Parasailing Vs. Hang Gliding - What's the Difference?

Parasailing is a recreational sport that began in the early 1960s when a man named Pierre Lamoigne attached a parachute to his car. Not to be confused with hang-gliding, parasailing (also known as parascending) is achieved when a person is attached to an open parachute and harnessed to a moving car or, in most cases, a boat, and the vehicle drives off at high speed, lifting the parasailer (or pilot) into the air.

The thrill and excitement of being airborne has made parasailing a popular family sport. There are parasailing locations all over the United States and the world, but the open spaces and beautiful landscapes make Nevada the perfect place for land parasailing. Land-based parasailing has even been formed into a competition sport in Northern Europe and Finland. The first international competitions were held in 2004. The contest is in two parts: first, dropping or throwing a parasailer to a target; second, accuracy landing.

Many people confuse parasailing with hang gliding, but they are very different sports. The difference between parasailing and hang-gliding is the equipment and how the light aircraft are power and controlled. In parasailing, a moving high speed vehicle is required to pull the pilot harnessed to a parachute up into the air and keep the parachute aloft. With hang gliding, however, the pilot is attached to a frame, and once up in the air, the pilot propels the aircraft with his or her own power without the help of another vehicle.

Like hang gliding, though, parasailing is as safe a sport as the person pursuing it and can be dangerous if undertaken carelessly. Parasailing should only be attempted in the proper weather conditions, and the equipment should be both industry standard and in good shape. Potential parasailers are urged to get training from certified parasailing instructors before taking their first solo parasailing flights.

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How to Overcome Your Parasailing Fears

"Go fly a kite!" Someone could tell you when they want you to disappear. What if you could ride a kite? Try the next best thing - parasailing. But maybe you and heights and the ocean are not having that great of a relationship so far. Here is why and how a parasailing experience can help you and these fears go fly!

Parasailing is relatively safe. In this activity most participants are inexperienced and untrained. However, before parasailing it is best to be aware of safety tips, alerts and approved parasail operators and locations. You may even want to go to the extent of researching about parasailing equipment manufacturers to pacify related uncertainties. Overall, parasailing is one of the safest activities. Commonly done above water, unexpected landings can be much softer and less of a hard impact.

The popularity of parasailing has made way for state and local licensing to be accessible to people who want to be parasail operators and service providers. So before embarking on a parasailing adventure, make sure that the people assisting you (including boat drivers) are duly licensed and trained.

The safety in parasailing starts with established operators and trained professionals. They'll educate you on some of the precautions and can even postpone a parasailing activity if needed. One of the factors that can postpone parasailing is high winds (over 18 knots). High winds can increase difficulty and complicate emergency water landings. Rain, fog or a looming storm are also reasons for halting parasailing. Visibility is crucial to both parasailer and the parasail crew.

A standard pre-flight safety briefing is done for both new and seasoned parasailers. This is non-negotiable. The briefing is about the description of the activity itself, the safety precautions and procedure in the event of unforeseen emergencies. Safety procedures include hand signals when up in the air, evacuation procedures during water landing, or boat fire and capsizing.

Parasailing gives you the exuberance of feeling free once you are high up. None the less, altitude restrictions play a very big role in a participant's safety. Altitudes of more than 600 feet are not recommended especially in close proximity to shorelines and other objects. Hand signals are used by the parasailer to communicate with the boat crew, which is the reason why the advised altitude over oceans is 600 feet and 300 feet over small lakes and bays.

With good weather conditions and an experienced crew utilizing the right equipment, parasailing can be a safe and thrilling adventure. Now that you are equipped with the information you need, all that is left is for you to strap up to the gear, loosen up on the fears and just let it fly!

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