What is paragliding? How a tandem flight works
Paragliding is engine-free flight under a soft fabric wing, powered by wind and rising warm air. A simple explanation of how the wing flies, what a tandem flight is, and the experience in Hà Giang.
Captain Mỹ · · 5 min read
Paragliding is flying without an engine: the pilot hangs beneath a soft fabric wing, takes off by running down a hillside and then glides along on the wind and rising air currents. For people who have never learned to fly, the most popular way to try it is a tandem paragliding flight: you sit in front while an experienced pilot flies from behind.
This article briefly explains how paragliding works, how it differs from skydiving and paramotoring, and where you can try it in Hà Giang.
What is paragliding — a short definition
Paragliding is a form of free flight. The whole kit is compact enough to fold into a large backpack, and consists of:
- The wing: a double layer of fabric, divided into many air cells along the wingspan.
- The lines: hundreds of thin lines connecting the wing to the harness.
- The harness: where the pilot sits, with padding to protect the back.
- The reserve: a backup parachute packed into the pilot's harness.
No engine, no rigid frame. Every movement comes from gravity, wind and the pilot's skill.
How can a piece of fabric fly?
When the pilot runs into the wind, air rushes into the cells at the leading edge of the wing, inflating it into a shape much like an aircraft wing. Air flowing over the top and bottom surfaces generates lift. The wing is always gently "sliding" downwards under gravity, but it descends very slowly.
To fly longer and higher, pilots look for areas of rising air:
- Wind blowing against a hillside is pushed upwards, creating a band of lift along the slope.
- Thermals — warm air currents — rise from surfaces heated by the sun, such as fields and rocky slopes.
Inside rising air, the wing can hold its height or even climb above the take-off point. That's why, at the same flying site, some days you fly for 10 minutes and other days for longer.
How do paragliding, skydiving and paramotor differ?
| Paragliding (PG) | Skydiving | Paramotor (PPG) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-off | Running down a hillside | Jumping out of a plane | Running on flat ground |
| Engine | No | No | Yes, worn on the pilot's back |
| Feeling | Smooth, floating | Free fall, then the canopy opens |
