Every few weeks or so…
we get a special request from clients. Either a media flight, some sort of funny costume flight, or a birthday surprise. These are always quite memorable, but possibly the most emotional ones are the marriage proposal flights. Sometimes the plan is quite elaborate and requires a lot of extra work, and sometimes it is just a simple after-flight surprise, but whatever it is, we always buzz with excitement!
Of course, the weather is always testing us a lot, so while most flights are on time, very often we have to wait, and sometimes reschedule, which means that having a backup activity planned is a very good idea.
Check out some of these photos from random special events last year!
Paragliding marriage proposals are definitely a very unusual way to “pop the question”, but the simpler you keep things, the more likely it is all to succeed. Given the fact that we do not know the location (and timing) of the flight until the evening before, we really cannot make too many elaborate plans. Also, whatever decorations you want for your event, they all need to be brought up by someone, so you will need to arrange several friends to give you a hand. All of it becomes a little bit more complicated once people realize that we will not know what time we are going until the evening before!
Whatever the occasion, people often want to have a photographer or a videographer present to document their paragliding adventure. Please make sure the photographers are fully informed regarding what to bring, where to go, etc, because if any of the people involved in the event come ill-prepared, it could easily turn a fun and memorable event into a completely un-fin (though still memorable!) one.
While it is nice to get a lot of video and photo material, remember that we have fairly limited options regarding what we can take and what is safe in flight. All our passengers carry GoPro cameras on selfie sticks, which actually provides excellent wide-angle videos. We generally do not let people hold phones or SLR cameras in their hands (unless properly secured on a leash), as they might be dropped and ruin someone else’s day. And yours. Over the years we have found that using the GoPro is a super simple task, and it doesn’t take your attention away from enjoying the magnificent scenery. You really do not want to be looking at everything through your SLR lens, so let that one go, and just hold on to the GoPro.
Our pilots will explain how to use the GoPros, so you have best possible quality of video. All we ask is that you take care of the camera equipment, don’t smash it around on the ground, and certainly don’t hit the ground support staff or knock-out the pilot, lest you find yourself flying alone… It is also very important that you do not get the selfie stick stuck in the suspension lines above your head. If you were to inadvertently jam the camera into the lines, do not pull on anything, just let the pilot sort it out for you. And, of course, do not worry too much about filming during the takeoff or landing, rather, focus on your part, so you can make our job as easy and safe as possible.
Special event flights, birthday surprises, company team-building sessions are all great fun. We even offer gift vouchers for your friends and coworkers, but before deciding to purchase a voucher please be sure that your friend is within the weight limits. There is a minimum weight of approximately 30-35kg, and a maximum weight of 100kg. Anyone near the limits (for example, below 40kg and above 85-90kg) needs to be extra patient as we will be particularly selective regarding the wind and weather conditions, to make sure everything is safe and everyone is happy. Anytime people book young kids we make it very clear that we might have to go to the mountain 4-5-6 or even more times before we get the flights done, because we simply are not taking any chances of a mishap. Likewise, heavy passengers need to be very patient because windy/gusty conditions can easily result in a trip/fall, which, depending on how the person goes down, could result in scratches or even an injury.
We want to keep you (and ourselves) safe, and your patience is what allows us to do our job. Remember: if the wind is stronger, we wait a little longer!