THE RIGHT SIDE OF FUN
We all know paragliding has a flip side to all the fun. The penalty it can impose on us when we are not paying attention or become complacent. The ground hurts, and it is entirely unforgiving. But how dangerous is paragliding really? No one really knows. It’s why, in February, we helped Dr Matt Wilkes carry out the biggest survey of its kind ever done into safety in paragliding. Matt, a mad keen pilot himself, is an adventure medic and researcher who, for the last few years, has been engaged in answering basic questions about our sport. What happens to our heart rates and stress levels when we fly? What do pilots actually do when they try to throw their reserve? How does the cold affect our hands in flight? Cumulatively,…