Product Details

• Directors: Paul Hamilton
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• DVD Release Date: August 1, 2002
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1929795408
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,459 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Paragliding, A publication of the United States Hang Gliding Association, April, 1999

"Starting Paragliding" is the latest video release from Paul Hamilton of Adventure Productions. Originally released last summer as "Starting Paragliding, Rough Cuts", it has been updated with new footage and re-cut so paragliding schools can include it in their training. Produced especially to promote the sport of paragliding, it is designed to inspire people who are thinking about taking up paragliding or anyone who wants to see what paragliding is all about. "Starting Paragliding" shows students during their first lessons and covers basic preparation, weather conditions, proper attitude, ground handling, launching, and making those first flights. During simulator instruction students learn turning, pitching, the feeling of the glider, principles for managing the wing in rough air, and advanced techniques [parachute deployment and maneuvers]. Tandem instruction helps to reinforce proper technique. "Starting Paragliding" was designed to be a training tool to aid students in learning more quickly and easily by answering basic questions.

From the Director

"This is a perfect introductory video, very informative and puts the viewer right in the middle of a typical Airplay novice class."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Advice: an alternative to buying this DVD, August 28, 2004

By 

Simon Waddington (Oakland, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting Paragliding (DVD)

I have not seen the DVD hence the neutral 3 star rating. However $29.95 is a lot for 30 minutes, especially considering the reviews by others who have seen it. It is clear that no one learns, or should learn paragliding from a DVD. However if you really want to see instructional footage on a DVD my advice would be to buy the comprehensive, and perhaps definitive book "Paragliding: A Pilot's Training Manual" which includes an 80 minute DVD illustrating all of the critical paragliding techniques (but again is no substitute for instruction). This book is available from Amazon for $39.95 and if out of stock or on a extended delivery schedule you can find it at the USHGA store, and from several other paragliding and hang gliding organizations.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Amateurish--Save Your Money, January 8, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Starting Paragliding (DVD)

Had I not been around other sky sports (sport parachuting and flying) I'd have learned nothing. As it was, I learned little.

The video was all shot on consumer equipment with an unsteady hand and poor sound (no narration, just chopped-up video of a guy talking people through disjointed parts of information). Worst of all, there was nothing that explained the mechanics of flight and paraglider flight in particular, how paragliders' shape affects their handling characteristics, where to learn more information, how to get started, costs of lessons, how long it takes (on average) to solo...nothing.

An extravagant price for 30 minutes of poorly done video.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Done, February 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Starting Paragliding (DVD)

Amateurish and poorly edited, the DVD was very disjointed. The material didn't flow well, there was no information on where and how to obtain lessons or puchase equipment, nothing on how lessons or equipment work.