All you need to know about paragliding

Learning to fly like an eagle may not be possible, but soaring like an eagle is. For those people who have the dream of flying, now is the time to make it happen. Paragliding will probably be the easiest way, and the quickest way to learn to fly. The big question is how do you get started?Before You Learn to Paraglide, realize that paragliding may not be for you. You may have fears that you cannot overcome. Occasionally, people just don't like it. However, the only way to find out is to get out and try. As they say, "it is better to have tried and failed than to have failed to try."

Benefits of Paragliding:  Paragliding is relatively safe, easy to learn, and affordable. Buying a paraglide is a lot cheaper than buying an airplane or a glider plane. In fact, you don't even need a license to fly a paraglider.  You can carry it easily and it doesn't require special equipment to transport. Most paragliders weigh only 30 pounds and pack away easily into the car.Easier to Learn than Hang Gliding.

From a safety standpoint, learning paragliding will give you more control of the take off and landing. Not only will you have control of the take off, you can choose how high you will fly. Knowing this will ease your thoughts and give you the confidence to learn like an eagle.Practicing from a low to moderate altitude will build your confide when first beginning to learn. You will glide slower than a hang glider thus giving you more time to react. When a hundred plus feet up, panic is not your friend.Since you are not required to jump off a cliff or a mountain, leaving your fears behind is a whole lot easier. Although, it does give you time to back out, unlike hang gliding. When hang gliding, once you start running, you cannot stop.

Receive a USHGA Rating. For the most part, it will only take 5 to 10 lessons to achieve a novice rating. Yes, you are rated based on your skill. Therefore, you don't have to guess or allow your ego to judge your capabilities.Paragliding is governed by the USHGA (United States Hang Gliding Association). This association sets the rules for safety and gives guidelines for learning and teaching. While paragliding is a self-governed sport, which does not require a license, safety should be your first priority.The Cost of paragliding on average, it will cost you about $1,200 to learn if you wish to receive a novice rating.

This will cover the cost of lessons and equipment rental, which is normally provided by the school.If you are still interested, the instructor will help you find the right paraglide to fit your needs. Buying your own equipment is the next and final step and it will run about $3,600.If you would like to learn to paraglide, all the information you need can be found on the USHGA website at USHGA dot Aero. Good luck and happy flying.

Want to fly? Learn how to paraglide.

Flying is a wonderful feeling. Most people experience flying at sometime in their life. This experience usually take place in a large commercial jet aircraft. People use this type of transportation to get from one location to another in the quickest form possible. There are however other forms of flying which may offer people a higher level of satisfaction.  Paragliding: This is an outdoor sport where people have the opportunity to fly while keepeing close to nature. You get to feel the wind blowing through your hair while soring through the air supported only by a harness, some lines and a parachute know as a paraglider.

Paraglidng offers more control than hang gliding does. This sport is an inexpensive way to fly. It does require some training but can be learned in a relatively short period of time.  Hang Gliding: This sport also entails flying high above the ground while maintaining a tight connection to the element. This sport uses a hang glider as a mode of flying. The hang glider is a great way to fly with out a motor. This sport has been gaining popularity over the past 20 years. Hang Gliding was invented before paragliding. 

Power Paragliding:

Power paragliding is similar to paraglidng but does not require wind to create lift. Instead the power paraglider creates it's velocity and lift with a small gas powered motor which powers a propeller. The motor and propeller are either strapped to the pilots back or attached to a small go cart type vehicle called a trike or a quad. When using a trik or a quad the motor and propeller are attached to the rear frame of the vehicle. There is then a parachute know as a paraglider attached with long lines the the vehicle which allows the quad or trike to glide through the air while the motor provides thrust.

The other option pilots use when paragliding is the solo method. This is when a pilot attaches the motor and propeller to their back using a back pack type device. They then sit in a harness which attaches to the lines which lead the the paraglider.  These forms of flying require some training and effort. To become a pilot in any of these sports it is important to understand how the sport works as well as how the air and weather work together. Once someone becomes a pilot and begins flying in these extreme sports they will immediately understand why these forms of flying are becoming more popular in the United States and all over the world.

Are you a paragliding or hangglider pilot?

