It has always been the human dream ...to fly like the eagles in the sky. Man, therefore,invented the airplane. Yet he earned for the naked thrill of flying free,unencumbered like birds in the air...so he invented the paraglider.
Fast catching up in India as an adventure sport is paragliding,one of the safest form of aerial sports. A paraglider is a sky diving canopy made of nylon fabric held in place with lightweight nylon ropes. The ropes are also used to steer the paraglider.
"One of the greatest appeals of paragliding is the elegant simplicity of the sport; right from the equipment required, to the technique involved," said Samson D'Silva,paragliding instructor heading the operations for Mumbai-based Space Apple. Anyone who is adventurous,medically and physically fit weighing more than 35 kg and above 16 years of age can learn paragliding.
"The basic skills are easy to learn. The equipment is light in weight and relatively inexpensive compared to any other type of aricraft. The entire system weights around 12 to 15 kg and fits in a bag,which can be carried in a backpack." He explains that paragliding is a type of hang glinding,but the equipment used is different.
A paraglider is like a parachute,but with a rectangular canopy usually made of riptop nylon,and can be steered. It is flown with the energy of wind and gravity and of course the pilot's steering skiils,says Mangesh Dighe,an experienced paragliding instructor,a civil engineer who has completed his post-graduation in environmental science. He explains,"The shape of the canopy remains because of the air pressure and the weight of the pilot who is suspended at the end of the lines,mainly in a seated position. The 'brake cords' provide speed and directional control. There are also double seat paragliders that allow for tandem flying with the help of two harnesses joined to the lines." |
