Is paragliding is safe?
Is paragliding is safe?
Generally, it’s safer to go paragliding in Pokhara than it is to cross a busy intersection in Lakeside. There are more than 250 flights a day during peak-season. You have a reserve chute and a large lake for safety. However, it is an extreme adventure sport and risks are involved. The biggest risk is during take-off and landing if there is a sudden change in wind.
Make sure the company you choose has insurance coverage; some might say they have it even if they don’t. Best is to go with a reputable company. The government of Nepal has no system in place for regulating paragliding. Out of the 100 Nepali paragliding pilots in Nepal, not a single one holds a Nepalese paragliding license because there isn’t one.
Pilots are, however, internationally certified, which means international paragliding schools, likeFAI, APPI and BHPA, have come to Pokhara to run 15-day pilot training programs . Upon completion, pilots are certified to fly anywhere in the world on their own. It then takes around 2 years of experience before they become a commercial tandem pilot. They have to prove themselves by paragliding in different locations, in different weather conditions, with different instructors and by performing different exercises such as practising using their reserve chute. After that, they have to pass a tandem exam with an APPI instructor.
