My name is J.C. Brown, I’m about 50 years old and I started flying hang gliders in 1975. In 1991 I switched to paragliders. I don’t fly hangies anymore, but I reserve the right to start again at any time.
What follows are just my personal opinions and random thoughts about my favorite dangerous activity.
What follows are just my personal opinions and random thoughts about my favorite dangerous activity.
Learning to fly seems like a good place to start.
Seek instruction, or the Greater Crater will seek you…
The best way to find out if you like flying is to take an introductory lesson and then take a high altitude tandem flight. Why the solo lesson first? It’ll give you a much deeper appreciation of what’s going on during your tandem flight. If you like the intro lesson and the tandem, then you need to evaluate if you have the resources to learn to fly. You’ll need time more than money, but you will need a certain amount of money to purchase lessons and gear. Time-wise, expect to go flying every weekend for at least the first four to six months of your flying career. After you’ve got the basics down you’ll need to fly at least twice a month in order to stay “current” and safe. Expect to spend around a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars for your lessons. At most schools this will get you to the Novice or P2 level. Also expect to spend between $2000 (low end used gear) to $6000 (high end new gear) on flying gear once you’ve completed your lessons.
If you’ve got the desire, time, and money the next step is to find a USHGA Certified Instructor. If you go to a full-time school with facilities at a great training site you can really accelerate and enhance your learning experience. I recommend Super Fly and Airplay. If you can’t travel to take lessons, the USHGA website has a complete list of certified instructors. Of course, if you happen to be in the wilds of New Mexico, I am a USHGA Paragliding Instructor. However, anybody considering learning to fly in New Mexico should save themselves a lot of pain and suffering and go to Super Fly in Utah instead.
The best way to find out if you like flying is to take an introductory lesson and then take a high altitude tandem flight. Why the solo lesson first? It’ll give you a much deeper appreciation of what’s going on during your tandem flight. If you like the intro lesson and the tandem, then you need to evaluate if you have the resources to learn to fly. You’ll need time more than money, but you will need a certain amount of money to purchase lessons and gear. Time-wise, expect to go flying every weekend for at least the first four to six months of your flying career. After you’ve got the basics down you’ll need to fly at least twice a month in order to stay “current” and safe. Expect to spend around a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars for your lessons. At most schools this will get you to the Novice or P2 level. Also expect to spend between $2000 (low end used gear) to $6000 (high end new gear) on flying gear once you’ve completed your lessons.
If you’ve got the desire, time, and money the next step is to find a USHGA Certified Instructor. If you go to a full-time school with facilities at a great training site you can really accelerate and enhance your learning experience. I recommend Super Fly and Airplay. If you can’t travel to take lessons, the USHGA website has a complete list of certified instructors. Of course, if you happen to be in the wilds of New Mexico, I am a USHGA Paragliding Instructor. However, anybody considering learning to fly in New Mexico should save themselves a lot of pain and suffering and go to Super Fly in Utah instead.
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