View Full Version : Why the cool kids do it....
Paul Villinski
March 6th 15, 05:58 AM
Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
Surge
March 6th 15, 06:28 AM
Paragliding is fun, has lower barriers of entry (training and licensing), doesn't require large time commitments (soaring is typically a full day event) and is relatively cheap (no $50 aerotows, hangar fees, annual inspections, etc.) so it's little surprise it's doing so well.
However I know many more ex paraglider and ex hang-glider pilots who've either had near death experiences or are currently held together with metal pins than I know of glider pilots who've been injured or killed while soaring..
Unfortunately danger is not something that youngsters take much note of and safety isn't something that sells very well unless you're targeting people who have a family to look after.
When one is young one feels invincible.
Injury rate might be higher, death rate seems the same. Plenty of old codger paraglider pilots. Way more old guys then young adrenaline types. Less money, same time problems as sailplane flying. None of this stuff thrives if men don't take their weekends back for themselves. Empty nesters and single dudes incapable of getting a lady friend(perhaps a new definition of lucky) make up most of the pilots, same as the gliderport. Despite the price difference perception most paraglider pilots that I've met could afford to fly sailplanes if they wanted to.
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 1:28:25 AM UTC-5, Surge wrote:
> Paragliding is fun, has lower barriers of entry (training and licensing), doesn't require large time commitments (soaring is typically a full day event) and is relatively cheap (no $50 aerotows, hangar fees, annual inspections, etc.) so it's little surprise it's doing so well.
>
> However I know many more ex paraglider and ex hang-glider pilots who've either had near death experiences or are currently held together with metal pins than I know of glider pilots who've been injured or killed while soaring.
>
> Unfortunately danger is not something that youngsters take much note of and safety isn't something that sells very well unless you're targeting people who have a family to look after.
> When one is young one feels invincible.
Paul Villinski
March 6th 15, 03:32 PM
I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people. There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the same.
I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate that?
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 10:32:22 AM UTC-5, Paul Villinski wrote:
> I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people. There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
> On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
>
> Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the same.
>
> I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate that?
I think I know. In most sailplane videos the pilots look scared. And never like they are having fun. Smile for the camera. Cool isn't grimacing in the face of danger cool is laughing. Early 90's there were a handful of skydiving movies that did nothing for new student starts. However Point Break, which was a surfing/bank robbing movie with a little bit of skydiving got tons of people to make a jump. Difference was Point Break showed people having fun in the air, the others tried to be all serious and scary. JB Chandlier's videos do the same some of the flying is easy some of it very high level all of it is portrayed as fun and scenic.
Dan Marotta
March 6th 15, 04:00 PM
A new sailplane costs as much as a really nice house. What's a
paraglider cost? A used car?
On 3/6/2015 8:32 AM, Paul Villinski wrote:
> I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people. There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
> On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
>
> Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the same.
>
> I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate that?
--
Dan Marotta
HGXC[_2_]
March 6th 15, 04:02 PM
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 10:56:45 AM UTC-5, GB wrote:
> On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 10:32:22 AM UTC-5, Paul Villinski wrote:
> > I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people. There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
> > On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
> >
> > Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the same.
> >
> > I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate that?
>
> I think I know. In most sailplane videos the pilots look scared. And never like they are having fun. Smile for the camera. Cool isn't grimacing in the face of danger cool is laughing. Early 90's there were a handful of skydiving movies that did nothing for new student starts. However Point Break, which was a surfing/bank robbing movie with a little bit of skydiving got tons of people to make a jump. Difference was Point Break showed people having fun in the air, the others tried to be all serious and scary. JB Chandlier's videos do the same some of the flying is easy some of it very high level all of it is portrayed as fun and scenic.
For what its worth Paragliding isn't in a growth mode anymore ....Its static in the US.
Dennis
Dan Marotta
March 6th 15, 04:08 PM
Is there anything in that huge back pack while he's flying or is that
just the empty transport container?
Very nice video, BTW!
On 3/6/2015 8:56 AM, GB wrote:
> On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 10:32:22 AM UTC-5, Paul Villinski wrote:
>> I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people. There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
>> On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
>>
>> Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the same.
