Frequently Asked Questions
Rather than just gazing up into the big blue sky and dreaming about what it would be like to fly like a bird or float around silently like a white puffy cloud, why not get right on up there and experience it for yourself. That’s right! Fantasies of soaring, gliding, darting, diving, drifting, circling, spiraling, whirling, and hovering can now be a vivid reality for anyone.
It’s amazing, because human beings mostly only experience the first six feet or so of the atmosphere above the ground. We could jump up of course and perhaps gain an extra foot or two. Or climb a tree and actually reach some dizzying heights while holding on for dear life. And for a real sense of altitude, we might climb a mountain and get some pretty cool views, but our feet would still be fastened to the ground. So envious we’ve been of soaring birds that can somehow break that forceful bond, and that a cloud can stay up in the sky without falling.
Well, with the conception and invention of hang gliding and paragliding, people have finally been freed from their restrictive tie with the giant sphere on which we stand. We can now feel and experience for ourselves, the sensations of non-enclosed near weightlessness and the freedom of multi-dimensional movement, all within the first two to three miles of earth’s last and greatest frontier!
Imagine your reaction when the last of your tippy toes suddenly loses contact with the earth, and you are lifted high into the serenity of the previously exclusive domain of only passing wind streams, ever-changing cloud formations, and winged creatures in full-motion flight. Envision yourself rising over jagged snow-capped peaks, endless forests, cascading rivers, deep mountain canyons, and a stampeding herd of wild elk. And then imagine what it would be like, feeling your entire entity traversing great distances like an escaped helium balloon, while everyone else down below is toiling with the topography of the planet.
So, … why fly?
Because it is an amazingly fun rush!
Anytime you want. Lessons are offered 7 days a week, weather permitting, as well as year round.
Even the greatest paraglider pilots who’ve been flying for years, still learn something new every day. Learning the basics of paragliding good enough to be able to fly without an instructor present at beginner paragliding sites and is also the target objective of obtaining a P-2 rating, is dependent upon various conditions including weather and the student’s own energy, ability, and comprehension capacities. Earning a P-2 rating generally takes between 10 to 14 days, and should include as many lessons as necessary for the student to fulfill the mandatory requirements.
The maximum number of students per class or per instructor is three, and is dependent upon how many people have signed up for any given day.
We are most fortunate to be able to offer lessons at Point of the Mountain in Draper, Utah which is recognized as the top paragliding training site in the US. Weather conditions at Point of the Mountain are generally quite favorable for morning lessons on the south side of the mountain. And then late in afternoon, winds usually switch and are best for further lessons on the north side of the mountain.
No. You will be allowed to pay per lesson, however, buying the lesson package will be less expensive in the long run.
Yes, contact us for details.
No. All necessary equipment for students learning to paraglide will be provided, and includes the use of a wing (paraglider) specifically designed for beginners, a harness, a helmet, and a radio that will be attached to your harness for radio contact with the instructor and his guidance at all times.
Two-Can Fly Paragliding sells all the equipment you’ll need at exclusive discount rates for all levels of paragliding. We will of course help you choose the right equipment for you and your abilities, and make sure that you are comfortable, satisfied, and safe.
Essential basic paragliding equipment includes a wing, a harness, a helmet, and a reserve parachute. The total price for all the essential basic equipment that a paraglider needs, can vary greatly and will end up costing between $5,500 to $9,000. Choice of styles, quality, and sizes are all factors that will determine overall price, as well as consideration for extras like clothing, flight instruments, and other fun toys and cool accessories. At Two-Can Fly Paragliding, we sell only excellent quality paragliding equipment – both new and used. It is our sincere intention that your paragliding experience is both rewarding and safe, because your quality of life is very important to us.
You are qualified to fly on your own without having to have an instructor present at beginner paragliding sites. To fly at intermediate and advanced paragliding sites requires higher certification ratings (P-3, P-4) and it is recommended that you continually review, add to, strengthen, and perfect as much as possible, all of your flying skills. This will only inevitably enhance your overall paragliding experience, and continue to bolster the importance of safety awareness. At Two-Can Fly Paragliding, we offer a variety of clinics that are specifically designed to help you progress within and get the most out of the awesome sport of paragliding.
The best thing to do is take an introductory paragliding lesson with Ken Hudonjorgensen.
The second best thing to do, is to take a tandem flight with him. Ken’s experience flying tandem paragliders is legendary, and he will most certainly help you to decide if paragliding is right for you. The term “tandem flight” refers to when Two people Can Fly together or are paragliding together under one extra-large wing. Both the pilot in command and the passenger have their own individual harness in which to sit, with the passenger always seated unobstructed in front of the pilot.
