The Paragliding Wheelchair

The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) -- whose initiative, "Flyability," aims to make the thrilling sport of free flight easier and more accessible for fliers with disabilities -- has completed the design, development and flight testing of a wheelchair that enables people with high-level physical disabilities to fly paragliders.

The new, purpose-built, light-allow paragliding wheelchair is suitable for both dual and solo flying. It can also be used as an everyday wheelchair, becoming flyable with the modular addition of a front wheel and a paragliding harness.

Flyability chairman Steve Varden, a world-record-holding hang glider pilot who has cerebral palsy, has flown dual using the new paragliding wheelchair.

"This is one of Flyability’s most proactive developments to date," he says. "The chair is extremely comfortable in the air and landings are incredibly soft. I believe that this chair and other recent Flyability developments have established the BHPA as world leaders within the sport in respect to flying for people with disabilities."

Steve Varden can be reached by e-mail for more information, at: Steve_Varden@compuserve.com.