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Andy Macrae

USHPA Advanced & Tandem Instructor & USPPA (PPG) Instructor

Andy Macrae has been paragliding in Montana since 1997. He has held the Montana distance record since 2005 and enjoys mountain flying, speedflying, paramotoring, flatland flying, aerobatics, towing, tandems, competitions and “sled rides.” Andy was one of only 4 pilots to qualify for the US Team in 2017, competing for the USA in Feltre, Italy.

Out of a long list of memorable flights, here are some that continue to stand out for Andy:

  • The 2005 Montana state distance record flight of 200km (125 mile), set from a tow launch in Shelby on a Gin Zoom. Andy launched near Shelby and flew east to land past Havre and north of the Bear Paw mountains.
  • The current Montana state distance record flight of 309km (192 mile), set in 2015 on an Ozone Mantra 6 from a tow launch in the northern Bridgers. Andy flew east, over the Bridger mountains, over the Crazy mountains and past Billings to land near Lodge Grass on the Crow reservation.
  • A 121km (75 mile) triangle over the Chelan flatlands with numerous other pilots during a competition in 2008. 7 hours in duration on a Gin Boomerang Sport.
  • The Utah Out-and-Return state record of 105km (65 mile) over the beautiful Wasatch range with 11 other pilots during a competition in 2009 on a Gin Boomerang 6.
  • A 209km (130 mile) flight with Nate Scales and Jan Voegeli from Sun Valley, ID to Monida, MT in 2009 on a Gin Boomerang 6.
  • The Florida state and East Coast (east of the Mississippi River) record of 186km (115 mile), set in 2010 on a Gin Boomerang 6. This was broken in 2017 by Dustin Pachura, with a flight of 226km (140 mile).
  • Completing one of the longest (162.4km, 101 mile) tasks in US Nationals history (at that time) in Texas in 2011 on a Gin Boomerang 8.
  • Winning a 141km (88 mile) US Nationals task in Texas in 2011 on a Gin Boomerang 8.
  • Personal highest altitude flight of 5,500m over the Peruvian Andes, launching at Ayacucho and landing near Cusibamba, flown in 2014 on an Ozone Mantra 6.
  • Longest personal out-and-return of 198.8km from Mount 7 (Golden, BC, Canada) to the GEAR campground, flown in 2014 at the Willi XC on an Ozone Mantra 6. This is also Andy's longest time aloft in a single flight, with a flight time of 8 hours and 5 minutes.
  • A beautiful flight with Huntley Brockie launching from Bridger Bowl and landing north of Helena, for about 136km (85 mile) flown in 2013 on a Gin Boom X.
  • Completing the longest ever (world record) competition task with 37 other competitors from Chelan Butte to St John, WA for 205km (127 mile) in 2014 on a Gin Boomerang 9.
  • Breaking the "longest ever" task from Chelan 2014 with a 226km (140 mile) task with 65 other competitors, also from Chelan Butte, flown in 2016 on a Gin Boomerang 10.