The History of Paragliding:

From Dreams to Reality

The Age-Old Dream of Flight

For centuries, humans have envisioned soaring freely through the skies. From Icarus’s mythical wings to Leonardo da Vinci’s flight machines, the desire to defy gravity has captivated imagination. Yet, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that science began catching up with dreams.

The Early Pioneers of Free Flight

Otto Lilienthal, the German aviation pioneer, was among the first to glide through the air using carefully constructed wings. His experiments in the 1890s not only demonstrated the possibility of controlled flight but also influenced great minds like the Wright brothers.

The Parachute-Glider Evolution

In the 1950s, Domina Jalbert introduced the parafoil—an air-inflated wing that could glide. NASA soon followed with the Rogallo Wing for spacecraft recovery. These innovations shaped early paraglider designs, offering stability, glide control, and flexibility.

Paragliding is Born in the French Alps

In 1978, three mountaineers in Mieussy, France—Jean-Claude Bétemps, André Bohn, and Gérard Bosson—used parachutes to descend after climbs. This breakthrough marked the beginning of paragliding as a sport, soon evolving with improved canopy shapes and lightweight materials.

The Rise of Modern Paragliding

Today, paragliding is a global adventure sport. With advanced gliders, safety gear, and flight computers, pilots fly for hours, perform aerobatics, or travel long cross-country distances. Variants like paramotoring also let flyers take off with a small engine from flatlands.

Join the growing community of paragliders and turn your flying dreams into reality!