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.

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..