Air Hogs ride over Greenwood
Sherri Coner-Eastburn, The Southside Times, 2007-10-18
Wear it like a backpack.
Crank it like a lawn mower.
Attach the glider.
Strap yourself in.
And float through the wild blue yonder in what looks most like a flying lawn chair.
That’s how Jason Wright of Greenwood spends his free time.
Last March, Wright learned how to pilot a powered paraglider.
He then joined a group of 15 paraglider enthusiasts who call themselves the Indy Air Hogs.
On clear early mornings and late evenings, just before the sun sets, members of the Indy Air Hogs congregate in an industrial park east of Greenwood.
That’s when they experience that moment of floating away from society. But Wright admits the moment is often wrapped in an adrenaline rush.
Safety requires him to constantly be aware of the winds, the clouds and the air traffic already buzzing in the skies.
But once he’s safely in the air, the potential for disaster is but a small thought in the distance.
“There’s nothing around you,” said Wright, who takes only his ipod along for the ride. “I’ve been on top of clouds. It’s very peaceful.”
Since he was six years old, this 1992 graduate of Center Grove High School has dreamt of flying.
The cost of a private pilot license and access to a small airplane were beyond the stretch of Wright’s bank account.
Owning a powered paraglider, however, was within reach, for the same amount of cash another guy might sink into the purchase of a used motorcycle.
This contraption weighs a whopping 52 pounds minus the two liters of gasoline necessary for two hours of flight time.
“The highest I’ve flown is 3500 feet,” Wright said. “But the government says we’re allowed to go 18,000 feet.”
In fact, the higher you fly, the safer you are, Wright said with a grin.
Though he soars past power lines, Wright does admit to loving the thrill of kicking tree tops.
The take-off, which includes running in the direction of the wind, is also a thrill.
“Stepping into the air is really incredible,” Wright said. “You feel like Superman.”
