The Cobra Launch (Preview)

High Wind Launch for Paragliding

Please note that the wind direction in this photo sequence almost perfectly aligns with the dirt road.

This paraglider launch technique is great for high winds. The goal of this launch is to eliminate the huge traction that occurs during a the paraglider’s ascent to overhead during a standard inflation. In a standard inflation, with the paraglider directly downwind for the pull up, it will come up violently and can overfly and yank the pilot into the air. In the cobra technique, the wing avoids both of these scenarios, as it comes up slower on the side. Kitesurfers launch their parafoils from the side like this and this is where my thought of this technique came from.

I first tried this technique, yesterday, April, 2nd 2005. I had been thinking about how this would work for quite some time, but had not actually practiced it. It was blowing about 15 avg with gusts to 18+. I had recently been to Utah, and when I described this concept to Steve Mayer, he referred to this as a common practice at Point of the Mountain for high ……