PARAGLIDING GUIDE FOR FLYING OVER BULGARIA
You'll find all you need to know about paragliding in this guide
Some individuals are still perplexed as to what paragliding is. That is why Bulgaria Paragliding has developed this paragliding guide to answer all of your questions. Furthermore, there are individuals who wish to learn to paraglide but are unsure about the safety of the sport or are unsure where to acquire paragliding equipment or where to take the best paragliding courses.
This paragliding guide will teach you all you need to know to have the greatest paragliding experience possible in Bulgaria. We’ll discuss paragliding in Bulgaria and its costs, as well as what tandem paragliding is and how a paragliding take-off works. We’ll also assist you in overcoming your anxieties. If you’re wondering if paragliding is dangerous, be assured that the answer is a resounding no, as reflected in this paragliding guide.
Tandem paragliding is an aerial adventure activity that offers one of the finest methods to travel the sky and the closest experience to being a bird. This ecological activity (environmentally friendly at the point of takeoff – but transportation to and from the takeoff and landing sites may be required) requires only a harness, a fabric paragliding canopy, and good weather conditions. It’s a great way to see new destinations from perspectives that most people don’t get.
Soaring and thermal flying are the two major forms of flight in this sport.
Soaring flights may take off and land in the same location, and are often flown along sea cliffs, ridges, and sand dunes, with takeoffs from low altitudes and the use of coastal breezes to build altitude.
Thermal flights provide an opportunity to increase altitude and may last anything from a few minutes to many hours. These kind of flights are seasonal, since high temperatures are required to maintain the paraglider in the air — as the sun’s warmth warms rock faces, creating hot columns, or pockets, of air that ascend.
Regular flights, in which you tandem paraglide from a higher altitude to a lower landing site – this is what most tandem paragliding companies do in the mountains, where gliding down is crucial – and tandem paragliding flights, in which you tandem paraglide from a higher altitude to a lower landing site.
Aerobatic flights are a thrilling stunt-filled version of the tandem paragliding flight described above, perfect for adrenaline enthusiasts.
Rain, snow, and heavy clouds may all influence whether or not it is safe to fly, making this a sport that is extremely reliant on weather and wind conditions. Tandem paragliding flights may still be done in the winter, although they are usually shorter unless the launch point is at a higher altitude and heights rather than thermals are used.
Tandem paragliding is a comparatively cheap aerial pleasure compared to activities like skydiving, and although it is highly reliant on weather conditions, it provides an unmatched thrill and breathtaking vistas of lakes, mountains, forests, sand dunes, and beaches (to name a few).
Who Is Qualified To Do Tandem Paragliding?
Tandem paragliding may be done by anybody above the age of four (subject to certain height and/or weight limitations) who can run a short distance – depending on the area, this may be needed on takeoff and landing.
Despite the fact that tandem paragliding flights are done in tandem with an instructor, younger flyers will need documented parental permission and the presence of a guardian on the day of the flight.
Tandem paragliding is an inclusive and accessible sport, with an increasing number of instructors educated and licensed to fly individuals with limited mobility, physical impairments, deaf or hearing impaired flyers, and blind or visually impaired fliers.
Is It Possible To Take A Tandem Paragliding Flight If I Have Vertigo?
Yes, of course you do a tandem paragliding flight, since this is a commonly requested question. Due to the smooth continuous movement involved in tandem paragliding, and vertigo being a feeling felt exclusively while standing on a physical object/in physical touch with the ground, you will not experience vertigo.
Those with a fear of heights or vertigo are urged to try tandem paragliding if they are interested, since many people with these concerns find it accessible, citing the reassuring impact of being able to communicate with the pilot while flying. Flyers with similar concerns have said that the smoothness of their tandem paragliding flight (which varies depending on the time of year and location) was soothing, as they felt like they were gliding or soaring rather than falling, as some people dread.
Paragliding Equipment
Tandem paragliding requires just a canopy, helmets, two chair-like harnesses – one for the pilot and one for the passenger to sit in and be attached to the canopy, backup parachutes, a radio, and a variometer (an instrument used to measure altitude gain/loss).
The paragliding canopy, also known as the ‘ram air airfoil,’ is made up of two layers of durable ripstop polyester — a strengthened and tear-resistant fabric. You’ll also need a seat-like harness to keep you connected to the pilot and the paragliding canopy. All tandem paragliding instructors will offer all of the required technical and safety equipment for the flight.
What Should You Carry With You On A Tandem Paragliding Trip?
