Advertisement
Published: November 27th 2007
Flying at Dusk
That´s me on the right!A violent gust of wind catches my canopy and I struggle to keep it on the ground. Nervously I look over my shoulder at the drop below - it's a long way down. Will I even be able to reach the landing field 2km away with such a strong head wind? I try to relax and run through the launch in my mind. There's so much to remember! I have waited for 8 hours in the baking sun for this moment. The sun will be setting soon - this will be my one and only chance to fly today.
I feel the wind on my back ease off slightly and look over at my instructor in expectation. He pauses for a moment and then nods, "Now Jamie!". A quick step back and a gentle pull on the lines and the canopy rockets into the air above me. As it reaches its apex my feet become light and I struggle to stay in control. I desperately sidestep to get centred beneath the wing, and then spin around to face forward. "Run!" the instructor yells and I lunge forward towards the cliff edge. My feet are getting lighter but I'm still on
Practice Flight
Practicing at the training hill the ground and rapidly running out of space. A gentle pull on the controls and I lift into the air, barely skimming the dense thorn bushes that mark the cliff boundary. The trees and rocks drop away beneath me and the dream is realised - I'm flying!
The radio crackles in my ear and I swing to the left accordingly, following the contours of the mountain. My nylon wing is buffeted by the rising air currents and I'm tossed from side to side, but steadily I gain altitude as I work my way back and forth along the ridgeline. I look down at the cluster of onlookers at the cliff top and spot Donna standing to one side. At this point a wave is out of the question but I manage a loud "woooo-hoooo" of delight. All too soon the instructor is back on the radio and I swing away from the cliff and start heading to the landing field. It's a long straight flight down so I sit back in my seat, relax a little, and try to take it all in. Minutes later I'm in the final stage of the landing pattern and the ground is rushing
Practice Inflation
Practicing at the training hill up beneath me. A steady pull on the brakes brings me to a gentle touchdown and I'm filled with relief and happiness. After gathering up the canopy I head down to the river for a reflective beer as the last rays of sunlight turn the mountains a beautiful red colour.
Learning to fly has been one of my oldest dreams, and while not exactly a traditional honeymoon activity, Donna and I agreed that our extended trip to South America would probably be one of the best opportunities for me to learn. Our Argentinian Lonely Planet recommended La Cumbre, near Cordoba, so we decided to pause there for a couple of weeks. Although initially interested, Donna elected
not to learn paragliding herself and opted to spend her time reading, exploring the local area and generally chilling out (see her blog for more info!).
Training began on a Monday afternoon on the flat fields of the local Aeroclub, and consisted of 'kiting' the glider above my head. Although the sun was shining the wind was very strong and gusty and this was an issue throughout our stay in La Cumbre (ideally, the wind should be light and steady for learning).
Ready to Go!
I really think this look could catch on Over the next few days training progressed to the small hills south of town where it was possible to make very short flights (10 seconds max) and begin to learn the basic controls. Practice took place in the early morning/evening when the wind was less of an issue, but even so, many sessions had to be cancelled due to inappropriate conditions. I soon learned that immense amounts of patience are required to learn paragliding! In addition, it quickly became apparent that my instructor, Pablo, was as unreliable as the wind: often he would turn up hours late (or not at all) without bothering to call to let me know. The uncertain time between practice sessions was spent hanging out with Donna and reading my immense training manual. Communications with Pablo were further complicated by the language barrier, although between the little bit of English he could speak and my somewhat limited Spanish capabilities we managed to muddle along. In fact, my speaking and listening skills have improved as a result of our awkward exchanges.
After a week on the training hill Pablo felt that I was ready to finally progress to the mountain that has made La Cumbre famous
On the Move
The start of the launch process in the world of paragliding - Cuchi Corral. In 1999 the World Championships were held here, and even for earth dwellers, the view from the top is impressive. The 400m height difference between the takeoff and landing sites dwarfed my previous hops at the training hills and left me feeling both excited and nervous - on my first flight it took 3 attempts for me to successfully inflate the canopy and launch. The flight was very short and simple - a straight line from the takeoff to the landing field, in very calm early morning conditions. It was a fantastic experience. For the 2nd flight I was feeling a little more confident and managed to get airborne on the second attempt. By the 3rd flight I had come to the conclusion that the best policy was to give it 100% first time and go for it. This turned out to be a mistake! I ran straight through a thorn bush and ripped my trousers (and leg) to shreds. The rest of the flight went well, although I was a little distracted by the sight of blood! My remaining flights were more successful and culminated in a 30 minute evening flight
One Last Check
Everything's looking good soaring along the ridgeline.
