China may be one of those who fly the highest
Challenge of high altitude flying paragliding ------
I would very much like the air campaign on childhood has been the desire to be like birds in the sky, like free to fly. Glider model from childhood to the later model aircraft, until 13 years ago, I had to learn paragliding, it made me realize what is real freedom of flight.
Because I was so intoxicated with its own way into the sky-blue, then the desire to air rapidly flowing through my skin feel, so soon asked a friend from France to help me buy a top paragliding, often went to Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the vicinity of mountain flying umbrella However, relatively low altitude. Since last year to go mountain climbing in Tibet, I have a bold idea --- that is, next time try to come to Tibet's high altitude flying umbrella, so when I decided this year, when he went mountain climbing in Tibet, it was decided to go to achieve their own this dream, carrying my beloved paragliding to Tibet.
KK just my son has been just over a year old birthday, I would like to express their joy as a father, and sent copies of a special gift to my wife and son, I will be that our English name "William", "Vivien", "Andre", nickname "KK" and "white horses" and posted on my paraglider, I want to take with them the sky flying in Tibet.
Paragliding fly in the plain areas have a certain degree of difficulty, and to the plateau in fact more difficult. The first is because of its high altitude, the air becomes very thin, making the same forward speed paragliding obtained under the lift is substantially reduced; followed by high altitude winds change in wind direction and wind very fast, often come and go very sudden gust; another plateau terrain is relatively more complicated, many parts of the weathered a little bit more powerful, select the takeoff, landing sites have some degree of difficulty. All of these gave paragliding flight brings great difficulties, especially take-off and landing.
May 6, I had a break down from the mountains for a day, slightly regained some strength. Past few days, I sat in camp, sipping tea, while the eye is always watching the door inserted in the base camp flag, concerned about this part of the wind speed and direction. The flag has always been erratic, which means the local highland style is very unstable, and I need to take off the wind southeast wind with very few have, I can not help some anxious, I really want to have the help of Zhuge Liang, help me obtain southeast wind come.
After a 9:30, I finally bit sit still. Wind blows over my face, my heart desire to fly the impulse prompted me to put my umbrella package, ready to do my attempt. Just from Beijing climbers "bezoar heart-clearing pill" also want to look at flying umbrella, so we both went together towards the mountains Paqu. On the road, "bezoar heart-clearing pill" initiative to help me carrying the umbrella package, it seems that he is indeed a very good physical strength. After Karma Luo Um, we have a brief rest, they begin to climb the big hill next to, but also went through about 30 minutes, we finally reached the top of this piece of the hillside.
Let us first sit down at the top of the hill, I looked at homeopathic terrain here, and I found that the results observed from the foot of the mountain there were some differences, especially the slope should be smaller than imagined. If the change in the plain areas, such conditions have a very ideal. I pulled out a portable GPS, measuring the position and has been seen 5000 meters above sea level, and heart is really very excited. Rest a while, I began to open my parachute pack, organize my paragliding. Plateau when the wind is blowing big, sometimes small way, "bezoar heart-clearing pill" to help made a simple wind instrument, watching it drift streamers, my heart is also not known.
Other umbrella rope all the finishing end, I'll wear a helmet, wearing a good flight seat bag, and connect with good control, inspection is completed after the back facing the foot of the mountain and do the take-off preparations. May the wind is less of it, I rode on several occasions tried to pull a number of small gust umbrella, slightly adapted to look at the plateau wind, but has felt the wind a little bit difficult to grasp. Wait, I feel the wind again, and quickly brought up on his right hand to manipulate belt, homeopathic inflatable canopy, I quickly pulled to the top of the head umbrella head office, the then state of feeling inflatable umbrella OK, although some west wind , but I decided it a try. So I quickly turned around the direction of manipulation with a fully liberalized, the direction opposite the foot of the mountain west began to buildup. As the wind than the partial, but the last time, the wind suddenly decreases, the umbrella head can not be properly inflated and keep the shape, look red too far. The first take-off failure.
After I tried several times, all due to the rapid changes in wind speed and direction but failed. Because it is pulling in the 5000 meters on the slopes, I have done several times after the buildup, obviously feel the soles of the feet become soft. I sat on the floor big mouth and breathing heavily as he looked at me helplessly in front of this piece of slopes, foot of the mountain stronghold, the plateau lamented the difficulty of flying umbrella. At this time, Xinhua News Agency Xue journalists in Tibet climbed up, cheering me.