An introductory lesson or tandem flight with Ken will allow you to experience exactly what it’s like being up in the air, and offer you the opportunity to see and feel what it is like to launch and land a glider. An tandem flight would also help you to understand the mechanics of steering and braking, as well as the importance of sensing all that your paraglider is constantly trying to communicate to you during flight, … like wind characteristics, sink, and lift. And by taking an introductory lesson or tandem ride, you’ll gain a clear perspective of how a paraglider responds to changing conditions, and how strange it is that a giant piece of material and a bunch of tangled strings can suddenly come to life and provide a special thrill and sensation like no other.
A tandem flight of course can also be for anyone who’d just like to experience the sensation of flight, by just kicking back and having fun enjoying the ride without giving any real consideration to any paragliding specifics. It’s also a fabulous gift idea sending someone off into the thrilling wild blue yonder. What a way to celebrate, commemorate, and highlight any special occasion!
Click here for information about an introductory paragliding lesson.
Click here for information about a tandem paraglider flight.
Yes, … although it must be noted, that serious paragliding accidents are relatively infrequent, given the fact that people who paraglide are constantly exposed to changing atmospheric elements in a portable swing attached by strings to a large nylon sheet. Kind of crazy this sport! Nonetheless, there are people who have experienced grave bodily harm and even death, although that can happen partaking in any sporting activity. Paragliders usually only suffer from occasional sprained ankles and sun burnt noses, and perhaps even some scrapes to arms or legs if an out of control wings ends up dragging you along the ground.
But the reality is, paragliding is remarkably safe given the continual technological advances in product design and the quality of materials used in the construction of gliders and harnesses. Accidents are basically unheard of due to any kind of equipment failures, and primarily always caused by pilot error.
It is therefore imperative that because paragliding is only as safe as you make it, making smart decisions about when and where to fly, when and where not to fly, and what to do while flying, is absolutely crucial. And as equally if not more important, is your choice concerning the type and quality of instruction you receive. Thorough, all-encompassing, and in-depth instruction doesn’t automatically guarantee that you won’t have an accident, but it certainly does best prepare you with invaluable experience and knowledge that could someday prevent a major mishap.
Two Can-Fly Paragliding provides top quality instruction that you can feel extremely confident and secure with. Ken is insistent that all of his students receive complete, comprehensive, and safety focused training, and that all of his students adequately demonstrate their overall paragliding proficiency before he signs off on their certifications and pushes them out of the nest. He basically wants everyone who paraglides, … to enjoy it for the rest of their lives!
The lesson is a solo hands-on experience, and not a tandem flight. Student training takes place only during the first 3 to 4 hours of daylight on any given day, which is the most predictable, consistent, and therefore safest time of day for learning. Each student will receive a detailed briefing concerning the objectives and goals for the lesson. Equipment used will be thoroughly explained and discussed, and students will always be in radio contact with the instructor while in the air and when landing.
Your first attempt to fly will start near the bottom of a hill. From there, you’ll run down the remaining slope of that hill trying to inflate your glider above your head, which will give you your first opportunity to begin learning how to control it. That initial effort generally does not result in any flight time. But then you’ll turn right back around and hike back up that hill, only this time you’ll climb up a bit higher. Then, you’ll run as fast as you can down that hill again to cause enough drag to inflate your wing (glider) above your head as you go. And with that second attempt, your chances are pretty darn good that you’ll get at least 5 to 10 feet off of the ground.
Then it’s back up the hill again, even higher. And then away you go again, catching air and inflating your wing in the wind with the speed that you generate running full speed down the hill until you’re suddenly and magically lifted into the air. Perhaps with that try you’ll get 20 or more feet off of the ground, while simultaneously lengthening your overall flight distance as well. And then as you’ve probably guessed by now, with each successive attempt thereafter, you’ll climb higher and higher up that hill. And with each gallant effort that you give to skillfully control your paraglider to carry your body up into the sky, you will inevitably continually increase your overall flight height, time, and distance.
It’s important to understand though, that paragliding is a weather dependent sport. And because safety at Two-Can Fly Paragliding is always of principle and paramount concern, lessons may or may not last four hours, and may or may not result in any flight time at all. Winds control everything. But with favorable conditions and your successful application of learned paragliding finesse, you’ll more than likely pass your first paragliding lesson with flying colors.