>>
>> I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate that?
> I think I know. In most sailplane videos the pilots look scared. And never like they are having fun. Smile for the camera. Cool isn't grimacing in the face of danger cool is laughing. Early 90's there were a handful of skydiving movies that did nothing for new student starts. However Point Break, which was a surfing/bank robbing movie with a little bit of skydiving got tons of people to make a jump. Difference was Point Break showed people having fun in the air, the others tried to be all serious and scary. JB Chandlier's videos do the same some of the flying is easy some of it very high level all of it is portrayed as fun and scenic.
--
Dan Marotta
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 11:08:21 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
> Is there anything in that huge back pack while he's flying or is
> that just the empty transport container?
Usually padding(foam or airbag) in case of getting dumped low. Also room for stuff and some harnesses reverse into backpacks.
kirk.stant
March 6th 15, 08:06 PM
On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58:25 PM UTC-6, Paul Villinski wrote:
> Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
Hmm, looks like "a skateboarder takes up paragliding". Lots of slides, stepping on high objects, buzzing old folks...real mature stuff.
Not my idea of flying fun (tough to do loops and rolls, for starters), but whatever....
I doubt if this is the crowd we want in gliders! Think of all low passes that would result!
Kirk
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 3:06:50 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58:25 PM UTC-6, Paul Villinski wrote:
> > Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> > Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
>
> Hmm, looks like "a skateboarder takes up paragliding". Lots of slides, stepping on high objects, buzzing old folks...real mature stuff.
>
> Not my idea of flying fun (tough to do loops and rolls, for starters), but whatever....
>
> I doubt if this is the crowd we want in gliders! Think of all low passes that would result!
>
> Kirk
Yeah the highspeed bulbs attracted by all the fun the pilots were having in 'A Fine Week of Soaring' is what soaring needs/sarcasm
PS loops and rolls are both possible
kirk.stant
March 6th 15, 10:37 PM
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 2:54:36 PM UTC-6, GB wrote:
> Yeah the highspeed bulbs attracted by all the fun the pilots were having in 'A Fine Week of Soaring' is what soaring needs/sarcasm
> PS loops and rolls are both possible
Really? I'd like to see that! I bet point rolls and cuban 8s are tough, though ;^)
Just sayin, what I saw in that vid looked like it was really geared for the skateboard crowd - and that's OK, got to start then young.
Me, I'm more into the "UK Smokin" style of flying....
Kirk
66
kirk.stant
March 6th 15, 10:53 PM
So, I found the loops:
https://vimeo.com/79345814
The helicopter starts look interesting. The loops look INTERESTING. That wing sure does some odd things at times!
Rolls? not so far. I've seen guys with the motorized PGs do the steep turn with a wingtip on the ground thing, and my impression was that it was an accident waiting to happen...but people say the same thing about low passes so as long as no-one gets hurt...
And I guess a high speed pass is out of the question (although worm-burner low speed passes seem common).
Cheers!
Kirk
66
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 5:53:35 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> So, I found the loops:
>
> https://vimeo.com/79345814
>
> The helicopter starts look interesting. The loops look INTERESTING. That wing sure does some odd things at times!
>
> Rolls? not so far. I've seen guys with the motorized PGs do the steep turn with a wingtip on the ground thing, and my impression was that it was an accident waiting to happen...but people say the same thing about low passes so as long as no-one gets hurt...
>
> And I guess a high speed pass is out of the question (although worm-burner low speed passes seem common).
>
> Cheers!
>
> Kirk
> 66
Roll https://vimeo.com/119970283
Lots o looping https://vimeo.com/ozone/infinite
Eight point rolls probably aren't possible, but who knows with kids these days...
Bruce Hoult
March 7th 15, 02:24 AM
On Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 9:06:50 AM UTC+13, kirk.stant wrote:
> On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58:25 PM UTC-6, Paul Villinski wrote:
> > Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> > Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
>
> Hmm, looks like "a skateboarder takes up paragliding". Lots of slides, stepping on high objects, buzzing old folks...real mature stuff.
