Adventure couple eyes air safari over Hussain Sagar

Want to take in scenic beauty from above, leisurely flying over fields, in awe of the horizon? Paragliding will appeal to those longing for thrill factor – it is akin to flying parachutes. You need not go to Interlaken (Switzerland), Pokhara (Nepal), Bir Billing or Manali (HP) or Nandi Hills in Karnataka to partake of the adventure of flying for a panoramic and aerial view of nature's glory. Our own state offers the exhilarating experience of power paragliding at Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir in Siddipet, which is providing amazing fun. This was added as a new tourist attraction, after paramotoring at the reservoir.

Getting a bird's eye view of Kondapochmma's rich landscape, one can comfortably fly up to 6,000 ft, thanks to Wingmasters company, the first of its kind in Hyderabad.

Started by a couple from Jaipur, the company has operated more than one thousand out flights at the reservoir. Enthused by the response of flyers, it is now seeking government support to explore more locations of the state to offer the adventure.

They are planning to start operations at Hussain Sagar, too.

Abhay Singh Rathore and Vedika Singh Rathore, certified paramotor pilots, started Wingmasters in Jaipur to let people explore the beauty of the sky and enjoy the wind far above from the ground. They moved to Hyderabad and chose Kondapochamma Sagar in November last year.

Evenings are suggested to be the best for an air safari, it starts form five minutes and can be extended to 25 minutes and this great experience comes at prices starting at Rs 2,500. Kondapochamma looks amazing with lush green farms on the lower side and water on the other side. A view from the top reflects the advancements happening in agriculture and horticulture.

Speaking to The Hans India, Vedika Singh, who runs the ground operations, said, "As it was the Covid-19 pandemic situation, we didn't expect such a good response from Hyderabadis. They have been very kind to us. They are not just becoming regular flyers with us but also inviting more people to experience the joy."

The duo now wants to study the wind and weather pattern of the city, and reckon there are many beautiful and suitable locations for power paragliding in the city also. "It would be great if everybody else in the state could experience this different flying like this. If we get the government's support in other parts of the state as well, we would like to expand and explore several other parts of the state," they said.

When asked how they got into flying, Vedika said her father-in-law used to do gliding while he was in Indian Army and after that she and her took to flying, though she is a musicologist and her husband an architect. After certification, they started commercial operations under 'Wingmasters.' It is considered to be the country's only paramotoring outfit that provides insurance to the flyers. In case any flyer faces injuries, it provides them insurance facility as well.

About Hyderabad, Vedika shares that Hussain Sagar would be a great site to fly, to start with.

At Kondapochamma Sagar, one can fly up to 2000 feet. The motor can can also take one up to 8,000 feet. It runs on petrol and additives (boosters). At the reservoir, two flying shifts are being done: 6 am to 7:30 and 5 pm till sunset. The flight has one passenger and one pilot.