Often confused and yet so different, the parachute jump and the paragliding flight do, however, share a number of key features, such as the ability to move through the air, to tandem tandem with a qualified instructor and to land by gliding with a fabric canopy overhead. But when you take a closer look at these two aerial sports, you soon realise that the two activities are very different in terms of both equipment and sensations.
A brief overview of the differences between a paraglider and a parachute:
First and foremost, it is important to remember that paragliding means taking off from the top of a mountain whileparachute jumping from a plane or, in the case of base jumping, from a cliff. The equipment is therefore not subjected to the same stresses depending on the activity.
Paragliding equipment :
The equipment consists of a glider and a harness connected by a number of ultra-strong lines, and a pair of control handles for steering the wing. There is also a rescue parachute built into the harness that can be activated in the event of a problem. As part of a tandem tandem paragliding experience A second seat is provided at the front for the passenger.
Since the aim of paragliding is to glide as smoothly as possible after taking off from the top of a mountain, it is important that the surface area and shape of the wing are sufficient and optimised to inflate quickly during the run-up and to glide as smoothly as possible once in the air like a bird. A tandem paraglider wing generally has a surface area of around 40 m². Although not as efficient as hang gliders, modern paragliders now offer some very interesting glides.
Parachuting equipment :
Although the canopy of a tandem parachute is approximately the same size (40 m²), its shape and, above all, the method of opening, and therefore its characteristics, are very different. In a parachute, when the handle is pulled, an extractor (mini parachute) immediately inflates and extracts the canopy from its container. The canopy then opens suddenly at a speed generally close to 200 km/h. The stresses produced on the equipment are therefore very different from those of a paraglider, which inflates smoothly at just 20-30 km/h. To ensure that the opening of the parachute is not too traumatic for either the equipment or the skydiver, the system is fitted with gliders, a mechanism that delays and slows down the deployment of the canopy. This system limits the impact of a 200km/h transition to just a few km/h. But the canopy still opens very quickly: between 2 and 4 seconds.
In terms of safety, the instructor also has an additional reserve parachute to deal with the rare event of problems when opening the main canopy.
Parachuting equipment is also different in terms of comfort. In paragliding, you sit comfortably in a harness resembling a hammock, but in skydiving you are held in place by a much more basic harness that automatically returns you to a vertical position when the parachute opens.
How do these activities feel?
Here too the difference between paragliding and parachuting are well marked.
Parachuting will help you discover the the sensation of free-fall. By jumping at a high altitude of between 3,000 and 4,000 metres, the parachute jump will last around 50 seconds, during which time you will be virtually weightless at an air speed of around 200 kph. When the parachute opens, the dissipation of energy is quite violent but only lasts a very short time. Then comes a gentler flight under a parachute canopy that closely resembles a paraglider. You glide through the air and land gently after a nice flare.
Paragliding is a gentle activity. You take off by running down the slope and feel yourself being pulled upwards. You never experience the sensation of falling, but rather that of gliding through the air close to the ground. Tandem paragliding is therefore more about contemplation. If the thermal conditions are right, you'll also discover the sensation of rolling up in a thermal bubble like the birds and soaring higher. And yes, skydiving is all about descending, with a paraglider you can climb and cover formidable distances. The landing and return to terra firma is very smooth, after a nice flare into the wind by the pilot.
What budget should you allow for a paragliding flight or parachute jump?
In terms of budget, here's what you need to allow for each of these sports:
- Price of a tandem paragliding experience : between €100 and €300, depending on the service and the duration of the flight (from 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes).
- Price of a tandem skydive : between €300 and €400 (50 seconds of freefall and 5 minutes of gliding).
To this can be added options such as on-board video, photos of the flight or professional editing.
What about safety? What are the risks?
These days, the two air sports are just as safe as each other. In both cases, the crew has a parachute to fall back on if anything goes wrong in the air, and the equipment has made so much technical progress in recent years that first-time parachute and paraglider flights always go off without a hitch. Whether you prefer to fly like a bird or dive like a stone remains to be seen.
