Up until the fall of 1995, I had never seen a paraglider. I knew what hang gliders were -- dangerous toys for macho thrill seekers. My idea of a perfect vacation was exploring southern Europe or the Greek islands, seeking out warm weather, sandy beaches, good food and a little history.
In September 1995, at the recommendation of friends who had visited Turkey, my husband Mike and I decided to give it a try. After a week of exploring Istanbul and the area around Ephesus, we settled into Ölüdeniz (Dead Sea), a seaside town on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Tourists come here for the exquisite beaches and other natural wonders, fascinating antiquities and historical sites, temperate climate and superb cuisine.
As we were relaxing on the beach, we couldn't help but notice the colorful objects descending through the air from the mountain range above us. As they came closer, we saw pilots hanging from their canopies, doing graceful wingovers and daring spiral dives, 6,300' down to the beach. Of course, we had to find out what these people were doing.
We spoke with some of the pilots on the beach and began a learning experience that continues to this day. On the last day of our vacation, which was also our wedding anniversary, Mike and I decided to treat each other to tandem flights. We made arrangements with Sky Sports, one of three tandem companies operating at the time.
After surviving the harrowing drive (the road is now paved, and much less harrowing) to the top of Babadağ (Father Mountain), we knew we would not back out. There was no way we were going to take that truck ride back down the steep mountain road. Our flights were awesome. The view from above was captivating. After landing on the beach, our knees weak and the adrenaline pumping, we went to the Buzz Bar for a beer. By the time we finished our drinks, we made a decision. We would begin taking paragliding lessons as soon as we returned to the Bay Area. We have been flying regularly ever since.
We knew that we would have to return to "the scene of the crime" and, in September 1998, our dreams became reality. This time, most of our two-week trip revolved around going up Babadag and soaring over Ölüdeniz. Babadağ is truly a Mecca for paraglider pilots. There were eight companies offering tandem flights from the mountain. On a good day, two hundred tourists were treated to a taste of the paragliding experience (approximately 7,000 each year). In addition, over the course of the season which lasts from May through October, one thousand solo pilots from all over the word came to experience the magic of this mountain. But don't worry, there is plenty of air to go around!
Babadag is a first class site for pilots of all skill levels. The summit is at 6,300' and there are launches in all directions. The tandem companies each send trucks up the mountain four times a day. You can literally fly anytime you want, from sunrise to sunset.
The drive to the top of Babadag takes about thirty minutes. The road has been improved over the years and there are now WCs and snacks available at the launches. But there is a price to pay for progress. The forestry officials charge an entrance fee and the tandem companies charge for a ride up to launch. These fees vary from season to season. Although the prices can really add up if you're an air junkie, it's still a small price to pay for the convenience. The drivers stick around, to make sure everyone gets off OK, before leaving the launches. And, there is always an ambulance with paramedics on the mountain during flying hours.
The launches are large and well graded, but rocky, and will accommodate dozens of wings at once. During our stay, conditions on the mountain were never the same, although we had clear sunny skies almost every day. Sometimes there was no wind at all and other times the wind was quite strong. One day there were huge dust devils coming up from all sides of the mountain, converging at launch! On another day, some pilots (with compasses) chose to launch above the clouds that had formed around the mountain and descend though them when they got over the sea.
Beginner pilots can fly first thing in the morning, or at the end of the day, and expect a long, smooth flight in buoyant air. More experienced pilots, looking for thermals and/or cross country flights, launch midday and can get several thousand feet over the mountain. When you've had enough thermal action, you can fly out over the calm, turquoise sea with 3,000' to 4,000' of altitude and enjoy the scenic beauty of Ölüdeniz. Or, if you choose, you can perform SIV maneuvers with plenty of room to play. After spiraling down to the wide, sandy beach, you will be greeted with a smile from one of the "professionals" who will help you unhook, shake the sand out of your glider, fold and pack it for a small fee.
Turkey has been the site of the World Air Games and there are other flying sites to visit if you have the time. The Turkish people in general, and the pilots in particular, are among the most hospitable in the world. They are friendly and helpful and eager to see that you have a good time. We met pilots from all over Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. To our surprise, very few Americans visit this site.
The climate from May through October is usually warm and sunny. When we were there, in early September, it was flyable almost all day, every day. If you are traveling with children, or other non-pilots, there is an abundance of interesting and fun things for them to see and do. There are accommodations for every budget from back packers' cabins, for less than $15 per day, to all-inclusive seaside resorts for $150+ per day. The mile-long beach, which is also the LZ, is lined with excellent restaurants and bars. If you are coming to fly, you won't need a car. Everything you could possibly want is within walking distance.
We highly recommend contacting the Sky Sports team, who took all the work out of paragliding at Babadağ and left the fun part to us. Sky Sports employs some of the most experienced pilots in Turkey, several of whom are on the Turkish National Paragliding Team. They accommodated our every need and became good friends. With their professional guidance we were able to get the most out of this flying experience. They can arrange for accommodations, transportation to and from local airports, transports up the mountain, site intros, lessons and equipment and can also assist you with cross country trips and SIV instruction. One evening they treated us to an air show where they performed radical maneuvers, full loops, stalls and parachute drops from tandem gliders.
Turkish Airlines flies directly from San Francisco to Istanbul. It takes about an hour to fly from Istanbul to Dalaman, which is about an hour drive from Ölüdeniz.
Contact Murat Tuzer at Sky Sports for more information about paragliding at Babadağ. He can help you with accommodations, transportation, site intros, weather information, equipment repairs, reserve re-packs, cross country guides and personalized maneuvers instruction at Babadağ.
