Here's a competing group, South Africa's
Paragliding Kilimanjaro, heading up the mountain, also in October.
They seem more straightforward.
Note that the "exclusive permission" for paragliding Kilimanjaro claimed by WOR is not recognized or even mentioned by this group.
I wonder why?
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There is no obligatory charity donation, although the team have details of charities in the Kilimanjaro area that would be very grateful for any pledges. At Paraglide Kilimanjaro we strive to create long term benefits for the community through job creation and sustainable tourism. With your support we are fully committed to creating meaningful opportunities for the local community which will hopefully mean one day they won’t need charities…http://www.xcmag.com/2016/08/hike-and-fly-from-kilimanjaro-in-october-2016/----------
Wings of Kilimanjaro says this. You figure it out.
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Separately to the Kilimanjaro Climbing Fees and the Crater Camping Services deposit, of course you’ll also need to help us to fundraise for charity! To help us meet our fundraising targets, each level of participation has a different minimum base charity fundraising commitment, depending on your role (solo paragliding pilot, tandem passenger/team, or spectator).
Each annual WOK event has different fundraising goals – for the next upcoming event’s fundraising commitment figures, please see the details on the Event Page.
Part of this fundraising target will include a $USD 100 initial registration fee, which must be transferred within 7 days of signing up to guarantee your spot. This will show as the first $100 on your fundraising tally, and goes directly to our charity partner. The remainder of your fundraising goal will need to be raised by the time we embark on the event.
Once officially accepted, each participant will set up a fundraising page. From the get go, all monies raised will go directly to our beneficiary charities. A running tally for each participant will be visible on our website – and you can also share this through your own personal social media too!
Wings of Kilimanjaro has been granted exclusive permission by the Tanzanian Authorities to paraglide from the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, and this privilege has been granted on the basis of WOK’s continuing promise to raise significant amounts of charity money for worthy philanthropic causes within Tanzania. 100% of all charity funds raised will be going directly to our 2015 Charity Partner WorldServe International, with zero administration fees at any level.
Each year, a small select group of Professionally Licensed Tandem Pilots will be given the opportunity to participate in the Wings of Kilimanjaro event with minimal fundraising commitments required. These pilots will be asked to allow Wings of Kilimanjaro to utilise these pilot’s tandem passenger seats for celebrity, sponsorship and media purposes. If you are a Professionally Licensed Tandem Pilot and would like to learn more about this option, please contact us.http://www.wingsofkilimanjaro.com/faq/-----------
So again, I have to ask, if these soaring parachutists are begging airfares and donations on GoFundMe, just what are they contributing to a domestic U.S. "charity?"
Weird. When I contribute to a charity, I write a check and the money disappears. I don't get a free vacation in Africa.
Finally, I figured it out.
The "charity" gets permission from the Tanzananian government for the group trek up the mountain for a "service fee."
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/431535009 And tandem operators, at little cost to them, fly paying "donors" on one of the world's greatest joyrides.
There are actual charitable operations in the 501(3)(c) structure (water well drilling), but for all practical purposes, it seems to me, for soaring parachutists they act as a tourism company.
One aside, which is interesting, is the requirement for "Professionally Licensed Tandem Pilots" to do joyriding for WOK with little payment.
How lucky for them!
You would almost think this whole deal had been put together by tandem joyriders for their own benefit.
Normally, for commercial tandem operators from the U.S., this would require USHPA tandem licenses.
However, as BobK has so recently pointed out, the Torrey concessionaire has had his tandem license pulled by the USHPA and is using another joyriding outfit's credentials. This is ridiculous and shows how far the USHPA has sunk under paragliding.
I would encourage all U.S. hang glider pilots to distance themselves from this tar baby and form a national hang gliding association for recreational flying that does not include paragliding, does not mess with the FARs and does not endanger the future of our sport by seeing how far the profit motive can be pushed before disaster strikes.
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by Rick Masters » Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:46 pm 
