First Lesson: Parawaiting

I managed to glide off the ground with a parachute, over a total distance of three meters. Or maybe two. I did leap over someone's pile of gear. That was my solo flight for the day.

The winds were too strong on the coastal cliffs of Karioitahi Beach, which meant that all students could learn that day was ground handling, or kiting (i.e., like flying a kite). The intro course was not complete without a solo flight, with a launch and landing and a short flight in between. The non-beginners didn't dare fly in this wind, even if they've flown over a dozen times before and had their own gear. Only the instructors (from Wings and Waves) can fly today.

So, instead of the absolute thrill of a solo flight, we got treated to something close enough - a tandem flight. Reuben, the head instructor, took each of us for a few minutes of gliding along the walls of the cliff, rising as high as, um, dunno - 50 meters?

Flying on a paraglider was beyond what I expected or imagined. Despite the height and the fact that we were held aloft only by the wind, the paraglider felt so stable - it was, dare I say, one with the wind. Turning, going up, down, and around, was always quiet and smooth. Later on, I watched someone launch and hold his position about 100 meters up in the air. It was like a kite my brothers flew when I was five years old, but with no string. Like the gulls I saw at New Brighton beach, in Christchurch, just hanging in the air, perfectly balanced against the wind, holding its position. This was it, this was exactly what I was looking for.

The only problem now is - how can I afford this? I need to pay for lessons and eventually buy my own gear, a glider, a harness, and a helmet. I will also need a car to go to all these launch sites. For example, today, we travelled about 70 km from Auckland CBD to the west coast of Franklin, near Waiuku. And, I need time. It takes the whole day, or at least half a day (if you start at dawn) to do any decent flying.

Reuben asked if I could go tomorrow, Sunday. I wish I could, but I have other stuff to do. Then next weekend, I plan to do some running. And, I can only do this on weekends. So, it'll be two weeks until I complete my first lesson. I hope my wife comes along too.

The journey of a thousand meters up in the air, starts here.

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The sport of paragliding is older than I had thought. The first world championship was in 1989. The New Zealand Hang Gliding Association was formed in 1973, and changed its name in 1994 to New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Our instructors have been paragliding for a long time and they've flown all over the world: Spain, India, Australia, Korea, everywhere. Robert has gone up as high as 2,000 meters in Australia, while Reuben has reached 4,000 meters in Spain.

Me, I just want to fly somewhere close, so I can do it anytime. Robert said there are some easy sites in Takapuna and St. Heliers. Assuming I have my own gear by then. And a car.