White Sands
Hang gliding at a dune by the seaside
This is the dune

It is approx. only eight meters above the sea level, and maybe 150 meters long. That's it.
The place is named "Spiagge bianche" ("White Sands"), and it is located in Rosignano Marittimo, 40 Km south from Pisa, Italy. You are facing the Tyrrheanian Sea, the coast runs from south-east to north-west. Headwind is from south west: the unmistakable "Libeccio". They have a weather station giving reports in real time: have a check.... you could go flying now! (no less than 25 Kts, SW, and holding)

Peppe and Paolo are catching the wind here, too strong for opening a hang glider, March 1998

40 Kts > Wind Speed: Things to do in case the wind is too strong
20 Kts < Wind Speed < 40 Kts: Things to do in case everything is perfect
20 Kts > Wind Speed: Things to do when the wind calms down a bit and the ridge soaring is not available any more
20 Kts < Wind Speed < 40 Kts, Night, Full Moon: Things to do when everything is perfect by night


Wind Speed > 40 Kts: Things to do in case the wind is too strong
 
There's something you can do while waiting for the wind to calm down a bit: buy a plastic sheet and tailor a flying suit on the spot for you. Tie the ends on your shoes and keep the other ends firmly in your hands. Then go into the mouth of the wind and JUMP!
You can still use your windproof jacket but it will be less impressive

20 Kts < Wind Speed < 40 Kts: Things to do in case everything is perfect
 

Peppe flies the dune, April 2001
Marco flies the dune, April 2001

Looking south-east, April 1998
Looking north-west, April 1998

Peppe-Armstrong, April 1998
Houston: this is how we do it. The Eagle has landed. Peppe and the Moyes XS against "White Sands" landscape, April 1998


Wind Speed < 20 Kts: Things to do when the wind calms down a bit and ridge soaring is not available any more
 

Look at the family that gathered on April 2001: Ms. Marianna is ready to challenge herself on her very first hang gliding run, while Peppe is adjusting the last details of her harness. The glamorous MATRIX character holding the nose of the machine is Francesco, who later on will astonish everybody else dead grabbing the hang-glider on his first run and skyrocketing about 2 mts up in the air. The unmistakable dog is Ms. Marianna's Capitano, alias Capi, alias "Chubeka" or "Chube", from the Star Wars trilogy.

 

A midspring's shipwrecked dream, April 2001

 

Maybe you have some doubts about crossing oceans hanging from the device. Peppe is enjoying "beach hopping", April 2001

 
 

Marianna and Peppe, backstaging the motion picture "White Sands"
Peppe and Marco having a drink

Marianna's last thoughts before trusting these people

20 Kts < Wind Speed < 40 Kts, Night, Full Moon: Things to do when everything is perfect by night

August 1998: it has been done

The gargantuan and mighty selfgliding shadow is portraied while in tremendous silence is owling up and down the dune 
(L’immane e poderosissima ombra autoplanante ripresa mentre silenziosa gufa in su e in giú per la duna)
On the beach a luminescent landscape is reflecting the abstract: Neil Armstrong and Donna Summer pose for you guys at home 
(Sulla spiaggia un paesaggio luminosissimo riflette l’astratto: Neil Armstrong e Donna Summer posano per voi a casa)

Last updated: Jun 29th 2001
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