>
> Not my idea of flying fun (tough to do loops and rolls, for starters), but whatever....
The "Speed Gliding" proximity folks are regularly using rolls to give them a second or so (per roll) of effectively 0 G trajectory to follow terrain dropoffs down. I think some of them are even pausing inverted to get more downward acceleration, in the same way that jet fighter pilots do, while maintaining positive G to the pilot and canopy.
https://vimeo.com/108395176
Dan Marotta
March 7th 15, 03:18 PM
Wow!
I don't fly a sailplane because I'm an old geezer with a tube up my
nose. I started when I was much younger, you know, back in the day when
you'd do something because it interested you, not because it was "cool"
and on youtube? Who needs the shallow, unaware, "cool kids" who need to
be spoon fed an activity before they'll try it? You certainly can't
converse with them. I'm waiting for the selfie video of the guy plowing
into the side of the cliff. I'm sure his equally "cool" friends will
pull it from his body and post it before his body even gets "cool"... I
mean cold.
Just another "Old Geezer". BTW - I tried sky diving a couple of years
ago. It was terrifying (and fun!) and I did it for training, not
because it was "cool". Most of the others there were "cool" young
people complete with tattoos, piercings, spiky hair, Go Pros, and a poor
grasp of English. But, Oh, Man... Were they ever "cool"!
(Flame suit on)
On 3/6/2015 9:09 PM, gotovkotzepkoi wrote:
> Paul, I agree with you completely. Take "Cloudstreet" for instance. It's
> full of geezers with tubes up their noses who look like they are in
> intensive care. It will appeal to the already initiated (sort of) but it
> will do nothing to attract young blood. In the US no one is producing
> any good soaring promotional film. A pity. "The Gliding Soul 2014" is
> the exact opposite.
>
> Paul Villinski;898261 Wrote:
>> I wasn't thinking about the relative safety of paragliders versus
>> sailplanes -- but about how effectively a beautiful, extremely
>> well-produced video like this promotes the sport to younger people.
>> There's not much comparable to JB Chandelier's films in our world of
>> sailplanes -- this is about the closest I've found;
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBWcpthuMw or this:
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCtnTXo3SE
>> On the whole, we seem to have a talent for presenting our amazing sport
>> in a very bland way, and largely devoid of younger people.
>>
>> Interestingly, as of 2010, the vast majority of PG pilots were in their
>> 40's and 50's, with more pilots in their 60's than in their 20's. In
>> terms of fatalities, a quick glance shows more fatalities in sailplanes
>> most years than in paragliders and hang gliders combined, with an
>> average of 6 per year in sailplanes since the 1990's according to the
>> SSF. The size of pilot populations in SSA and USHPA are roughly the
>> same.
>>
>> I keep trying to bring my paragliding buddies, now in their late forties
>> and early fifties, into our gliding club, but I haven't succeeded yet. I
>> think part of this has to do with the way our sport is perceived...and
>> my love of soaring and sailplanes always makes me wish it were
>> otherwise. Soaring is so damn cool -- why do we fail to communicate
>> that?
>
>
>
--
Dan Marotta
kirk.stant
March 7th 15, 05:21 PM
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 8:24:06 PM UTC-6, Bruce Hoult wrote:
> The "Speed Gliding" proximity folks are regularly using rolls to give them a second or so (per roll) of effectively 0 G trajectory to follow terrain dropoffs down. I think some of them are even pausing inverted to get more downward acceleration, in the same way that jet fighter pilots do, while maintaining positive G to the pilot and canopy.
>
> https://vimeo.com/108395176
Wow - I'm officially impressed! I didn't even really know there was a "speed gliding" category of paragliding (although it was on Top Gear a few years ago" - I assume they are not suitable for soaring?
Anyway - I stand corrected on the loops and rolls, and learned something.
BTW, jet fighters are accelerated by unloading to the angle of attack and g-load that produces the least drag - which isn't always zero g; in the F-15 it actually varies from "light in the seat" to several +G at high speed, due to the big, cambered wing. In the F-4 we just unloaded until it got dusty in cockpit and went for it!
