All That You Ever Wanted To Know About About Paragliding
(But were afraid to ask)
All That You Ever Wanted To Know About About Paragliding
(But
were afraid to ask)
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about Paragliding.
What is paragliding, what is a paraglider?
What is paragliding, what is a paraglider?
Paragliding is the simplest
form of human flight. A paraglider is a non-motorized, foot-launched inflatable
wing. It is easy to transport, easy to launch, and easy to land. The paraglider
itself is constructed of rip-stop nylon from which the pilot is suspended by
sturdy kevlar lines. The pilot is clipped into a harness and oriented in a sitting
position for maximum comfort. With a paraglider, you actually fly like a bird,
soaring upwards on currents of air. Paragliders routinely stay aloft for 3 hours
or more, climb to elevations of 15,000', and go cross-country for vast distances.
Is paragliding the same as parasailing, parachuting, or BASE-jumping?
The answer to these three questions
are, "No Way", "No
How", and "Most Definitely No".
Parasailing is what you do at a beach, in a modified parachute tied to
a boat, often after you’ve had one too many alcoholic beverages. You get
dragged around the harbor like a sack of potatoes, not like a pilot. (If you
want to offend a paragliding pilot, refer to their sport as "parasailing".)
Parachutes are designed to be deployed during free-fall from an airplane
and to then descend to the ground. BASE-jumping, another form of parachuting,
is what you do when life has lost all meaning and you don’t really mind
if you kill yourself as long as the last few seconds are exciting. BASE-jumpers
open their parachutes during free-fall after jumping from bridges, buildings,
etc. By contrast, paragliders launch from gentle hillsides with their gliders
already opened for flight; if the glider isn’t flying properly, the launch
can be aborted before leaving the ground. Since paragliders do not have to withstand
the stresses of free-fall deployment, they are much lighter and aerodynamic
and are designed to go up rather than down.
How is paragliding different from hang gliding?
Paragliding has a faster learning
curve than hang gliding due to the paraglider’s slower forward speed and
more forgiving design. Your launches are not "committed"; if you want
to stop your launch, you just stop running and the canopy floats down behind
you. By contrast, once you start your launch in a hang glider, which weighs
anywhere from 60 to 100 lbs., you are committed. The paraglider folds up into
a 30 lbs. backpack in about five minutes and can be easily transported –
people commonly carry their paragliders to the top of peaks in the Cascades,
Alps, Andes, and Himalayas. The hang glider, due to its weight and rigid frame,
must be transported on a vehicle with a roof rack and requires about 30 minutes
to set up and again to take down. Because hang gliders fly faster, they can
cover greater distances more easily. But paragliders, which have advanced rapidly
over the last few years, can now cover distances almost as great and, due to
their tighter turning radius, can often stay aloft in light lift when hang gliders
can’t.
What can I do with a paraglider?
Paragliders are designed to
soar. The duration record is over 11 hours and the distance record is 300 kilometers.
In training you will start out just skimming the ground. As you progress and
become more skilled and confident you will probably want to go higher and use
the wing for its designed purpose -- soaring! Average recreational pilots, utilizing
thermal and ridge lift, routinely stay aloft for 3 hours or more, soar to altitudes
of 15,000' and travel cross-country for great distances. In addition, paragliders
can be easily carried and launched off of most mountains.
Is paragliding safe?
You can make paragliding, like
most adventure sports, as safe or dangerous as you want. It is of course crucial
that you receive instruction from a certified professional and use safe equipment
-- professional schools will create as controlled a learning environment as
possible. But paragliding is still an outdoor sport and Mother Nature is unpredictable
-- the primary safety factors are personal judgment and
attitude. You must be willing to learn gradually and to think with your
head not with your ego. If you don’t, then you can get injured or killed;
if you do, then you can paraglide until you’re 90.
Is paragliding scary?
Paragliding is the simplest
and most serene way to fulfill humankind’s oldest dream -- free flight!
The pilot jogs down a gentle slope and glides away from the mountain. There
is no free-falling or jumping off of cliffs. The launches and landings are slow
and gentle and, once in the air, most people are surprised by how quiet and
peaceful the experience is. Even a fear of heights is rarely a factor, as there
is no sensation of falling. The solo lesson requires more effort (physical and
mental) than the tandem lesson, but it lays the basic groundwork necessary to
become your own pilot.If the idea of watching the sunset from a comfortable
seat in the air, supported by the buoyant evening air, with perhaps an eagle
or hawk joining you off your wing tip, appeals to you, then paragliding is for
you.
Who can do paragliding?
Paragliding is about finesse
and serenity, not strength and adrenaline. As in rock climbing, women often
do much better than men because they don’t try to muscle the paraglider
around. In Europe, where the sport is immensely popular, you will see pilots
as young as 10 and as old as 80. If you choose to hike to launch then you’ll
want to be in good physical condition, but you can also drive to most popular
flying sites. More important than physical conditioning, is being physically
and mentally alert and prepared. To be a successful paragliding student and
pilot, you need to be able to think clearly and to listen
well.
How much does a paraglider cost? How long does a paraglider last?
A new paraglider, harness and
reserve will cost somewhere between $2,800 and $3,800. After four years of fairly
active usage and exposure to UV light from the sun, a paraglider is generally
in need of replacement. This of course varies with how you care for your wing.
It’s easy to test your lines and sailcloth for strength and thus determine
your need to replace your paraglider long before it becomes unsafe. Harnesses
and reserves should last indefinitely with good care. Most pilots who get into
the sport also purchase a two-way radio and a variometer (which tells you whether
and how fast you are going up or down) for an additional $500 altogether. Good
used equipment is often available for half as much though it will have a shorter
life-span. In addition, because the sport is evolving rapidly, newer paragliders
can have significantly better performance and behavior than older ones.
What do you need to know when purchasing your first glider?
First, you need to know how
to fly. No would-be pilot should purchase a wing before learning at least the
basics of paragliding. It is your instructor’s job to help you select your
first wing. Different paragliders have different characteristics and require
different skill levels; your instructor will match the glider to your particular
interests, strengths, weaknesses, and skill level. Develop a solid relationship
with an instructor you trust before purchasing equipment. "Good deals"
generally end up costing the naive new pilot a great deal of money. Most instructors
rely on referrals and repeat business so they are very determined to help you
make the right decisions.
How do I get started?
The best way to start is with
a Introductory Tandem Instruction Flight designed
to give you a taste of real flying. If after your introductory flight, you want
to continue with paragliding, the next step is to enroll in a Pilot
Certification Course which will teach you about micrometeorology, different
launch and flying techniques, safety procedures, etc.
Do I need a license to fly?
To fly paragliders in Australia
you must have a licence (pilot certificate) and be a member of the Hanggliding
Federation of Australia. To get a licence you have to do
a course with a certified instructor. A course to get you a licence to fly
takes about 6 days of tuition, and generally costs around $1000. When purchasing
equipment, a responsible dealer will always require some proof of certified
rating.
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