Up, up and away
> Muhammad Zubair craves the freedom that comes from flying
FLYING under the Paragliders Malaysia banner, 15-year-old Muhammad Zubair Abdul Rahman defies the rules of gravity at least twice a week. Covering himself in the necessary equipment paragliders use, he sets and spreads out his glider flat on the side of Bukit Jugra, on the outskirts of Banting, Selangor. One of the few hotspots for paragliders locally, two other paragliders wait with Zubair for the wind to pick up, observing the two national flags that are hoisted on nearby poles, along with the ripples on the Langat River. Just as it picks up, Zubair breaks into a mid-paced sprint and is quickly lifted up into the air, spending the next 10 minutes or so gliding across the areas surrounding Bukit Jugra.
How did you start paragliding? I started paragliding when I was nine years old, here in Bukit Jugra. My father has been paragliding for a really long time, since 2002. I began to like paragliding when I was six years old. Initially I was tandem paragliding, which is me flying as a passenger, with my father as the pilot. After a long time as a tandem paraglider, I eventually asked my father and told him that I wanted to learn how to become a paraglider.
Were you scared when you started paragliding? Yeah, I was very scared. I was afraid of heights when I was small. So, it was impossible not to be afraid, especially during my first flight, and it would get worse whenever my father took me higher up into the air. The element of height caused the most fear. After a few years, the fear decreased somewhat. When I started paragliding at nine years of age, I was still afraid, but it was not as intense as when I first started.
What does it feel like when paragliding in the air? I feel free when I'm in the air. Feels like absolute freedom. There aren't any hurdles or obstacles, and I can go anywhere I want. Sometimes, I get to fly with birds, especially eagles, side-by-side. You can often see eagles flying in circles, and I follow them in the same way. I usually look for thermal columns; it’s something that happens when heat from the sun hits the ground, and creates an updraft.
Have you had any problems while flying? Any crazy memories? It has been a normal experience while flying so far. Like when I’m flying, the glider collapses on one side, and I’ll have to fix it. Or the front closes, and has to be reopened. These are normal incidents. So far, nothing too crazy has happened, and I hope it stays that way. Favourite paragliding spot: Kuala Kubu Baru.
Would you rather be in school or go paragliding?: Paragliding, for sure.
What other sports do you do: Badminton and cycling.
Favourite food: Any kind of nasi goreng (fried rice).
What is your best memory while flying? Last year, I was at Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor. It was really great. I was flying and managed to get right up into the clouds. I was riding the wind, and suddenly I was in the clouds. Then I managed to fly above the Kuala Kubu Baru town, past it, and then made a turn back to the paragliding landing zone.
Where have you been to paraglide? I've only flown inside Malaysia, but not outside, at least for now. In Malaysia, I've been to Kuala Kubu Baru, Negri Sembilan, Mount Jerai in Kedah and here, in Bukit Jugra. Very few places I’ve explored, and it’s rare for me to do so, as I'm still in school. I have plans to go overseas, don’t know when exactly I can, but the one place I definitely want to paraglide at is Oludeniz, in Turkey.
How often and high (or far) have you flown? I go paragliding almost every weekend. As for how high I’ve managed to go, I’ve gone somewhat close to the clouds, which is about 4,500ft. We use something called a variometer to calculate the height, length of flight, our current location through GPS coordinates and compass, among other things. It’s quite complete. I’ve managed to stay in the air for five hours and 11 minutes in the past, while my father has flown from here (Bukit Jugra) to Banting, around 9km.
What other countries or areas are you looking forward to flying in from as you get older? Hard to say, there’s quite a lot. Just to name a few, I guess Sabah, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and China. The lack of passport is the main cause for not being able to go overseas, and my dad is constantly working. But the end of this year, I’ll probably be flying in Sabah, if the weather permits.