Paragliding - fly high

From ages, human being is interested in flying like birds and is trying new techniques to fulfill its dream. Paragliding is an adventurous game that has always been able to stimulate the nerves of those who love adventure. Paragliding is a sport of flying parachutes; these parachutes are designed and modified in order to make them glide in air. Para gliders have no rigid framework; the parachute canopy acts as a wing and is constructed of fabric cells with openings at the front that allow them to be inflated by movement through the air—the "ram-air" effect.

The pilot of parachute is in a seated harness position and is suspended with the help of strong belts. The pilot controls the wing via lines attached to the trailing edge of the parachute. The entire game of flying high is operated through the strings (lines), pilot can operate lines individually to turn in air, increase or decrease speed of gliding, pitch, speed and steepness of glide. Take off and landing is on foot and usually occurs on a hill, mountain height. At the time of launching, the pilot has to first inflate the wing by pulling it up like a kite and then run down the hillside fast until a good flying speed is reached. On a good setup, a speed of 12.5 to 13.5 miles (19+ km per hour) is enough to launch the parachute. There are other ways of launching the parachute: from flat surface by towing, with the assistance of a winch or behind a vehicle which will pull the parachute to allow it attain necessary height and speed, parachute is also carried in aircraft and launched in mid-air.

The game is solely influenced by the experiments of a French inventor Pierre Lemoigne, the French parachute inventor Pierre had tow-launched some his advanced parachute canopies during 1950s. Further inventions have changed several things and aspects related to paragliding. Paragliding is very much impressed by kiting and does incorporates all the principles which are used in kiting along with modifications which are required to keep the glider in air with the pilot with maximum safety.

From the beginning, gliding with parachute was successful in attracting people slowly but steadily. People looked at paragliding as a good alternative to swing down after an ascent, while other enthusiasts appreciated its potential as a sport in its own right. As soon as it was realized that the wing did not have to resist the opening shock to which jump parachute canopies are subjected, thinner lines and lighter construction were used; this reduced drag, and the glide capability increased. Further improvement came from widening the wing by adding extra cells. This increases the wing's aspect ratio (the relationship of the span to the chord) and improves its efficiency.

Paragliders use lifting air (thermals) in exactly the same way as other gliding aircraft, although their low speed precludes their use in strong winds. Using thermal lift, soaring flights of 100 miles (160 km) are common. In competition pilots fly routes to distant goals, recording their progress by aerial photographs or GPS (Global Positioning System) traces. In favourable weather the routes may be 60 miles (100 km) or more and incorporate several turn points. By the late 1990s the world record for straight distance was 208 miles (335 km). The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Paragliding Championships have been held every other year since the first championship at Kössen, Austria, in 1989. England hosted the first World Paragliding Accuracy Landing Championship in 2000.

Paragliding is also referred with several variations, which can give rise to confusion. It is sometimes referred with the original French word parapente. Parasailing is often applied to the activity of towing a canopy behind a boat for pleasure rides, and parascending describes the European sport of towing low-performance paragliders into the air with the object of landing on a small target. Parafoil is a trade name for certain ram-air parachutes. Additionally, small motors backpacked by the pilot can be used to drive paragliders, in which case the aircraft is referred to as a paramotor or powered paraglider (PPG).

With the evolution of this game, there are standards stated in order to provide people with the maximum safety and fun. There are some tests like shock tests, strength tests, paragliders flight test available for paragliders. Some high-tech instruments are also invented and developed in order to provide pilot with secure and proper flight. Before going for paragliding, it is very important that the pilot achieves the necessary certification and should take care of some important safety issues.