Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Paragliders return to share the skies with balloonists

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

It won't be an exclusive party.

Powered paragliders are scheduled to join hot air balloons in the early morning skies at the 2006 Socorro Balloon Rally.

Derick DeGennaro of Route 66 Flyers club said in an e-mail he expects seven to nine paragliders to attend the event. He plans for five-foot to seven-foot powered paragliders and two or three powered, wheeled paraglider trikes.

Spectators are invited to any of the launch sites to learn about the rapidly growing sport.

"Once people get a chance to see for themselves how cool it is, how simple it can be, how safe it is, and how free a means of flight it is, it doesn't take long before they are thinking how great it would be to be doing that too!" DeGennaro wrote.

He also mentioned "the secret fun" of watching for mistakes during take off.

"Serious physical injuries are reasonably rare," he said. "But injury to the ego of the pilot upon a failed launch can be good for a giggle."

DeGennaro called the slow-moving flight of paragliders and balloons beautiful.

"But unlike the balloons, you'll get to see the (powered paragliders) soar, bank turns, fly down low to the ground, fly high in the air, and come back down to land standing upright on one's two feet," he wrote.

In order to have enough room, paragliders are set to launch from several places, including the Tripps' field on Newberry and El Camino Real, Sarracino Middle School parking lot and the Socorro Municipal Airport. Foot-launched paragliders take a few running steps to a 50-yard sprint to become airborne, and the heavier wheeled trikes need even more room.

DeGennaro expects to fly with the balloons, which both paragliders and balloonists often enjoy.

"It's a great treat," he said.

On the rare occasion a balloon pilot waves them away, he wrote, paragliders acknowledge the request and move off quickly.

DeGennaro and his fellow club members are excited about participating in the rally and have heard stories of good times from those who came in the past.

"Winds, weather, gas and balloon drift will determine our flying Saturday and Sunday," he said.

Paragliders generally fly in the morning and evening to avoid thermal activity from heat radiating from the ground. Also, if winds get too strong or air gets turbulent, they come down.

However, their full gas tanks can allow two hours of soaring, with most flights lasting 20 to 45 minutes. Paragliders need engines only to take off or go higher, as the wings sustain flight and provide control.

DeGennaro said paragliders are safe and maneuverable. Because of that and their light weight, they have few Federal Aviation Administration restrictions.

"And we at Route 66 Flyers try our best to not abuse that freedom" he wrote.

DeGennaro said paragliding is a wonderful sport that allows the freedom of flight in a manner unlike that of any other aircraft.

"Nothing else can fly safely so low to the ground," he wrote. "Nothing else feels quite as open to the sky and free in flight. Nothing else can pack into the trunk of your car, and be set up to fly in about 15 minutes. And there's no nicer bunch of people to get to know than you find flying PPG's."

aduncan@dchieftain.com

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