Product Description
Comprehensive presentation of all you need to know about paragliding. Comprises 117 pages of text and illustrations. ... Read more

Product Description
this revised 6th edition comprises 117 pages and includes illustrations. ... Read more

Product Description
this is the only complete book with regards to foot launched powered paragliding . This book is a groundschool handbook as well as a general knowledge handbook for everybody in the industry . It covers theory of flight , normal procedures , emergency procedures and many more subjects . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

excellent!
Well spent money. Good (very good) introduction to powered paragliding. Not perfect, but a good handle on what you are dealing with. Canadian author, and theyn have more regs. than we (U.S.) do,soa little warning.Very Good Book.Very highly recomended by me. I*ll keep this one for reference. still have not found a good technical book. But this is a VERY good starting pont(teaches some of the questions)

Powered Paragliders Take Note!
This training manual is a good source of information about learning to flyPPGs, some of which I haven't seen anywhere else. This isn't a book ABOUTparagliding, but a training manual on how to learn to fly and fly safely.There are sections on technical topics, such as wing dynamics, 2-cycleengines, and propeller torque effect; as well as sections on pre-flightchecks, take-off techniques, landing, regulations and rules of the air, and emergency procedures, to name a few. All in all, the manual contains agreat deal of useful information to complement flight instruction (but byno means should be used as a substitute for professional flightinstruction). Many typos and a few drawings that look like they were madewith an etch-a-sketch detract from the overall quality. Nevertheless, thereis lots of good information here. The section on Emergency Procedures isthorough and excellent. ... Read more

Product Description
Gliding - Lift (soaring), Hang gliding, Paragliding,Glider(sailplane), Motor glider, Military glider, Dynamicsoaring,FAI Gliding Commission, Paul MacCready, Emergencylanding,Aerobatics, Radio-controlled glider, Wingsuit flying,Powered hang glider, Gliding competitions, Flying andgliding animals ... Read more

Product Description
Paragliding. Parachute, Unpowered aircraft, Powered paragliding, Torrey Pines Gliderport, World Air Games, Parasailing, Airfoil, Carabiner, Gliding (flight) ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A pathfinder is a paratrooper who is inserted or dropped into place in order to set up and operate drop zones, pickup zones, and helicopter landing sites for airborne operations, air resupply operations, or other air operations in support of the ground unit commander. Pathfinders use a wide array of skills including air traffic control, ground-to-air communications, sling load operations and inspections, and drop zone and helicopter landing zone support in order to ensure the mission is a success. During World War II, the pathfinders were a group of volunteers selected within the Airborne units who were specially trained to operate navigation aids to guide the main airborne body to the drop zones. The pathfinder teams (sticks) were made up of a group of eight to twelve pathfinders and a group of six bodyguards whose job was to defend the pathfinders while they set up their equipment. ... Read more

Product Description
What's it like to fly a powered paraglider? What's it like to fly like a bird? What's it like to strap an engine and wing to your back and run into the sky? Now you can find out! RUNNING INTO THE SKY follows the adventures of ultralight pilot Chris Wolf as he learns to fly a powered paraglider - the world's smallest powered aircraft! Even if you're not a pilot, you'll enjoy reading this book!

Wolf shares with his readers the incredible exhilarations--and pitfalls--experienced with powered paragliding. Especially valuable for novices, "Running Into The Sky!" provides an honest appraisal of what one can expect to experience in this emerging sport. Told by one who's been there, this book contains many useful tips and provides a wealth of information not found elsewhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Good Start
I entered paragliding/paramotoring kind of opposite of the author but the two sports are so closely related that I'll be buying a paramotor before too long. I ran across an ad back in 1992? for the pagojet. I was 17 at the time and since the end of high school was coming up I had to get a job and quickly forgot about the pagojet. Fast forward 17 years, my buddy forwarded me a link off of youtube for wingsuits/base jumping, I watched and link surfed to paragliding. I did a quick google search for paragliding and found an instructor nearby. After reading this book I learned how fortunate I was to find the instructor I did. I read through this book with my mouth wide open and saying "no effing way" alot. I got lucky. I would not have been as safety conscious as the author. I would have likely pressed ahead despite the dangers of an unsafe instructor. I cannot stress enough how important it is to freely exchange info with your instructor. If you ever feel like you should not ask a question because it might make you feel or look stupid, then you are with the wrong instructor. This book is very good at illustrating this point. It's your life and your money, try not to be foolish with either.

