Physical and Health Education: Class 11 (Part 11) — Chapter 11: Adventure Sports

• 1954: Domina C. Jalbert invented advanced governable gliding parachutes with multi-cells and controls for lateral glide (patented the parafoil in 1963).
• Flight Magazine Article: Walter Neumark predicted that a glider pilot would launch by running over a cliff edge or down a slope.
• Pierre Lemoigne: French engineer who produced improved parachute designs leading to the Para-commander.
• 1965: David Barish developed the "sail wing" for slope-soaring as a summer activity for ski resorts.
• 1985: Canadian authors Patrick Gilligan and Bertrand Dubois wrote "The Paragliding Manual", officially coining the term "Paragliding".
• 1989: The first official Paragliding World Championship was held in Austria.

1. Light-weight gliding
2. Free flying glider
3. Foot-launched glider: An aircraft with no rigid primary structure, launched by the pilot running.

The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing comprising interconnected baffled cells. The wing shape is maintained by suspension lines. Despite having no engine, flights can last many hours and cover hundreds of kilometers by exploiting sources of lift to climb to altitudes of a few thousand meters.

• Variometer: Helps the pilot find and stay in the "core" of a thermal to maximize height gain, or indicates sinking air. It uses audio signals (beeps) and visual displays to show climb/sink rates and altitude.
• Radio: Used in training to communicate with other pilots, report landing intentions, or occasionally talk to air traffic control.
• GPS (Global Positioning System): Essential for competitions to track flight paths, analyze flying techniques, determine wind drift, avoid restricted airspace, and aid retrieval teams.

Launching and landing are always done into the wind. Paragliders do not "jump" to launch.

Launching Techniques:

1. Forward launch: Used in low winds; the pilot runs forward with the wing behind so air pressure inflates it.
2. Reverse launch: Used in higher winds; the pilot faces the wing to bring it up into a flying position, then turns around to run and complete the launch.

Landing:

Pilots lose height by flying a figure-of-8 pattern over the landing zone, line up into the wind at full speed, and "stall" (pause) the glider about a meter above the ground to land.

Control Mechanism:

Controlled via brakes and an accelerator attached to the paraglider, known as the speed bar mechanism. Brakes are held in the pilot's hands to adjust speed.

1. Cross-country flying: The classical form of paragliding competition.
2. Aerobatic competitions: Pilots perform maneuvers individually or in synchronous pairs.
3. Bivouac flying: Competitors fly or hike along a certain route over several days.

• Surfing was central to ancient Polynesian culture and was first observed by British explorers in Tahiti in 1767.
• George Freeth (1883–1919) is credited as the "Father of Modern Surfing" and is thought to be the first modern surfer.
• The International Surfing Association (ISA) is the highest governing body. Professional contests began in 1975, with Margo Oberg becoming the first female professional surfer.

1. Stand-up Surfing: The surfer rides a wave standing up on a surfboard. Includes long surf-boarding and short surf-boarding.
2. Body Surfing or Body Boarding: Riding a wave on a body board (lying on the belly or drop knee), or using only the surfer's body without a board (considered the purest form of surfing).
3. Surf Matting: Surfing on inflatable mats using foils.
4. Tow-surfing: Associated with big waves where a motorized watercraft (like a jet ski) tows the surfer into a large, fast-moving wave front.

• Seabed: Falling can cause the wave to toss the surfer downward, leading to violent collisions with shallow reefs or sandbeds.
• Rip currents: Strong water channels flowing away from the shore. Swimmers or surfers can be carried out beyond breaking waves. Escaping requires paddling parallel to the shore.

• Non-wave dependent: Paddle boarding, Sea kayaking
• Wind-powered: Kite surfing, Wind-surfing
• Boat-powered: V-drive boat wave surfing (surfing on the wake of a boat)

1. Write down the use of Variometer in paragliding.
2. Explain ‘tow- surfing’.
3. Discuss the safety measures to keep in mind during paragliding.
4. Briefly explain Sea beds and Rip Currents.
5. How does Global Positioning System work?

1. Name the person who invented paragliding.
2. Name the two flying techniques in paragliding.
3. Classify the categories of adventure sports.
4. In which year, the first world championship for surfing was held?
5. What are the different types of surfing?