City ready to glide to new heights

The city is ready to spread its wings and fly. On Independence Day,the Poona Aerosports Association was born,which aims at making the city a hub for paragliding,parasailing,gliding,aeromodelling and such activities.

The city is ready to spread its wings and fly. On Independence Day,the Poona Aerosports Association was born,which aims at making the city a hub for paragliding,parasailing,gliding,aeromodelling and such activities. The group of over 300 aerosport enthusiasts promises to support,promote and provide a conducive air for aerosports.

It is probably the first-of-its-kind step in the country. The idea is to provide a platform to aerosports and establish a regulatory authority for glider pilots,aeromodellers,paragliders,microlight pilots and such individuals in aerosports, said captain Shailesh Charbhe,station-in-charge,Pune Gliding Centre,the oldest gliding centre in the country.

Major goals on his agenda are security to pilots,equipment procurement,promotion of various aerosports and excellence in the field,discipline,training,creating international-level talent ultimately striving at making the city an aero-tourism hub.

The association also aims at organising national and international competitions. Despite being a fascinating activity,aerosports have not been duly accepted as a regular sports in India. Complications in obtaining licence,red tape and mandatory clearances from government agencies to carry out such activities has created a discouraging environment for aero sportsmen. This initiative is to put a framework in place to ease things for enthusiasts, said Srinivas Nyayapathi,instructor at the gliding centre.

With the likes of Eric Menezes and Mangesh Dighe,who recently represented India in World Paramotoring event in Basse-Ham,France,and Ravi Mehbubani who holds the Limca Book of Record for his 300-km glider record,the longest by an Indian,as members,the association is expected to work on the lines of international bodies.

In western countries,flying is a full-fledged sporting activity. For instance,if enthusiasts identify a location ideal,yet inaccessible to fliers,the government would develop it into a flying centre with runways,roads and hangars and so on. In India,it is not so. Now,so many members coming under one body will generate the much-needed voice,which in turn will bridge the gap between regulators and end users, said Menezes.

The world record for longest distance covered in a glider is 3,000 kms. That of height is 43,000 feet. We believe the city has the potential to compete with these records and this (association) is the foundation of moving towards the goal, Charbhe added.

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Where city already soared
* The city has the maximum gliding records in the country
* In 1928,the first gliding movement was created in Pune
* Pune Gliding Centre is the oldest in the country
* Citys Ravi Mehbubani has the Limca record for longest gliding distance by an Indian
* Two pilots from the city represented India in the World Paramotoring event this year

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