Flight on a powered parachute

Legnica (Poland) 14.08.2017

A powered parachute, often abbreviated PPC, and also called a motorized parachute or paraplane, is a type of aircraft that consists of a parafoil with a motor and wheels.

The idea for a flight on a powered parachute came to me while looking at aerial photos of my city, regularly posted on Facebook. I often saw and heard the sound of the engine of this aircraft in the sky. I decided to contact the pilot through the social media platform. In my message, I described my situation, fearing that my severe disability—quadriplegia—might prevent or discourage organizing a flight over my hometown.

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a positive response just a few hours later. The owner of the powered parachute informed me that he would call in the next few days with details on the time I should arrive at Legnica airport. About ten days later, I received a call in the morning, saying my powered parachute flight was scheduled for 5:00 PM. I was thrilled by the news, and shortly before the set time, I arrived at the location on my electric wheelchair. I had also asked a friend beforehand to take photos and videos of the entire event.

After waiting for about twenty minutes for better weather conditions (the wind was too strong), I was transferred to the front seat of the powered parachute. A helmet was placed on my head, and we tested the communication between the pilot and me. I mentioned that my feet needed to be secured by straps around my shoes and the footrest of the cockpit. After this, I was ready for takeoff.

We took off from the grassy ground, and the first few seconds were very uncomfortable. Being secured only by a waist belt (there was no other option), the upper part of my torso felt every bump in the grass, and I was tossed around like a rag doll. However, as soon as we lifted off, all discomfort disappeared, and my hands, resting on the parachute lines, helped balance my body.

The first seconds in the air were a mix of euphoria and slight fear. The fear was due to my inexperience with powered parachute flights, while the euphoria came from the incredible views at heights of several dozen and later two hundred meters. Over time, the fear completely disappeared, and the breathtaking sensations of floating in the air were overwhelming. A slight discomfort was caused by the strong wind, which occasionally tossed our aircraft in all directions. The pilot told me that I was his first passenger to fly with him in such strong wind.

After about 20 minutes of flying over Legnica and doing a ceremonial lap, we landed back at the airport without any issues. I noticed some signs of motion sickness, feeling nauseous and a bit weak. This was likely due to the strong wind and the height variations during the flight. However, all unpleasant symptoms disappeared after about 10 minutes, and I regretted that my flying adventure was already over.

I am deeply grateful to Antoni Poliwka, the owner and pilot of the powered parachute, for making this incredible experience in the skies possible. It was amazing to see my hometown from a height of over 200 meters. The visual impressions I experienced during those minutes in the air will remain in my memory forever. I am also glad that I celebrated the 20th anniversary of my unfortunate diving accident in such an original way.

I recommend flying a powered parachute to anyone who wants to experience something extraordinary, despite occasional minor discomforts. By being open to new challenges, we can show other people with disabilities that, with a little determination, creativity, and sometimes the help of strangers, we can achieve our dreams. Our greatest limitation is not our disability but our flawed way of thinking. It took me a long time to come to these conclusions, but I'm glad that period of stagnation in my life is behind me. I wish the same for everyone.