Aerosports in Uttarakhand
Garhwal is a Paraglider's and Parasailor's paradise. In the north you have the huge ramparts of the Great Himalayas and in the south are the plains of the Terai. The unique geographical position of Garhwal provides excellent conditions for all grades of paragliding and parasailing, from beginners to intermediate and advance. The hot air from the Gangetic plains and the cold air from the hills creates excellent flying conditions. The climate of the region is also well suited for the purpose. The flying season spans September to December and then March to June.
Paragliding
Para-gliding uses 'thermals' as the driving force, and is the closest one can get to being a bird. In perfect weather conditions you can stay aloft for over three hours and can soar to heights more than 3000 metres. Gliding is one of the most exciting activities that lets you experience the freedom of unstinted flight and a bird’s eye view of the world. Once in the air, you experience the ethereal serenity of the sport. It is an experience that is surprisingly, thrilling as well as becalming.
However, there are a few things that need to be kept in mind before you opt for a gliding adventure holiday in India. Gliding is not safe for acrophobics (people who are afraid of heights) and people suffering from high or low blood pressures. People who are over weight are also not advised to try gliding, for the adventure sport of gliding requires one to be mentally and physically absolutely fit. These guidelines are common for the participation in any of the in high-altitude games and adventure sports.
A hang glider is an aircraft to which undercarriage and take off power are provided solely by the pilot's legs. It consists of 3 aluminium tubes pivoted at the nose, a trapeze or cross bar for control and a decorn tail. They are of various sizes and weights ranging from 7 to 25 kg. The safety of the pilot is assured by a parachute. They are made of high quality material to withstand different heights, wind force and gravity to which they are exposed. The altimeter, various meter and wind speed meters and indicators are used for right movements and safe landing. To make further improvement, a small engine and wheel with extra seat have now been added for comfortable flying. Hang gliders are portable and can be carried on back or in a jeep to the starting point. These can be made ready quickly.
Hang gliding is usually performed by using air current without an engine power. The pilot is suspended in a swing harness from the centre of the keel and maintains control wholly by weight shift arrangement with the help of air-frame. To take off, the pilot runs on a down hill approximately 40 degree slope and is airborne the moment he crosses the gliders stalling speed which vary from 15 km to 30 km per hr. Soaring can be done by using ridge lifts created by wind striking the hill face or by hot air columns known as 'thermals' that keep rising upward from the sun heated surface.
Gliding is a perilous sport in the sense that the risk involved in gliding is high. The glider is alone aloft in the air, and should any medical complication o technical fault develop, he only has himself and his training to rely on to save himself from crashing to the ground. Yet, despite these risks, the popularity of gliding as an adventure option has not diminished.
The equipment required for gliding is a hang-glider, which is an unwieldy and bulky apparatus that needs about half an hour to be set up, and an equal amount of time to be folded up! The glider needs to be fully aware of how to control and navigate it should there be an unexpected buffeting wind, and even then it is possible for any number of technical complexities to arise.
Some of the best routes for cross-country flights in India will have you heading for Billing (8,500 feet) in Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh, or Dharamkot (11,800 feet), which is situated near Dharamshala. Gliding in Dharamkot can be clubbed with a two-kilometer long trekking expedition as well. There are also places in the hills of Uttar Pradesh..
Parasailing
Another form of aero sport that is popular with adventure sport lovers in India is Parasailing. In this sport, you are attached to a parachute that takes to the air with as few as three or four steps. You  soar to several feet above the ground level. It is easy to learn how to parasail and can be experienced with the entire family during an adventure sport vacation.
Para gliding is another form of aero-adventure that requires some basic training. Parachutes are used to glide in the glorious heights here, and this sport can be great fun. The thrill of it can be best experienced on the slopes at Auli and in the Doon valley.
Where
The Doon Valley sandwiched between the Himalayas and Shiwaliks, with the Ganga and the Yamuna in the east and west respectively, is a perfect location for Aerosports. All the facilities and infrastructure is in place to give sports lovers the ultimate experience of flying. The state-of-the-art infrastructure for both Parasailing and Paragliding, is also available for the beginners who want to learn the sport. Certified instructors using the best and safest equipments provide instructions. It is an easy sport to learn, and one can go solo gliding the second day. To reach the intermediate level it takes a minimum of seven days of flying i.e. about 25 sorties.
Who can fly?
You can paraglide or sail if you are in normal health and do no suffer from any disability that would prevent you from say, driving a car. And yes, you must be over fifteen or have the consent of your parent/guardian and your weight should be between 45 and 85 kgs.
Contact
The GMVN Aerosports Centre is ideally located, in Deharadun. The training courses conducted by GMVN include all the aspects of ground-school time, basic and advanced flying and special maneuvers.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh offers the world's best sites for hang gliding. The place came in news in 1984 when an international Hang Gliding Rally was organized at Billing, a place 20 km away from Palampur in Kangra district where some expert hang gliders of the world participated. They rated this place as one of the best place in the world.
A hang glider is an aircraft to which undercarriage and take off power are provided solely by the pilot's legs. It consists of 3 aluminium tubes pivoted at the nose, a trapeze or cross bar for control and a decorn tail. They are of various sizes and weights ranging from 7 to 25 kg. The safety of the pilot is assured by a parachute. They are made of high quality material to withstand different heights, wind force and gravity to which they are exposed. The altimeter, various meter and wind speed meters and indicators are used for right movements and safe landing. To make further improvement, a small engine and wheel with extra seat have now been added for comfortable flying. Hang gliders are portable and can be carried on back or in a jeep to the starting point. These can be made ready quickly.
Hang gliding is usually performed by using air current without an engine power. The pilot is suspended in a swing harness from the centre of the keel and maintains control wholly by weight shift arrangement with the help of air-frame. To take off, the pilot runs on a down hill approximately 40 degree slope and is airborne the moment he crosses the gliders stalling speed which vary from 15 km to 30 km per hr. Soaring can be done by using ridge lifts created by wind striking the hill face or by hot air columns known as 'thermals' that keep rising upward from the sun heated surface.
|
