"... The apparatur is brought to the top of the flank. I still have not realized that felt at a time when I was preparing for run. Perhaps, happiness and joyness, perhaps fear. I knew only that I really like it and understand what now happens something very significant for me.
I put the apparatur on shoulders and run by main force. In my head was only one thought: to run, just run, do not stop. I do not have time to look around, as soar above the ground. This moment, which I spent in the air, seemed like an eternity. A feeling that I was levitate no by wings of machine, but by my own wings. It seemed like everything around is stopped. I heard only the beating of my heart, which is about to burst out of my chest, and I could not look up from snow-white plains that stretched before me. Through meditation I heard the cry "Do it!" As, I later realized it screamed Oleg (instructor – author`s note). Hands went themselves up. Inspite of legs felt a ground - my thoughts still were somewhere far away, in flight, in my first flight ... it was perfect and unforgettable.
Although, I imagined my first flight in thoughts a lot of times, often saw it in my dreams, but now I made it in a live, and emotions and impressions are so intertwist that I'm afraid I do not quite accurately describe what I felt. Sometimes, there are so little words ... ". There are impressions from the first start, first air attempt is stayed with you for all life. Feeling absolute power "heavenly power", they enthusiastically returned "in the sky" over and over and only occasionally visited us - the earthly people.
They - pilots of hand gliding sports club at KPI "Altair".Its history began in 1975 - when the trees were large and handmade materials for building the gliders we had to "get." During this time there were ups and downs, and many victories, and awkward situation when, having owned the celestial space, members of the group did not have a roof over your head for theoretical classes. However, all this time with them was something more - a want of unlimited flights, victories, own discoveries and a pleasure.
"Mellow from lazy life pilot-students still only covers removed from their apparatus when we with Kalashnikov were already at the start. Marchuk divert for a moment from collection of his "Stels" to leave to go us, and in ten minutes I had before the slope over 150 meters and a zipper that is not fastened. Another ten minutes I furiously tried zip it up with one hand, several times in quiet places even let off a control stick and tried to zip up with the help of two hands. When I completely do not feel my legs below straps, I had to go to the landing above. On the ground, I have been just enough time to repair the zipper, and again set up in the air. By the time the dynamics were spun some pilots and in two hundred meters were spun the paraglider. Almost immediately after the start on halfway up to the northern bushes I caught the upward flow of air and quickly went up, occasionally glancing at the paragliders "(From the diary of Pavlo Krents).
These are snotches of stories of pilots that are regularly published on the website of the club, which is located at www.hangglider.kiev.ua.
Nowadays in Ukraine there are only two centers of hand gliding sport – Kharkivskyi Aviation University Club and Kiev hand glider club at KPI “Altair”. In the last center included many teachers of our University (first official head of the club – Viktor Ivanovych Zubchyk - Lecturer of Electronic Engineering Faculty), many students who have linked their lives with the sport and train and work not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Nowadays club is headed by a graduate of the University (FAS) Volodymyr Marchuk. Under his leadership were gave classes. I had to visit only theoretical, as the first real attempt to make true flights permitted already well-trained athletes. However, in such an interesting team, with whom I was in class, I think, is not only easy but also pleasant to conquer the heavenly space. " We have a friendly team, - says Volodymyr – we help each other, are all glad to the first successful distance of novices and support them. Despite there are no government funding and outdated equipment – we are not frustrated, the learning process is supported at the expense of members. Pilots have demonstrated sports achievements with their own equipment. It should be noted that we have the donations from club`s students, sometimes they even presented their gliders, knowing how difficult for promising pilot-student to buy his first sports apparatus. And for the one available to the club, in spite of outdated machine, we are made significant achievements on the competitions across the country, walking trails stretching for tens kilometers(50-90) yield the precedence to leaders just in time to overcome the competitive race. In addition, due to team working KPIs teams often placed the medal. Experienced pilots on the route develop a speed of about 100-140 km / h. "- You just imagine - crazy speed, unlimited space, you see unlimited " ground "distance, and you communicate only with the wind, greet with the birds ... - is not it wonderful? "Of course, once mastered this environment, earthly life does not seem so bright and rich, the whole meaning of existence is in heaven. On my question: "Volodymyr, where is better and easier you feel yourself?" - The collocutor immediately and confidently replied: "Of course in the sky."
Although, in Ukraine hand gliding sport does not apply to popular and mass, but our country has given the world not only strong athletes, but also world champions.
High rises and soft landing for our heavenly environment conquerors!