Paragliding Mission Impossible - Lee Side Landing. Landing?!!!

Fagaras Mountains

[@nilskrah7631]

I am quite surprised to see how many viewers seem to suggest how skilful the pilot is. I do not know the pilot so I can judge only by the video obviously. And I think, the pilot is NOT very skilled but rather commits a series of errors. Here is why: 1) I see a paraglider flying in a potentially dangerous place very low with no real landing option. Maybe bad luck. But think that comes to my mind is not: “what a skilled navigator”. 2) the title of the video speaks about “lee side”. What I see does not look like lee side, but a wind blowing up to the valley (into the pilots face). Observe the comparatively low ground speed. Also, as some commentator has stated: lee side flying looks much more turbulent. The pilot might be very educated in meteorology, but the video rather suggest an incomplete or wrong assessment of the flying conditions. 3) the piloting is very passive. The pilot even grabs the risers. Certainly not what you would want to do in lee side conditions or when flying so low. In any case, with a bit more active flying, a skilled pilot would exploit the patches of lift here an there (either by thermalling or at least by slowing down the gliding while in an ascending part). 4) The pilot repeatedly looks at the open spot in the woods which makes me believe that he actually intended to attempt a landing there. Unfortunately, it takes way to long to turn around, partly because of what seems to be poor turning technique (deep but not well coordinated break input). In the end, the valley wind keeps the pilot from reaching the green spot and instead he finds himself in an even more dangerous position amidst high trees. Did he correctly anticipate the valley wind? Did he have a strategy how to approach the planned landing spot? Summing up: I see technical errors and probably wrong judgements in this video. Maybe the pilot was simply scared and nervous. Maybe he is actually skilful. But in my opinion this does not at all emerge from the video as many others have suggested. Why do I write all this: Because (as an instructor) I think it is dangerous to blindly congratulate other pilots after escaping a precarious situation mainly thanks to a good portion of luck. What needs to be done is to critically analyze what went wrong, be honest about it and learn from it. The next pilot might not be quite as lucky. Of course, I am also glad the pilot did not get hurt! But that’s a different story.

[@skypiratez]

Exactly my observations.... Shouldn't have ended there in the first place which makes point 1 rather obvious. Anyway, another lucky save..

[@BruceBusby]

4 seconds I to this video and I knew he was screwed. Bad decision making at sometime before this clip begins got him in this no win scenario. He wasn't Lee side. He was in valley wind. If he didn't understand that, he needs to learn. The sink before landing was a little Lee side rotor from the protruding portion in front of him. He could have stayed in the lift longer while building options. Poor brake application didn't help his downwind overshoot of his inyended LZ. The high winds on landing saved him. He couldn't have landed vertically without them. Bottom line lesson here. Stop trying to manage bad situations because you make shit decisions. Don't get yourself into this position 15 min before you get here. This could have ended much much worse.

[@SteveWrightNZ]

Luck. That is all. Lots and lots of luck, and no panic.

[@diccoo32]

Nils Krah completely agree. To be in that situation is the most serious error. It should never happen.

[@angusmorganb1990]

Nils Krah I think your precision in assessment and positive critical analysis is to be commended... got to say I agree totally and encourage you accurate assessment elsewhere... I think loose calls can contribute to risk and critical analysis begets safety when we are in the sky land interface. Thx for post

[@Walkerjet200]

There is a saying: A good pilot saves a difficult situation with superior flying skills. A superior pilot makes decisions so his/her superior skills are never needed. (not always easy in paragliding. I now :-)

[@marcarnoult5613]

I was sweating just to look at it ! x) Good job mate !

[@MikeJTPG]

Whew you lucky man. I bet you never fly to into a place like that again. Thanks for sharing.

[@mbschluessel]

Thank You for loading up the video ! What we can learn: allways keep an eye out for a landing place!

