Special paragliding course begins to hone skills of professional pilots

A 15-day special SIV (Simulation d’Incident en Vol) paragliding course commenced on Sunday at the picturesque Pong Wetland, also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar, in the foothills of Kangra district. Organised by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, this training aims to enhance the skills of both professional and budding paragliding pilots.

The course is being conducted in five batches, with 30 pilots in each batch. The first batch consists mainly of pilots from Kullu, Kangra, Chamba and Mandi districts. The training is designed to simulate unstable situations in flight, helping pilots learn canopy control and emergency handling techniques.

Institute director Abinash Negi said the training was being held at Pong Wetland to promote aero adventure tourism in Kangra district. He added that Pong Wetland and Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur have been identified as key locations for providing specialized SIV training to solo pilots, both licensed and aspiring professionals. A similar training programme was previously conducted at Gobind Sagar Lake a few months ago.

Course in-charge Gimmar Singh explained that, under Aero Sports Rules 2022, this professional training is mandatory for licensed pilots seeking commercial licence renewal and for upcoming pilots to develop essential flying skills. “After undergoing SIV training, pilots gain a better understanding of how their particular canopy behaves in unstable air and learn to apply the correct control inputs to stabilise it,” he said. He also expressed gratitude to the Kangra district administration for its support in organising the training at Pong Wetland.

A team of aero sports experts, including chief instructor Ajay Sharma, instructor Jyoti Thakur, and a special rescue team, is imparting training using buoyancy aids, radios, video equipment, and support boats. Chief instructor Ajay Sharma highlighted that walkie-talkies are used to guide pilots in the air, helping them avoid crashes and ensuring safe landings on the water surface.

With this initiative, the institute aims to elevate safety standards in paragliding while promoting adventure tourism in Himachal Pradesh, making Pong Wetland a significant hub for aero sports training.