IRELAND TO AFRICA BY PARAMOTOR

Oisín Creagh flew his paramotor from Ireland to Africa in August / September 2016, to raise awareness and funds for an African charity. His expedition has earned him a nomination for an award with Ireland’s Outsider magazine – the winners will be announced on 2 February 2016. The Irishman, who was dubbed ‘lawnmower man’ by Irish newspapers, planned and executed the 3,000km paramotor journey in order to try and raise €12,000 for the International development aid organisation, Gorta-Self Help Africa, whose mission is to help end hunger and poverty in rural Africa. Oisín left Ireland on 24 August, making the 38km crossing of the Irish Sea to Scotland – the first of three open-water crossings – and going on to fly 300km in two flights on his first day. It was just over three weeks before he set foot in Africa, landing at Ceuta on the northeastern tip of Morocco on 19 September after crossing the Straits of Gibraltar. Sadly, the permit to fly in Morocco that he had applied for arrived too late, hence the final destination of Ceuta, which is Spanish owned. Oisín flew an Ozone Spyder 26, and Air Conception Nitro 200 motor. Here is what Oisin says about his trip: “Both [the Spyder and Nitro 200] performed remarkably …I would not have flown the English Channel and the Straits of Gibraltar without boat support, unless I had huge confidence in the combination of this motor and the Ozone Spyder wing…. “ You can find out more about Oisín’s mission, including extracts from television interviews, on http://www.flyafrica.ie Congratulations from all Ozone Team.