Paragliding

Paragliding is an exhilarating recreational and competitive adventure sport where pilots fly paragliders: lightweight, foot-launched gliders with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, which is made up of numerous interconnected baffled cells. The shape of the wing is maintained by suspension lines, the pressure of air entering vents at the front, and the aerodynamic forces generated by the airflow over the wing.

Even though paragliding does not use an engine, flights can last several hours and cover vast distances, sometimes reaching hundreds of kilometers. However, flights typically last one to two hours and cover distances of tens of kilometers. By skillfully utilizing natural sources of lift, such as thermals, the pilot can gain altitude and often soar to heights of several thousand meters. This ability to stay aloft without an engine is one of the defining characteristics of the sport, offering both a challenge and a unique sense of freedom.