Tandem Paragliding Flights and Gift Certificates

 

The dream of flying has inspired our imagination for thousands of years. From the Greek myths of "Icarus and Daedelus" to the early experiments of DaVinci, to the poetic writings  of Richard Bach we seem fascinated by the adventure of flight. Have you ever watched a bird soaring in the sky and wondered what that would be like ?

A Tandem paragliding discovery flight with Free Spirit Paragliding makes it possible for almost anyone to fulfill the dream of flight.

With appropriate assistance and favorable wind and weather,  tandem paragliding  allows even those with serious limitations to experience the freedom and exhilaration of flying silently like a bird. We have helped 80 year old men and women  and 10 year old children( with parental authorization) enjoy the joy of flying.

If you can run a few steps on a gentle slope you can fly with a tandem paragliding instructor at the flight controls running behind you steering and controlling the paraglider. Blind folks and people with artificial limbs have  been able to experience flying tandem. If you can overcome any preconceived thoughts about flying, what other self imposed limitations can you overcome in your life ?

John has also helped hundreds of people walk across hot coals in firewalking experiences a trained firewalk facilititator with Anthony Robbins. It is amazing what we can do when we beyond limiting beliefs and fears. Many people who thought tandem paragliding would be really scary or an extreme sport adrenaline rush are surprised by the tranquility they experienced once they relaxed and just savored each moment of flying free. He is a Yale graduate who works as a consultant at Microsoft, Boeing, and other companies when he is not paragliding or teaching people to learn to fly. John lives with his wife Kathy in Carnation with a view of Tiger Mt and big fields nearby to land in.

John Clifford has been flying paragliders for over 9 years and has logged over 1,100 flights. John is a tandem paragliding instructor certified by the United States Hanggliding and Paragliding Association. John teaches new pilots how to fly safely with the help of other experienced instructors as appropriate. John  has been fortunate to study with award winning instructors including Chris Santacroce, Scotty Marion, Dixon White, and Rob Sporrer. John believes in continuously improving his skills by flying with the world’s best pilots in paragliding competitions around the world. John enjoys the freedom, adventure, and joy of soaring with the eagles and silently connecting with nature. Each flight is a fresh experience to encounter Mother nature and see what gifts she will offer each moment, a concentrated taste of being in the moment with no worries about the past or your to do list.

 On your tandem paragliding flight you will enjoy an amazing unobstructed view of the countryside as you soar over Tiger Mountain 10 minutes off I 90 in Issaquah Washington just outside of Seattle.

Eagle flying with a tandem paraglider at Tiger Mountain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tandem Paragliding front view

 

 

 

 Free Spirit Paragliding uses a larger sized Tandem Paraglider designed to carry the weight of two people. Each person has their own harness to sit in while flying. The passenger and instructor are connected together with spreader bars. The tandem paraglding instructor sits in the back and the passenger sits in the front. We organize our equipment and do a simulation rbefore our actual launch. The instructor double checks your buckles and straps, clips you in, and we turn and wait for a nice launch cycle.

 

When the wind is right we count down 3-2-1 Run. We get the wing flying before we leave the ground  by running together on a gentle slope as the wing comes overhead into the flying position.We run a few steps and then are lifted gently off the ground.

How long the flight last depends on conditions. Average tandem paragliding flights last from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. Many flights last over an hour when the conditions are favorable.

Plan on being at Tiger mountain for 2 to 3 hours or possibly longer including the travel time up the mountain. Tiger Mountain Shuttle offers a ride to the top of the mountain for $15 and leaves the Landing field at 12:30, 2:30, 4:45 and 6:15 pm every day that it is flyable. Look for a blue van with a rack on top with paragliders parked near the paragliding kiosk. The ride up the hill to our mountain launch takes about 45 minutes. If you prefer hiking the vertical climb is about 1500 feet and takes about an hour. Here is map to our landing field where we meet:

directions are:

From I-5, drive I-90 east to exit 17, "Front Street Issaquah " exit. Go right (south) on Front Street for three miles.  Tiger Mountain landing field is on the left. Look for cars parked on side of the road ,wind socks, landing field and paragliders, and a  parking lot. If parking lot is full you can park on street but pay attention to signs posted to limit parking to certain areas. You can call John on his cell when you arrive at the field at least 15 minutes before a scheduled shuttle.

