Testimonials
Here are some testimonials from just a few of our many satisfied customers.
"Just had my most amazing days flying and can't stop smiling. I used to hate reading about people like me but on Wednesday 11th I had my 1st XC from the Mynd, I don't know quite how I managed it but 4hrs later landed just past Evesham! 81.5km!(straight line).
I must have picked up more than I realized on them trips to Bulgaria with Mark, cheers mate!" - Steve Watts
"I can’t agree more with you Phil B, Marks skill at judging the weather systems and expert teaching skills allowed me to achieve what I would have thought to be impossible, having only passed my CP in March/April of this year and not had a chance of flying since.
The mountain looked enormous going up in the chair lift so I was a little apprehensive to say the least, but Mark soon put me at ease and sent off into the wide blue yonder – BRILLIANT.
I cannot praise Mark enough for instilling the confidence I was lacking.
I finished up beating all my personal bests and much more all adding to my confidence in the air.Bravo Mark and best of luck with the future guiding holidays, I will certainly be back and will recommend you to anyone who is looking for a cheap holiday and expert guiding.
Oh and not forgetting Phil B and James who assisted Mark, great work and many thanks.
Look forward to catching up with you guys again." - Bernie (The Eagle)
"Just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to Mark for all his energy and hard work over the last two weeks in Bulgaria. I have never seen such enthusiasm and energy put into guiding! Mark worked his sox off to maximise the enjoyment and learning of his clients, what ever the standard of the pilot on arrival. He is brilliant at observing a pilot and then giving the right advice in a friendly way.
How he can talk a pilot 2,000ft above his head into a thermal, I will never know! Bionic thermal seeking sight maybe?" - Phil B.
"Having only met Mark once briefly on the hill before my trip to Bulgaria I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of guiding but no worries there, Marks enthusiastic approach and air to air coaching really worked for me, helping me to break my PB's in both height and distance! Even on our none flyable days I still learnt a bundle from the many flying and ground handling tips available. Many thanks Mark, top notch guiding, can't wait for the next one!" - Steve Watts
"FAN...BLOODY..TASTIC ! Leavesley Aviation - The number 1 Guiding Centre ..... not 'arf..
Mark 'does what it says on the tin' and gives a master class in ground handling and thermalling.
Brilliant holiday, excellent company, lovely country and a steep personal learning curve. what more can you ask for.
I'm already working on the wife for leave of absence for the next trip(s)" - Ken Gowler
"I first meet mark when trying to find out more about paragliding over 6years ago. His enthusiasm for flying was infectious ... after taking my lessons and passing club pilot, Mark helped and advised me tremendously. He was especially helpful (and incredibly patient) with ground handling, he taught me how to thermal (which is not really covered in the CP qualification) either from the ground or air to air via radio. But I think the biggest things i learnt was while on tandem flights with him. To experience the feel of the glider and the air while you are flying with someone explaining what is happening or you are feeling while it happens allows you to move forward in your flying quite dramatically. I believe this is one of the best teaching products any new pilot could experience.
I have been on 3 holiday trips with Mark which were all great fun, we had great flying and learnt loads at the same time." - Luke Platypuss
"Writing to say that after a few tips from Mark on strong wind take off's using A & Cs risers it has been a great help, with him assisting you till you get it correct.
We then had a couple of flights on his new tandem to get spacer bar & harness set up correctly, when this was done we had a ridge run flight at the Long Mynd, then spotting a couple of red kites out front headed to them and was talked through thermaling techniques while at the controls.
On the way back to landing Mark doing some big wing overs (optional!!)
I could recommend this guiding/tandem flight as there is always something you can learn, especially if you are taught from a top pilot.
A worth while day." - Andrew Johnson
"Mark was advising and guiding our BCC team (I wasn’t in it, but Judith was), so he hung around so we could all fly together. This worked really well – flying in a small gaggle, with one or two other people, meant we could work the thermals really well, and there were some gliders ahead of us as thermal markers. The sky was excellent, and there was plenty of lift, and it was, for most of the flight, reasonably smooth. Mostly Mark led out, once or twice I went first, but really it was a fairly easy day with clearly defined clouds to go for." - Geoff Minshal
"Flying with Mark was brilliant. He’s incredibly generous in the air and he waited for us at points to make sure we could carry on together. He also showed us just what an incredible thermaller he is. He’s offered people in the LMSC XC coaching/guiding and I don’t understand why people are not biting his hand off – it was a great learning experience as well as a giggle at cloudbase." - Judith Mole
"There’s nothing to boost your confidence quite like having your own skygod for the day!
Having a couple of year’s flying experience but no confidence to leave the lift-band I was excited to hear (the) Mark Leavesley was offering guiding days. He suggested a tandem first and a swift thousand foot later he was pointing out little fluffy clouds that looked days away to me and saying ‘we could reach those from here…’ It’s his calm and confidence – you believe it really is possible when Mark says it.
The UK weather being what it is, you need all the help to get airborne you can find. A day’s guiding with Mark is the perfect intro to local sites – and you might even get an intro to the local pubs thrown in!
We keep finding people on the hill with a story to tell about Mark disappearing into the skies when no-one else can leave the ground. So to get a chance at him waiting for you, mapping out the thermals as he goes… not one to turn down! I don’t doubt that this summer I will escape the hill clinging and venture out - with a little help from my skygod…" - Claire, CP+3
"A perfect first flight
My daughter arranged for Mark to take me on an introductory tandem flight for my 60th birthday. One fine day in October found me walking off a hill and flying straight up, following birds and overtaking circling sailplanes! I remember flying above my daughter with Mark waving with both hands to show he'd let me have a go on the controls. She took off in her wing to try to follow but couldn't keep up! Out over the valley with surely no chance of return, then up to the cloud base, and the best part of an hour later we float back to land exactly where we left in time for Mark to pickup his kids from school. A perfect first flight." - John Edwards, 61 years
"I was so jealous when John had his tandem with Mark. But my turn was well worth waiting for. The take-off was so painless, and we went way above the other flyers. Watching birds of prey from above, finding the thermals they used and turning into them to go up even further was thrilling. It was magical. The whole experience was such fun and really memorable. The landing was especially brilliant. From high up above the others, Mark said ‘You see that paving slab down there?’ ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘We’re going to land on that’. And minutes later, while other flyers were aiming for a field or a hill, we did. It was so incredible. I always laugh out loud in amazement when I think about it. Wow! And Mark lent me his camouflage helmet." - Nancy
"Mark Leavesley has won the LMSC PG XC league (447.3km), as well as being the highest placed LMSC pilot in the national league. Mark had a really relaxed attitude to the league this year, flying for fun and doing a lot of flights with less experienced pilots, slowing down to help and mentor them on the flight. It’s a credit to his immense flying skills that he won the LMSC XC league while helping others to achieve long flights and then going off and adding more kilometres after they had gone down. Well done!"
