Column: A North Coast powered paraglider pilot explains his sport

Have you ever looked up at the clouds wondering what it might be like to fly amongst them? Have you ever taken a commercial flight that just passed above the overcast to a realm of blue sky, sunshine, and heavenly terrain below only to wonder what it may be like to soar in the air without being encased in a loud metal tube?

What if I told you that it is entirely possible to run off flat ground, no hills or cliffs, and fly as high as the air will provide you oxygen only to return gently on your feet after a few hours? All for the cost of a base-level Harley Davidson and safer than riding a motorcycle, this can be attainable.

This form of aviation exists and I have experienced it with children as young as 12 and adults as old as 90. High altitude isn’t necessarily for everyone though. Some enjoy cruising tree tops, flying while dragging their feet on the ground, or even performing acrobatics. This is the magic that powered paragliding provides.

A normal paraglider uses what amounts to a large kite that when inflated, acts like a wing. You can think of it like a sky diver’s parachute, but it’s designed to glide and keep you aloft as long as possible.

Paragliders have to use higher elevation terrain to launch in order to achieve flight and then they must make choices just like large winged birds do to stay aloft. Air rushing up the sides of beach dunes or mountains provide lift. The sun also heats up the terrain unevenly creating invisible currents resembling dust devils that can be ridden all the way to the cloud base.  

Powered paragliding takes this concept but makes it self-contained with the addition of a lightweight 2-stroke engine and a four and a half-foot propeller that one wears on their back.

The process to take off takes practice, but the concept is simple. The glider is laid out on the ground and then pulled up into the air with one’s body. Once it’s overhead, power is applied to the engine which pushes the wearer. After a short run, the pilot is airborne sitting comfortably in a lawn chair suspended by strings. Flight controls are simple as well.

We have a left and right pulley for directional changes and they are pulled symmetrically on landing to make it softer. Adding more power allows one to climb higher and power is removed to descend.

Surely there must be rules applicable to powered paragliding, as aviation in of itself can be unforgiving should something go wrong, sometimes at the cost of many lives. The Federal Aviation Administration actually does have regulations that pertain to powered paragliding under FAR 103.

To put it simply, our equipment has to be under a certain weight. We can only carry up to 5 gallons of fuel, we cannot fly over people and buildings, and we have to obey the laws of restricted airspace just like any other aircraft. A pilot flying in the empty Great Plains would have total freedom up to 18,000 feet, all without a license.

Recently there was a disturbance at Cannon Beach where out-of-state powered paragliding pilots had flown by Haystack Rock as well as launched and landed from nearby beaches. These pilots did several things wrong. Non-local pilots should always consult local pilots to avoid disturbing residents, avoid busy air traffic paths, especially from the military, and respect protected wildlife refuges. 

Aeronautical charts are available to anyone that clearly outlines areas of restricted airspace. Haystack Rock and its bird population is protected by federal law up to 2,000 feet on these charts.  Finally, they were operating on the ground in close proximity to people creating an unacceptable hazard due to propellers that can spin as high as 8000 rpm. Upon further investigation, I found one of the pilots had behaved unprofessionally in Jackson Hole, Wyoming which resulted in the community imposing restrictions.

Accountability is usually handled by local authorities and the FAA. The FAA regulations are sometimes vaguely written so that they have a wide ranging ability to determine what is lawful and unlawful, and violations can result in the prohibition of operating an aircraft and/or fines of tens of thousands of dollars. There exists an organization called the United States Powered Paragliding Association that works with the FAA to help ensure that the regulations of FAR 103 are sufficient with the expectation from the FAA that active measures are in place to self-police the community.  

The incident in Cannon Beach affected me quite personally. I’m a resident of Tillamook and the last thing I would want would be for people to see me doing the thing I love looking at me with disdain. My wife and I are avid hikers with a deep appreciation of nature and the well cared for trails and protected wildlife. We also care deeply about our neighbors and wish to be positive contributing members of our community. I consider the incident a personal embarrassment to the level of wishing to take ownership of it.

Though flying on a lawn chair is quite magical in of itself, it also has powerful inspirational and healing properties.  I’ve personally witnessed war veterans with debilitating PTSD find a new lease on life. I’ve trained with people who have lost children to tragic accidents find a way to cope with their loss. Within the flying community I’ve seen how this has bridged cultural, political, and religious divisions that would normally have separated people on the ground. Powered paragliding represents the freedom and joy that so few people ever get to experience in their lives, and in my opinion the people who participate should do so with gratitude.  

I walked over to Haystack Rock recently and was amazed by how many of my avian feathered friends called it home. I have plenty of land and air to enjoy and thrive, and I feel they deserve the same. Most ultralight pilots gain a deeper respect, especially for larger birds, as they are natural experts of air currents using them to their advantage. We watch and learn from them. People who paraglide and pursue powered paragliding have to be careful around birds of prey as they will attack our canopies if threatened. I don’t know if this is true, but I asked a local if that is an issue in this region.  They said, “No, the spots where we fly, they grew up with us.” I’ve experienced a lot, but I can’t imagine a more special moment than if another flying creature decided to suddenly fly parallel with me to share a moment of friendly curiosity.

As a representative of the powered paragliding community, I apologize for the rude, careless, and selfish actions of a few. I hope this doesn’t tarnish the image of what we do. I put a great deal of effort into addressing this in the powered paragliding community at large and being one of the most outspoken members of that community, I think I made my point amongst the offenders.

I’ve said before that I’ve flown with children as young as 12 and adults as old as 90. You don’t have to be an athlete to do this nor an adrenaline addict. Enjoying this activity does not make us better than anyone and I would expect any of us should have the utmost respect for our feathered flying brethren as well. I’ll continue to work with the flying community at large, local authorities, and residents to make sure all of us adhere to our number one unwritten rule: whether you are legally allowed to do something or not, be a good neighbor.