(JJ Sinclair) wrote in message Logged 3.2 hrs in the Genesis, last week. Got out-climbed by a para-glider. So,
there, this IS about soaring.
JJ Sinclair




JJ,

Having over 250 hours in my paramotor, which is simply a self launch
capable paraglider, I have hung in there with the high performance
glass many times.

What they lack in total performance they make up for with the ability
to thermal the tightest of cores allowing you to get to the sweet spot
and absolutely peg a vario.

The other benifit of coming from hang gliders and paragliders is that
they allow you to feel and learn all the nuances of a thermal in such
detail that can never be experienced in a conventional sailplane.

With a paraglider it is truely amazing to watch and feel the wing
move, surge and respond to every little bit of lift, turbulence, shear
and sink. There is nothing quite like the initial surge as the wing
loads up and moves forward when you fly into big lift. What follows
is a virtual elevator ride with the vario screaming while you stand it
on a wing tip and try not to get spit out.

I am convinced that a season spent flying either of these lighter and
lower performance aircraft would make a better soaring pilot out of
anyone who did so. They simply have a lot to teach about the air we
fly in that cannot be experienced tucked inside of fiberglass and
lexan.

Gus Rasch
Pitts S1S
N21JF

PS - All that said, I'm addicted to high performance too! :-)