Our time in La Cumbre is now up - we are just about to catch a bus to Mendoza to continue our travelling adventure. I'm not sure when I'll get to take up paragliding again but it's definitely been an unforgettable experience!
ADVICE FOR FLYERS:
I found it difficult to find any information on the web about paragliding in La Cumbre, so here are some 'words of wisdom' for anyone that is thinking of getting airborne here (written November 2007):
There are several instructors in La Cumbre and they are all highly proficient and experienced pilots. All speak at least a few words of English which are more than sufficient to take a tandem flight. However, unless you are fluent in Spanish, the initiation course may present some communication challenges. Here's a run down of the pilots I have met:
MARIANO BACCOLA speaks better English than any of the other instructors and has the most informative website (www.parapentecordoba.com.ar).
CHRISTIAN FECHU FERRARI also speaks a good amount of english and has a relaxed and easy-going attitude. Easily recognised by his tall figure and black mullet. His website (www.parapentefechu.com.ar) is currently hopeless
though!
PABLO JARABA is arguably the most skilled pilot in La Cumbre and frequently provides his clients with a thrilling tandem flight. He speaks a little English which is sufficient for completing the 2 week course provided you are prepared to speak a little Spanish in return. His website (www.cuchicorral.com) is currently tediously slow.
TOTI LOPEZ is well established (you may notice his advertisements dotted around the town) but is currently out-of-action due to an injury. Doesn't speak a word of English but has a very flashy website (http://www.parapentelacumbre.com.ar/).
It seems the pilots are currently engaged in a pissing-contest to see who can produce the flashest (and slowest!) website, but on the hill they tend to cooperate in terms of getting tandem clients airborne and picking them up again at the bottom.
All the instructors charge the same amount for tandem flights (200 pesos) or 'Iniciacion' courses (2000 pesos). Tandem flights typically last 20-30 minutes and include transport from La Cumbre to Cuchi Corral and back again. Be sure to take plenty of water and sunscreen. Allegedly the initiation course can be completed in 10 days. In practice, you may need much more time...
In
Donna Watching
Donna was even more nervious during my first flight than I was! terms of weather conditions, tandem flights can tolerate more wind than new pilots learning to fly solo. According to one instructor, the wind at Cuchi Corral tends to be very strong in the winter months making flying difficult but usually dies down in November. December through to March are the best months for flying.
Cuchi Corral is undoubtedly a fantastic place to fly, but for those doing the full course, the weather conditions often leave something to be desired. For learners flying is often only possible first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening, limiting the number of flights per day to 2 at most. I only managed to do 8 flights in 16 days here. To put this into perspective, I met another new pilot who recently did the equivalent course in Columbia. In 10 days he managed 60+ flights, obtained his license, stayed in a hostel right next to the hill and covered many techniques that I didn't even touch on (big ears, wing overs, top landings, thermal soaring, etc). I have heard that coastal sites (e.g. Iquique in Chile) offer more consistently good conditions. I encountered many established visiting pilots who left La
Lunch by the River
There was plenty of time to chill out between morning and evening flying sessions Cumbre after just a day or so in search of more favourable flying sites.
Various middlemen in La Cumbre (hostel operators) may attempt to sell you paragliding trips. It is better to contact the pilots directly and avoid paying a commission (50 pesos extra for a tandem flight, 300 for a course!).
Finally, it should be noted that it is difficult to obtain any kind of license at the end of a paragliding course in La Cumbre. The license here requires 20 hours of flying experience which cannot easily be achieved in a couple of weeks given the aforementioned weather issues.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.063s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 8; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0319s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