Near noon when the sun had been up very high, the valley has also from time to time to have the wind, the pity is still the same instability. I even began to doubt whether I can achieve my dream. Finally decided I must try several times. Once off, I caught wind of a relatively stable period, a smooth since umbrellas, turn around, run-up, my legs have been from the ground, and I also very soon at the rate of sliding down the hill, but that is not fully out of the ground, the middle one landing I quickly ran a few steps, I have been on Earth could eventually pulled back. Because my level of speed is very fast, so I also experienced a fall during a very serious red fall, people are heavily Shuaixiang the ground, right ankle, right hip and shoulder blade by a relatively large impact, I would lie down a half-day on the ground failed to get up. Xue Big Brother and "bezoar heart-clearing pills" are running over asking about my situation. After a while, before I slowly sat up, slightly the activities of his own body, found Fortunately, there is no injury to the bone. I carefully remember, that moves basically correct, the key is where the air is too thin, and if resting on the low-lying areas, such as slope and relative speed, I would have a smooth take off.
In desperation, I had to give up trying, but I decided that I would also like to come tomorrow, so I will be paragliding hidden in a large stone next to and use stones pressure is good, This and friends walked slowly down the hill.
May 7, I played Debu early yesterday, is still a dull pain of wounds. Eating breakfast, I sat alone on a man while watching the sky soaring eagle, while thinking about the details of yesterday's flying umbrella. I summed up a number of conclusions: First, the thin air at altitude is difficult to obtain is the main reason leading to the lift, which can only be resolved by increasing the relative velocity; Secondly, I have been trying to make yesterday's attempt, physical exertion greater, in fact, sometimes the wind does not too right, I should wait only right; Finally, I think I have to think about how to reduce the weight, so I go up today, will have to throw away unwanted clothing.
Throughout the morning, I have been anxiously waiting to spend, because the banner of base camp told me that the wind is always wrong. Until 13 o'clock number, I see signs of a change in the wind, I called on the Dong-a few people on the coaches set off again. We came to the hillside, I put paragliding off back to the site, repeating yesterday's steps.
Wind direction and speed, or time of constantly changing. I know my strength too much, I do not blindly try, but spotted a number of opportunities to sprint. But my efforts have failed, and were then washed several times fall and had to sit down and rest. Zhang They helped me organize umbrellas and run up and down are also tired unbearable.
I remember the take-off again carefully the whole process, promising the take-off run-up line, ready to take off. When Fengzaiqishi, I described header occurs during that period ... ... I finally flew up, I am excited, waving hands and shouting, "I made it" "I made it" ... ...
Wind flow quickly and my skin, I feel really melted in the sky. Surrounded by the beautiful snow-capped mountains that seem to dance with me in the distance high-altitude hovering eagle appears to have driven over and talked with me, it feels really amazing. I saw next to the Karma Luo Om have come out of the nuns are watching me and saw the foot of the mountain that some herders are driven to the side, I would easily move the body, through the press center of gravity to control the steering paragliding. My initial plan is to strive for glider landed near the base camp, but just to fly soon, I found my sink rate is much greater than I imagined, my glide fast, but I also lost height rapidly . So I make a decision very soon be replaced in a relatively flat mountain Pass to land.
Landing in the plateau region is clearly very dangerous. When I slide to the ground just over 10 meters, I began to drop-down control rods, there is conscious control of the rate of decline, approaching 2-3 meters above the ground, I will pull down the control rods completely and found that not enough time, but also for emergency use addition of two laps around the hand. In this way, I still can not fully offset the impact of thin air, I almost threw in the landing site on the. Poor my right hip. Fortunately, people still intact, really thank God.
"I love you, Tibet," "Vivien, KK, I made it." I am a man shouted at the cove, the moment I am indeed extremely excited, so come gather around the Tibetans slowly over the I have not paid enough attention, but also revel in the joy of success has brought.
I think I was the plateau eagle.
At this point, I almost finished I came to Tibet would like to dream, though also left his regrets. When the shuttle re-opened air over the Potala Palace Square, I looked again it is a deep feeling, I know I will come back; when I again saw the Brahmaputra, my tears are silently dropped, I would give their own SMS wrote: Tears are falling down. Don't know why. Here Tibet has my good memory, good friends, dreams, happiness, pain, pity. I am crying. Feel lost somehow. I am sailing.
Pan Touyu
In June 2002 at home
Author: whitewave
