Learning how to fly is as simple as it sounds. All you need is a wing, a harness and the will to jump off a cliff, with the equipment ofc. So I always knew I wanted to fly, but I only got to know recently how literally I meant it.
I got to know from a friend that Kamshet is the best place to learn how to Paraglide, and the place is an hour’s drive away from where I stay, so it was quite a no-brainer for me to apply. There are many Paragliding schools at Kamshet, I chose OrangeLife Adventures (https://www.orangelifeadventures.com), again, a recommendation from the same friend. (It turned out to be one of the best decisions and I’ll explain why in a while)
To become a “good” independent paragliding pilot one needs to complete three levels - P1 + P2 + P3. It takes a good 12 days of commitment to get there. Good thing, you can divide the training in parts. I, for example, decided to complete a 5 day P1 + P2 course at once and will come back for a 7 day P3 + Progression course sometime in 2025. Fun fact, I decided to get the training from 28th December to 1st January to exit the Leap year with a Leap into the sky :)
Ground handling: This involves inflation and control of the glider. It is the most basic and the most important part of the training.
Bunny hops: Yes it is as fun as it sounds. You basically go to a gentle incline and learn how to launch. You get a slight lift during bunny hops (around 10 seconds) and hence you learn how to land as well.
Solo flight: The final step is launching from the top of a hill.
The glider consists of cells which get filled with air upon inflation. Principle of lift in a paraglider is the same as in any wing - airfoil shape. The glider is connected to the harness with strings which are called “risers” and there’s another set of strings used to control the glider (also called brakes) which the pilot holds in their hand.
For launch: Pull the risers to raise the glider -> Release the risers-> Brake to Stabilise -> Bend & Run with long steps -> Get in flying position -> Sit & Relax -> Look at the target
For landing: Full flare, 180 deg turn, full brakes
Always launch and land into the wind Once the landing is done you mushroom the glider and
Kamshet has 3 main flying spots Shinde Hill: The best site for P1 + P2 training. Shelar Hill: P3 training in Summers Tower Hill: P3 training in Winters Tandem flights happen at Shelar and Tower Hills, if not for training one should definitely go for a joyride! I’m sure it’ll motivate you for training, (haha a trap).
When I first heard about OrangeLife I had no clue what to expect. Honestly speaking, I expected a mediocre camping setup without a lot of facilities. But then to my surprise the place was nothing like I could imagine. Beautiful is an understatement. Lakeside, full of flora and fauna, clean, and most importantly so well thought! I’m sure you’ll get mesmerised with the interior design and architecture of this place.
Ravi, Omkar, Alisha, Sanjay, Rutik and Vijay sir. The best team of teachers I could ever ask for. The kind of intuition these guys have about paragliding is just amazing. Special mention - Basu, the lead chef who cooks so well you’ll never miss your home food! Plus the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. Alisha is the youngest Indian woman to win paragliding competitions, extremely inspiring. I could witness her land like a boss during her accuray spot landing practice!
Anything I write is just less to capture Vijay sir’s. Hands down the most adventurous human being I have ever come across. Most “first” paragliding events in India were executed by Vijay sir. Be it the first cross-country triangle, be it launching from Mount Abu! I asked sir how he could manage to get the permission to fly from Mount Abu and he replied with a simple fact - “If you ask for permission, you won't get it” :). He casually told me about his “kayaking amongst alligators” in Narmada river :)). I think of myself as extremely lucky to learn from a master of many trades! The kind of feedback you get from sir is exceptionally helpful, it’s usually accompanied with hilarious comments and scoldings. I’ve understood that that’s the fastest way to learn anything.