Introduction
Gidday from down under and welcome to my website which began in April 1999. My name is Ian and I've been flying gliders, powered aircraft, including helicopters, since 1978.  I live in the state of Victoria, Australia. For many years I flew on the Mornington Peninsula, mostly at Flinders. This area is about a 1½ hours drive south of Victoria's largest city, Melbourne. I moved to Bass in 1999 where I now fly near the Bass Coast. This area is located on the western side of Western Port Bay and is also about a 1½ hour's drive from Melbourne.

Slope soaring aerobatics is my passion as you will soon learn when you browse through my pages. Since around 1993, I have been constantly developing rules and guidelines for the purpose of competitive slope soaring. In my site there is information for the keen slope soaring enthusiast, which is both unique and entertaining. Enjoy your journey and feel free to download any of my articles which may interest you. If you would like to contribute articles please do so.

What is Slope Aerobatics?
Slope aerobatics teaches you far more about flying than many of you could possibly imagine. The sort of aerobatics flying I am talking about goes way beyond just performing fancy manoeuvres. This facet of rc flying has so much to offer in the way of self-discipline and dexterity skills.

Top Photo 2010 - Kilcunda, Victoria, Australia
Model: Southern Sailplanes, Ricochet Bullet.
Wings, rudder and trims have been customised.
I have used this type of glider for numerous State aerobatics championships and other contests throughout the past three decades. This is the fourth one I built.

Aerobatics for RC Slope Soaring
This is a book on slope aerobatics, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. It was finished in 2019 ready for proofing. However, proofing has been a far more difficult task than could have imagined. Hence, amendments have been ongoing and the book is not expected to fully completed until sometime in 2020. You can view the book on my other website at Mountain Gliding Australia. Go to the menu and click on MAAA Slope Soaring Rules Changes or click on the link in the Home page.

Photo Right 1992 - Flinders, Victoria, Australia
Also a Ricochet Bullet. This was the third Ricochet I built. Here's a PDF listing my aeromodelling history.

Personal Details
My profession is an Engineering Patternmaker, which involves designing and making patterns for industry.  The patternmaker was the predominent backbone of the foundry industry in the 20th Century. The materials I use are wood, metal, fibreglass, resins and plastics. I also have a small hobby shop.  Both businesses operated from home.

In my spare time I play competitive badminton and despite having bypass surgery in 2001 at the age of 50, I remain positive and very competitive. I have had a go at many sports over my lifetime, including tennis, squash, kayaking, diving, cricket, bi-athlons, pentathlons, to name a few.

In the 2000s and 2010s I edited a community newsletter called the Bass Valley News. Click here to view one of my copies.