of paragliding. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
and did fairly well in the women’s
too tame, and now I am flying on an
being less competitive and having
competition. When the Sprint was
outstanding A wing, which I love. I
less of that testosterone edge. I feel
introduced, I won the women’s comp
also spent a long time thinking about
peaceful about aging. I embrace it.
one year and was 9th or 10th overall
what gave me happiness when flying.
in the Sprint division. By then, I was
It wasn’t XC or competing or having a
in my mid-60s, flying a Delta 2 (EN-C)
hot wing or keeping up with the guys.
I started paragliding at age 53. I was
wing. I decided to try my first nation-
It was simply enjoying the air, hang-
healthy, active, and had a background
als in Chelan, but I found the condi-
ing with friends, and just being able
Susan Kent in sky diving, surfing, skiing and rock
tions intimidating and realized I
to fly around safely. Now, if I don’t
climbing. At that age, I felt as if I was a
was out of my league on many levels.
like the air, I land, even if others
bit slower learner than younger folks,
Aging was a part of that.
think it is fine. I am an older, but not
and as a woman pilot, I think I lacked
For several years I had been think-
Besides having a lower-class wing
ing about the aging process and
as some of the male pilots. Sixteen
how it was affecting my flying, but
and picking my conditions, I work
years later, at age 69, I have a different
had not come to grips with it. But it
hard to try to stay in reasonable
attitude and perspective than I did in
preyed on my mind a lot. I became
shape. I found that inactivity and
my 50s and early 60s.
nervous in the air, and although
lack of exercise makes my body older
I had never had a major collapse
and slower. So I bike twice a week, do
Like many people, I quickly got addicted to paragliding. I would try to
stretching and core exercises twice a
fly every chance I got, and felt “down”
week through Pilates, and paraglide
if I went to a site and couldn’t fly, or
when I can. Exercise goes a long way
if I spent several weeks between
towards helping the aging process.
flights. Once, when my husband
It helps offset muscle decreases and
and I were scheduled for a cruise
helps keep me mentally and physi-
to Alaska, and the day before, I had
cally aware. Another thing I discovered is that I
planned to go shopping for a new dress, but saw the local beach site
constantly need to work on my flying
was flyable I decided to fit in a flight
skills. For some reason, I lacked
before the trip. I thought: Forget the
light-wind skills. Being a bit lazy and
dress: flying and getting “my hit” is
busy, I wasn’t kiting very often, and
way more important. Unfortunately,
found my launching skills not as
I made a launch mistake, got gusted
good as I they should be. So I have
in strong winds and smashed into
ABOVE Susan
Kent
been working with instructors and others on kiting, launching, and even
a sand cliff, resulting in a broken
the timing of landing. It all helps, but
collar bone, all because I felt I “had’
I couldn’t handle and had never
to fly. Fortunately, I had purchased
thrown my reserve, I was increas-
truthfully I can’t get complacent. I
trip insurance and we rescheduled
ingly scared on launch and in the air.
need to stay as aware as possible
the cruise three weeks later.
This fear was intensified by several
about my shortcomings. This is a
My progression in paragliding
friends being seriously injured or
delicate dance, and I still make mis-
was slow but steady and thanks to
killed in accidents. In most cases,
takes.
the local Northern California Cross
they were younger, more experi-
Country League (NCXC), I gained
enced, and better pilots than I.
experience in cross-country, easy competitions, and thermal flying in
After taking a break from flying
As part of my paragliding journey, I also wanted to contribute something back to the sport, particularly to
and engaging in contemplation, I
my local club, Bay Area Paragliding
different conditions. And I also de-
started stepping down in level of
Association (BAPA), where I have met
cided to “prove” myself. Prove that I
wings and choosing my flying condi-
many good friends and participated
could keep up with the more experi-
tions very carefully. I dropped down
in fun fly-ins and safety seminars,
enced pilots, especially the guys.
to a high B Mentor 4 light, which,
like first-aid and reserve clinics. I
despite the good reviews, I hated.
became the treasurer for two or
Then I went to a low B, which I found
three years and then served as presi-
Early on, I went to the Rat Race, before there was a Sprint section,
24
a bolder, pilot.
confidence and was not as aggressive
USHPA PILOT MAGAZINE