They can fly 200 miles with no fuel. Here's how.

thermals

Paragliders fly using thermals, which are columns of rising warm air heated by the sun. They can stay aloft for hours, covering hundreds of miles without fuel, by skillfully navigating these invisible updrafts.

• ☀️ The sun heats the ground, which heats the air, creating thermals. Obstacles like fields or buildings can help focus this rising air.
• 💨 Pilots use a variometer (vario) to hear ascending (high-pitched beeps) or descending (low-pitched beeps) air.
• 🪂 Paragliders are not parachutes; they are designed for lift with a large wing surface, not controlled descent.
• 🛗 They can climb at 2-3 meters per second in strong thermals, reaching thousands of feet.
• 🔄 Turning in thermals involves leaning to alter drag and center of gravity, maximizing climb rate.

A person tandem paragliding with a shocked expression, with text overlay 'no engine, no fuel'.