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topic: Gerry Charlebois (5 articles)

Birds in Paradise fatal crash

Wed, Mar 12 2014, 5:30:01 pm EDT

Gerry Charlebois dies

Gerry Charlebois, Mark McKenzie

Birds in Paradise|fatality|Foundation for Free Flight|Gerry Charlebois|Michel More|Peter Michelmore|PG|tandem|ultralite|video

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/24945600/breaking-kauai-county-officials-investigating-fatal-ultralight-aircraft-crash-details-at-hawaiinewsnowcom

Firefighters have recovered the bodies of the pilot and passenger involved in Tuesday's aircraft crash in Waiakamoo Valley in Polihale.

Officials haven't released their names, but several friends identify the pilot as Gerry Charlebois, the owner of Birds in Paradise, a powered hang glider school and tour company on Kaua'i.

Friends say Charlebois was not just well-known and respected, but describe him as "Hawai'i's ultralight pioneer".

Peter Michelmore, the Hawai'i regional safety director for the U.S. Hanggliding and Paragliding Association, called news of Charlebois' death shocking.

"It would be like hearing that the best surfer in the world just died surfing. Gerry Charlebois was probably one of the world's top ultralight pilots," said Michel More, who has known Charlebois more than 20 years.

Birds in Paradise fatal crash

Tue, Mar 11 2014, 11:06:22 pm EDT

Gerry Charlebois's operation

Gerry Charlebois, Mark McKenzie

Birds in Paradise|fatality|Gerry Charlebois|tandem|ultralite

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Motorized-hang-glider-crash-kills-2-on-Kauai-5307730.php

Two people died Tuesday on Kauai in the crash of a motorized, seated hang glider owned by a company that markets itself to visiting travelers even though federal regulations prohibit the aircraft from being used for tours or thrill rides.

The identities of the victims aren't known, Kauai County said in a statement.

The light sport aircraft crashed on the side of a mountain near Polihale Beach, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. The site is in Waiakamoo Valley below Kokee in the western part of Kauai, the county said.

The aircraft — an Evolution Trikes Revo — is registered to Birds in Paradise LLC, a company that advertises scenic flights for tourists billed as introductory flight lessons rather than aerial tours. A message left on the company's answering machine was not immediately returned Tuesday.

http://www.birdsinparadise.com/our-team.php

Kauai

December 13, 2013, 4:54:49 pm PST

Kauai

Discovery Channel

Gerry Charlebois|TV

Gerry Charlebois writes:

Buying Hawaii will show on the Discovery Channel. The episode is called Flying Kauai. It involves hang gliding and triking. It is airing December 16 prime time. Nine million viewers will learn that they could fly a hang glider from their backyard. It should be great for our sport!

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Ole to Valle

Thu, Dec 21 2000, 4:00:03 pm GMT

Gerardo Mendez|Gerry Charlebois|John "Ole" Olson

John 'Ole' Olson <HeyThere@learntohangglide.com> writes

We're going to Valle on April Fool's Day to hook up with Fly Mexico for a week or two.

I am on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, where I have easily convinced Gerry Charlebois that he needs to grab his camera, get off the rock, and go visit Valle de Bravo. Gerry is contacting his crowd, and I mine, and we'll be there for a week or two.

April is rather late in the season for Valle- most of the gringos have gone by then, leaving the place for us, and the local voladores. Certainly there will not be so many parapantys cluttering up the launch at El Peñón for the 1 o'clock express to cloudbase.

The last time I flew Valle in April, there was a very high cloudbase up towards the pass and the Toluca Valley- be prepared for 18000'! If you'd like to see goal over the Nevado de Toluca Xinantecatl, check this link: http://www.learntoflytrikes.com/jim_afinowich_climbed_to_16.htm

Contact me at: www.learntoflytrikes.com, or Gerardo at: www.birdsINparadise.com.

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Ole in Valle

Thu, Mar 11 1999, 11:00:02 pm GMT

Gerry Charlebois|John "Ole" Olson

John Olsen, tour guide extraordinaire, spent a few weeks in Valle, where he use to lead tours, on a break from his job flying trikes for Gerry Charlebois in Kauai. Here’s what he had to say about flying in Valle this year:

Que le pasa? I had a great trip to Valle. After three years of trying, I finally made it over the pass in the Falcon. When I looked down on Buena Vista, I was at 14500'.

A crowd of kids gathered, of course. I told them that I had landed there some years ago and that some mangy dog has run over and bit me right in the ass. One of the kids found that very funny. He fell around in the dirt laughing and holding his sides.

"What's so chingada funny about that?" I asked.
"I remember that!" he said, "that was my perro!"
"And what became of the chingada perro?" I asked.
"He died!" came the answer.
Let that be a lesson, I told him: don't be biting gringos!

There was nowhere to land on the lake anywhere Valle. The lake was too full. But one day after the Penyon- tre Reyes- Divisidero run, I landed at the far end of the lake with Flaco and El Gallo. We bought caguamas and hired a boat back to Valle, returning in triumph and style.

We may be setting up shop on Fiji.

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