Okinawa Powered Paragliding Experience (Family Flights Available)

Activity Information

• Session Arrangement: Morning Session & Afternoon Session
• Time and Location: Take-off locations are usually in Nakagusuku Village, Uruma City, or Yomitan Village, which are about 40-60 minutes by car from Naha City. The exact location will be adjusted based on the wind direction on the day of the experience. The meeting time and location will be confirmed with you before the experience.
• Experience Length: 10-15 minutes.
• About Transportation: Pick-up and drop-off services are not available. Please arrange your own transportation.

Activity Introduction

• Powered paragliding is a personal recreational aircraft that uses an engine to fly in the sky, combining a paraglider and an engine power unit. Throughout the activity, participants will fly with an instructor who will control the direction, so participants only need to enjoy the scenery from the sky.

ー Frequently Asked Questions ー Q: How safe is paragliding? A: Paragliding has been developed for more than 30 years and has a complete set of testing and inspection standards. The wing can automatically recover within a few seconds after being folded by turbulence. There is a fifteen-centimeter-thick sponge or a thirty-centimeter-thick airbag cushion under the seat, and a reserve parachute as a last resort for self-rescue. It can be said that today’s paragliding equipment is very mature and safe. Q: I saw other paragliders flying very high, but the instructor didn’t take me up high. What’s going on? A: Paragliding is an unpowered aircraft and cannot climb to any altitude like an airplane. It must rely on rising thermals to climb. Rising thermals are intermittent, and each one has a different diameter, rate of ascent, and apex. Those particularly high paragliders were lucky enough to catch a strong thermal. So, even though the instructor wants to fly high, the altitude of each flight is unpredictable. Q: What do I need to do to cooperate with the instructor? A: The take-off phase is the only part where you must cooperate with the instructor. First, you must wear shoes suitable for running. When the instructor says “run, run, run” behind you, you must take a big step forward and run until your feet leave the ground and fly out of the take-off field boundary. Often, passengers are afraid and dare not run, and sit down on the ground; and sometimes, because the wind is strong at the moment of take-off, the passenger’s feet are temporarily in the air, and then they sit down, but touch the ground again after a while. Both of these situations should be avoided. Because once the passenger sits down and does not run, the instructor does not have the strength to drag him, and the take-off will fail. Remember, during the take-off process, do everything possible to keep your feet pointing downwards, even if you are temporarily in the air, be prepared to touch the ground and run again until you fly out of the take-off field boundary!