[@AliBabaFlyHigh]

No panic, cool mind, great spotting for landing, amazingly handled & made it look easy and effortless. You're a GOOD PILOT!!!

[@uni000ver000sal]

I agree . . very skilful landing. I wonder if it would be more skilful if one would not be placed in this predicament in the first place.

[@tridvaenazdaj]

I don't doubt about your piloting skills but you had a lot of luck there! Congrats ;)

[@alesbajda6491]

srečo več k pamet!!.... kje ma motor?!? :)

[@alesbajda6491]

Pa glede na to kk je šou počas in nisk nad krošnjam je šou, bi blo skol bl varn in kontroliran se ujet na kako krošnjo, ker če bi tm zapeu s padalom, ko se je spustu, bi se lahk fest razbiu... prvo bi pa počas dou zlezu al pa počaku... :)

[@tridvaenazdaj]

Ko je vidu fliko brez dreves je verjetno vso pozornost usmeril v to, da je pa vendarle možnost za "normalen" pristanek na tleh. Mislim da bi sam instinktno enako reagiral pa naj bo zdravo ali ne in bi na krošnje pomislil le, če so okoli samo krošnje :)

[@69mades]

Bravo, muy buena decisión y mejor aterrizaje, mi ENHORABUENA.

[@fernieboy100]

Awesome landing for such a tight window of opportunity.

[@filipous3nec]

You should continue.. with your luck there will be road or official landing place on next ten meters. :-)

[@TheOttarocker]

IMO a controlled tree landing is a lot safer. It is a good thing you made it, but nevertheless a lot of worse pilots than you see this video and will possibly try the same in a similar situation, whereas with a controlled tree landing you will most likely be unhurt. Many people dont know that a tree landing is a safe option.

[@SteveWrightNZ]

Have you landed in a high tree before? I have, it was a whole lot worse than this landing I can tell you.

[@daveachuk]

@@SteveWrightNZ for what it's worth, I've landed 35m up in a giant tree, and then also chose to try to shove it into a tiny landing like in this video instead of another tree landing-- and came very close to breaking my back. If I have to make that choice again, I'm personally probably going to go for the tree.

[@safranpollen]

yes, experience and big luck. Imagine you would `ve touched with the lines a tree. I, for myself, would prefer a but controlled treelanding in such a Situation.

[@skymaster4121]

Wow. This was not only a Lee side landing, this was a Bruce Lee side landing! 😅

[@marianofeller8725]

Complimenti bel aterraggio di fortuna ! Tutto calcolato!

[@michcard1957]

At 2:37 I thought you would opt to land on the slope of grass facing the mountain. This is what I would have instinclty preferred, slightly increasing speed first to gain energy then braking firmly to reduce as much as possible the impact. When I saw you slaloming through these high trees I was fearing a nasty end. But YOU made it nicely and I have no certitude that my option would have turned out better. Congrats!

[@turadeaventura]

actually I opted for that slope, but I didn't expected to have so little forward speed after I turned and I couldn't reach it anymore.

[@patrickswayze2596]

Well done brother, absolutely fantastic piloting my friend 👍🏻

[@pindordan]

Uaaau tare Super salvare! Ce insamna muschi antrenat ! :))

[@danielemarques7590]

Veramente bravo, complimenti 👏

[@MihaiEmilSuciu]

"Inca o aterizare buna" :D Da, chiar am avut emotii. Speram sa poti trece de ultimul deal din fata, ma gandeam ca e o deschidere apoi, dar bine ca ai vazut locul acela. Sunt sigur ca este un sentiment extraordinar! Candva... :)

[@putin88100]

you have my full respect man! brought yourself down safely by improvising thoughtfully- not everyone can do that and in some situatins (like yours) you have to do something outside the textbook recommendations :) good job!

[@jorgehormigos9974]

Good one! for sure you shouldn't be there but nice way of finding the safest spot.

[@CristianRica]

se vede ca primul zbor l-ai facut pe Pietricica....bravo ,calm si bine calculat!

