Who wants to learn to Paraglide with me

Mark · Sun Feb 08, 09 2:28 pm **Who wants to learn to Paraglide with me**

Who wants to learn to Paraglide with me this spring? Seems like it will be a perfect fit with kiting. For those who love the hangtime dangle let do it!

http://www.paragliding.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1

Mark

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

You should also check out these local instructors:

http://www.discoverparagliding.com/

Brad and Maren are both excellent instructors They live in Warrenton and teach mostly on the north coast. I can't say enough good things about their school. They are also the local distributors for Ozone. That's a pic of me flying at Ecola on their home page.

http://www.maxroc.com/

Kelly Kellar is local to HR and is a great instructor and a really nice guy.

Tell them Steve Myers sent you, and they will probably treat you right anyway. Wink

Let me know if you start taking lessons. I can help you practice locally if you want.

forrest · Sun Feb 08, 09 5:35 pm

I'm down Mark, I've been thinking about it for a while.

bambam · Since 15 Mar 2005 760 Posts Hood River Photographer

Woooooo Hoooooo,

Let the revolution fire up! Mark, all the people that FlyDunes mentioned are geat people and great instructors. But, up with Doug you get 24/7 immersion and no driving to go flying if you spend a few days up there.

Jon

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

Would be fun, but I don't think I can fit it into my budget this year. Maybe next year.

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

Definetaly Interested. I'll check it out closer when I return from the Philippines. If anyone cares to summerize time and cost commitment these would be my primary factors.

BTW - It's Paradise here. 9M wind most days, only one day without wind in 2 weeks. Photos to come but so little time.

bustingbladder · Since 12 Jul 2006 387 Posts Seattle Obsessed

I'm slated for the tandem flight first week of May! Stoked!

Nak · Mon Feb 09, 09 7:34 am

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

forrest · Mon Feb 09, 09 8:30 am

How much does an initial lesson(s) cost on average?

How much are used wings? Should I get a C or SLE? hHAha JK.

Mark · Mon Feb 09, 09 8:48 am

Here's what I have found out. If anyone knows different please chime in. (C kite is ok so long as you are wearing boots and keep the angle LOW)

Paragliding Lessons
2 Day Introductory Course: $325 weekdays, $425 weekends.

This course is designed as an introduction to the sport of Paragliding. During this course you will be introduced to the equipment, basic ground school, and take your first flights. The goal of this course is to get your feet off the ground and give you the ability to make an educated decision as to whether or not the sport of paragliding is for you. It is also possible to qualify for a P1 rating with the completion of the Intro course. If you decide to continue with your training, the introductory course fee will be applied towards the P2 course fee. All equipment is supplied for this course

P2 Certification Course: $1500 ($500 gear credit)

The P2 Certification Course is what you need in order to become a United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA) Certified Pilot. This course will take you through all the required ground school and in-flight training you need to fly on your own without instructor supervision.

The training process will start out the same as the 2 day Intro Course, then continue on to develop your skills and knowledge. This course will include comprehensive ground school on paragliding flight, weather, reserve parachutes, equipment, risk management and other related topics. With the course you will receive a reference book and videos, study manual, and the use of paragliding equipment needed during your training. With the completion of the P2 course and the purchase of a set of gear, you can continue joining training classes to refresh or perfect your skills, at no additional cost.

Q. How much does a paraglider cost? How long does a paraglider last?

A. A new paraglider, harness and reserve will cost somewhere between $3,600 and $5,000, or you can purchase used gear for less. After four years of fairly active usage and exposure to UV light from the sun, a paraglider is generally in need of replacement. This of course varies with how you care for your wing. It's easy to test your lines and sailcloth for strength and thus determine your need to replace your paraglider long before it becomes unsafe. Harnesses and reserves should last many years with good care. Most pilots who get into the sport also purchase a two-way radio and a variometer (which tells you whether and how fast you are going up or down) for an additional $500 altogether. Good used equipment is often available for half as much though it will have a shorter life-span. In addition, because the sport is evolving rapidly, newer paragliders can have significantly better performance and behavior than older ones.

