Several years had passed since I’d been “airborne” in free flight but apparently my passion for soaring still exists. About 5 years ago while visiting Brazil, I signed up for a tandem hang gliding flight with Konrad from Rio Hang Gliding. Rio has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world and flying near Sugar Loaf and Corcovado with the Ocean beyond was another of my most cherished experiences. When I returned, I decided that I wanted to take up the sport but quickly found it to be logistically challenging. In addition to a requirement for near perfect air conditions, you had to be able to drive to a launch site which didn’t bode well with me so I quickly discovered that paragliding was a more practical option.