Imagine being a modern Daedalus, strapping on your wing, and gliding above the earth — paragliding, in fact, on a wing of nylon!
The basic skills are easy to learn, and flying on the first day is common. The equipment is simple, lightweight and relatively inexpensive compared to other aircraft. A paraglider is often confused with a parasail, which is towed behind a boat under a vented circular parachute.
Paragliding offers much more of the flying experience. Launched by running down a slope into a breeze, the pilot can gently glide down hundreds or sometimes thousands of metres to a landing zone.
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Launching!
Each launch consists of three phases:
1. Inflating the canopy:
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Wing Forces
A wing has the ability to create a force perpendicular to the flow of air over it, and against the force of drag. This aerodynamic is called lift.
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2. Controlling and checking the canopy:
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3. Launching the canopy:
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Landing:
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Whenever flying to an area outside of the glide range, the pilot must launch and search for a thermal to climb to higher elevations and fly from one lift source to the next, extending the distance flown.
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Mountain ridges typically collect thermals, and canyons channel stronger winds. These are areas where thermal density is enhanced above normal, and can carry a paraglider to higher altitudes. These are also areas of turbulence and sinking air!
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