Paragliding at Babadağ is an experience you will never forget. Every year we look forward to our annual pilgrimage to Ölüdeniz!
In September 1995, at the recommendation of friends who had visited Turkey, my husband Mike and I decided to give it a try. After a week of exploring Istanbul and the area around Ephesus, we settled into Ölüdeniz (Dead Sea), a seaside town on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Tourists come here for the exquisite beaches and other natural wonders, fascinating antiquities and historical sites, temperate climate and superb cuisine.
As we were relaxing on the beach, we couldn't help but notice the colorful objects descending through the air from the mountain range above us. As they came closer, we saw pilots hanging from their canopies, doing graceful wingovers and daring spiral dives, 6,300' down to the beach. Of course, we had to find out what these people were doing.
We spoke with some of the pilots on the beach and began a learning experience that continues to this day. On the last day of our vacation, which was also our wedding anniversary, Mike and I decided to treat each other to tandem flights. We made arrangements with Sky Sports, one of three tandem companies operating at the time.
After surviving the harrowing drive (the road is now paved, and much less harrowing) to the top of Babadağ (Father Mountain), we knew we would not back out. There was no way we were going to take that truck ride back down the steep mountain road. Our flights were awesome. The view from above was captivating. After landing on the beach, our knees weak and the adrenaline pumping, we went to the Buzz Bar for a beer. By the time we finished our drinks, we made a decision. We would begin taking paragliding lessons as soon as we returned to the Bay Area. We have been flying regularly ever since.
We knew that we would have to return to "the scene of the crime" and, in September 1998, our dreams became reality. This time, most of our two-week trip revolved around going up Babadag and soaring over Ölüdeniz. Babadağ is truly a Mecca for paraglider pilots. There were eight companies offering tandem flights from the mountain. On a good day, two hundred tourists were treated to a taste of the paragliding experience (approximately 7,000 each year). In addition, over the course of the season which lasts from May through October, one thousand solo pilots from all over the word came to experience the magic of this mountain. But don't worry, there is plenty of air to go around!
Babadag is a first class site for pilots of all skill levels. The summit is at 6,300' and there are launches in all directions. The tandem companies each send trucks up the mountain four times a day. You can literally fly anytime you want, from sunrise to sunset.
The drive to the top of Babadag takes about thirty minutes. The road has been improved over the years and there are now WCs and snacks available at the launches. But there is a price to pay for progress. The forestry officials charge an entrance fee and the tandem companies charge for a ride up to launch. These fees vary from season to season. Although the prices can really add up if you're an air junkie, it's still a small price to pay for the convenience. The drivers stick around, to make sure everyone gets off OK, before leaving the launches. And, there is always an ambulance with paramedics on the mountain during flying hours.
The launches are large and well graded, but rocky, and will accommodate dozens of wings at once. During our stay, conditions on the mountain were never the same, although we had clear sunny skies almost every day. Sometimes there was no wind at all and other times the wind was quite strong. One day there were huge dust devils coming up from all sides of the mountain, converging at launch! On another day, some pilots (with compasses) chose to launch above the clouds that had formed around the mountain and descend though them when they got over the sea.
Beginner pilots can fly first thing in the morning, or at the end of the day, and expect a long, smooth flight in buoyant air. More experienced pilots, looking for thermals and/or cross country flights, launch midday and can get several thousand feet over the mountain. When you've had enough thermal action, you can fly out over the calm, turquoise sea with 3,000' to 4,000' of altitude and enjoy the scenic beauty of Ölüdeniz. Or, if you choose, you can perform SIV maneuvers with plenty of room to play. After spiraling down to the wide, sandy beach, you will be greeted with a smile from one of the "professionals" who will help you unhook, shake the sand out of your glider, fold and pack it for a small fee.
Turkey has been the site of the World Air Games and there are other flying sites to visit if you have the time. The Turkish people in general, and the pilots in particular, are among the most hospitable in the world. They are friendly and helpful and eager to see that you have a good time. We met pilots from all over Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. To our surprise, very few Americans visit this site.
The climate from May through October is usually warm and sunny. When we were there, in early September, it was flyable almost all day, every day. If you are traveling with children, or other non-pilots, there is an abundance of interesting and fun things for them to see and do. There are accommodations for every budget from back packers' cabins, for less than $15 per day, to all-inclusive seaside resorts for $150+ per day. The mile-long beach, which is also the LZ, is lined with excellent restaurants and bars. If you are coming to fly, you won't need a car. Everything you could possibly want is within walking distance.
We highly recommend contacting the Sky Sports team, who took all the work out of paragliding at Babadağ and left the fun part to us. Sky Sports employs some of the most experienced pilots in Turkey, several of whom are on the Turkish National Paragliding Team. They accommodated our every need and became good friends. With their professional guidance we were able to get the most out of this flying experience. They can arrange for accommodations, transportation to and from local airports, transports up the mountain, site intros, lessons and equipment and can also assist you with cross country trips and SIV instruction. One evening they treated us to an air show where they performed radical maneuvers, full loops, stalls and parachute drops from tandem gliders.
Turkish Airlines flies directly from San Francisco to Istanbul. It takes about an hour to fly from Istanbul to Dalaman, which is about an hour drive from Ölüdeniz.
Contact Murat Tuzer at Sky Sports for more information about paragliding at Babadağ. He can help you with accommodations, transportation, site intros, weather information, equipment repairs, reserve re-packs, cross country guides and personalized maneuvers instruction at Babadağ.
Paragliding at Babadağ is an experience you will never forget. Every year we look forward to our annual pilgrimage to Ölüdeniz!
