Paragliding

[Stumpy 256]

Any of you folks partake? I'm just doing my pilots license.

Lots of fun - totally different buzz to jumping.

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I've been kicking around the idea. I love doing high pulls and just flying the canopy around. Seems like the right mentality for that sort of thing. There are three or four schools in Boulder and I think I'll probably at least want to do the introductory course in the spring, to see if I like it.

I did hang gliding back in the '90's but never got to the point where I could soar on thermals. That was really the big draw for me. Trying to steer a tandem glider was not that much fun.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Stumpy 256]

I reckon you will love it in that case - I started getting some lift (only a tiny bit mind) on my 4th flight - great feeling.

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[ryoder 1,381]

FlyingRhenquest

There are three or four schools in Boulder and I think I'll probably at least want to do the introductory course in the spring, to see if I like it.

I was going to look into lessons about a year ago, but then found the guy who got the highest recommendations had moved to CA.

Of the remaining people, I've been warned to avoid one like the plague, and the others get mediocre appraisals.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[stayhigh 2]

I've done some ridge soaring.

I've realized that being 50-100 ft off the ground isn't fun at all. Being 2-5 ft off the ground is fun but I'm too much of a pussy to do that.

these guys make paragliding look fun, other than that I see bunch people taking up shit ton of risk just to sit there and do nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwPzCOp_hGo

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[cbuilder 0]

I would love to know any where in the south east to learn to do it. I am in SC and have all ways wanted to do it.

[ryoder 1,381]

cbuilder

I would love to know any where in the south east to learn to do it. I am in SC and have all ways wanted to do it.

http://www.ushpa.aero/schools.asp

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[JohnMitchell 14]

ryoder

I was going to look into lessons about a year ago, but then found the guy who got the highest recommendations had moved to CA.

Of the remaining people, I've been warned to avoid one like the plague, and the others get mediocre appraisals.

I was reading one of the paragliding magazines the other day. The back is full of incident reports, just like Parachutist.

[ryoder 1,381]

JohnMitchell

I was reading one of the paragliding magazines the other day. The back is full of incident reports, just like Parachutist.

After reading "The Art of Paragliding", I came to the realization that paragliders are *far* more likely to collapse than skydiving canopies. (Slow speeds + light WL + high aspect ratio).

I've been to the launch site on Lookout Mt a number of times.
Every time I look down at the landing area, I am sooooo tempted to take my Triathlon 210 up there some time.
It appears to be about a 45-degree angle down to the landing area, and easy for any skydiving canopy to reach.
Sure, I wouldn't get much soaring, but I'd have more confidence in a canopy I've jumped hundreds of times.

A female paraglider was killed there in a collapse a couple years ago, and a personal acquaintance had a collapse there and finally got re-inflation at 50'.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[stayhigh 2]

Like I said, most take up shit ton of risk just to sit there and do nothing.

Seriously, most of the paragliders do nothing. No SATs, No infinity tumble, not even a few helicopters. They just like to see how much they can climb and talk amongst themselves with the radio, and they talk about what kind of sandwich they have brought for lunch, and they listen to vario like it is music from heaven or something.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[JohnMitchell 14]

ryoder

After reading "The Art of Paragliding", I came to the realization that paragliders are *far* more likely to collapse than skydiving canopies. (Slow speeds + light WL + high aspect ratio)

The immutable law of aerodynamics: Performance costs you stability, stability costs you performance.

Quote

I've been to the launch site on Lookout Mt a number of times.
Every time I look down at the landing area, I am sooooo tempted to take my Triathlon 210 up there some time.
It appears to be about a 45-degree angle down to the landing area, and easy for any skydiving canopy to reach.
Sure, I wouldn't get much soaring, but I'd have more confidence in a canopy I've jumped hundreds of times.

Years ago we tried to slope launch my old long line stratostar at Point of the Mountain, a popular paragliding area south of SLC. The slapstick comedy of it all was priceless.

Quote

A female paraglider was killed there in a collapse a couple years ago, and a personal acquaintance had a collapse there and finally got re-inflation at 50'.

Seems to be a common thread in the fatality reports. Maybe I just take my Stiletto speed flying. What could go wrong?

[JohnMitchell 14]

stayhigh

They just like to see how much they can climb and talk amongst themselves with the radio, and they talk about what kind of sandwich they have brought for lunch, and they listen to vario like it is music from heaven or something.

Yeah, and they only get to do freefall once.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi John

Quote

The slapstick comedy of it all was priceless.

The very first paragliding that I know of ( it was not even a term back then ) was when some folks in New England took their ParaCommanders off of a ski slope in the summer.

See the attachment: Section 7.90.19 Slope Soaring

Jerry Baumchen

[keithbar 1]

the new YouTube video of the ground launch faceplant fail looks painful especially the GoPro close up of the patch of stinging nettle they crashed into ouch

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[JohnMitchell 14]

JerryBaumchen

The very first paragliding that I know of ( it was not even a term back then ) was when some folks in New England took their ParaCommanders off of a ski slope in the summer.

The download I got looked like an early square and an old Barrish Sailwing. But wow.

[pchapman 261]

stayhigh

Like I said, most take up shit ton of risk just to sit there and do nothing.
Seriously, most of the paragliders do nothing. No SATs, No infinity tumble, not even a few helicopters.

I'll do a partial (only partial) defense of paraglider pilots:

Yes it can be more of intellectual challenge, chasing invisible currents of air and trying to stay aloft or travel some distance. Not as adrenalin fueled as skydivers typically are.

As for doing SAT's and helicopters, those are very advanced maneuvers. I don't see many skydivers stalling their smaller canopies or helicoptering them. You might as well say skydiving is a pretty wimpy activity if all they do under canopy is to gather in a herd, minimize turns after opening, following a strict pattern, and not be allowed to swoop.

Now if you paraglide somewhere without big mountains (as I have), and are slope soaring down low over trees on a small ridge, now that can be like a 5 minute or hour long swoop. Well, less intense since one might be 30 to 200 ft over the terrain. But you're constantly working on gaining or maintaining altitude, trying to make it an hour plus flight instead of a 5 minute 'sled ride' to the bottom. One bad judgement about where to turn or whether you have to bail out to the landing area can put you into the trees or rocks.

So at least the risk comes with some excitement!

Certainly it is easy to get into a lot of risk in paragliding because the stronger winds or thermals, depending on the location, are what will keep you aloft longer, so it is easy to keep pushing to see what the limits are instead of sitting around waiting for a calm, shorter, more boring flight.

[ryoder 1,381]

JohnMitchell

The download I got looked like an early square and an old Barrish Sailwing. But wow.

Definitely a Barrish Sailwing.
The other one looks sort of like a Volplane but isn't.
My guess is a prototype of a "single surface" design.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Stumpy 256]

Well I'm enjoying myself!! My second high flight yesterday had me in the air for about 20 minutes which was great - and feels really good when you get some lift and start climbing back up the hill

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi John,

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The download I got looked like an early square and an old Barrish Sailwing.

Well, you passed the eye test.

That was the oldest that I could find. To find an article w/photos of a ParaCommander on a ski slope you will need to go back to a 'Parachuting Poynters' from the late '60's.

Drop Dan a line and see if he will share it with you,

Jerry Baumchen

PS) I wish Dan would put together a publication/book of all of his old 'Parachuting Poynters' articles. I learned a lot about parachutes & rigging from those articles.