Cheers,
Kirk
On Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 12:22:04 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 8:24:06 PM UTC-6, Bruce Hoult wrote:
>
> > The "Speed Gliding" proximity folks are regularly using rolls to give them a second or so (per roll) of effectively 0 G trajectory to follow terrain dropoffs down. I think some of them are even pausing inverted to get more downward acceleration, in the same way that jet fighter pilots do, while maintaining positive G to the pilot and canopy.
> >
> > https://vimeo.com/108395176
>
> Wow - I'm officially impressed! I didn't even really know there was a "speed gliding" category of paragliding (although it was on Top Gear a few years ago" - I assume they are not suitable for soaring?
>
> Anyway - I stand corrected on the loops and rolls, and learned something.
>
> BTW, jet fighters are accelerated by unloading to the angle of attack and g-load that produces the least drag - which isn't always zero g; in the F-15 it actually varies from "light in the seat" to several +G at high speed, due to the big, cambered wing. In the F-4 we just unloaded until it got dusty in cockpit and went for it!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kirk
Speedwings will soar. Not really in thermal conditions but ridge, usually beach dunes, in strong winds. The definition of speedwing is broad and rapidly evolving. There are very small ones that wouldn't soar in a tornado up to ones that are slightly scaled down paragliders and will soar in everything except really light conditions. Example of something in the middle https://vimeo.com/38541740
Sean Fidler
March 8th 15, 12:43 AM
Very impressive video! Well done! We need more high production value content like this in our category of the sport for sure......
Paul Villinski
March 8th 15, 02:33 AM
Here's another beautifully made video by JB Chandelier -- this one of a bunch of cool Euro kids playing in the snow, some with nylon wings, doing extreme things, extremely skillfully: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b54BJfHqrmw
I don't know about anyone else, but this wakes up something in my soul and makes me want to go out and play, too. Like sailplane pilots, these kind of "action-adventure" kids are a miniscule and rare subset of society, and that's part of what makes them cool.
I think the success of the video is how well it communicates the sheer fun and the joy the participants are experiencing. It's kind of an invitation to wake up and live. I also think sailplanes are extremely fun -- that's why I log a lot more hours in my sailplane than in my paraglider these days -- but I can't find a single video out there that does for soaring what this little film does for paragliding and speed flying, and I wish I could...if only to share a glimpse of our sport with a few friends.
son_of_flubber
March 9th 15, 12:37 AM
It's not just video production values. Shot from the groundhog's point of view, paragliding close to the ground is much more photogenic than soaring.
When my glider is close to the ground, I try to keep is as dull as possible.
Dan Marotta
March 9th 15, 11:43 PM
That's because some of us Old Geezers (not me, BTW) will call you an
unsafe pilot and demand you arrive at the airport at "safe" altitude.
If you were young and cool and flying a parasail, they'd sing praises
for your exciting flying.
On 3/8/2015 6:37 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:
> It's not just video production values. Shot from the groundhog's point of view, paragliding close to the ground is much more photogenic than soaring.
>
> When my glider is close to the ground, I try to keep is as dull as possible.
--
Dan Marotta
gb
March 10th 15, 01:17 PM
It is not just proximity to the ground, you don't need irresponsible flying to make a good video. Big part is outside camera(outside mounting or towing a camera isn't enough.) Granted it is a lot easier to put a cameraman on a beach and fly around them with a PG then to put a cameraman on every peak in the Alps and film sailplanes. Outside camera, people(preferably pretty people)not machines(they all look alike and unless you are gushing in pride of owning the same one, are boring), pretty scenery.
Great example of all three https://vimeo.com/47997406
Bruce Hoult
March 10th 15, 01:42 PM
On Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at 2:17:43 AM UTC+13, GB wrote:
> It is not just proximity to the ground, you don't need irresponsible flying to make a good video. Big part is outside camera(outside mounting or towing a camera isn't enough.) Granted it is a lot easier to put a cameraman on a beach and fly around them with a PG then to put a cameraman on every peak in the Alps and film sailplanes. Outside camera, people(preferably pretty people)not machines(they all look alike and unless you are gushing in pride of owning the same one, are boring), pretty scenery.
