Hello all
Aviv and I went flying at Mavoe hama today around 11 am, left my car at the landing site at buttom of the hill
When we came to the takeoff area at the top of the hill we met with Adam and Amos testing the new Tandem paraglider, one more hang glider was setting up
The wind started to gust with peak of 42 kmph
within 5 minutes security car from Mavoe hama with police officer stops by us and advise us that an officer from kibutz haon reported a green paraglider that landed in the middle of the mountain in an area that has landmines
We advised that we have not seen anyone taking off confirmed by the hanglider pilot who has been there starting 11 am
So while getting the info we see several police cars searching the mountain from the bottom and another couple joined us on top
Since Adam is the only one able flying in this weather and has a tandam we decide with the police blessing to start an aerial search
Since Adam needed a second person I volunteered, an off we went with the radio set on 146.6 and another radio on the ground with Dr Aviv
After 15 minutes of searching and no results with the police giving vectors via Dr aviv we get information that the police is sending a helicopter to assist the search
within 3 minuets we see the helicopter heading straight at us same altitude, although they told us that the helicopter is aware of our location the situation was uncomfortable, so Adam does a 3G awesome five turns spiral and instantly looses most of our height's with the helicopter turning Northbound
So, we land at the landing site at the bottom of the hill with 5 police cars around us trying to get info on the situation, naturally we didn't know much except what we were told initially
I found out later that while I was in the air one of the police officers thought that the car at the landing site( my car) belongs to the missing paraglider, so he tracks down the ownership and calls my wife at home to ask if her husband paraglides and where is he at this time
Since I am in the air I can not answer her phone call and the Young lady understands that something really bad happend to me in conjunction with police cars and helicopter in the background
After we touch down my phone rang and my hysterical crying wife is happy to here my voice( at least so she said) ,so I have to brake away from the police, the helicopter, Adam etc and race home to prove I am alive
Later Adam and Ido Mohar joined me at my place to watch the search continue on the other side of the lake
I received another 5 phone calls to verify my safety including the Moshavat Kineret Administrator who received notice that I have landed in the Golan heights mind fields and missing, and one from my friend in Jerusalem who wanted to know if the missing paraglider they talk about on the news flash was me
End of story
Most likely nothing happend, someone thought they saw something and got the whole country upside down
Safe flights
Moshe Grad
