On wing, prayer

Bir-billing, November 9
Paragliding is not an easy sport to follow in India. Apart from the danger quotient, there are loads of problems inhibiting this extreme sport from soaring in the Indian skies.
Paragliding is a sport that requires great skill and proper training. But, there is no proper set-up in India. It would be too optimistic to expect any progress in the near future as there is no national body for this adventure sport. There are hardly any coaching centres, just a handful of qualified instructors in the country. Since there is no national body, there is little hope of technical and financial help to the newcomers as well as for conducting national or international competitions.
The other big hurdle is that the sport demands deep pockets.
The equipment — wings, harness, lines, reserve parachute — has to be imported. There is not a single manufacturing unit in the country. The customs duty on the equipment is so prohibitive that an Indian pilot ends up paying twice the actual cost of the wing.
An entry-level wing, along with all the gear, costs somewhere around Rs 3-5 lakh. It comes with a life of a fixed number of flying hours. The wing has to be handled with care — it needs protection from rain and extremes of temperature. If a pilot manages to take off, he has to deal with the cost of getting injured. Till recently, the Indian pilots were not covered under any insurance cover for this extreme sport. “One national insurance company has now come forward but it too lays a condition of an annual Tax return of Rs 10 lakh. In a small village like Bir, this makes 99% of the pilots ineligible for an insurance cover,” said Suresh Thakur, Billing Paragliding Association (BPA) vice-president. As his skill level increases, a pilot needs to upgrade his wing. And if a pilot is a frequent flier, the gear may be needed to upgrade as soon as six months.
What makes Bir-Billing special
Ideal take-off and touchdown site surrounded by ridges that give lift to the pilot after wind hits the hillside and thermals (columns of hot air) used by the glider to rise higher. Ideal for cross-country flying with 100 km of area. Evenly-populated, road connectivity make rescue operation quick and smooth. Reliable, smooth winds.
Best time of the year: March-June, Oct-Nov
Average flight: 2-3 hr solo
Ideal wind speed: 5-20km/hr
Maximum height attained: 5,000m
Top speed: 34 to 70km/hr
Take-off altitude (Billing): 2,600m
Flyboys
Paraglider is a ram air aerofoil, that is a true wing but has no rigid elements. It gets its rigidity from air ramming into the cells. It flies at a high glide ratio of 7:1 to 11:1 and is capable of soaring heights
Hang glider is a delta shaped wing, an aero foil that gets its shape from rigid inserts of almunium or composites. It is capable of soaring heights and has a glide ratio of 16:1 or higher
Parachute is a round canopy. It is designed for a descending flight only and not soaring heights