Para Gliding in Himachal

The bald peak of Billing, above the Buddhist Monastery of Bir in Kangra, has been the venue for five national and three international hang gliding rallies since 1984. The site is perfect for para gliding too. And this sport is a mix of sky-diving and hang-gliding. A fairly recent sport that is steadily gaining popularity, para-gliding is possible at various places in the state. Places where para gliding is done regularly are - Bundla Dhar near Bilaspur, in the Kullu valley and at Intkali in the Pabbar valley near Rohru.

Himachal Tourism sponsors training programmes and events at various times of the year. in different places. There is an Adventure Sports Hostel at Dharamshala and an Aero Sports Complex at Bir. For details of training facilities, contact sports associations, or the Divisional Tourism Development Officers of Himachal Tourism.

Hang Gliding is a new sport practised at Billing, 14 km from Bir and is said to be among the finest sites for hanggliding in the world. An annual hanggliding tournament is also held over here.

Hang gliding is usually performed by using air current without an engine power. The pilot is suspended in a swing harness from the centre of the keel and maintains control wholly by weight shift arrangement with the help of airframe. To take off, the pilot runs on a down hill approximately 40-degree slope and is airborne the moment he crosses the gliders stalling speed, which vary from 15-km to 30-km per hour. Soaring can be done by using ridge lifts created by wind striking the hill face or by hot air columns known as "thermals" that keep rising upward from the sun heated surface. One can fly as long as one wishes once he has acquired good experience.