Posted on 11/28/2018 3:00:09 PM PST by Perseverando
An American tourist in Switzerland was forced to hang on for his life when his instructor didn't properly attach his harness just before they went hang-gliding.
Chris Gursky, who lives in Florida, posted a video of the ordeal on YouTube Monday, and it has garnered more than a million views in just one day.
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No thanks.
He had a "death grip " Chuck Norris wishes he hd.
Not when it saves your life.
Ever flown? I have a lot of logged hours. Flying back into a hill is suicide.
Watching that video, he couldn’t even make first clearing, couldn’t bleed altitude fast enough.
Whole thing was very easily avoidable by a simple hang check though.
Looking at the picture on the post, we can't tell where the draft is, but I would expect it is coming up the valley. Regardless; the minute he lifted and knew the passenger was unattached I would have banked left of the cabin shown and given him the chance to bail close to the ground so I could fly alone.
All that being said, the pilot did a good job thanks to the passenger fighting and hanging on for dear life.
Thinking about the story told in the movie, "Sully" and how a flight accident is reconstructed, there is only one pilot and second guessing what he feels and does is meaningless.
The hills are alive, with the sound of screaming!
A lady died in BC not long ago for the same thing. I never understood it. Just do a hang check.
The spot the lady died is a fast drop after launch. No hope of recovery. I took off once there from 3300 ft, and managed to gain to about 10k. The thermals were so strong I couldn’t get down until the sun set. It was fun at first then a bit scary knowing I couldn’t descend. I was trying side slipping turns and no dice.
Think I’ll stay on the ground.
Amazing he could hold on that long.
Whew! Don’t try this at home folks.
When I was younger one of my best friends loved hang gliding. Then he bought one of those things that looks like a hang glider but has a small engine on it. He ran into some power lines and died. He was 32 years old. What a waste.
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