Paragliding is the ultimate dream of flight, A wing in a backpack that you can set up in minutes. Using natural lift, we can silently climb in the sky to great heights. Paragliding is a relatively new sport, starting in the mid 80's when skydivers would launch their parachutes from hills and cliffs, and quickly developed into a sport with real potential for flight. We currently fly gliders with 8 to 1 glide ratios or more, and speeds to 35 mph. While the equipment has developed, our techniques for flying and teaching have developed as well.

We have developed high performance gliders for Cross country competitions, nimble fast gliders for aerobatics, and lightweight glider/harness combinations for mountaineering. We typically fly with a reserve parachute for safety, but they are rarely needed.

Cross Country competitions are usually races around a course with turnpoints on the way to goal, similar to a sailboat regatta, flown and scored using a GPS. Tasks can be 50 miles or more. We can gain altitude to over 17000' msl, and will fly with oxygen on our higher flights. The typical weight for a glider/harness and accessories is @ 40 lbs, but the lightweight mountaineering kits can be @ 10lbs for the glider and harness.

The Sport requires knowledge of Meteorology and Micrometeorology, aerodynamics and glider dynamics,as well as FAA law. Flying thermals and Cross Country can be equated to a big 3 dimensional chess game, with quite a bit of strategy and forethought. It is a sport that is relatively easy to learn initially, but continually provides opportunities for learning as you progress.