Paragliding enthusiasts go high in the sky for enjoyment.
Paragliding and hang gliding enthusiasts and novices go high in the sky for pleasure
MILPITAS >> “Get high and then fly.”
The phrase is often used by people who soar high in the sky in non-motorized lightweight aircraft. The hang gliders and paragliders, known as pilots, challenge gravity from a variety of launch elevations to execute their goal — fly.
“There is nothing better than flying,” said San Francisco resident Scarlett Passer, a novice hang gliding pilot, or H2 pilot, in the rating system.
On a recent Saturday at the Ed R. Levin County Park, Passer, along with novice pilots Brandon Holt and Ray Cheng, both of San Francisco, and H3 pilot, or intermediate level, Alex Brozdounoff, of San Jose, are observed by ex
perienced hang gliding pilot Takeo Eda.
“It’s my job to make sure new pilots fly safely,” said Eda, of San Jose, who’s been flying for seven years and is training to get his instructor license through the US Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Meanwhile, he’ll continue as an “observer,” a title for expert hang gliding and paragliding pilots.
After spending about an hour putting together the glider and safety harness and waiting for the right wind direction to launch safely, their flight would last about 2 minutes and 15 seconds, because they are still practicing to launch, flight, turn and land.
“You can fly whatever you want to as long as the conditions last, your mental capacity, and your mental endurance,” said Eda, who flew for an hour on his last launch this month from Hat Creek Rim in Shasta County.
“If you ever had the flying dream … this is exactly what we do: You run, you fly, and that’s it! Just like Superman,” he said.
The Milpitas park is considered one of the best training sites on the West Coast, according to paragliding and hang gliding pilots, who come here at least once a week to enjoy the weather, the park and the views.
“It’s better here than Finland,” said paragliding pilot Ismo Karali, a native of Finland who lives in Santa Clara.
“This is a nice hike and flight; you get both exercises,” he added after landing from the launch site where he flies four to five times a week, depending on the weather conditions.
Earlier this month, a paragliding pilot had trouble with his footing while launching when the paragliding wing dragged him downhill about 10 to 15 feet from the launch site in a couple of seconds. Fortunately, he was able to bring the wing down to prevent a prolonged precarious flight. His friends ran to the rescue, and he was OK. Eventually, he flew safely.
The main difference between hang gliders and paragliders is that hang gliders have a frame and “can fly in stronger winds and more turbulent conditions,” Eda said. “Paragliders have major advantages in weight, compactness and ease of handling, but they have disadvantages when the wind is strong, the air is turbulent or you want or need to fly fast.”
The practice of both sports is not without danger. Last year, Eda said he lost a good friend in Chris Carillo, a 45-year-old hang gliding pilot from San Francisco. Carillo died after crashing into the Pacific Ocean on his route from Fort Funston in San Francisco to Mussel Rock in San Mateo County, according to KGO-TV. There were four hang gliding fatalities and 10 paragliding deaths reported nationwide in 2019, according to the US Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. In 2018, there were two hang gliding fatalities; in 2017, there were one hang gliding and six paragliding fatalities.
When the conditions are right, pilots have a birdseye view as they contemplate the scenery while soaring.
“This is a way to get away from humans and COVID,” said paragliding pilot Quynh Pham, of San Jose, after flying for 34 minutes on her new custom-made paragliding wing.
Depending on their experience, pilots can launch from the 150-, 300-, 600or 1,750-foot launch sites at the Milpitas park. There are higher cliffs around the Bay Area and beyond. Some of the popular launch sites are Fort Funston, Mussel Rock and Hat Creek Rim.
“For some people, this is a sport,” said Eda, who served 20 years in the Air Force. “For me, it’s a lifestyle.”