Knot Kracker · Since 02 Jul 2008 130 Posts Clackamas River Stoked

Mark,

I'd take the course with you. Personally, rather skip the "intro" and go into the true course instruction. Also, would rather launch off a mountain side than be pulled by a cable.

I used to think that there was alot of similarity between kiteboarding and paragliding/parachutes! Kiteboarders have more nerve that lends itself to paragliding, but the flying and emergency skills are different. My experience? Quite a bit of training/teaching in parachuting, skydiving, HALO, instrument pilot and some paragliding. Three total malfuntions and numerous partial malfunctions on exhibition skydiving, and other near catastrophies! . The risks are certainly there, even though they are different. But with that said, I'm in! Twisted Evil

Hal

forrest · Mon Feb 09, 09 9:37 am

I'm down for the weekday course in the spring Mark. I read above there is a local HR instructor? I'd rather just learn here than go elsewhere.

Parapontificator · Since 09 Feb 2009 11 Posts North Coast Oregon

Been lurking on this forum for quite a while. Thought this was good motivation to sign up and post.

Maren and I are Discover Paragliding. Your 'Couple' of Instructors. Our training location is right on the north coast, about 1/2 between Seaside and the jetty. We are often out there doing tandems looking down at you guys zipping the opposite way on your kite boards. I imagine that some of you are looking up at us thinking 'wow, that's cool'. Well, the flip side is that we are looking down on you guys saying "oh, that looks so cool!" Especially when two or three of you are doing the downwind run close to each other. A few hundred feet over the top of you is a great perspective. We have both taken a couple of lessons, but haven't gotten nearly as far yet as we plan to this summer!

Anyway, about paragliding. If you are interested in learning, we have one of the best programs in the northwest, (at least in our opinion Smile

. We have very consistent conditions in the summer, cool temperatures to learn in, and two completely different launch methods to work with.

We have our 'little' hill here, the dune that extends from Seaside to the jetty, for our foot launched training, and then we have our winch system for getting altitude training. Combine these two together, and you have a great opportunity to advance quickly in the sport.

Someone mentioned not wanting to be attached to a 'cable', but that is a bit of a misunderstanding. Our 'cable' is a 6500' long piece of 1100 pound test spectra to get our pilots in the air. Think of it as a way to not have to drive to the top of the mountain. Why drive, when you can fly to the top? Once you get to the top of our 'mountain', you release from the tow line, and you are now anywhere from 300' (for first flights) to over 3000' (for advancing students) above absolutely everything.

Maren and I are likely the strongest proponents of excellent ground handling skills in the entire Northwest. As such we have made great advancements in training to make learning this essential skill easier and faster.

After several days perfecting your ground handling, your foot launch skills off of our 'little' hill, and doing all the basic skills in flight, it's time to go to the actual mountains. It used to be, prior to towing, that we would have to have absolutely perfect conditions for those first mountain flights. Now, after your tow training, you have great skills on the ground, and in the air. High altitude, long glides, and spot landings are something that you are already used to, so those first mountain flights are spent learning how to work the thermals and learn how to soar.

The is one thing I can say about our school that absolutely none of the other schools have to offer. That's the ability to go kite surfing right where you are learning how to fly. If the winds blow out the day, there is always something else that's fun to do out here. Who knows, you might even have your 'couple' of instructors riding along right next to you! Smile

Check out our site: www.discoverparagliding.com. Let us know your thoughts. Get enough of you together, we could offer some group discounts, and dedicate the entire time to working (and playing) with you while you are out here.

Have fun! As the summer progresses, I am sure that we will be seeing some of you, either in the air, or on the water! All good fun!

Brad

PS - Apologies that my first post is a big long advertisement. It seems on topic.

Knot Kracker · Since 02 Jul 2008 130 Posts Clackamas River Stoked

Brad,
Thanks for the information. I assumed, wrongly, that the cable was only a couple hundred feet long. Getting up to 3000' is much more realistic - and I'll be giving you a call.
Thanks,
Hal

bambam · Since 15 Mar 2005 760 Posts Hood River Photographer

How much to come out for a few tows for ACRO training/practice? Seems like it would be relatively cheap as compared to lake/boat towing.

Jon

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey