Basics of Paragliding

Series Summary

This recreational and competitive flying sport uses a free-flying, foot-launched wing or parafoil. It is similar to hang-gliding, but different from parasailing and paramotoring. The wing is a row of self-inflating cells that operate much in the way that an airplane wing works. When they are inflated, they produce lift. The only controls the pilot has control speed and turn by pulling on the edge of the wing. There are competitive leagues that range from cross-country (distance gliding), to accuracy leagues (spot landing), and “acro” leagues (aero-acrobatics and stunt gliding).

In these videos, you will learn how to get involved in the sport of paragliding. Get tips on the appropriate gear and procedures for paragliding. What happens after a launch? Watch these videos to better understand the sport. Learn how to lay out and hook into a glider. Learn the art of forward launching and the procedures for safely landing your paraglider. Sometimes when there are high winds involved, the process called “reverse inflation” is necessary. You can learn how to use this method in your paragliding experience by watching these videos. Our expert explains the use of Zen in paragliding and how using site etiquette is often appreciated in paragliding. Watch these videos to improve your paragliding skills!

Video Transcript

"Welcome to expertvillage.com. My name is Patrick Eaves with Wingenvy Paragliding. In this clip, I'm going to be talking to you about what paragliding is and how to get into the sport. There is a misconception a lot of times about what paragliding is. A lot of people think it's parasailing. Parasailing is actually where you get pulled behind a boat in a big round parachute and you have absolutely no control of where you're going. Paragliding, you're flying a real glider. In paragliding, we have control over when we take off, when we land, and where we go. Left, right, up and down. We can also take advantage of lift. Lift like thermals, heated cores of air that rise up , and ridge lift, which is wind that hits a ridge or cliff or mountain and goes up and we're able to fly back and forth over that. Paragliders fly on the same basic principals of flight that ariplanes use for their wings, gliders use for their wings. Our wing is made out of nylon so to keep it pressurized, we used ram air technology. Large openings in the front of the wing that when air enters, it gets trapped and forms a pressurized shape that is our wing. These videos and clips are in no way meant to replace instruction. If you're going to decide to become a paraglider, you still need to go out and find a qualified instructor. The best way to do is look online for your countries governing body of paragliding and find a certified instructor. The certified instructor is going to be able to take you up for a ride so you can see if you even like it. Then if you decide you want to continue with the sport, they're going to find you the right gear, keep you safe and teach you all the stuff that in this short amount of time I'm not going to be able to teach you. Hopefully, these videos will help supplement your training and you'll become a great pilot. An instructor is going to make sure you have the proper ratings and certifications to fly. If you have any problems finding an instructor in your area, you can contact me at wingency.com."