Gliding
How about a flying visit in the sky, like a bird with your wings opened
up and floating with the force of the air? Come to the ultimate adventure,
the adventure of flying free, without any hindrance, the excitement
of freedom, the freedom to fly. Come and glide, you little boy!
Para-gliding:
Para-gliding is the latest aero sport to take the world by storm.
The origin of the sport dates back to 1940s when an aviation pioneer,
Dr. Francis Rogalo constructed his flexible Delta Kite and filed a
patent for it. But it was not until the early 1980s that parachutes
were foot launched regularly from hills. Since then, this sport has
been rapidly expanding.
Thousands of people all over the world have found this sport convenient,
sheer fun and a safe medium of soaring in the air. A para-glider is
different from a hang-glider or a parachute in the sense that it is
much lighter than a hang-glider, much easier to open up, takes little
time, and the additional advantage that you do not need to jump from
a helicopter or airplane to enjoy the glide in the sky. What you need
is some basic training and the will to achieve success.
Hang-gliding: Hand Gliding in India
A hang-glider is quite heavy (almost 55 kg in weight), bulky, and
much complicated object. It takes around 2 hours to open the glider
and almost the same time to pack it. The technicalities are more complex
than, say, a para-glider and the risks more. But, then, what is in
adventure if some element of risk is not involved? This is the only
reason that this game is still quite popular despite so many new versions
coming out. The joy of flying in the sky just like a bird is unparalleled
and enormous.
MAJOR DESTINATIONS
Para-gliding:
The slopes of the Solang valley near Manali offer some of the most
popular sites for para-gliding. Other areas coming up for this sport
are the Nilgiri hills in the south, the Eastern Himalayas in the Darjeeling/Gangtok
area, Auli in Uttar Pradesh, and Sansar in Jammu & Kashmir.
Hang-gliding:
Billing (8,500 feet) in Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh has been
the venue for hang-gliding rallies offering opportunities for excellent
flying. Billing offers 100 km of up and down, and cross-country
flights.
Dharamkot (11,800 feet), situated near Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh),
is another good place for hang-gliding in Himachal Pradesh. It requires
a 2-km trek from the nearest road head to reach this place.
Kallahatti near Ooty offers 25 km of up and down, cross-country
route in the Nilgiris that passes over dense forested areas. The
gliders are offered glimpses of wild animals in the sanctuary below.
The Bombay Hang-Gliders' Club organizes rallies at Talegaon in the
Western Ghats on the Bombay-Pune highway.
Sikkim Tourism is developing sites in Northern and Western
Sikkim to encourage hang-gliding.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
Para-glider:
A para-glider is a simple aircraft, but like all other aircraft,
it is the result of complex and painstaking design. It is a specially
designed square parachute with a harness attached by lines and is
made of ripstop nylon, which is specially coated with polyurethane
to ensure zero porosity. The canopy is constructed of a top and
bottom surface joined by a number of vertical segments-the resulting
chambers being called the cells. The opening at the front is called
the leading edge. When the canopy is fully inflated, the cells take
up an aerofoil shape with a fattish lower surface and a curved top
surface. The rear of the wing is usually called the trailing edge.
The other important section of a para-glider's canopy is its lines.
These are made of a very strong material called Kevlar and are usually
encased in an outer sheath of nylon or similar material. These risers
connect the canopy lines to the harness. The riser connecting the
trailing edge is called the control line and is the most important
segment of a para-glider. The control lines allow the pilot maneuver
the movement.
A para-gliding canopy is a square inflatable wing made of non-porous
material (like ripstop nylon or polyester), which prevents air from
passing through it.
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