[@gregsimonson4312]

Lucky you found a clearing to land in. They always told us to keep within gliding distance of a safe LZ.

[@aliyldrm8248]

Perfect landing. Congratulations

[@martinliefti9004]

total cool gemacht aber das Gefühl muss man mal haben alle achtung.sehr gut!!!!

[@tonielhelou7512]

What really matter ! You’re safe 👌🏻

[@waylingtons]

Great landing but how do you end up so far back on the Lee-side in the first place.

[@toplanding52]

good choice and lucky landing...possibly the only thing to do

[@timmit2256]

Spot landing in high wind is not difficult. Having no strong turbulence (and thus stall or frontal) while doing that in a small clearing in the middle of a forest and also in thermal conditions... crazy lucky :) I would call that "all or nothing technique". A safer option would be to aim for a tree, as weird as it may sound.

[@SalisburyPlainAviation]

There is a lot of luck in paragliding survival but without skill we don't survive these things often. Very skillful flying. Interesting that there was so little forward motion. Was there a valley headwind, I wonder? My old EN-D wing would come in like an aircraft carrier landing in light winds but you seem to approach and land very slowly. Excellent flying.

[@turadeaventura]

The valley is oriented north and that day the wind was initially lighter from nw. I was coming back from e and then the wind picked up. I was high on another ridge more to the e and tried to cross to the windy side of the left ridge. I got huge rotor and had to return to the east on this smaller ridge which was all in the rotor of the left ridge. Down the valley there are a few openings and after you get on the flat. .i was hoping to reach a clearing. I tried to land in the area with less trees possible.

[@SalisburyPlainAviation]

Superb flying and decision-making on that day. I guess if you had been trashed by the rotor the trees would have been there for you, with luck.

[@jannadem]

Man, you were lucky here. Good outcome

[@PARAEZFLY]

Nice Job,Great flying

[@wahidparalayangpaluparasud6082]

Good joob

[@DariuszAugustowski]

beautiful landing😀👍

[@markfisher8943]

woderful stuff. . Well done

[@paxan_semenov]

Отличная посадка! Главное не на дерево

[@ramases1]

Nice landing!! Great control luck was on your side there

[@sergioprospero]

Well done

[@Saltandhigh]

Fantastic mate, you made it

[@SkyWayKharkov]

Landing is good, but crazy.

[@ErolSensoy]

That's like movies begining funny then turning scary movie, IMDB Rating 9.99

[@pilot1503]

Wow......nicely done.

[@gardacom1]

Ach du gluecklich! Gott sei Dank mein Freund, ciao!

[@mariano7158]

El piloto es un artista, guuuuuud.

[@Dogsrule777]

Very nicely done sir! 👍🏽☮️

[@maximilianheim3419]

sehr gut gemacht Stefan

[@よっちゃんねるCh]

Great

[@RobertoVuela]

what a landing!!!!

[@NagarjunKoujula]

Wow..!

[@januszsiodmiak9836]

How did that happen..Nice one, master Yoda. lol

[@Blademaster23]

Красава!!! Хорошо сел)

[@akbarshoed]

Man, excellent video

[@marcopontil1699]

It is always about that: luck and the skills to take advantage of that luck! Congratulations !

[@AlbanNOIR]

Wow! You landed in a handkerchief.

[@notl2nor124]

The gull had the opportunity to twist it !!! But he chose otherwise ....

[@PiggoNZ]

Notwithstanding anything else in the video, I reckon you absolutely nailed the last 100 feet

[@piotrchrobry1000]

brawo cwaniaku

[@06Luca]

Very,very,very good !!!

[@DanylloRocha]

beautifull landing!

[@skymaster4121]

No, it was really really dangerous

[@DanylloRocha]

@@skymaster4121 are you from the landing police?

