Paraglider Safety Information
Learn to be Safe!
 All paragliders can stall, spin, spiral and take asymmetric collapses! Take a look at this short video of an asymetric collapse or this short video of a parachutal stall resulting from overcontrolling the recovery from Big Ears to see what we mean! View a long video of a DHV Test Flight to see what gliders go through to be certified.
Don't just let a seller just tell you a glider is safe. Sellers want to sell you their glider. Check it out with the "Consumer Reports" of the paragliding world - the DHV.
|
A Short Story...
Seller: You are looking at a paraglider I bought for $300 on ebay a year ago. It works, I know because I crashed with it and broke my leg. Please get profesional lessons or do not bid on the item. I have not touched it since the accident. I think someone with more knowledge will have a great time with this.
Fly Above All asked:
"I saw your listing on eBay, and read your description about crashing. I teach paragliding, and put up an auction regularly about buying wings on eBay. Some are old comp wings, and not fit to be flown by anyone anymore! Others, like yours, may be fine for the beginner, but are still not appropriate without training. I would like to ask for permission to add your statement to our listing to better point out the importance of training BEFORE you attempt to fly a paraglider.
I would be glad to help out by being the subject in a story. The whole story is I went out in stronger wind than I should have and stood at the bottom of a hill will friends and tried to run and practice getting the wing over my head. A gust of wind got me and took me 40 ft in the air and backwards at 50mph slaming me into the hill near the top at about 200 yrds away from my take off and 50 ft higher in elevation. I hit backwards and broke my feamer in 2 places, my calcanious, tibia, and tore my acl which I have surgery to fix on monday. 3 surgeries later and a year and a half past I will just be getting back to where I was. Now, that's a story for the students. |
 The DHV rates all major brands of gliders. They use a simple rating system beginning with DHV 1 for students under instruction and newly certified pilots. If you have had no training you will not know how to deal with the smallest mishap. Some paragliders will take a great deal of pilot skill to resolve these issues. Know about the glider you are about to fly and what whether your skill level is appropriate for that glider.
To look up a report on any DHV certified glider use this link: http://www.dhv.de/typo/Paragliding_and_Hang.651.0.html
* Category - Enter "Paraglider"
* Manufacturer - Enter the manufacturers name
* Don't worry about entering anything else, just hit search. All the gliders from this manufacturer will be listed.
* Scroll through and find the model you are interested in - make sure you look at the size. The characteristics can differ from size to size.
* Click on the listing under "Type designation" of the glider and look under classification for the overall skill rating required by this glider.
* Then click on the same glider listing under "DHV Testreport" and read the details.
Another great website to research a paraglider on is P@r@2000.
Paraglider design is becoming safer and safer! A 10 year old model 1-2 could be as dangerous as a 2-3 by today's standards. If you do not understand what the DHV report details mean, you need more formal instruction! If it isn't listed by the DHV, we wouldn't fly it.
Look at USHGAs pilot proficiency programs - Make sure you have the skills your level requires. http://www.ushga.org/104-toc.asp Start with "104.05 BEGINNER HANG GLIDING RATING"
 Qualified training by a United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA), United States Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA) or Aero Sports Connection (ASC) Certified Instructor will teach you everything you need to begin aviating safely and enjoyably. A certified Instructor in your area can be found on their website. Good training can teach you how to save your life! If you are interested in finding out if paragliding is for you, you can purchase the Risk & Reward DVD. To prepare yourself for certified instruction, you can order PARAGLIDING: A Pilot's Training Manual for $39.95 and begin study.
Paraglider DHV Safety Reports
Want us to research a particular glider for you? Buy this Paragliding Safety Information and we will search the DHV for you and email you what we can find out. Please include make, model and size of glider.
Or, if you like that we have provided this information, buy this item and send us a message. Thank you for your continued feedback!
Some comments we have received from eBay members:
Dear paraglidinginstructor,
Good for you. I applaud your work/intrest to help educate the public.
Thanks,
Greg Berger
 Dear paraglidinginstructor,
Kudos to you guys for this item you are 'selling'. I have been trying to figure out a way to do something like this myself. Some of the guys selling pg crap on ebay should be shot. At least shot at. ;-) Anyway, just wanted to say good job. :-)
Brad (and Maren)
Dear paraglidinginstructor
Thank you for running an helpful educational campaign. As a dealer of PG equipment on eBay and owner of a flight school with USHGA instructors, I hear from far too many people who have made hasty and unsafe choices on these auctions. Might I suggest also mentioning www.para2000.org site as an information resource that is very user-friendly? The DHV site is often very difficult for average folks to use. Thanks again for providing this public service.
Paul Niznik We truly believe that paragliding is the most incredible sport there is. The paragliding community is one of the best groups you will ever enjoy the company of. We love what we do and work hard to keep the flying sites open for all to enjoy. Help us preserve the ability to free fly by being a responsible pilot.
Blue Skies!
Fly Above All, Inc.
PO Box 3588, Santa Barbara, CA 93130
Phone: (805) 965-3733 |
