Paragliding Adventure
When Dreams Take Flight
I could hear the high pitched sound of my vario going beep.beep.beep as I looked around and found myself alone at 1,000 metres above launch. The radio came to life with “Marika, remember that height is your friend”.
Suddenly and unexpectedly, the other pilots were all landing. From my birds eye view, I could see one had landed in a tree (resulting in a broken arm), another had just landed between the trees on a narrow dirt track and the third was losing height very rapidly. None of my friends had time to land in the bomb-out field. With only a few strings and a piece of material over my head I managed to take control of the fear that was gripping me. This was my first solo inland flight after having completed my training, and I was not supposed to be so high or so alone. I fought against the deep seated desire to land and be close to the ground, instead, as I felt the next thermal and heard the high pitched sound of my vario again, I leaned far over to the right, pulled down on my right brake line and steadied my wing slightly with the left brake line. Circling in the thermal and gaining more height I started to feel in control and my mind was totally focused on the task at hand…fly the paraglider.
The mountain that I launched from, in Bright, Victoria, was now far below me as I straightened out my glider and headed to the next ridge. Beyond these mountains lay beautiful green paddocks. I kept my eye on a distant country road and one of the paddocks along side it. Approaching from high, the farmhouse looked very small and I remembered how important it was to keep a watch for the powerlines running from the farmhouse to the road. These powerlines are almost impossible to see, so I knew to keep away from the most logical path. I wanted to land as close to the road as possible, while avoiding the barbed wire fence and the dangerous powerlines. Circling above my anticipated landing spot to gauge the wind speed and direction, I put into action all that I had learned and positioned myself into wind then flared my wing for a perfect landing.
After my radio call back to the retrieve vehicle, informing them of my position from the GPS, I was absolutely elated and brimming with a grin so wide that I could hardly contain myself. I had mastered my first cross country flight, totally on my own, making all of my own decisions, and yes, in a paraglider pilot, height is definitely your friend. Since I was a very little girl, I remember always having a strong desire to fly. I had tried all types of flight over the years including parachute jumping, sailplane, powered Cessna, ultralight and finally the paraglider. Once my children grew up, at the age of 45, I felt that it was time for me to take up flying in a serious way and I knew that the paraglider was to be my choice of aircraft.
After researching the different paragliding schools I decided to do my course with Lee Scott of High Adventure Paragliding in Laurieton. Lee offered me a package whereby I could do a 10 day live-in course in Laurieton and purchase all my gear new from him, that way I could learn to fly with my own wing. Even though I had watched paragliders fly I had never flown one or even been a passenger on a tandem flight, but I knew that it was definitely for me. So I plunged right in and did the training and bought my own gear straight away. There was never a question of turning back.
The training consists of intensive theory and practical lessons. The first day of flight saw me run down a small slope and launch about 3 metres into the air. WOW! What a buzz. The second day saw me running off an 800 metre hill with a sheer drop off at North Brother, overlooking the township of Laurieton. Now the adrenalin really kicked in. Yes I was terrified, but I was also on radio contact with my instructor and he confidently gave me instructions on flying and most importantly landing correctly. The hardest part was controlling my mind to think only of the task at hand and not to run away with thoughts of how insignificant I was hanging under a piece of material at almost 1,000 metres above ground (yes I did gain height above launch), to control my fear.
It has now been over 6 years since I started to fly and it is my absolute passion. Free flight is the most amazing experience. To circle in lift, just like a bird, and look down on the earth from above, to feel the wind on your face and feel so in control, and to be up there on your own, relying on your own ability, with your mind focused on only one task, which is to fly, just can’t be beat.
Here is an extract from an editorial in Cross Country Magazine, by Bob Drury, “Adventure comes in every shape and size. What to one man is the living end, to another is just plain boring. Anyone who has had the courage to take to the air at any level, has embarked on an adventure most of humanity wouldn’t dare to undertake. Every aviator is an adventurer at heart, no matter what they fly".
Women’s Own Adventure
Ph: 1300 883 475
www.womensownadventure.com.au