For those people who had a dream of flying but really are not sure about jumping off the side of a mountain, paragliding might be your answer. Paragliding is not to be confused with parasailing. Paragliding is soaring through the air freely. You soar thru the air like a bird on the wind.Not to be Confused with Parasailing
Parasailing is where you are tethered to a boat, or car or some other moving vehicle. Parasailing is more like a kite. You are fixed to it and it is the equivalent to a boat flying you.Difference Between Hang Gliding and Paragliding.

The main difference between two is, hang gliding has a fixed wing that you fly like a glider while a paraglider is more flexible and slower.The fixed wing on a hang glider will be the plane and you will be hanging down from it in a prone position, thus the name hang gliding. Faster and more rigid, hang gliding gives more of a rush.While both paragliding and hang gliding will have almost the same capabilities of soaring, you do not have to jump off a cliff, mountain or structure to paraglide. In order to take off, you will pull back on the cords that will allow the flexible chute to fill with air and lift you off the ground.The Power to Choose Liftoff
With paragliding, if you something feels "off," you have the option to abort launch.
Hang gliders, on the other hand, once you start, you are committed and have to take off. As a general rule, gravity doesn't reverse itself. Therefore, once you jump off the cliff, it does not matter what you see, you got to go.

Safety Rules Fall Under the USHGA
Both sports are governed by the USHGA (United States Hang Gliding Association). Neither paragliding nor hang gliding requires a license since both sports are self-governed.They both have ratings that will allow you to know how you are developing and thus keep you safe. Biting off more than you can chew could be deadly. The ratings also give you an idea on how difficult a particular area is to glide in.Take lessons and establish a rating before you buy either of the equipment for hang gliding or paragliding. Safety first is the best solution for a sport that will give you the opportunity to soar like a bird and see the world from a perspective you could only dream of.

Slow Paced and Easy to Learn
Paragliding is slower and generally is easier to learn than hang gliding. Either the hang glider or the paraglide will cost you about $3,600 to $5,000 to get your own equipment. Properly taken care of it will last approximately four years or more. I would suggest checking both of them out before you make a commitment. After checking them out, you can make an informed decision on which you prefer.

Ground handling - Practice Practice Practice

Here is one of the best and easiest ways to improve your flying: Ground handling. It is fair to say that most of the top pilots in the world have very good ground handling skills; this is not because they are gifted or super humans, it is down to practice. By practicing you improve your reactions and your understanding of the wing. Find a nice open space or the landing field and spend an hour or two just kiting and practicing both the forward and reverse launch techniques. Once you've cracked the basics don't be shy, experiment, play and learn how to recover your wing from all kinds of situations.
Mike Kung is probably the best ground handler in the world, he has taken control to another realm and I can tell you it is amazing to watch Mike as he buzzes around the launch area touching down where he chooses. His understanding of what to pull, how much and when is impeccable. This was all mastered with continual practicing.
There is lots of advice I could try to give but I think the best and most important is to be SMOOTH. It is very simple to understand, if your inputs (risers, brakes and harness) to the glider are smooth and progressive the wing will react in the same way, smooth and predictably. If however you are rough with your inputs, the wing will be much more difficult to control and react unpredictably.
Think of the wing purely as an extension of your body, don't be afraid to move around, forward and back, side to side to continually centre yourself under the centre of the wing. Kiting your wing on the ground is much harder than flying it through the air! So therefore it makes sense to practice, as it will help all aspects of your flying. By doing this regularly you will soon be arriving on take off confident you are in full control and will pull off a perfect launch. A feeling of confidence is the best way to start every flight as it means the rest of the flight is going to be good.
In the air your new learned skills will help you be more sensitive with the controls and more aware of the wings movements. This will make it easier to relax, when you are relaxed and confident the right decisions usually follow, which all adds up to more enjoyment and a better safer pilot. This does mean that you should practice and practice regularly until it becomes second nature, once will help a little but you will be amazed what ten times will do, transformation.
I personally enjoy kiting wings and being involved with design and testing we do quite a lot of it, I certainly know it helps my flying a lot.
So give it a go and don't get frustrated if you are struggling, just keep going at it until it clicks.
Good luck and successful ground handling.