I know I've said this before and so you might get tired of hearing it or you might not believe me but I've just had the most incredible flying of my life. I think some senses might have been permanently overloaded I may not be able to experience the world the same again. I do know that I still have the ability to appreciate how lucky I am, how fortunate to have these opportunities and to have such an incredible Father. I really feel blessed and so fortunate to be alive, to be here in Pakistan, and to be a pilot.
So first the numbers, 9 consecutive days flown from October 11th to 19th. 5 tandems with my Dad for 8 hrs added to 4 solo flights makes 25 hrs airtime. During the tandems I worked on my high wind launch technique while my Dad worked on protecting himself as we were dragged around the hill! No, he has a great attitude and our launches have gotten much smoother. We treated them as instructional tandems and covered a good flight briefing before each flight considering weather and flight hazards. During the flight I was able to explain some theory of flight, how to control the wing, how to thermal and how to make cross country decisions. It was nice to have him fly part of the time so I could warm my hands up, I would fold my hands under my arms and just occasionally shout, "Control the pitch, Damn it!" He was able to experience the sensation I am so enthralled with of hooking a strong thermal and watching the ground fall away below us as the mountains and glaciers reveal themselves when we climb above the ridge line. And quite a view we had as one flight we reached 5400 meters and another 5650! That higher flight he experienced some hypoxia and we had to end the flight early but once we were coming in to land he recovered with no problems. We also covered frontal and assemetric collapse recovery and spiral entry and exit. More than a learning experience it was an incredible time that we shared, one day he commented, "I am beginning to understand why you like it here so much" and now he knows that no matter how much we can try to explain to other people what this is like it just cannot be understood until it is experienced.
And as for my experience? Well like so many times in the past few months I feel I have had something happen that is just absolutely unreal and beyond description.
On the 16th of October I flew around the Tirich Mir mountain. This is a 7708 meter mountain and at my highest during the flight I was 7300 (Almost 24,000 feet). What was interesting was to be well over 6000 but having so much rock and ice around me that I felt like I needed another thermal in a hurry! I was able to pick a day with very little wind, 4 previous attempts I was turned back before being able to work around to the west side due to strong wind or cloud development, because of the nature of the flight and the light wind that day I don't actually think it was that technically challenging but for a couple hours it was quite commiting. The photo on this post is from the East side of Tirich mir after completing the circuit, I flew from left to right around the opposite side finishing above launch to take the picture then glide back to town. I am the first pilot to complete this circuit but that has more to do with the fact I've the only pilot who's flown here in good conditions rather than my skills. Now I've been joined by 2 very experienced Swiss pilots who are both completely impressed with this site and Pakistan in general. Flying with other pilots and having something other than myself or the mountains to take pictures of has been great.
From reading this you could get the impression that paragliding in big mountains is my life and defines me, for me it is still just a great way to live, I do focus on some goals like getting up and going flying but all that happens on the way, who I meet and spend time with, what I've learned about the culture here and what I've learned about myself is really the true benefit of the experience. And here in Pakistan the interactions with locals and travel in the country is as interesting as the flying.
As my Dad was leaving yesterday he was already planning a return trip, so am I for next Spring/Summer. I'm curious how much interest I can generate between now and then and I have wonderful visions of sharing these flights with other pilots and seeing what really good pilots can do with this place! So... Who's coming??
