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Paraglider And Hang Glider Collide Midair In Italy
It's probably every paragliding pilot's biggest nightmare – flying within a gaggle of other pilots in search of lift and, even though you've kept your head on a swivel carefully watching for traffic, you notice something out of the corner of your eye behind your risers. A hang glider is coming at you.
One pilot, flying in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy, had exactly this experience a few days ago and caught it on his camera.
Fortunately, even though the hang glider pilot's parachute failed to open, the flat spin was enough to let him down slow enough that he was able to survive the impact with the trees.
With the advent of GoPro cameras, many hang glider and paraglider pilots record their moments in the air. That has led to an abundance of scary, 'there I was – I nearly died' YouTube videos involving the sports.
While paragliding in Utah last week, building up my experience for a future "Cockpit Chronicles" article on the sport, I was initially surprised at how stressful it was to fly in a confined area scratching for lift with 20 other pilots. Occasionally, I had to give up the search and try for another flight later in the day when the traffic died down.
Paragliding enjoys a remarkably good safety record (a point that's subject to debate as you'll see in the comments below), so hopefully these videos won't discourage you from trying this purest form of flying.
One pilot, flying in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy, had exactly this experience a few days ago and caught it on his camera.
Fortunately, even though the hang glider pilot's parachute failed to open, the flat spin was enough to let him down slow enough that he was able to survive the impact with the trees.
With the advent of GoPro cameras, many hang glider and paraglider pilots record their moments in the air. That has led to an abundance of scary, 'there I was – I nearly died' YouTube videos involving the sports.
While paragliding in Utah last week, building up my experience for a future "Cockpit Chronicles" article on the sport, I was initially surprised at how stressful it was to fly in a confined area scratching for lift with 20 other pilots. Occasionally, I had to give up the search and try for another flight later in the day when the traffic died down.
Paragliding enjoys a remarkably good safety record (a point that's subject to debate as you'll see in the comments below), so hopefully these videos won't discourage you from trying this purest form of flying.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rick Masters Sep 22nd 2012 7:28PM
"Paragliding enjoys a remarkably good safety record..."
Good one!
Aside from the 900 deaths in the last ten years, and the greater numbers of broken spines, I suppose you could call that a remarkably good safety record. Especially when compared to suicide bombers and drunks crossing freeways at night.
Cast your net, catch a hang glider.
Kent Wien Sep 23rd 2012 1:57AM
Loved the analogy. Still, 90 deaths a year? It's worth the risk.
Jeff Goin Sep 23rd 2012 4:56AM
I love paragliding, both free flight and powered, but think we should be honest about our reporting our safety. Using numbers from the USHPA, USPPA, the government, Flying magazine and the USPA (skydiving) I've done a comparison of paragliding, powered paragliding, motorcycle riding, driving, flying light airplanes, flying light helicopters and sky diving.
It appears that paragliding fatality likelihood per participant per year is about the same or a bit worse than motorcycle riding which is about the same as for flying light airplanes and helicopters. The analysis is on FootFlyer.com under "How Safe Is Powered Paragliding (PPG) in the U.S."
chris Sep 24th 2012 2:15PM
Anybody notice the paraglider spiraling out of control and hitting the forrest? If you look at the bottom right corner from about the 40-50 second mark and then again at the 1:00 mark, you'll see the paraglider (it might be a hang glider too) spiraling. . .at the 1:00 mark you'll notice the paraglider under the camera, it is below that. . .
Davis Straub Sep 23rd 2012 2:12AM
"Paragliding enjoys a remarkably good safety record,..."
Actually it doesn't. But since we really don't have any comprehensive records, this is all basically anecdotal.
Looking at this year's paragliding competitions we see a record of continual injury and numerous deployments of reserve parachutes.
I just completed competing in the hang gliding 2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race. again, no injuries.
Radu Poenaru Sep 23rd 2012 2:48AM
He was lucky it only hit his harness, so the canopy kept inflated and then kept on flying.
Paragliding is a very "un-social" sport for me: If there are more paragliders in the air than I can keep my eye on (usually I can track about 6 - 7 at a time) then I'm not flying! And if I'm flying at a new location where I don't personally know all of the pilots: always act like they are out to get you. One of them might just be a beginner who has left his definition of left and right on the ground.
That being said, it can be a safe sport.Statistics won't help here, it's just like motorcycle accidents: it looks so unsafe, until you realize 90% of accidents the driver is either drunk,drugged,speeding or a teenager without a licence. If you stay out those categories ,you're fine; it's much the same with paragliding. Fly responsibly, always respect the weather, know your skills, know your personal limits and you can enjoy flying for years.
