Passport to Texas

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This is Passport to Texas

Franklin Mountains State Park is the only Park in Texas and one of the few parks in the United States that encourages paragliding.

So, the Franklins are a great source of what we call lift from the air coming in. And, they’re also a great source of thermals; two ways we get up. All here in the Franklins.

A paraglider is a lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure.

It’s a soaring aircraft, which means we generally don’t have a motor; and we find air that’s going up. And we go up…and up…and up.

During the week of October 31, the TPW TV Show on PBS features a segment on Paragliding at the Franklin Mountains.

It’s a pretty obscure air sport. I think there’s are maybe 4,000, 5,000 pilots in the US. There are sites all over the country. And this one looks pretty awesome.

Paragliding may look intimidating, and while paragliders exercise caution, it’s usually a fairly gentle ride.

Most people think we jump off of a cliff and its life or death. You just step off and you float. You feel the wing flying. It’s really just floating off. It’s relaxing fun. It’s a lawn chair in the sky, and you enjoy life.

See the segment on paragliding the week of October 31 on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series on PBS. Check your local listings.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.