There are quite a few different sports that involve gliding through the air on some parachute-like apparatus.
For the uninitiated, it’s easy to forget which one is which, and what each of them look like.
One among these sports is paragliding—so what is paragliding?
Paragliding is a sport involving the use of a wide, parachute-like canopy to help a person glide through the air. The canopy is steerable, allowing the rider to control the speed and direction that they are moving. The person is first of all raised to a height to jump from via an aircraft.
Paragliding is much like the name suggests, then.
You use a parachute to glide through the air, for longer than an ordinary parachute would allow you to.
It is rather like hang gliding in that sense, although they are distinct sports with key differences.
But paragliding is an extremely popular sport practiced all over the world, so let’s find out more.
How is paragliding done?
Typically, paragliding involves a few steps.
Firstly, you need to get the glider up to a great height—this is generally done with an aircraft, but some are known to have paraglided from mountain sides or canyon edges.
Commercial paragliding excursions, however, are usually done via an aircraft.
This is much safer for a lot of reasons, as navigating a narrow mountain pass or canyon can be very dangerous for a parachuter.
That said, a lot of commercial operations do take customers to high areas overlooking flat expanses, as this can make it easier for the pilot to launch the paraglider.
Once the paraglider has been raised to a high enough height, they are then harnessed into the paragliding equipment.
There will be a pilot and a passenger, usually.
There are a few different ways of launching a paraglider.
One way of launching, and the most common, is called a forward launch.
This involves the pilot running forward with the wings behind them. The wings then inflate.
This is most often the method used when the pilot has space to run, such as off the top of a hill.
Reverse gliding is a bit trickier. This involves running into the wind, then turning around suddenly to launch the glider.
The pilot can inspect the condition of the wing during a reverse launch, as well as resisting the force of the wind during the running.
Finally, a towed launch, in which the pilot is pulled by a vehicle until they’ve gained enough air to be released.
This method is very tricky and requires a good deal of separate training.
Once the paraglider is on the air, the canopy then allows them to stay aloft for a certain amount of time, depending on the weather conditions.
So, how safe is this activity?
How safe is paragliding?
Statistically speaking, paragliding is very safe.
Accidents are rare, and fatalities even rarer.
Let’s take Germany as an example, since paragliding is exceedingly popular there.
Of the roughly 33,000 paragliding pilots who regularly paraglide there, there are around 3 deaths per year.
This is lower than the fatality rate for driving, which is typically around 1 in 10,000 people per year.
That figure takes the whole population into account, though, which the paragliding figure does not—that’s just paragliders.
The number of automobile fatalities would be much higher if they were compared this way.
Now, the obvious difference is that car accidents are largely survivable—you might think that if you have an accident while paragliding, the chances are you won’t survive.
But in fact, many paragliding accidents are not actually fatal.
Nevertheless, the numbers do not lie. Paragliding is extremely safe, and when done with the professionals, your chances of a fatal accident are incredibly low.
The other question is about the levels of fitness you might need to try it.
Can anyone go paragliding?
For the most part, paragliding is very accessible.
You don’t need to be exceedingly physically fit to do it, though there are some limits.
You’ll need reasonably good strength and to be in overall good and fit health to be able to paraglide.
There are always exceptions, and if you’re concerned, you can always call your nearest paragliding outlet to discuss your situation with them.
It’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have any health conditions.
But by and large, anyone in reasonably good health and fitness can go paragliding.
How long do the flights last?
How long does paragliding last?
It’s naturally dependent on a lot of factors.
Although most outlets and paragliders will not go out in anything but the most ideal conditions, wind strength will be the most important thing that affects your flight time.
The stronger the wind, the longer you’ll be in the air.
In general, flights last 10-15 minutes on average.
More experienced paragliders can go for a lot longer, and some even fit motors to their gliders to allow the rides to go for as long as possible.
If it’s your first time doing it, under 15 minutes is a great length of time for the flight to last.
Paragliding can be one of the most breathtaking experiences of your whole life.
In the right scenery, floating down peacefully towards the ground can be truly stunning.
Wherever you are, though, paragliding is simultaneously a thrill ride and a relaxing experience.
If you are inclined towards skydiving or other, similar sports then you should definitely give paragliding a go.
