Very well said Nick.
We are all in fact equally “crazy” for soaring, no matter if it s a PG, HG or sailplane, and have more or less the same chance of dying no matter how safe we believe we are.
The stats clearly shows that. All it takes is to be at the wrong place, the wrong time and the wrong decision, which can happen to any of us. The longer you fly, the higher your chances. I believe if we never aged and continued flying forever, it will eventually kill us....
As long as we understand the risk and willing to take it. I do.
Life without risk and adventure is just a bunch of birthdays strung together.

Ramy

On Friday, December 11, 2020 at 6:59:09 AM UTC-8, wrote:
While I never had the pleasure of meeting James Oroc, I know many of his gang.
I'm fairly sure he was well hydrated, on O2, had all the safety gear, had a plan ,was flying with a group, was very very experienced in BIG AIR, was living the dream; going XC in Nevada with friends on a booming day.
I was a Paraglider pilot.
While they have come a long way in safety and design, that fact of the matter is Paragliders do ALL sorts of bizarre incontrollable things, that even top rated pilots cannot control as James well knew and experienced. They are kept in place by very low pressure ram air. You are not physically attached to them, you are hanging by strings, very strong strings but strings never the less.
They suffer from collapses, half folds, line failure, Its a long list of crazy sh*t those things can do.
They often ball up in turbulence. Alot of pilots have 2 back up reserve chutes.
But there fun as hell to fly and very easy to learn. There very fun to thermal when their inflated.
For his friends and family I'm glad he was found.
Fly safe in 2021
Nick
T