"I believe no human has not dreamed of being like a bird. The Icarus myth is one for all humanity," says Swiss émigré Sylvan DePury.

He is sitting back in the chair in his office and smiling as he recalls a day of para-sailing over Apoyo Lagoon. "We were aloft from ten in the morning until five that afternoon, and we only landed because we were tired." He is a down-to-earth businessman who has realized the dream of flight. "It's great."

Para-sailing was born in France in the 1970s and is, according to DePury, the easiest way to fly. "It was only a natural progression for parachutists, since the old-style round chute had given way to the wing shape. Someone decided that they could fly from the ground." It developed in the Alps and drew thousands to its ranks. Today, there are more than 30,000 pilots in France alone.

Going Up...

Just south of the city of Masaya, the Apoyo Lagoon is an excellent place to fly, says DePury. "We don't jump. We don't go down. We go up."

Apparently the sport is catching on in Nicaragua, with 30 people either flying or in a training school started by him and another Swiss entrepreneur. The training consists of theory and practice, with ten flights constituting the minimum required to receive certification from the Nicaraguan Federation of Free Flight, sanctioned by the international para-sailing body.

Para-sailing is viewed as a secure sport, although as in any activity of this nature, one must be mentally prepared and constantly alert.

"The pilot must study the conditions. The wind is difficult to know, and you must be sensitive to its changes," says DePury. For this reason, the helmet is open-faced and does not cover the ears. "The sound of the wind and the feel of it on your skin are the pilot's instruments."

Generally, flying speeds are from 35 to 50 kilometers per hour maximum, "a very agreeable speed," notes DePury. "When you slow to 25 kph, you descend. Even if the wing were to fold in half (a rare occurrence), it is made to reopen, and if you do not steer, the para-sail will fly straight."

DePury is quick to point out that if you have doubts about trying to fly, don't do it. He has seen people well into their seventies para-sailing, but drew the line at giving instruction to an 82-year-old man. His prime concern was that at that age there is an accumulation of risks such as brittle bones and slower reaction times. The minimum age to obtain the license is 16 years.

Where To Do It

Most places in Nicaragua have not been explored for this exciting sport, according to DePury. He has flown from Mombacho Volcano south of Granada and from the Cuesta del Plomo and Sierra de Mateare nearer Managua on the new highway to León. Further away are Casitas Volcano near Chinandega and Matagalpa.

"One of the attractions of flying here is being able to discover new places. Of course, it is much easier where there are roads," he quips.

Today, as you travel along the highways and by-ways of Nicaragua... Look! Up there in the sky... it's a bird, it's a plane. No, it's a happy para-sailor soaring gracefully in the air, living out the dream of flight.

Cover Story:
Flight of Fancy

by Paul Parisi, originally published in Nica News 15 (July 1998)