[gbx5150]

I'm going to have to stand behind what I've already said, and I think that description of ParaGliding just posted by Knumbnuts tends to back me up.

I think its easier to become a P2 than a H2 for many people, not all but probably most because in calm air the PGer will mostly fly itself and it reacts slower to pilot input.
But from the P2/ H2 level its far easier to become a H4 than a P4.
Its Also much easier to learn how to get yourself down a hill on ski's than a snowboard, the first day snowboarding is extremely hard, but any idiot can learn to snowplow in an hour or less and control their speed and direction on ski's but if your goal is 2ft of powder on a steep black diamond run you'll get there faster on a snowboard than ski's.
And you'll experience true thermaling and soaring flight safer and faster on a Hang Glider. You can ski and PG halfass, On a snowboard or HGer you can't do it halfass, there's no shortcut past learning the basics right, that makes Pging easier too the P2 level.
Before you say there's no short cut in PGing either and I don't know what I'm talking about, here's my experience with Para Gliding, 1 hr running on flat ground and kiting, then 1st flight ( first time my feet left the ground in PGer) sucessful launch 300 ft alt. 5 to 7 minutes flight time, 4 180 turns and land, I did 3 of those flights. later the same afternoon, I was taken to a 500ft soarble hill, winds 12 to 18mph , first attempt to launch took one step forward apparently pulled some brake when I shouldn't have, yanked off my feet and drug up the hill behind me for 20 yards second attempt, sucessful launch soared for 20 minutes on 500ft hill. NOW SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO PARAGLIDE HALFASS JUST LIKE A FIRST DAY SKIER DOING A SNOWPLOW ALL THE WAY DOWN AN INTERMEDIATE RUN WHILE THE SNOWBOARDER IS SLAMMING ALL DAY ON THE BUNNY HILL YOU CAN SKI OR PG HALFASS, TO HG OR SNOWBOARD YOUR EITHER DOING IT OR YOU CRASHING. GIVE THE HGer OR SNOBOARDER A LITTLE TIME AND HE'LL BE RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND THE PGer OR SKIER.
So if your goal is to have a wing to stuff in the back of your honda and and take lazy early morning sled rides then by all mean take up para gliding. But if your goal is themaling and soaring flight the only day a ParaGlider is a better choice than a Falcon HGer or more advance wing is a day that absolutely sucks for soaring to begin with.
So I have no interest in ever trying Para Gliding again until the day they end up back where they started at the DropZone freefalling out of plane, when a PGer can freefall from a plane deploy and then soar an hour, sign me up fo lessons!!!
As for my Hang Gliding experience so you know where I'm coming from Mark, I'm a Hang 4 been flying for 16 1/2 yrs I had 5 days of training hill flights on the dunes of Lake Michigan over a period of 2 months, my 6th day I had my only tandem flight at the dunes, then soared solo imediately afterwards, I ended up with about 7 flights and 5 hours that day toplanding the dunes in 22mph winds, in the following 12 months I'd gotten about 50 hours, I'd taken my first trip to Tennesee ,first mt. flight no wind sledder from Hensons Gap next day at Lookout a 3 man wire crew launch in soarble conditions , step off the ramp and straight up! I'd learned to staticline tow and payout tow and I'd moved from my Vision MK4 to an Airwave Formula, I was a H3 real hang glider pilot in less than 12months and had a fulltime job at the same time.
So sure its easier to get your first 300 ft alt. solo on a PGer but 12 months later the PGer will still be doing only early morning sledders and late evening extended sledders, unless he Flies Point of the Mountian or someplace where he can park it in easy ridge lift, while the HGer will be soar thermals with confidence and ease!!

Catchyalater, Gregg

[tizeagle]

Your choice fly slow ass first or fast head first and the damn bags get in the way, and most believe they have the right away when there bags are usually in the way.

I too speak from PG experience and you can have it.

Get the flying trash bags out of the ski, they take up to much room and most have no clue of flying edecate. (Excuse my comments for the ones that do.)