Icarius experience
I give this book five stars for exceeding my expectations in doing exactly what it promised to do: give the reader a detailed, candid account of what is involved in learning to power paraglide. The author recounts his own training in meticulous yet light-hearted fashion, providing a vicarious experience that is both informative and enjoyable to read. To add an extra level of perspective and validity, he also includes relevant experiences of his flying partner. Since we are not all of the same size or athletic ability, it added a realistic cautionary note to learn of the latter's struggles.

Not glossing over hypothetical or real dangers was one of the attributes I most appreciated in this book. In discussing such pitfalls, including his own fractured rib, Mr. Wolf is always brutally honest and yet constructively insightful. He finishes most chapters with a "what would I have done differently?" summary. I found this an excellent feature.

About one-quarter of the book deals with his extensive training in unpowered paragliding, which he subsequently regrets as being unnecessary in his pursuit of powered flight. At first this seemed like a distraction, but in the end I found it helpfully consistent with the goal of describing the pros and cons of various paths a reasonable person might take in mastering the sport.

This comprehensive and unbiased review of both the joys and risks of the sport will ensure prospective students are fully informed before undertaking it. I can't think of a better investment of $27.95.

A good reading from paramotor pilots
I really enjoyed this book. I have been flying for about a year and this book was like a journal of my own experiences. Very nice for pilots, prospective pilots and people in general interested in to understand better the feelings and reasons why people fly.

this book is a time-saver
Written with simple language. But technically detailed.
Everything of described within can be found on inet in forums, etc. But it takes only a couple of evenings to read this book instead of weeks of googling.

Do You Have Flying Dreams?
This is a fun, funny, informative book.Once you start reading you don't want to put it down.If you have ever had those dreams where you just start flying,this book will start you thinking, "I can really do that!".

I immediately started day-dreaming about paramotoring and couldn't get it out of my head, like listening to an old fashioned love song.

... Read more

Product Description
Georgia Thompson Brownis life follows the history of aviation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Left me wanting more
The story of Tiny Broderick, an early exhibition parachute jumper and pioneer in her own right, is a fascinating one. This book certainly does much to try to illustrate Tiny's life and her accomplishments. Tiny is known as the first woman to jump from an airplane and the first person to jump from a seaplane to the water using a parachute. Coming from a very poor background and with few prospects for the future, the story of how she managed to make a niche for herself is another one of those stories which you would swear it wasn't true, if it didn't take place in America. My main issue is that the book left you wanting more. The context of the times in which Tiny lived and worked I don't believe were discussed much. The photographs used in the book were good, but many are of Tiny with celebrities, with little or no information on when or where or why they were taken.

Still, the story is what makes this book and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in one of American aviation's pioneers.

A Remarkable Woman, a Remarkable Story.
Tiny (Georgia Ann Thompson) Broadwick was the first woman to jump from an airplane, the first person to jump from a float plane, the first to make an intentional water jump from an airplane and the first to make a manually-operated parachute jump and all these records were prior to 1915. Tiny Broadwick demonstrated that parachutes could be used repeatedly, that escape from a damaged airplane was possible, that you would not pass out in freefall and that a woman could do something most men would not do. This book recounts history of a person that deserves greater recognition. It is easy and fun to read. As a skydiver (1,200 jumps, D-454), pilot (SEL & gliders, hang gliders and paragliders),author and publisher of seven books on parachutes and skydiving, I recommend this book to those interested in aviation and pioneering women. --Dan Poynter, Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook.