It’s essential to wear closed-toe footwear that’s appropriate for the terrain you’ll be taking off from and landing on. Wearing layers of clothes to stay warm from incoming winds is also essential, since this sport is quite static and you will be sitting in the tandem paraglider without moving much yourself, so you will feel the chill of the wind. Overclothes that are waterproof may be required at times. Sunglasses are also recommended.
What Is The Duration Of A Tandem Paragliding Flight?
This is yet another commonly asked topic, and it’s a difficult one to answer… A typical exploration tandem flight lasts 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the height difference between the takeoff and landing locations. Coastal (soaring) or thermal flights may occasionally be selected as an option, and flight durations can be considerably extended, although wind/thermal conditions will always be a factor.
Pre-flight Preparations
The duration of the flight and the activity as a whole – including transportation timings – may vary, since the time it takes to go from a city to an out-of-town take-off location may be longer than if you are departing from a mountainous region where you are already vacationing.
The majority of tandem paragliding flights follow this pattern: you’ll meet your instructor at a predetermined location, usually the landing spot, and be transported to the takeoff point. Your teacher will set up the paragliding canopy, put on your harness, and connect it to their canopy at this location.
Throughout The Flight
After everything has been verified for safety, you and the pilot will need to do a short run of approximately 5 – 15 meters before leaving the ground and starting your flight. The required distance is determined by the intensity of the wind and the topography of the launch location. If you’re doing a thermal flight, the instructor will look for air pockets that you can use to gain altitude.
Because the wind is usually not too loud to speak over, you may engage with the pilot while flying, and the instructor will most likely offer you information about the sights you’re seeing below you as you fly, as well as explanations of what they’re doing to control or maneuver the glider.
Taking Off
When you get close to the bottom of the drop, the teacher will need to make a short loop to get to the landing area level, and you will need to stand up and allow the instructor land it. After a safe landing, you will be assisted in removing your harness and helmet, and you will most likely be given a short debriefing before being sent on your way.
Tandem Paragliding Variations
There are a variety of activities that are comparable to paragliding, including hang gliding, which uses the same equipment as paragliding but also uses a motor, and paramotoring, which uses the same equipment but also uses a motor.
Hang gliding is another airborne adventure activity that is often performed in the same areas as paragliding, sharing takeoff and landing sites. The canopy used in hang gliding differs from that used in paragliding, with the latter activity needing an aluminum glider rather than the double-layer fabric canopy used in paragliding. This sport also offers a distinct flying experience than paragliding, with the flier’s legs behind them instead of below them, and a different landing method. To discover which activity you prefer, check out our comparison of paragliding vs hang gliding.
Paramotoring is a wonderful air-based activity that utilizes the same canopy and flying technique as paragliding, but it lands with a motor and has the option of keeping the motor running while flying. The engine may also be turned off while in the air, allowing the pilot to take advantage of thermals similar to paragliding. Paramotoring is a less environmentally friendly version of this activity that may be done all year and in more severe weather situations.
If we’ve piqued your curiosity in this thrilling aerial adventure activity, check out some of our other tandem paragliding articles, such as the finest places to experience the sport in Bulgaria!
Paragliding's Origins and Evolution
Parachutes, which were the forerunners of paragliders, were initially employed in World War I and remained unaltered until the 1950s. The Para-Commander (PC) — an extended parachute with vents to give the jumper greater control – was developed at that time.
Later in 1961, Francis M. Rogallo, who developed the Rogallo wing for NASA in order to recover their rockets and space capsules, updated and enhanced this concept technically. The revised design had more stiff parts, which ultimately led to the development of hang and paragliders.
The Ram Air canopy was created by Domina Jalbert. This one featured a double-surfaced design with vents that gave the sail a wing form, giving the operator even greater control over the direction and speed.
Towing Ram Air parachutes behind cars became a popular recreational pastime later in the 1970s. You were free to glide after you were freed, but landings were especially difficult, so the quest for greater control persisted.
After the 1980s, paragliding equipment began to improve, and the sport gained a new dimension. In 1987, Switzerland hosted the first unofficial global paragliding championship. The Federation of Aeronautic International (FAI) soon recognized paragliding as an official sport, and in 1989, the world’s first official championship was held in Kossen, Austria.
Are you searching for a thrilling experience? What about learning to paraglide in Bulgaria? Don’t be hesitant! The finest advice for practicing paragliding may be found in our paragliding guide. Read these suggestions carefully in our paragliding guide and implement them!