Discussing paragliding and hang gliding with experienced people

irlforum

Hi there,
I've had a quick search and notice that people are always pointed to the IHPA for info on these two activities. When you try to view the IHPA forum though it's limited to members only and you need to print a form and send it off via post to become one!

I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble when all I'm trying to do is gauge the cost of doing it and buying equipment down the line and get opinions on where to do training.

Google doesn't pop up any useful forums either specific to the UK or Ireland. Any ideas on how I can find the info I want easily?

Thanks.

viktordn

Hi,
do you fly or just looking to get into the sport? what area do you live?

irlforum

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. I'm actually in the process of booking a beginners course in France today. I haven't done any hang gliding before and I'm based in Galway.

viktordn

ye. weather is much more stable in france. but it will cost you some money. what is the name of the club that you are going to, if you dont mind me asking?

irlforum

Hi,
Prevol delta - It was recommended to me.

stevenmu

I did the course in prevol delta a few years back. It's a fantastic school, was recommended to me by the IHPA and I'd highly recommend it as well. Unfortunately I'd a bit of a knock in the middle of the course and couldn't complete it, I'd love to go back and finish it again but haven't got the chance since.

The course basically works as a mix of practice on a training slope in the morning with theory and/or proper tandem flights in the afternoon. The first day on the training slope starts with showing you how to setup the glider, how it all works etc, then some short running down the slope not strapped into the glider just to get a feel for how it lifts off. Next day starts with some gentle runs again and moves on to being strapped in and doing proper take offs, albeit from near the bottom of the slope and landing on the wheels. You move further and further up the slope as you get the hang of it and progress to landing on your feet when you can. There's a two-way radio strapped to the glider and the instructor is constantly giving you instructions, but it's a training glider on a training slope so you never really get high or into trouble. It can be a little nervy, but after the first gentle flight or two that goes quick enough. It would help to be in good shape, walking back up the slope after a flight can be pretty tough, but I was pretty unfit (and a smoker) and managed ok.

The training slope is fairly gentle, it's just about steep enough that if you sprinted down you'd probably loose your footing and tumble a little. The take-off for the tandem flights is another matter entirely, it's a platform on the edge of a huge vertical 1000m drop. You strap into the glider with the pilot, they tell you to run over the edge and keep running, but really you take two or three quick steps and then plummet for a second or so until you've enough speed for the glider to pick you up. It's pretty nervy standing there but you just have to decide you're going to go for it and that's it, and while it looks scary (I was even talking to an experienced english pilot who was there who said it terrified him), it's actually very easy and safe. On a normal take off where you have to run to pick up speed there's a chance something might go wrong, with this take off there's really no chance for anything to go wrong.

Once you've taken off the pilot will take you along the cliff face to find some lift to get you up to a good height, then he'll head out over the middle of the valley where the air is very calm and then move you into place to take over. He'll talk you through simple turns etc first and move on to more advanced things like doing a deep stall (where you basically climb until you run out of speed and then start to plummet straight down) and how to recover. That's a very very weird feeling but it's actually all very simple. They'll get you to line up to land as well, but at first will do the actual landing for you.

After 3 or 4 days with everything going well you should be ready and able to do you first solo flight. Unfortunately I didn't quite get that far myself.

Any questions just let me know.

irlforum

Thanks a mill for all that info. I've actually decided to pull back and focus on some other hobbies for the moment. I've some money invested in other areas and have found I don't have as much time these last few weeks.

Pablo_

Thanks for all that info. I am interested in this in the future and also find it hard to find casual info. Great thread

akuamunki

Just to give another angle on this. The IHPA site is a little confusing I would agree.

The thing is they actually use a google group chat to communicate. The forum was created last year in an attempt to get everyone over to that, but people get set in their ways so the main form of comms is still the group.

http://groups.google.com/group/ihpa-chat/topics

You can join here and post whatever questions you want. I was searching for answers here long before I officially joined the IHPA.