US Hawks Hang Gliding Association

Search and rescue teams have several alternatives available to reach paragliders stuck in tall trees. Some teams have climbing specialists who can ascend the trees with ropes and lower the soaring parachutist to the ground. Ladder trucks and cranes are preferred when a roadway is near. Helicopters are often used, but at increased risk.

Rescue teams often resort to the use of extension ladders - but not the kind in your garage. These are heavy, specially-made, triple-rail extension ladders capable of reaching fifty feet or more into the forest canopy. They must be carried by many men and threaded laboriously through the forest - often up steep and difficult slopes - to the incident site, then guyed with ropes or guided with special struts because of their extraordinary length and unwieldy nature, and carefully positioned and extended through the foliage. This blog examines the different types of ladders used on a nearly daily basis in Europe to rescue paragliders from trees.





Search and Rescue teams in European paragliding venues are becoming exhausted rescuing paragliders from trees.

April 23, 2015

An important part of every paraglider's preflight check is to make sure the local search and rescue team has a tall extension ladder or a helicopter.

November 11, 2015

The affordable 40-foot aluminum extension ladder is a popular paragliding accessory.

April 23, 2016



Deep in the forest, taxidermists display their skills with multi-section aluminum extension ladders.
"Multi-section aluminum extension ladders allow us to respond quickly to reports of Ozone Warblers," says a taxidermist proudly.

It appears that rigid aluminum figures into "free flight" one way or another.

How does that saying go?

      "You can pay me now ... or you can pay me later."

April 3, 2017




"I think we need a longer ladder."

March 24, 2018

Powered extension ladders with a reach of many storeys are popular in paragliding venues but their use in dense forest or difficult terrain is limited.

There are always different perspectives. The following is how Hang Glider Pilots use Extension Ladders.

My favorite is the Vanishing Point Photo where Kowalski’s Dodge Challenger has morphed into a Beamer with toys and even still sporting Colorado Plates.

Do those roads look familiar Rick?

Yeah. These thirsty guys.

Mike, I love those photos! Especially the one with the IK thrown in the mix.

You saw Joe Faust's ladder HG rack on his old truck when you were at dockweiler with us a couple of weeks ago. I remember that he said the ladder was the only component of his setup that he hadn't picked up off the streets.

Frank