A History of Speedriding
First published in USHPA Pilot, paid for by Level Wings Most agree that the first musings of speedriding began with David Barish (known as the inventor of paragliding) who in the 1960’s, worked on developing a parachute to lower the Apollo module back to earth in a steerable way. [...]
COUPE ICARE
Coupe Icare – Once in a Lifetime by Ben White Coup Icare is a fantastic event to attend, especially as a pilot who has never traveled abroad for paragliding. Experiencing a new culture of freeflight in a new location can certainly make a pilot feel more worldly. [...]
Next Level Kiting Drills
Getting dragged sideways across launch sucks. So do failed inflations and feeling a lack of control, especially when other people are watching. The basics of inflate, turn, and go, are often enough to get a pilot in the air, but are far from adequate to handle more advanced scenarios [...]
The Art of Mentorship
How to be the best mentee or mentor ever Like a teenager who just received their driver’s license, a fresh P2/ H2 pilot now has a license to learn. They can launch, land, and generally navigate friendly terrain and weather on their own. There is a foundation of knowledge that [...]
Anatomical Differences between Wings
An overview of how different design traits of wings make certain wings better tools for different jobs, such as racing down a mountain or using thermals to travel great distances. Many thanks to Torsten Siegel from Gin Gliders, Luc Armant from Ozone Gliders, Kevin Hintze from Fluid Wings, Blake Pelton [...]
A Primer to Ski Launching
Winter is coming, and that generally means an onset of short days, cold weather, and snow. Some of us have a lifestyle that allows for a migration to warmer launches and landings, chasing long days and lift year round. Most pilots stay put, and many regions in the US conducive [...]