3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue 1 & 2 Jan - Apr 2 3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue | Page 26

As a competitive sport
There are various disciplines
competitive paragliding:
of
•Cross-country flying is the classical
form of paragliding competitions
with championships in club, regional,
national and international levels (see
PWC).
•Aerobatic competitions demand
the participants to perform certain
manoeuvres. Competitions are held
for individual pilots as well as for pairs
that show synchronous performances.
This form is the most spectacular for
spectators on the ground to watch.
•Hike & Fly competitions, in which a
certain route has to be flown or hiked
only over several days: Red Bull X-Alps
- the unofficial world championship in
this category of competition was held
for the eighth time in 2017.
In addition to these organized events
it is also possible to participate in
various online contests that require
participants to upload flight track data
to dedicated websites like OLC.
Safety
Paragliding, like any extreme sport, is
a potentially dangerous activity. In the
United States, for example, in 2010
(the last year for which details are
available, one paraglider pilot died. This
is an equivalent rate of two in 10,000
pilots. Over the years 1994−2010,
an average of seven in every 10,000
active paraglider pilots have been
fatally injured, though with a marked
improvement in recent years. In France
(with over 25,000 registered fliers),
two of every 10,000 pilots were fatally
injured in 2011 (a rate that is not
atypical of the years 2007−2011),
although around six of every 1,000
pilots were seriously injured (more than
two-day hospital stay).
The potential for injury can be
significantly reduced by training and
risk management. The use of proper
equipment such as a wing designed
for the pilot’s size and skill level, as
well as a helmet, a reserve parachute,
and a cushioned harness also
minimize risk. Pilot safety is influenced
26
by an understanding of the site
conditions such as air turbulence
(rotors), strong thermals, gusty wind,
and ground obstacles such as power
lines. Sufficient pilot training in wing
control and emergency manoeuvres
from competent instructors can
minimize accidents. Many paragliding
accidents are the result of a
combination of pilot error and poor
flying conditions.
Instruction
Most popular paragliding regions
have a number of schools, generally
registered with and/or organized by
national associations. Certification
systems
vary
widely
between
countries, though around 10 days
instruction to basic certification is
standard.
There are several key components
to a paragliding pilot certification
instruction program. Initial training for
beginning pilots usually begins with
some amount of ground school to
discuss
the
basics,
including
elementary theories of flight as well as
basic structure and operation of the
paraglider.
Students then learn how to control
the glider on the ground, practicing
take-offs and controlling the wing
‘overhead’. Low, gentle hills are next
where students get their first short
flights, flying at very low altitudes, to
get used to the handling of the wing
over varied terrain. Special winches
can be used to tow the glider to low
altitude
in areas that have no hills
Whale
Shark
readily available.
As their skills progress, students move
on to steeper/higher hills (or higher
winch tows), making longer flights, and
learning to turn the glider, control the
glider’s speed, then moving on to 360°
turns, spot landings, ‘big ears’ (used
to increase the rate of descent for the
paraglider), and other more advanced
techniques. Training instructions are
often provided to the student via radio,
particularly during the first flights.
Vol 4 | Issue 1 |Jan - Feb 2019