On the face of it, there are some big similarities between paragliding and skydiving. Both involve something that looks like a parachute, the word “tandem” appears in search results of the two terms and, to point out the obvious, both take place in the sky. But look a little deeper and you’ll find that paragliding is its own sport with its own equipment, practices and attractions.
Paragliding Wing vs Skydiving Parachute
Both skydiving and paragliding rely on the use of a canopy that provides air resistance, helping those who use it to control their movement through the air. But that’s more or less where the similarities end. Whereas a skydiving parachute is something of an accessory to the main experience, letting freefall take place by essentially playing the role of a brake, the whole sport of paragliding revolves around this piece of kit.
First things first, it’s not actually a parachute, it just looks like one. It’s actually a wing, because - like that of an aircraft or a bird - its design provides lift. That means that you can use a paragliding wing to take off from the ground - good luck to anyone trying to do the same with a parachute. There are differences in the equipment too. Paragliders need more in the way of harness and support in order to comfortably stay in position during flights that can last up to several hours. They might also incorporate “pods” that keep the pilot warm at high altitude. Very different to the 5-minute descent that a skydiver experiences after opening their parachute.
The Flight Experience
From taking off to landing, a paragliding pilot might be able to avoid touching the ground for hours. They do this by finding rising currents of warm air -thermals - or upward channels caused by hills, ridges and other features of the landscape. Extreme long-distance journeys, consisting of flying during the day and sleeping under the stars, are becoming more popular in remote, rugged parts of the world like the Himalayas. It even has a name - Vol-biv (from the French words voler and bivouac).
Skydiving, on the other hand - can it be considered a flight experience? Debatable. It’s really a controlled descent, passing through phases of acceleration, freefall and parachuting. While the parachute can be steered, and the rate of descent modified, the only chance of gaining altitude is if the pilot finds a powerful thermal. Even then, they’ll be keen to get back to the ground before they start to lose the feeling in their legs from the parachute's tight thigh straps.
Paragliding Locations
You’re unlikely to find skydiving and paragliding experiences in the same place, because they rely on different terrain types. To get a paraglider airbourne, you need something quite specific - a hill or ridge with a steep slope that faces into the prevailing wind. This allows you to catch the wind as it’s forced up by the elevation. Clifftops are also an option for experienced pilots. Popular locations in the UK are the South Downs National Park in East Sussex, on England’s south coast, and the County Wicklow and County Antrim, both on the west coast of the island or Ireland.
Skydiving, on the other hand, is best in flat, sparsely populated areas. This is because it relies on airfields and aeroplanes. The best places for skydiving companies to set up in the UK are ex-military airfields, of which there are many in Cambridgeshire and County Durham. Another reason that you don’t find paragliders hanging out around DZs (Drop Zones - skydiving locations) is that they don’t want to share the skies with other aircraft!
FInally, these two sports attract different kinds of people. Adrenaline junkies find their way to skydiving for the huge thrills it offers, while paragliding attracts people searching for peace and quiet, or who enjoy the self-reliant nature of the sport. After all, there’s nothing else that allows you to hike to the crest of a hill, remove the rucksack from your back to pull out a paraglider, and take to the skies.