One Worth Having
This small book presents the story of Tiny Broadwick (true name Georgia Ann Thompson), pioneer parachutist. Ms. Roberson has made an honest and capable attempt at telling us about Tiny's life and her book has many uncommon images of Tiny. The book suffers in its fact checking, however, as at least one of the "firsts" claimed for Tiny was not hers. Self-effacing as she was, Tiny would have been among the first to correct such erroneous enthusiasms. Still and all, while the reader may have to exercise caution about the captions under photographs and should be careful of accepting without question all of the dates and events presented, this is certainly a book well worth having, reading and enjoying.

First Lady Early Bird
I started reading this book at nine in the evening and couldn't put it down. I first learned a little about "Tiny's" career back in June of 1997. I had started to build a website which featured the career of my father-in-law, Walter E. Lees, a member of the Early Birds of Aviation. He had soloed in 1913 and references to Tiny kept popping up among his collection of memorabilia. I finally accumulated enough bits and pieces to build a page for her on my "Early Bird" site, but it only told a part of her story. This book, by Elizabeth Roberson, with its many anecdotes and photographs, satisfies my curiosity about the life of this unique woman. I can recommend it very highly to all aviation history buffs or to anyone who is interested in the story of a remarkable person. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A very exciting book
This has got to be one of my favourite books ever. It's very short, but it's the only book I can remember that literally made my heart beat faster as I was reading. Surprisingly, Jakeman is a good writer and he conveys the darker side of his obsession with great skill. His forays into Zen philosophy could have been heavy-handed but instead they are handled with eloquence and economy. Although Jakeman seems to invoke artistic licence for some of the narrative (rival groups of BASE jumpers bumping into each other at the foot of the Barbican Centre, for example), he pulls no punches in describing the often brutal outcome of his sport. The result is a visceral, spine-tingling and extremely engaging book. The only surprise is that he doesn't seem to have written anything since. Er...

Zen and the Art of BASE jumping
It's lean on actual base jumping stories/adventures, and heavy on pretentious Zen philosophy.I was hoping for a juicy double-burger with cheese and special sauce, and I got a veggie burger with sprouts!The book's title and fantastic cover shot certainly suggests otherwise, so I was annoyed to discover no beef. It's no page turner, but at least Jakeman states his case for Zen/BASE very well.Those involved in the sport might like it more than the rest of us.But if reading this book made me better understand what a BASE jumper is made of (sprouts?), then it was worth while ifnot -- ironically -- very exciting.

Marred by author's attempts to be profound
As one of very few books written about the fringe sport of BASE jumping, Groundrush offers unique insight into the mind of a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie.From his days as a construction laborer in London, to his nomadic travels through the English country (where he lived day-to-day sometimes packing parachutes to support his skydiving habit), to his harrowing building jumps, author Simon Jakeman paints a surprisingly literate portrait of a man in touch with his mortality.Distracting, however, are his attempts to justify his deadly habit with pretentious references to Zen "now" philosophy.Though technically accurate, and beautifully stated, such references were -- even for this experienced skydiver and BASE jumper -- a tough sell and, in places, laughable.I also found the author's heroic tone and "carrion man" motif -- a pretentious & distracting attempt to personify the carnage in the story -- to be a bit awkward.Ironically, some of the book’s most enjoyable moments were passages where the author simply described his life as a construction worker.Characterizing the challenge posed by this physically demanding profession, Jakeman quotes a co-worker as saying "If you want to run with the big dogs, you have to ... high."To this reader, Groundrush's appeal might have been greater had the author "... a bit lower". Although coloring the sport of BASE jumping in hues of Zen is more appropriate than the non-jumping public will likely ever realize, the heroic "you’d admire me if you understood me" tone I perceived between the lines only detracted from the already lean narrative.

GROUNDRUSH- Parachuting Extreme!
GROUNDRUSH

BASE jumping- an acronym for Building, Antenna (TV/radio masts), Spans (bridges), Earth (cliffs), is one of the fastest growing sports around.

Simon Jakeman and his colleagues head for Cheddar in Somerset, and there they jump from a 360ft glistening limestone cliff into the awaiting gorge below... then tragedy strikes.....

Jakeman luckily escapes unscathed from his freefall descent, only to find that word has travelled fast and he finds himself "blacklisted" from various airfields. Nevertheless undeterred he continues BASE jumping this time from a 1000 foot TV mast, and later tower blocks in London. Plenty of suspense, comedy and tragedy are played out far below the recommended 2000ft parachuting rulebook allowance!