[@NABIL4PG]

Stefan, first congratulation, you saved your a**. That was very good lee side landing and I can see the shadow of the wings keeping their shape 'til the last second. bravo! Now, I am just wondering about few things but would love to get your answers on : 1. how was the wind on the opposite side of the valley (the left side)? 2. do you the terrain and if there are bigger open space ahead of you? Again, that was well done! Thanks for sharing!

[@turadeaventura]

Thanks, The valley is oriented north and that day the wind was initially lighter from nw. I was coming back from e and then the wind picked up. I was high on another ridge more to the e and tried to cross to the windy side of the left ridge. I got huge rotor and had to return to the east on this smaller ridge which was all in the rotor of the left ridge. Down the valley there are a few openings and after you get on the flat. .i was hoping to reach a clearing. I tried to land in the area with lead trees possible.

[@Steffl64]

Perfekt!

[@herbertfritz5796]

Hey Stefan, Du bist für mich der Hero ! Das wären die Alpträume für mich ! Hast Du auf alle Fälle gut gemacht ! Wo war den das ? Und wie kam`s überhaupt dazu ? Das Gelände sieht für mich nicht unbedingt Gleitschirmtauglich aus ? Grüssle Hebbi aus Lörrach

[@petermiklos]

Good job.

[@Nordavind1709]

Whoa! 🔝

[@minutzionel]

foarte tare

[@Mloger]

Bravo !!!

[@НиколайСоловьев-е6л]

Вообще красавчик!!!

[@marekmagyar]

great result!

[@soaring138]

Why not thermaling in the first thermal we can hear in your Video ? ... ? Whis more height, you have also more possibilities and choice...

[@saltytsp]

LOLOLOLOL fit like a glove....... yikes I was waiting for some James Bond shit to kick off.... like ninjas attacking you from the forest or something

[@catalinstoicescu]

Super!

[@eduardorestrepo]

Ninja-paraglider!! jejejeje

[@Kozo0908]

Uh-la-la. Cum de nu aveai inaintare deloc inainte de aterizare? Era vant tare asa de jos?

[@turadeaventura]

Vânt tare- rotor

[@ghztresd]

porozitatea la aripa it era Sitä , Sau era asa de tare vintu pe vale ?

[@labp]

congrats !!!

[@nickname9019]

Funky landing 😄

[@Stasmor]

+100 лучшая посадка в таких условиях!!!!!

[@jamesmitchell1513]

Great landing

[@mandrewsvideos]

I hope you also bought a lottery ticket...

[@turadeaventura]

Flying the upper ridge, tried to cross back and couldn't due to the strong wind

[@Руслан-н6н8и]

молодец. грамотно сел....

[@nikosallafakaro6981]

Decisions ... decisions ...

[@karolsroka9096]

Odjebane perfekcyjnie :D

[@bernhardtochtermann1805]

Respekt!

[@JanosCservenak83]

Happy Birthday.... again.... How many lifes do you have from the 9?

[@turadeaventura]

hopefully 9? :D

[@yashmanwani6232]

Hi friend. Good choice. How did you end up in that situation?

[@turadeaventura]

Bad judgement before, because the wind picked up and the lee side was huge

[@CaedmonMullin]

Yikes! Good skills...

[@tominanimo5921]

nice

[@jajadcrolles]

bravo tres bon jugement

[@z95959599]

Respect! Good landing!

[@klamenza]

legend!

[@vornicuvictor2821]

amuzant man....am ras un pic la sfarsit.......

[@JeanMarcGarin]

you are lucky!

[@Paravoffka]

ParaChuck Norris :)

[@teoto83]

I also like the beginning - cihoc 5.5.2012 my video

[@TIA910]

But.. Why you dont use your speedbar?

[@Lonelycoyote07]

Le salió barato haberse metido al Lee Side...

[@danijelmakar2097]

yes yes yes nice large greeting card perfect you are fine....

[@guillaumegrandvuillemin8664]

respect dude!!!!