Do you want to soar like a bird by scanning the beautiful scenery of hills, rivers, and greener ground? Flying like a bird is not only a wish of yourself but also almost every human from past to present. Therefore, humans invented a lot of ways to fulfill their desire to fly in the sky, Paragliding is one of the simplest ways to fulfill the flying wish. Paragliding will allow you to travel in a new area with great joys, like a bird. 

Paragliding is simple to play by knowing basic facts about it. You may play it within 10-15 days by acquiring essential knowledge about how to use its equipment and other basic knowledge. So, read more to get the required information to become a pilot in the Paragliding sector.  

What is paragliding? 

Paragliding is a competitive sport of flying by foot-launched glider aircraft with the help of a fabric wing and harness. Paragliding is called a flexible glider because it can stay in the air by using rope and fabric-made structures without an engine and fuel. Every year the Paragliding World Cup Association (PWCA) organizes a cross-country world cup competition for paraglider pilots. The 2021 Paragliding World Cup will be held in Italy. 

Also, we are witnessed with many records in the field of Paragliding. Yael Margelisch is a Swiss woman who managed to stay in the air for 10 hours and 20 minutes by traveling 448 kilometers of distance. 

Note: many people misunderstood Paragliding by thinking that Paragliding is like parachute jumping. However, Paragliding is not similar to parachuting. Parachute is just a jump in the air from a helicopter or plane, then risky land. In Paragliding, you can take off from the ground by legs then smooth land. Also, you cannot fly for a long time by parachute, but you can fly up to 12 hours by Paragliding. 

How does a paraglider fly in the sky? 

This information will be very helpful for those who want to put their first step in the field of Paragliding. Paragliders fly in the air by using force and factor with no motor and marching. Paragliders fly by using the aerodynamic ability, as gliders do. Relative wind generated enough force to make flight possible. Therefore, paragliders can fly easily with the help of gravity and their wings, which are designed to fly without the help of a motor. Pilots can take off by their legs because Paragliding equipment is less weight than a pilot which makes it very easy to fly. A pilot may play Paragliding in many ways like; 

Hike and Fly 

Hike and Fly, is the most adventurous Paragliding competition. It starts with footsteps to climb at the top of the mountain then fly. You can take joy in flying when you’re extremely tired of claiming the mountain top. This process begins on foot and finishes by flying; therefore, it is known as Hike and flies. Redbull Xalps is the famous Hike & Fly competition where pilots need to cross mountains on foot and in the air to become a winner. 

Cross-country Paragliding 

Cross-country Paragliding is a peaceful free-flying technique by which a paraglider can fly for a long time by covering a long distance. A paraglider can fly for almost 12 hours by Cross-country Paragliding technique by using natural energy like sun and wind. A paraglider can fly up to 450 kilometers distance by scanning the natural beauty of the earth. If you want to do cross-country flying, you need some essential equipment to observe your position. Also, you will need a water bottle and snacks, and a urinal condom because you will stay in the air for a long time.  

Tandem flying 

Tandem flying is a great opportunity for non-pilot, who are looking for Paragliding experience before becoming a pilot. Paragliders use tandem flight instead of a solo flight to maintain the weight of the paraglider and passenger. Tandem flight is the best entertainment option that you can buy from a professional glider. It will remove your fear of Paragliding.   

Acro 

Acro is different from regular Paragliding. A skilled pilot can perform Acro with the help of their experience. It is more dangerous than regular Paragliding because a pilot crosses his limit and shows an exclusive turn. 

Which equipment needs to start Paragliding and how expensive is it? 

Paragliding is quite expensive in the primary stage because you need to buy quality equipment at once. Nevertheless, Paragliding is the cheapest aircraft for the prices of its gear from $3000 to $6000 and you may use it for a long time. Gear is the important matter of a Pilot because it decides his flight would be grateful or dreadful. So, buy equipment by which you can trust your life. So, take the help of a professional paraglider to buy your gear. 

Wing 

The wing is the main equipment to fly in the air. Although few other gears are used to ensure safety and smooth flying, wings or canopy have no alternative to playing Paragliding. Two layers of fabric structured Wings, which are made of high-performance non-porous materials such as ripstop polyester or nylon fabric, ensure safe take-off and stay in the air for a long time.  

Harness 

The harness helps a pilot to detect his rising position and get other sensitive information during his flight. The airbag is attached to the wing as a seat of the pilot in order to provide protection during the failed landing. Other gear used like; 

• The Variometer helps a pilot to detect the rising and sinking air by giving short audio signals. 
• Radio helps a pilot to communicate with other pilots during Paragliding. 
• GPS helps a paraglider to track the movement of other pilots and helps to detect his own geographical position. 
• Emergency parachutes ensure your life safety if your wing fails to do its proper work, accidentally. 

How do I become a paraglider? 

Many people raised questions about Paragliding. Can I do Para-glide alone? The answer is YES. Not only you can do so alone but also you can take part in the Paragliding competition by following few steps; 

Book a tandem flight 

Fear is the common matter of the human being to achieve an unfamiliar experience. Paragliding is not out of this sense; tandem flight helps to remove the fear of a newcomer to play Paragliding. It also helps to boost confidence level and increase the desire to become a paraglider. You can learn the crucial knowledge of Paragliding when you play it with the help of a professional pilot. These kinds of knowledge are hard to learn without flying. 

Take a course 

After taking a Tandem flight, did you promise yourself that you would be a paraglider? Great! But Paragliding may be dangerous for you if you do so without proper training. So, take the course by an expert pilot. In coaching, the first seven days they will teach you how to use its equipment and how to control the wing. Then they will train you to fly on your own. Two instructors will instruct you from take-off to landing via Radio. Don’t worry, they will select a low-risk place for your training. 

Join a club 

Clubs are the best way to fly safely within the club environment. You can receive long-term assistance to solve your problem, which you would face as a newcomer. Clubs are an excellent source for getting sensitive information which is important to becoming a skilled pilot. So, find out your nearest club, association, or school, and take the advice from a fellow pilot. 

Make friends with the professional pilot and fly with them 

Flying with an experienced pilot will help you to learn very important and sensitive knowledge about Paragliding. When you will fly with a professional pilot, you can understand which is the best place to fly and weather. So, make friends with the experienced pilot from the club, association, or school. 

Do I need any certification or license? 

After successfully completing your fundamental course, you can fly under the direction of your instructor. If you want to fly on your own terms, you need a special pilot license. You will get a license after completing the theory test. You can overcome this test by learning the required knowledge about weather, material, and aerodynamics factor. They will give you a premonition of independent take-off after completing the test. This test is taken to judge the skill of a new pilot in order to minimize the life risk during Paragliding. Anyone over 16 years can get a solo license but needs parental consent for those who are under 18’s to playing Paragliding. 

The bottom line 

Paragliding is simple to fly but takes a long time to become a master pilot. Practice is the key success of any game; you may participate in the Paragliding world cup by ensuring regular practice and appropriate concentration. Remember, every expert paraglider was like you, but they become an expert paraglider by their effort. You need to do so to become a master paraglider, to fulfill your dream of soaring like a bird. 

More about What is Paragliding?