This article was taken from the January 2012 issue of Wired
magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before
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Engine-free flight may well be the point of paragliding -- but
it sure can foreshorten your sky time. Unless, that is, you fly
with a hawk.
The hybrid pursuit of parahawking was created in
2001 by Scott Mason, a Britain-to-Nepal transplant and falconry
expert. "We use Egyptian vultures, black kites and Harris hawks,"
says Mason, 39. "These birds of prey are naturally good at finding
thermals to gain height and preserve energy when they fly." After
the paraglider has taken off, a trainer on the ground releases the
bird so that it can guide the pilot to rising air, helping the
craft to maintain altitude. Occasionally, the creature lands on the
pilot's arm to claim a reward of fish or meat (above).
Now, says Mason, social media and networking services are
causing the sport's popularity to soar. "A recent passenger posted
a video of his flight last year, which went viral and has been
viewed nearly a million times." The season runs until March.