Several years ago I went with three other PPG pilots on
a free-flight paragliding trip to the world class flying site at Valle
de Bravo, Mexico . You can read about our trip at www.flyohio.com/Mexico.html.
An interesting side trip took us to one of just
a few locations in Mexico where Monarch
butterflies travel from northeastern US and Canada to their
isolated ancestral wintering grounds in the volcanic mountains of
central Mexico near Valle de Bravo. In studying the butterflies,
I discovered there are similarities between the life of the
butterfly and learning to fly powered paragliders that can help us.
Aspiring PPG pilots initially come to PPG after a
lifelong fascination and involvement with paper
airplanes, stunt kites, remote control aircraft, parachutes, GA
airplanes, Flight Simulator, and more! Much like the
butterfly, we seem to have an inborn bent chromosome that says
"You must fly!" It does not seem to be heredity that drives us -
I am sure my parents thought I was crazy the first time
I introduced them to this PPG thing I do. Your
family and friends may think you are absolutely nuts. Hang
in there though, the reality of PPG is even better than the dream.
A butterfly starts out as an earthbound caterpillar walking the
earth with only a dream to someday, somehow fly free from the
earth's grasp. The preparation for flight takes place in the
crucible of the cocoon. The effort in the cocoon is
what allows the caterpillar to fly as a butterfly. If you attempt
to prevent the butterfly's struggle by scoring the side of the cocoon
with a pen knife to help it break through its cocoon early, you doom
the butterfly to a life without flight. We know that the labor of
breaking down and rebuilding of muscle is the key to increasing
strength. It is the delay, the struggle, and eventual
persistence of the caterpillar to break out of the cocoon that
makes the butterfly strong and prepares it for the
magnificence of flight. Aspiring PPG pilots need to
understand the lesson of the butterfly. There is period of time
in the crucible of preparation and training that is hard, frustrating,
and intimidating that must be overcome. The hump-day
in the PPG training process is not only physical (the
muscles can hurt), but mental as well. I faced that
hump-day when, as a PPG student, I woke up one morning and
said "Why am I doing this? Maybe I should quit." As an
aspiring PPG pilot, that is the point in time you must be prepared
for. The best instructor cannot do for you - what you must do for
yourself. Your own resolve to enjoy this amazing
form of flight will see you through to unbelievable
experiences. I have a friend, Chris Kairys,
that almost quit during his training, but persisted and
has since flown PPG all over the world. Read his story
at www.flyohio.com/Testimonials.html.
People have been dreaming to fly like we do for thousands of
years. Leonardo DiVinci's feet never even left the ground
in flight, but he is credited by some with penning the most famous of
all aviation quotes: "When once you have tasted flight, you will
forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you
have been, and there you will always long to
return." We are indeed fortunate to live in this time
and place in human history where we get to experience this fantastic
form of flight called powered paragliding. Who would ever
think that the words of Isaiah 40:31 would come true in my
life? "Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles."
Stick to the dream of PPG flight and the sky will literally
be your playground.
Bruce Brown is a USPPA tandem instructor who owns and operates Ohio Powered Paragliding near Toledo, Ohio. He can be contacted at 419-823-1270 or brucebrown@wcnet.org.
Bruce Brown is a USPPA tandem instructor who owns and operates Ohio Powered Paragliding near Toledo, Ohio. He can be contacted at 419-823-1270 or brucebrown@wcnet.org.