Jakeman's own Kamakura-Zen philiosophy captures the very essense of life and individualism. His ethics and self-regulating professionalism are to be admired. A true message of living for the "now". A true spirit of the air, seeking to free himself from the norm, if only for a few seconds!

An excellent piece of work, a book for the individualist, complete with tales of fear and bravery. Definately needs reprinting. Get a copy if you can. You wont regret it.

Jim

Excellent Book on Basejumping
This book describes Simon's journey from parachutist to parachuting bum to addicted Basejumper.He attempts to explain why he keeps doing it despite death and horrible injuries to friends and himself.At one stage he spent every spare night wandering the city alone in full basejumping kit trying fire escape doors in the hope of getting onto a roof to jump from.

A compelling insight into the mind of a base jumper. Almost good enough to make you want to hurl yourself off a very tall object. ... Read more

Product Description
Feel the heat as you trek over active volcanoes in Volcanoes National Park. Get back to nature on a secluded fern grotto swimming trip. Explore the rainforest on your way to hidden lagoons where you can bathe sans clothing. Scuba dive in undiscovered caves. Kayak your way around deserted offshore islands. Paraglide from Popoli State Park, at 6,400 feet, down to the beaches. You can do it, and Brad Olsen shows you how. Includes extreme mountain biking, trekking, snowboarding, surfing, hang-gliding, diving, partying and much more.

The next time you're in Hawaii's tropical paradise, you'll have absolutely no excuses for not pushing the vacation envelope. With this concise, well-crafted guide tucked in your back pocket, you'll be considered armed and dangerous, and poised for a huge variety of radical island excursions. From scuba-diving explorations of Lanai's enchanting choral cathedrals to magic-mushroom excavation in West Maui's Hobbit Land, Extreme Hawaii outlines hundreds of intense and uniquely Hawaiian daily expeditions. The author's thorough and exhaustive research (he gets paid to do this?) is apparent as you thumb through the diverse assortment of sporting options and adventures. You'll be hip to the local surf spots, waterfall-diving opportunities, snorkeling locales, mountain-bike trails, white-water kayaking, and even snowboarding possibilities on top of Hawaii's tallest volcano, Mauna Kea on the Big Island.--Lance Judd (Amazon.com)

If you've seen enough of the standard guides on Hawaii, try this one out as an alternative to the regularity of the norm. We discovered lots of amazing "locals only" secrets from this book. You will too if you are going to HI for outdoor activity.--David Santosh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unique
Feel the heat as you trek over active volcanoes in Volcanoes National Park. Get back to nature on a secluded fern grotto swimming trip. Explore the rainforest on your way to hidden lagoons where you can bathe sans clothing. Scuba dive in undiscovered caves. Kayak your way around deserted offshore islands. Paraglide from Popoli State Park, at 6,400 feet, down to the beaches. You can do it, and Brad Olsen shows you how. Includes extreme mountain biking, trekking, snowboarding, surfing, hang-gliding, diving, partying and much more.

The next time you're in Hawaii's tropical paradise, you'll have absolutely no excuses for not pushing the vacation envelope. With this concise, well-crafted guide tucked in your back pocket, you'll be considered armed and dangerous, and poised for a huge variety of radical island excursions. From scuba-diving explorations of Lanai's enchanting choral cathedrals to magic-mushroom excavation in West Maui's Hobbit Land, Extreme Hawaii outlines hundreds of intense and uniquely Hawaiian daily expeditions. The author's thorough and exhaustive research (he gets paid to do this?) is apparent as you thumb through the diverse assortment of sporting options and adventures. You'll be hip to the local surf spots, waterfall-diving opportunities, snorkeling locales, mountain-bike trails, white-water kayaking, and even snowboarding possibilities on top of Hawaii's tallest volcano, Mauna Kea on the Big Island.--Lance Judd (Amazon.com)

If you've seen enough of the standard guides on Hawaii, try this one out as an alternative to the regularity of the norm. We discovered lots of amazing "locals only" secrets from this book. You will too if you are going to HI for outdoor activity.--David Santosh ... Read more

