so much fun and will highly suggest the clinics to other pilots as well as continue clinics myself in the future - I got to do more than I ever expected!
Thanks again,
Amy
I really appreciate your maturity, knowledge and professionalism for flying. I dream about the flying at Valle and look forward to some more time flying and learning with you and Jeff.
You have a gift for teaching. Believe me, I’ve had a lot of teaching (and done some) for a lot of things over the last 60 plus years, and you’re as good as it gets! Your knowledge, experience, and passion for teaching with patience, calmness, clarity, enthusiasm, and tolerance for bozos, etc are a rare gift in teaching--in any field. You’re in the top 1/10 of 1%. I really mean that.
This trip just made me so much more aware of how much more I need to learn, and hungry to learn it. Alas, 30 yrs too late, but better late then never!! G r and I just have a ball with you guys. BOB B