 

 We meet our passengers at the Tiger Mountain landing field at 11200 Issaquah Hobart Rd SE  Issaquah, WA 98027 .

 

For google maps go here:

 Call John at 425 549 0073 ( cell 206 853 3203 )before 10 am on the day your flight is scheduled to check the current weather conditions.

Once on the launch at Poo Poo Point or the South Launch of Tiger Mt., we will choose the best time to launch to have an enjoyable tandem paragliding flight. Free Spirit Paragliding is proud of flying safely for 9 years and uses certified and tested equipment and extra care to continue providing an exhilarating  and fun experience for our passengers.

A tandem paragliding flight at Tiger Mountain includes :

An  introduction to how paragliders fly and the FAA exemption which allows tandem paragliding.

 A discussion of favorable wind and weather to  fly a tandem paraglider.

How a tandem paraglider launches, turns, and lands

During the flight we may discuss:

How the paraglider uses thermals and ridge lift to gain altitude

Demonstration of turns, pitch control of a paraglider,  adjusting the speed of the paraglider and maintaining safe clearance from terrain and other paragliders

The passenger can control the glider if conditions allow

Explanation of paraglider  landing techniques

Why the eagle flying nearby always seems to get higher than we do  

You will have time to take pictures or video while we fly

After the flight:

Discussion of flight and answering questions

Tandem Paraglider side view

 

The passenger is flying in the front seat exposed to the wind.The temperature at our launch altitude of about 1700 feet and above can be chilly even when it is warm on the ground. You can prepare for lower temperatures by wearing layers of  clothes including a windbreaker type jacket and long pants or jeans. This picture is late summer and we recommend dressing more warmly.

Tandem passenger sits in front

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following clothing is recommended.

• Hiking boots, ankle support with good traction  
• Pants, jeans Warm clothing layers and a Jacket
• Warm gloves

You may bring a compact camera if you wish.

Some views you might experience:

 

View looking East towards Mt Si and I 90 freeway

 

View looking to downtown Seattle across Mercer Island and Lake Washington with I 90 bridge

Sunset on a tandem

We are available seven days a week if you schedule in advance.

 Our ability to launch and fly safely is dependent on the weather. We might need to reschedule your flight due to conditions.

A Tandem Gift Certificate makes an unforgettable and unique gift idea.

We look forward to sharing your first paragliding flight with you.

 

Call John Clifford

425 549 0073 or 206 853 3203 cell

email John@FreeSpiritParagliding.com

 

 with any questions and to reserve a time for your tandem paragliding adventure

 

 

 

John after hiking up a mountain to paraglide  near Sun Valley, Idaho

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frequently asked questions about paragliding:

Paragliding began in France in 1978 as a way for mountain climbers to descend mountains after climbing up. Today over 100,000 people paraglide all over the world. There are about 5,000 paraglider pilots in the US and the  Seattle area enjoys the largest paragliding club in the country with an abundance of great places to fly.

You launch by jogging a few steps down a slope to pull the paraglider up overhead before being lifted off .We don’t jump off a cliff (base jumping) or get towed behind a boat (parasailing) or jump out of a plane (skydiving)

You control the paraglider with a toggle in each hand to steer left and right and fly fast or slow

• You can steer the paraglider quite easily and an experienced pilot can land very accurately in small spaces

A paraglider with the harness weighs about 40 pounds and fits into a backpack

We don’t paraglide in rain or very strong winds.

A paraglider can climb in warm rising air (thermals) up to the clouds and fly long distances. The distance record paragliding flight form Tiger Mt is 48 miles and John has flown from Tiger to Enumclaw 3 times in spring of 2007 ( pictures online here:

You can fly a paraglider for hours from a ridge only 150 ft high with the right wind ( see pictures of paragliding at Ft Ebey on Whidbey Island here )

Most people find a  paraglider easier to fly than a hang glider and it packs into a backpack for easy transport and travel

We land a tandem paraglider slowly and softly by applying the brakes all the way just before landing. It feels like stepping off a chairlift when you are skiing.

Copyright 2007 John Clifford Free Spirit Paragliding