What is Paragliding
I learnt to fly a paraglider in 2002. it has changed my outlook on the world.
Imagine parking your car at a beautiful upland vantage point on a sparkling spring day. You open the boot and don flying suit and boots, then lift out your incredibly light flying machine in its carrying rucksack and trek off a few yards to where your friends are preparing to fly. After a few minutes spent inspecting your equipment you don helmet and harness, look around, allow the wind to raise the canopy - and launch off into space. This is paragliding!
What exactly is it?
Developed from parachuting canopies, modern paragliders can be soared effortlessly on windward slopes, and flown across country in good conditions. It‘s the same freedom that hang glider pilots enjoy, but a paraglider is more portable and a little easier to learn to fly. They are more hampered by strong winds than hang gliders but are easier to land in small fields. In the UK paragliding is a thriving sport and there are numerous importers of canopies and equipment. The country-wide network of BHPA clubs offers literally hundreds of flying sites and a supportive flying and social environment.
What can you do with one?
Many paraglider pilots strive to perfect their skills in cross-country flying. A summer sky filled with fluffy cumulus clouds provides abundant - but invisible - lifting currents which pilots use to gain altitude. Setting off on such a day, either towards a pre-selected goal or just drifting where the wind will take you, is one of the most breathtaking experiences available today. Most pilots will talk of the sense of privilege they feel when drifting from cloud to cloud, in almost total silence, watching the landscape unfold beneath them as they navigate across the sky.
Flights of over 150km have been made by paraglider pilots in this country. Abroad, especially in the Alpine regions, the potential is infinitely greater, and many British pilots take advantage of the paraglider‘s portability to visit Europe or more exotic locations further afield. For those of a competitive bent, local, national and international competitions offer challenges to novice and experienced pilots alike.