Godfrey Wenness
Areas of expertise
Member statistics
- Member since
- 17th August 2007
Paragliding and Flying
If there ever was someone who was meant to have feathers its Australia’s Godfrey Wenness. He has been paragliding with a passion since 1988 and accumulated over 8000 hours flying time – which is more than most retired airline captains ! He ranks amongst the highest airtime and most experienced pilots in the sport.
In 1993, aged only 26, Wenness gave up a fast paced city business life and bought his own mountain near Manilla, in the NSW outback, to pursue his addiction. A few years later and after multiple Australian records, he became the first, and likely the only paraglider ever, to break the World Open Distance record from his own mountain. That flight of 335kms in 1998, which took 7.5hrs, earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and was added to in 2000 with the Tandem World Open Distance record of 223kms.
A Chief Flying Instructor and Examiner, he also runs his own school and tests prototype gliders for a Swiss manufacturer. Recently he was the organiser of the prestigious Paragliding World Championships event held in Manilla. The amazing incident a week prior to the event, where a german lady pilot flew into a thunderstorm and survived being sucked up to over 33,000 feet, created worldwide headlines, and Wenness was thrust into the international media spotlight as an acknowledged world expert on the subject.
In the southern winter months Wenness heads north (like all birds do) in search of flying adventures. His treks and record flights have resulted in many articles written for sports magazines over the years. For World Reviewer he will write articles about interesting locations to experience paragliding for those who are considering a tandem flight.
www.mss.org.au
www.manilla2007.com
Godfrey Wenness's activity
- September 2007
Godfrey Wenness reviewed Paragliding Interlaken in Switzerland
Europe's Top Tandem paragliding experiences: Interlaken is not famous by chance. It is blessed with a natural landscape that locals have capitalised on to develop into one of Switzerland's premier tourism destinations. It sits between 2 classic alpine …"
Godfrey Wenness reviewed Paragliding over Chamonix in Chamonix, France
Europe's Top Tandem paragliding experiences: The Chamonix Valley is one of the most spectacular locations in Europe where one can take a tandem flight. With Mt Blanc towering above, glaciers, and the classic alpine village’s dotted around, the view fro…"
