What is Paragliding

The dream of flying in the sky just like a bird is as old as human kind. You can make your dream come true with paragliding. This sport is considered to be risky, but the reality is that the safety of practitioners is quite high, especially compared to other adventure disciplines. Of course, you cannot paraglide unless you have undergone extensive training. There are numerous paragliding schools that you can select from. It is only natural for you to look for courses in your local area, but there are a number of other essential factors that you have to consider carefully as well.

Know more about popular options for Paragliding in India.
 

Learning Paragliding

The first thing to decide on is the type of paragliding that you want to practice. The glider is made from one canopy. The entire mechanism represents the one of a parachute. The gliding principle is the same. However, given that the paraglider is lighter and more portable, it is easier to fly. You can readily start training for this discipline in any of the paragliding schools. Once you master the necessary skills, you can you can start on your own.
 

Powered Paragliding

Powered hang gliding is also an option. As its name suggests, the flying requires the use of a motorized hang glider. It should be noted that this discipline is not easier. You need to learn how to hang glide first in order to extend your skills to do powered hang gliding. You can also sign up for a course that teaches you how to fly with a paramotor. This machine combines all the characteristics of a paraglider, but it is motor powered. This makes the launching and piloting easier. In turn, the courses are not that demanding, but not necessarily shorter.
 

Parascending

Parascending is also a discipline taught in paragliding schools. You fly a canopy that works much like a parachute. Once you are towed into the air your objective is to glide back to land. Parascending is a lot of fun as well as challenging. You can receive full training in almost any of the paragliding schools in the course of a couple of weekends. You can select any or a number of disciplines to get training for. An important factor that will determine your choice is the cost of equipment. Usually, the training courses for the different disciplines do not vary widely, so you have to calculate the expenses for a machine, clothing and safety gear. Parascending is the cheapest option of all. Paragliding and hang gliding equipment costs pretty much the same. Powered hang gliding is not significantly more expensive. You will need to make the largest investment in paramotoring.
Many people are not sure whether paragliding is for them or which type of discipline they should choose. If you have not made up your mind, you can readily opt for the so called short sample or test courses. These are readily available in almost all paragliding schools. You will learn the basics in just a day or two and this will give you an opportunity to make up your mind.
 

How to Start

In India, you should choose to get training in a school that is registered with the Aero Club of India or the Indian Parachuting Federation. You are highly recommended to start your search from the official website of the association just to be on the safe side. The training centers should present all necessary certifications upon request. Generally, you should make an inquiry about all the things you need to know before signing up for a course. The paragliding schools should be able to inform you on the cost of the course, its duration and on any age or health requirements. You should not hesitate to ask about trainer experience and teaching methods as well.