May 10, 2016
An Austrian flight school warns people not to fly paragliders in the middle of the dayAfter teaching thousands of people to fly the paragliders they sold them, an Austrian flight school is now warning them not to fly.
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Spring is dangerous for paraglidershttp://salzburg.orf.at/news/stories/2773388/ Spring and early summer come with strong thermals in the mountains and lakes, the most dangerous times for paraglider pilots, experts say. Over the weekend, there were again a lot of accidents - not only in Salzburg, but in Tyrol and Carinthia.
In Salzburg there are between 2,000 and 3,000 people paragliding. The spring is particularly attractive for many paragliding. However, one must note the special air conditions, says Helmut Sobek, Director of Flight School Mattsee: "In the spring, there is still a lot of snow in the mountains, and below that there are a lot of warmer spots. The larger the temperature differences between the air and the heat on the ground, the greater is the thermal power. "
At noon, the strongest updrafts The expert stressed that, especially for beginners, great care should be taken: "You can not fly in all conditions. The beginner might want to fly in the morning or in the evening but not at lunch when the thermals and wind are the strongest."
Paragliders should know and observe their own limits, stress experts. Good training and experience are vital.
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Funny, my research shows that most paragliding fatalities result from experienced pilots, not beginners, flying in the middle of the day.
This kind of "spin" is endemic worldwide - which makes such an article a bit unusual.
No mention is made that hang gliders are much more capable (safer) in thermal conditions. The article also begs the question: What about the summer?
I know of 7 paragliding deaths and 12 broken backs in Austria last year, however, my data is incomplete so the true picture is likely much worse.
Austria, by the way, is smaller than the state of Maine.
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