SAFA Skysailor Magazine

10 SKY SAILOR September | October 2019 The Art of Slow… W e are also living in an age of instant gratification. We have access to technology at our fingertips, we expect nothing but the best punctual service and we are not tolerant of incompetence. On the whole, the modern world allows us to learn, progress and be efficient in our daily lives, however, some skills cannot be fast tracked and the progression of paragliding is one of them. In recent years, more and more pilots are taking big risks in order to push their progression along more quickly. This is classically named ‘Intermedi- ate Syndrome.’ Paragliding is a life long sport. With the correct progression, you are likely to get years of enjoyment from the sport. With an accelerated progression the odds are stacked against you to leave the sport early, either through fear or injury. The old cliché – ‘There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots!’ – is the quintessence of this article. Here are a few thoughts on how to progress safely in the sport of paragliding for maximum enjoyment over the long term. 1. Wing choice Flying a wing that is suitable for your skill level is of critical importance. Progressing up the EN certifi- cation of wings without first attaining the required knowledge and skill is a recipe for an incident/ac- cident. Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule as to when an individual should step up a category of wing. Some thoughts on the topic include that if you’re asking your local experienced pilot if you’re ready to step up, then you’re probably not. Ideally, the time to move up the performance scale is when you are 100% sure that the only thing holding you back is the wing. If other pilots in your local area are out flying you (in thermals and distance, etc.) on the same performance wing, then it’s not the wing that’s holding you back – it’s your pilot skill, knowledge and decisionmaking. 2. Choosing the right conditions Another pearl of wisdom from the aviation world states: ‘It’s better to be on the ground, wishing you were in the sky, than being in the sky, wishing you were on the ground’ – and this holds true for all pilots. With experience comes knowledge and skill and, unfortunately, the only way to gain knowledge and skill is with experience which equates to time in the air, under the wing. Finding the balance of when to fly or not is no easy decision. It’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the sky, than being in the sky wishing you were on the ground. The revolution of paragliding in Australia is here. More people are learning to fly, SAFA PG pilot numbers are steadily increasing, the Hike & Fly scene is booming, XC distance records are being broken each year, Australian pilots have boosted themselves into the top 10 nations in the world, and the Australian AAA comps are all booked out. by Wally Arcidiacono Ground handling Photo: Colin Leggett