Let’s be honest – throughout all of our lives, we try to experience the ultimate thrill – to fly. 

 But not just on a plane, no!  

We all search for the moment we can get as close as possible to having wings. And paragliding is as close as it gets. The ultimate flying experience is waiting for you to try it – if you’re up for the challenge! Let’s disclose together the thrills and fears of the first-time paragliding experience together so you know what to expect when you try!

 

What is paragliding 

According to hundreds of people who already tried it, paragliding is the most basic and easy way to fly. Of course, that does not mean it’s that easy in practice – at least if you’re the pilot and not a flyer! 

Paragliding originally started in the 1960s when a Canadian patented the idea of a wing with flexible construction for gliding. And they continued to work on that concept, inventing the parafoil – the special texture, used for the wing, that allows it to keep the form of the paragliding wing and to be light enough to fly the way paragliders do today. 

After that, the technology and equipment continued to improve until in 1989 we got the first in the world official paragliding championship in Austria. Ever since then every year appear more and more paragliding sites all around the Globe and even more people get to try the ultimate flying experience with this extreme sport. Even more of them certify and become pilots who roam the skies in the closest way to flying possible.

 

Construction of the paraglide equipment 

When we talk about paragliding equipment we basically mean the wing, a seat, and a harness you ultimately need to attach the wing to. This is if you’re flying alone. If you’ll be flying in tandem – something that usually happens to the first-time paragliding enthusiasts, there will be a second seat for the passenger a little bit lower than the pilots’. 

The wing, although it looks simple, has a good navigation system that you can easily operate once you get used to the way it works. Of course, this is the pilots’ job when you’re trying it for the first time, so you don’t have to worry about which string does what. But for your tranquility, know that the paragliding wing has: 

-       Brake handles – for landing and slowing down

-       Risers that help with gathering height

-       Brake lines

-       C-Lines – they are responsible for the backside of the wing

-       B-Lines – lines that help the middle of the wing move properly

-       A-Lines – lines that help the front of the wing move the right way

The wing itself also has a trailing edge at the back, a leading edge in the back, and cell openings that allow the air in the wing.

As well as the wing, seat, and harness, there are some other parts of the equipment no pilot forgets! Absolutely mandatory are helmets for the pilot and the passenger. They are obligatory under a standard for helmets for extreme activities. 

Most pilots use a few pieces of technology too – a variometer for measuring the air flows and staying in the core of them, radio for communication with other pilots and people on the ground on landing sites, and a thing called GNSS for competitions. 

And if you love your first-time experience and decide to become a pilot yourself, just know the equipment’s not that expensive compared to a lot of other sports. A basic brand-new paragliding kit costs around 3000 pounds, but it all depends on the brands you’ll be using. 

 

Paragliding basics – what should you know before trying it 

One of the best things about paragliding is it literally has no age limitations. With today’s technology and equipment, even children from age 5 and above can fly and experience paragliding. Depending on the country you’re in, the limit may be 14 and above though.

But nowadays it’s trendy to gift vouchers for extreme sports to people on special occasions, so let’s imagine you’re just been given a paragliding gift card. You call and want to book an appointment. But first of all, you have to consider the time of the year and the weather forecast. You cannot simply go and fly on a random day, chosen by you. Your pilot is the person who will be able to tell you when that will be possible. In addition, be prepared to wake up early – really early, since mornings are preferred for flying, although some pilots take passengers sometimes in the afternoons too. Sometimes it depends on the location, other times – on the season. It all comes to communication with your pilot. 

Ideally, you need:

- steady winds with strength from 1 to 4 m/s (3.6 to 14 km/h or 2.2 – 8.9mph)

- site with even, flat, soft (grass for instance) surface you can gain speed on the ground – a slope slightly going downwards, isolated from random people appearing around

There are two ways to launch the paragliding flight: forward and reverse launch. Forward is usually used when we have low winds and reverse – when the winds are high. Alternatively, there is a thing called towed launch that involves something artificially pulling you on the ground so you can gain height. This is usually done when the surface if too flat.

 

What should you wear when you paraglide? 

Back to basics though! One very important question most people forget to ask before their first paragliding flight is: what should I wear. And believe us: it is not something you want to be wrong with! Your comfort during the flight depends on it. 

In the best-case scenario, you should wear long comfortable trousers, but not jeans, because they can limit your movement. For the top of your body best choose a hoodie or, if the season is cooler, a hoodie and a comfortable jacket. Up there is cold, even though you will not think about it at first! 

In that train of thought, add some gloves, a warm hat, and comfortable shoes. Trainers are a good choice, and if you’re female, don’t forget to tie your hair – you don’t want it hitting your face with a force you never thought it could possess all thought-out the flight!

All this will prepare you for the flight that waits for you – however long it lasts: 10 to 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes and tens of kilometers.

 

Common fears when trying paragliding  

One of the most common questions and fears is: how safe is paragliding. For an inexperienced beginner, it may seem very scary – you go and you see only a wing, with some strings, tied to a harness and seat. Seemingly, all that protects you is a helmet. The truth is pilots are experienced with how all the equipment works and how to operate it. So as long as you follow their directions and commands, all will be good - we promise! And in addition – pilots have a safety parachute, just in case anything goes wrong. 

Another common paragliding fear is if you should be athletic to try it. The answer is: no. People of all shapes and sizes can try paragliding – even pregnant women are not forbidden if their pregnancy is not a risky one and allows it.

 Just as well, a common fear is from heights. Paragliding can actually help with your fear of heights – it is a nice way to enjoy the scenery and fly at the same time. Some people intentionally choose paragliding to overcome this specific fear.

  

How do people experience paragliding for the first time? 

The answer to this question lies in the way you choose to think about paragliding – with fear, excitement, or without any expectations. 

Of course, the first way is the best. You can relax, really get into the instructions of the pilot of the tour tandem flight, and actually enjoy both the amazing view you’re going to see during the flight and the feeling of freedom during the flight. And an even better thing – most pilots and clubs offer free photos and videos from the flights so you’ll have that experience forever not only in your mind, but on a memory stick, cloud, or whatever else you will want to use. 

Most people describe the paragliding experience as a unique and amazing way to view the world from above as well as feeling extreme freedom. A lot of it depends on the weather though, so our advice is: communicate with your pilot about it. As well as that, you can ask them if you want a calm flight or you’re up for some adrenaline air swirls and spins. That way you can both be prepared for what to expect before you get up there. And beware – you will not be able to talk a lot up in the air – the coldness, wind, and speed will prevent you even wanting to do it.

Outside of the feelings, you experience during the flight, paragliding it’s a good way to try an extreme sport without being in control of the equipment and without going through extensive training beforehand.

Another piece of advice: be on time for your paragliding appointment so you can fully enjoy it. Only this way you will be able to receive all the time for instructions and questions and if needed – to give a few tries in starting the flight if the conditions are not on your side. As well, be aware that sometimes, when you fly in a mountain region, you have to have time to get to the site you will actually fly from by foot or ski-lift or another way.

 

All things considered, paragliding is a safer way to experience an extreme sport and enjoy a nice morning or afternoon in the air with the ultimate flying experience. Do you consider paragliding? Let us know!