Product Description
Skydiving is the closest humankind can come to unfettered flight. Parachuting, The Skydiver’s Handbook helps both novice and experienced jumpers get the most out of the sport. The book details every phase of skydiving, canopy flying, safety, and equipment. It thoroughly explores freefall progression, learning to skydive, canopy progression and formation flying, specialized jumping, and every aspect of parachutes. With hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and charts, this revised and updated edition conforms with the new regulations of the U.S. Parachute Association.Amazon.com Review
A free-falling parachuter, strapped onto a snowboard with aCheshire grin and arms spread wide, graces the book's cover (as doeshis recently departed airplane, pitched at a rather precariousangle). Don't be misled: only a few pages of The Skydiver'sHandbook are dedicated to skysurfing, one of the more radicalaspects of parachuting. Instead, Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff'sparachuting guide is exhaustive, addressing all levels and styles ofskydiving, and providing a glut of like resources. The guide openswith a why-do-this analogy: "If riding in an airplane isflying, then riding in a boat is swimming. If you wantto experience the element, get out of the vehicle." Novice skydiverswill learn the basics, from tarmac preparation to the first staticline jump. And yes, experienced jumpmasters will find enough advancedmaterial to hold their interest: free fall and canopy progression,equipment updates, and emergency procedures. All readers willappreciate the glossary and the lists of skydiving centers, parachuteequipment dealers, and literary material. --Rob McDonald ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Gotta have it
Really cool book, if you are not a skydiver yet and you want to learn about it this is the way to go

A Tired, Old Book, In Need Of Retirement...
I didn't care for this book. The (supposed) principle author, is a retired chairman of the board for USPA. As well as former president of the parachute industry association. Most of the cited credits are from the old boy network. The author's general writing style is a bit condescending, & off-putting. Thankfully, most of this book was actually written by many contributing writers. Almost all pictures date from the original release of this book, in the 70's. There is a lot of outdated, useless data included here. Punctuated w/interspersed blurbs of updated info. A lot of the equipment covered is only viewable in the Smithsonian, nowadays. Is there also useful data? You bet. Did I learn a few things from this book? Yes. I'm new to the sport, & will take qualified info where I can find it. There's nothing that wouldn't be a part of any 6hr ground school course for an "A" license, though. The wealth of outdated data, combined w/the author's off-putting style, make me wish I'd passed on this book. It has been through TEN revisions @this point, spanning decades. It's now a hodgepodge of various articles, really. Cobbled together by an editor for re-release, & maybe another paycheck. Happily, I bought it used. So, I didn't pay much @all for it.

There are other books available for this purpose. These other books were written by concerned, caring, fellow enthusiasts (who happen to already be rated up the wazoo). When an instructor truly loves to teach, & spread the joy. You get much, much more from the encounters. Unfortunately, this book, IMHO, falls @the other end of the spectrum.

Excellent skydiving book for reference prior, during and after training
I found this skydiving book to be an excellent choice for those seeking more knowledge in the world of skydiving. I found a lot of information that I will keep coming back to reading about when I feel it is time for a refresher in all aspects of skydiving. I was also in the market for my first parachute rig and needed to find out more on where to go for my first rig, I found that the book was limited inthis type of information. But, in the back of the book there are references which gave me contacts on where to go, this made it worth while. I definetly would recommend it to those seeking more information dealing with the sport of skydiving. I now take the book with me to work so I can tap into answers on questions that I have about the sport when ever they pop up.
For the price of this book you can not go wrong. It just about covers everything about the sport of sky diving.

good information
i bought this book just before taking aff to help me mentally prepare. it is full of alot of practical information, it's easy to read and understand, and it has really helped me get familiar with skydiving before actually going solo. the only drawback is that it is a little outdated in terms of some of the gear and few other things. if you read it as an intro to the sport to prepare, it's great. in the end, listen to your instructors.

The Skydiver's Handbook
The Skydivers Handbook is the complete package. Everything about sport parachuting is explained in detail, with numerous illustrations. ... Read more