St Hilaire. The biggest free flight show on Earth

 The 2014 Coupe Icare at St Hilaire. A photo collection of the beautiful, bizarre and crazy.

Just some of the sites to be seen at the festival this year. It was great to catch up with old friends and to make new ones too.

Despite unfavourable weather forecasts leading up to the event, all turned out ok and the sun played ball and the wind was fair. A huge storm raged on the revellers on the Friday night but the morning faired well.

So what was new.

Sky Paragliders showcased their Sky New Gen (SNG) ruck sack range which will be available soon with new gliders and as a separate item too. The New Gen harness range received a huge amount of attention and positive feedback. At the moment there are three sizes of ruck sack to optimise your hiking experience. The smallest is aimed at the pilot with smaller, lighter gear and it is possible to fit ARGOS and SKYLIGHTER harness into this for a very compact package. The regular Large size is similar to our previous Porter L and then there is the XL for tandem kit. A full product launch of the bags and review will be online soon.

For those of you that missed this years festival, there is always next year, so make a date for this amazing event and discover for yourself the unique ambience and buzz.

More photos and news here.

Paragliding is addictive

Why is addictive? How do I know that I've become addicted to paragliding? It's very easy.

First let's start with the definition of addictive, let's see what it means:

addictive(ad-dic-tive /əˈdiktiv) : very enjoyable in a way that makes you want to do or have something again

paraglider landing

   Now that we know what it means, why do I say that paragliding is addictive?  It has to be for the lifestyle that implies, for the little things that you do during the day like watching on the window  how the clouds rise and get bigger, checking the weather on the internet (especially the wind direction and speed) to see what site is flyable in the afternoon or near the weekend you look the weather channel to see where you can go to have the best flight and where you will find the bets thermals and lift. 
   It's a beautiful lifestyle, it gives us the opportunity to discover different parts of our countryside - inland and coastal, cliff tops and glistering waterways, spectacular views, open spaces and a lot more and once that we arrive at the launch site we are surrounded by friend that we meet in a different part of the country but we have so much in common, we have so much to share... we socialize.
   The wind kicks in, it's coming from the right direction, it's time to fly. You pull steady the glider above your head, check the lines, turn around... you wait for a second so you can feel the air rushing up the slope... a few big steps towards the edge - moonwalk style - and your feet leave the ground an you fly away.
   This experiences makes you want more and more, this is why this sport is addictive, the adrenaline that rushes through your body, the feeling of freedom, the view and the sites that you come across makes of this activity something addictive. 

   Leonardo DaVinci said:

"For once man has tested flight he will forever walk the earth with eyes turned skywards. For there he has been and there he longs to return"

For those of you that want to start paragliding I recommend that to read as much as you can about this sport, it's a wonderful but potentially dangerous sport if done without proper training, so, watch a lot of videos that you find here in internet but the most important do a training course!!!

Here I leave you some very good books that I recommend to start with that present the ups and downs of doing paragliding, that speaks about how to do it, where to do it and when to do it. 

• Paragliding Freedom E-book

Paragliding -
a pilot's training manual

• Paragliding - A Pilot's Training Manual - a complete resource for both new students of paragliding and experienced pilots looking to expand their knowledge and understanding of this dynamic sport. The book covers all of the basic essentials of aerodynamics and principles of flight, along with pilot techniques from the beginner through expert level. Included with the book is a bonus DVD with more than 80 minutes of instructional video.

Prepare to fly

• Prepare to Fly  Paragliding tips I wish I'd learned sooner - an extensive collection of hints, tips and advice to smooth the progress of the newly qualified paraglider novice towards being a confident, organised, successful pilot. The focus is on preparation - learning early the habits that will make flying easier and more pleasurable. All aspects of flying are covered, from selecting and packing your equipment right through to advice on landing out. It concludes with an extensive selection of additional online resources.

The Art of Kiting

• Paraglider Ground Handling and the Art of Kiting Instructional DVD with lots of tricks and tips on how to handle your paraglider on the ground.

Cheers,

Hot Air balloon party

This is amazing

Hot air balloon timelapse fiesta http://youtu.be/l8YaMK4-MYg

If you like it please share it with your friends.

What is paragliding?

What is paragliding? you may ask, for me, paragliding it's a new experience, it's a new form of life, when I get stressed and when I can't get off my mind the problems that I have I go out with day friends and fly. Is the only thing that fills me with energy and recharges my batteries. It's all about the views you have from up there and about the freedom that invades your veins. Nothing can compare with that.



And there is the company that you have, good people and very good friends that helps you and teaches you how to do it and how to get better.

So, what is paragliding? You should go out there, find a good pilot and ask him for a ride then ask yourself that question and I'm sure you'll have the answer.

Cheers

Paragliding - My life starts here!

ParaglidingZone  

It's all about paragliding, it's all about freedom. 

Anyone who tested the sensation that Free Flight offers knows what I'm talking about.  

Flying a paraglider it's easy, fun and safe. Paragliding is a brand new form of sport flying which offers perhaps the easiest and most fun way for almost anyone to realize the age-old dream of personal flight. The basic skills are easy to learn. The equipment is simple, light in weght, and relatively inexpensive compared with any other type of aircraft. It's a very intense activity that makes you see the world from another perspective... a very high perspective!!!

All I had to say after my first flight was:

WoW!!! 

Try it out and leave your comment. I'm very sure that will leave you speechless.


Cheers!