Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 24 H A N G G L I D I N G SKY DIVING If you get a wild hair and want to try something rad, you can sky dive right here in Montana. Start with a tandem jump harnessed to an expert instructor. Fly to between 9,000 and 13,000 feet and, yes, jump right out of a perfectly good airplane! After the adrenaline rush of free fall comes the joy of the parachute flight, high over Big Sky Country. Modern parachutes are similar to the curved fabric wings used for paragliding, and are very steerable. ey allow for pinpoint landings and easy touchdowns. If you want to move beyond tandem jumps and learn solo, free- fall skydiving, take an AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) certification course to advance from novice to solo free fall jumper. ere are seven levels to AFF certification and you must pass each one before advancing to the next. ese skydiving outlets offer beginning (tandem) jumps, AFF lessons, and the opportunity to earn your United States Parachute Association Certification: DZONE Skydiving in ree Forks (406) 586-JUMP. A basic tandem jump costs $288.00 with additional fees for video and still photography. Skydivebozeman.com. Skydiving.com, Billings: (406) 272-4028 Sky Dive Lost Prairie, Marion, Montana. Skydivelostprairie.com HANG GLIDING Hang gliding and paragliding are sister sports that give you the ability to fly without a motor or airplane. Pilots can launch from a hill or cliff and fly for hours, enjoying unparalleled views of the rugged Montana landscape. Pilots describe hang gliding and paragliding as extremely peaceful, unlike motorized flying. Paul Roys of Five Valley Hang Gliding says "ere's no vibration, no noise." He calls the experience "magical" and "surreal." Don McCue, a Livingston-area hang glider pilot, says hang gliding is "not an extreme sport. It's peaceful and serene up there." A hang glider consists of a rigid, delta-shaped wing on a triangular frame. Pilots ride in a prone position in a harness suspended below the wing. Some use a sleeping-bag-like compartment for warmth and com- fort. Pilots steer by weight shifts and a steering bar. Experienced pilots can travel hundreds of kilometers in a single flight. e world record is a 475- mile, 11-hour flight. An average flight would be closer to one or two hours. Hang gliders can be folded down to fit on a car roof and carried on foot short distances to launch sites. ey typically weight 50 to 100 pounds, and are capable of faster flight than paragliders. Instruction is available from Paul Roys at Fivevalleyhanggliding. com, (406) 203 2695. Tandem flight packages cost $175 (where Paul controls the glider and you ride along), and a "flatland orienta- tion" package (get the bare bones basics of the sport) is $250. Clark Fork crossing with Steubs PAUL ROYS IF YOU GET A WILD HAIR AND WANT TO TRY SOMETHING RAD, YOU CAN FLY RIGHT HERE IN MONTANA

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