PARAGLIDING
Mark 2 was the guest
of Chris White,
an instructor with
Paraventure.
M
ar
k 2
{Q} What exactly is it?
{A} Paragliding is being suspended in a seated
position beneath a canopy, similar to a parachute,
whilst soaring on thermal currents. To fly solo you’ll
need to go on a course but, if you simply want to
experience paragliding, a tandem flight (where the
passenger is in front of the qualified pilot) is perfect.
{Q} What were your expectations?
{A} I was drawn by the idea of soaring above the
countryside but had some concerns about the act
of landing. Chris answered all my questions about
what would happen and how things worked as he
prepared the paraglider for the flight. I was strapped
into my harness, he into his, and we walked towards
the edge of the mountain. I must admit I was pretty
nervous at this point. A few steps later we were
yanked backwards as the air filled the wing and
then we were gliding. It was a liberating moment.
‘ ...the air filled the wing
{Q} What’s needed? and then we were gliding.
{A} Warm clothes, hat, gloves and boots.
The instructor provides all the technical stuff.
It was a liberating moment.’
{Q} What’s great about it?
{A} As soon as my feet left the ground my fears
disappeared and I just relaxed and enjoyed the
views. I was even able to take the controls of the
paraglider for a while. It was exhilarating and I
could have stayed up there all day.
{Q} What’s not?
{A} It’s very weather dependent – ideally you
need a dry day with light winds and good visibility.
You can’t guarantee where you’ll fly from;
sometimes this has to change at short notice if
the wind direction alters. And you need to be fit
enough to walk from your vehicle to the flight site.
If you’re prone to motion sickness you may feel a
little queasy once airborne.
{Q} What’s the typical cost?
{A} A tandem flight, lasting 20 –30 minutes, starts
at £85. Allow a few hours for the entire experience
including getting to the flight site and preparation.
{Q} Where can you do it?
{A} Good flight sites are the Blorenge mountain
(map ref A4) overlooking Abergavenny and
Hay Bluff (map ref A2) in the Llanthony Valley.
Fly with one of Paraventure Airsports’ instructors,
Chris White 01873 856609 paraventure.co.uk
or Axis Paragliding paraglide.co.uk.
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