Kent Wien Sep 23rd 2012 11:32PM
This report on US paragliding statistics points out the marked improvement in the last decade of flying:
http://www.paragliding-tales-and-reviews.com/paraglider-accident.html
Jerry Furnell Sep 24th 2012 1:57AM
Three friends with broken backs in 12 months - paragliding. I'm back to hang gliding before I too become a statistic of a turbulence induced collapse at low altitude.
Joe Faust Sep 24th 2012 9:56AM
"turbulence-induced collapse at low altitude+
She will ever bite limp canopies.
Jethrine Sep 24th 2012 1:20PM
From the POV of the paraglider in this clip, I can certainly see the appeal of the sport. It looks thrilling, and the scenery is breathtaking.
Rick Mastders Sep 24th 2012 7:11PM
Kent, you are dealing with a disinformation campaign. Be aware.
September 13, 2011
As I watch paragliding/hang gliding pioneer Joe Faust being savaged and ridiculed by the rabid imbeciles on Paragliding Forum as he attempts to discuss the Mythology of the Airframe website, my thoughts turn again to Brett Snellgrove, who struggled for years to make paragliding safer with equipment of his own design, yet for his honesty about discussing PG safety issues, suffered the same mistreatment at the hands of some of these very same members, who chased him to the OzReport and constantly badgered him there (as they did to me) until he took his own life a year ago next week. 1
Here is just one of countless examples:
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BRETT: But there's way worse things than dying - death is easy - it's living on with severe pain and disability that takes real courage. Talk to the paralyzed pilots who need somebody to wipe their butt every day while they sit in their wheel chair in agonizing pain. Try talking your disabled patient out of suicide because he can no longer take the daily grinding pain or try teaching somebody to self catheterize - put a tube down their urethra so they can take a piss - before you jump to conclusions you may regret later. The orthopedic ward in any hospital is full of these people. ...I can tell you there are levels of misery and suffering in this world that you simply cannot comprehend until you experience it first hand. I have seen people praying for death every day, too scared to take their own life but too miserable to go on. It only takes a bad accident to put you there. I would, if I could, save you this. I have had a ruptured pelvis, 3 vertebral crush fractures, 2 herniated lumbar disks, herniated thoracic and spinal discs, broken arm and broken tib fib, torn rotator cuff, gall stones, and this is far from a complete list. I have worked for many years in hospitals. I can't believe the callous nature of your response are you really that unfeeling or do you simply have a poor understanding of English? Do you really think I can't comprehend the pain of those I see on a daily basis and this implies that I think I am a god?
PG FORUM MODERATOR ANDREAS GAIS: Brett, although your list of injuries is impressive, it doesn't say much. So, you've hurt, you've seen others hurt, well done. You feel justified in claiming and holding moral high ground because you've seen suffering that others can't comprehend (Can you? Have you ever commited suicide? Just checking). Somehow, this connects to the fact that you can get mangled by flying PG. Fair enough, it happens. But you attack risk taking and [exhibit a] cavalier attitude by bringing in a tear soaked cautionary tale of horrors beyond mere mortals' imagination and that sucks. PGForum, June 3, 2009 2
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The equivalent of two fully loaded jumbo 747s crammed with the corpses of dead paraglider pilots and hospital wards filled with paraplegic paraglider pilots from the past decade screams out to us that there is something very wrong with the sport. This needs to be discussed. But no analysis of the horrible death and injury toll can be found anywhere but on Mythology of the Airframe, presented by an ex-hangglider pilot! Does this strike anyone besides me as very strange? Why is covering this sport so much like covering a war? And perhaps most of all, what kind of sick and twisted minds work in concert to conceal this attrition and welcome in new blood while hounding a fine man like Brett Snellgrove to his grave?
We miss you, Brett. May you rest in peace.
rob Sep 30th 2012 8:38PM
Nice video I came across this site when keying in "Japan forums Paragliding"
20 years into running a school teaching people to fly, past 5 years of running the school I concentrate entirely upon post level tuition.
What has been very clear to me is many pilots get to post level tuition and leave the school. And many come to me for post tuition and guidance and I feel much of the safety areas like flying with others can induce danger levels from aggression to forcing people out of some rising air lets say in a competitive attitude.
Or to not looking as they are concentrating on to many other areas.
The two never mix well - risk and on going assessment is an on going progress.
When tired land you can always fly another day. (Best to land before being tired - less stress on your mind)
If you fly with people you know your probably be safer.
Allow for 40 % safety margin.
In 20 years of teaching is the sport safer? well the gliders are but I feel tuition has been left far behind and as the sport has grown so has the number of pilots.
Attitude is something that is hard to change, wrong attitude equals bad behaviour.
Keep it safe and I am happy the HG came down to a safe but far from pleasant ending on this day, on that note for all paragliding pilots HG have a different view as they are in a lying down position and travel at a greater speeds.
Rob Chisholm www.freeflightbrighton.co.uk