NAME? Neil Slinger (AKA The Silver Fox)

AGE? 47 (going on 60)

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live in a small village outside Sandbach in Cheshire, England. It is sleepy and I have friendly farmers who allow me to fly from their fields. I live within a mile of my nearest flying site, but Im working on the field across the road...so maybe, soon!

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? Im a self employed upholsterer, and make sofas and chairs, headboards and other soft furnishings. I renovate a lot of upholstered furniture too and tailor loose covers for 3 peice suites. A skill that took tears and years to perfect. Much like paramotoring.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN FLYING? Donkeys years.

WHAT DO YOU FLY? I fly paramotors mostly now, but still also fly solo paraglider with friends and dual paraglider with my wife Clare as navigator. We winch and hill fly when we get the oportunity. Paramotoring is fairly new to me, so it is taking priority. I fly a Bailey 175 elec start 4 stroke, and Dudec ReAction 29 glider, a beautiful combo.

WHAT IS YOUR JOB IN THE TEAM? I am 1st reserve, which means I am fortunate enough to be involved, but slightly less nervous than I might otherwise be as I cannot seeone of the top pilots dropping out of the team voluntarily. So my job it to hope none of them hurt themselves and learn what I can from them when we train together. It is an honour to be involved with such great pilots and managers (again).

HAVE YOU ANY PREVIOUS COMPETITION EXPERIENCE? I was team manager for 2 years and pilot-member of the British Paragliding Accuracy team for 3 World Championships. Silver medalists in two of those, gold in the first one in 2000. I have competed at national team level for many years, since 1984 in one discipline or another. I have been very fortunate. My last accuracy competition was the World Championships in Serbia, two years ago. I needed a change, so paramotoring was a natural 'pro-motion' so I sought advice from the top pilot I knew, Michel Carnet. I ordered my kit and waited a long time for it. I entered my first PPG Nationals back in June,06, a week after my first successful nil wind launch on an underpowered borrowed motor, which I used in the competition. I did ok and was invited to be a British Team member for the Spanish European Championships, August 06. I had fun, but was on a steep learning curve. I entered this years PPG Nats June 07 and did far better than I imagined, and I had few problems, despite a severe lack of practice in certain tasks (low level). Competition always brings out the unexpected in me and my response to a certain amount of self-imposed pressure was encouraging.  

WHAT'S THE MOST FUN YOU HAVE HAD FLYING: Undoubtedly the recent PPG competition experiences, and all the benefits of the lessons learnt, such great experiences pushing my personal limits and seeing and feeling things in the air that are just magical. The 180k flight up to meet friends in Cleveland my latest notch on the side of my cockpit. Previous year's highlights include climbing to 9000+ft paragliding dual with Clare in Turkey. Dual flying thermals out in Brazil with vultures, sorry with Clare, and vultures flying near by! My airshow days in the early 80's when we ran a very slick parascending towed operation in which we did acro, or stunts (the form it took back then anyway, which was usually a series of flat spins followed by 2 and a half cartwheels of the canopy..I never got 3!) in front of 10000+ crowds and the buzz that went with feeling invincible. A distant memory now, Im old, not bold, but I'm getting that young buzz back though PPG and feel safety is always in my own gift, the great kit, and the atitude of fellow pilots...one of respect for this wonderful sport we are privileged to enjoy.

WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING PART OF BEING IN THE BRITISH TEAM 2007? Being in it! Lucky bastard. I know what it means to be on the 'in' side of selection and the   'perhaps next time' side. The desire to beat my best is a good feeling, a welcome challenge.

GIVE US SOME DIRT ON ONE OF YOUR PALS IN THE BRITISH TEAM: Er, right now, then, Im Billy-no-mates, thankyou. But see me later and theres a few beers worth of goss on Michel, Michel and Michel. All the other guys are still under observation, watch this space!

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU?  Code name 'Silver Fox' or 'Silver Stoat', depending on whether you're Rob or not, ah just remembered some dirt on him, later perhaps. I like to write a lot, you noticed? I have 3 beautiful daughters who are clever, loving and promise to find me a nice care-home, so long as I dont spend too much on paramotor bits'n'bobs "It's your choice Dad". Clare is simply amazing...my retrieve if things go wrong, a stable influence when things go right and my bezzy mate.

The 2005 British Team, at the World Microlight
Championships in Levroux, France