paragliding, sport of flying parachutes with design modifications that enhance their gliding capabilities. Unlike hang gliders, their close relations, paragliders have no rigid framework; the parachute canopy acts as a wing and is constructed of fabric cells with openings at the front that allow them to be inflated by movement through the air—the “ram-air” effect.
The pilot is suspended in a seated harness and controls the wing via lines attached to the trailing edge of the paraglider. These lines may be operated individually to turn the paraglider or simultaneously to influence pitch and speed. Takeoff and landing are on foot and usually occur on a hill or mountain. To launch, the pilot first inflates the wing by pulling it up like a kite and then runs down the hillside until flying speed has been reached. Usually a speed of about 12 miles per hour (19 km per hour) is enough to launch the craft. Paragliders may also be launched from flatland by towing, either with a winch or behind a vehicle.
The sport can be traced to the activities of French parachute inventor Pierre Lemoigne, who tow-launched his advanced round-parachute canopies in the 1950s. The ram-air-inflated cell structure originated in the early 1960s with the kite and parachute designs of the Canadian-born American inventor Domina Jalbert. These designs evolved into steerable rectangular parachutes with relatively high forward speed. It was soon found that they had sufficient glide performance to allow them to be launched from steep slopes as well as by the aircraft deployment usual for parachutists.
From the late 1960s interest in the gliding ability of parachutes grew slowly but steadily. The paraglider developed in the United States and in Alpine areas of France and Switzerland, where it finally evolved fully. Some mountain climbers saw paragliding as an alternative to rappelling (abseiling) down after an ascent, while other enthusiasts appreciated its potential as a sport in its own right. As soon as it was realized that the wing did not have to resist the opening shock to which jump parachute canopies are subjected, thinner lines and lighter construction were used; this reduced drag, and the glide capability increased. Further improvement came from widening the wing by adding extra cells. This increases the wing’s aspect ratio (the relationship of the span to the chord) and improves its efficiency.
Paragliders use lifting air (thermals) in exactly the same way as other gliding aircraft, although their low speed precludes their use in strong winds. Using thermal lift, soaring flights of 100 miles (160 km) are common. In competition pilots fly routes to distant goals, recording their progress by aerial photographs or GPS (Global Positioning System) traces. In favourable weather the routes may be 60 miles (100 km) or more and incorporate several turn points. By the late 1990s the world record for straight distance was 208 miles (335 km). The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Paragliding Championships have been held every other year since the first championship at Kössen, Austria, in 1989. England hosted the first World Paragliding Accuracy Landing Championship in 2000.
Although paragliding is the preferred term, there are several variations, which can give rise to confusion. Sometimes the original French word parapente is used. Parasailing is often applied to the activity of towing a canopy behind a boat for pleasure rides, and parascending describes the European sport of towing low-performance paragliders into the air with the object of landing on a small target. Parafoil is a trade name for certain ram-air parachutes. Additionally, small motors backpacked by the pilot can be used to drive paragliders, in which case the aircraft is referred to as a paramotor or powered paraglider (PPG).