> Great example of all three https://vimeo.com/47997406
Watching the trapeze scared me ****less.
On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 10:58:25 PM UTC-7, Paul Villinski wrote:
> Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
Cool Kids?
Having been a free flyer myself for nearly 30 years, I would say most free flyers are the farthest from (socially) cool that one can get. It requires passion and real dedication to become really good. I will group hang gliding and paragliding together because they are more similar than they are different. Paragliding has a little more convenience and it is easier to get started but in the end it is equally hard to get to the advanced level.
Like Auto Lilienthal said "Sacrifices must be made". Nobody has ever become wealthy from the sport. Most have had to alter their lives in order to pursue the dream. Living location, personal relationships, employment, and everything else has to take a back seat to flying.
These folks have the flying gene. Only a small percentage of humans have it.. They NEED to fly.
There has been some crossover of free flyers into Soaring over the years. The ones that make the transition make exceptional soaring pilots. I would say roughly half of the competition and record setting soaring pilots in the USA come from Free Flying roots.
Here is a new video that illustrates very well what it is like.
https://freeflyers.pivotshare.com/media/free-flyers/20496
Enjoy.
R5
ND
March 10th 15, 04:50 PM
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at 12:58:25 AM UTC-5, Paul Villinski wrote:
> Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
that dude is asking for it! i'm the kind of guy that is always game for a good speedpass, but some of the stuff he does is ridiculous.
> that dude is asking for it! i'm the kind of guy that is always game for a good speedpass, but some of the stuff he does is ridiculous.
I agree that the Dude is pushing the envelope. The axiom that there are no old, bold pilots comes to mind. But like in all forms of aviation, progress is made in incremental stages. He didn't just go out one day and start flying like that. It took probably hundreds or perhaps thousands of hours to work up to that level of skill. Also, the conditions that are allowing him to fly comfortably that close to the terrain are perfectly smooth and just the right strength.
He has a good handle on his level of risk obviously since he has lived so far.
Don't try this at home kids.
R5
On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58:25 PM UTC-6, Paul Villinski wrote:
> Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
> Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
I started out flying sailplanes at 18 and that started my aviation career which I still make a living at today. I use to ride my bike 20 miles one way to the glider field just to soar and I would love to jump off a dune with a PG, it is so simple and free. But today I put my ship together, that takes time and effort, I get a tow and let go, that costs money and then with my O2 in my nose like a man on life support it is up to me how far, how high and how fast I go. It never seems to get old, sitting at 15000 feet looking down or screaming across a mountain top knowing I am only separated from falling by a piece of glass and my ass. My smile goes from ear to ear when I am strapped in to my cockpit and yes sometimes my butt will pucker when I make a bad call or fly out into the open blue in hopes of some lonely thermal but in the end to me I am flying with all my skill and knowledge of the sky and it only this that keeps me from falling out of the sky.
Dan Marotta
March 10th 15, 09:46 PM
Yeah...
On 3/10/2015 2:18 PM, wrote:
> On Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58:25 PM UTC-6, Paul Villinski wrote:
>> Paragliding is the only soaring sport that's actually growing, and this pretty much explains it:
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxkXNC31Z4
>> Or, any other vid by Jean-Baptiste Chandelier.
> I started out flying sailplanes at 18 and that started my aviation career which I still make a living at today. I use to ride my bike 20 miles one way to the glider field just to soar and I would love to jump off a dune with a PG, it is so simple and free. But today I put my ship together, that takes time and effort, I get a tow and let go, that costs money and then with my O2 in my nose like a man on life support it is up to me how far, how high and how fast I go. It never seems to get old, sitting at 15000 feet looking down or screaming across a mountain top knowing I am only separated from falling by a piece of glass and my ass. My smile goes from ear to ear when I am strapped in to my cockpit and yes sometimes my butt will pucker when I make a bad call or fly out into the open blue in hopes of some lonely thermal but in the end to me I am flying with all my skill and knowledge of the sky and it only this that keeps me from falling out of the sky.
--
Dan Marotta
vBulletin® v3.6.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.