Thanks for promoting the sport! I’ve been paragliding for about two years now, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

The training takes about a week or two, but the learning lasts for the rest of your flying career. In the United States, you can progress though at least four levels of ratings, issued through the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA.)

Deformations of the wing occur in unstable air (usually thermal updrafts) but the pilot typically does nothing and the wing takes care of itself, often without the pilot knowing what has happened until it’s over.

You can also strap an engine to your back and fly paragliders with power. I have a three-wheeled trike which allows me to sit and not have to carry the weight of the motor (which you need to do on the ground.)

I’ve posted in the comments about paragliding before, but the posts don’t seem to show up.

I was in San Diego last week and we stopped by the paragliding launch area in Torrey Pines. I wanted to paraglide, but it was the last day of the vacation and all the sudden I got frugal. $150 and my husband didn’t want to go, so I just skipped it.

I am SOOO mad I didn’t go.

We are going to Peru next spring though and I here there are some awesome cliffs for paragliding!