well... wouldn't you know it... New York Times has an article about paragliding over Mosul, Iraq!
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/ ... lready/?hp
The club has 280(!!!) members with 18 women! Sheez....
The article calls a 4265 feet elevation a HILL. Wish we had hills like that around here.
(and it misidentifies a paraglider for a parachute at one point).
paragliding - Iraq
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pink_albatross
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Re: paragliding - Iraq
Well, if the LZ is 4,165 MSL, then it IS a hill 
Is Mosul in Kurdistan? It might just be worth a trip. Let's see if I can get my hands on a Falcon 3 with the shortpack bag.
Is Mosul in Kurdistan? It might just be worth a trip. Let's see if I can get my hands on a Falcon 3 with the shortpack bag.David Bodner
Re: paragliding - Iraq
Is this the one where the prohibited airspace over the back is...Iran? Those three hikers are still in jail after a year... - Hugh
Re: paragliding - Iraq
Mosul is not in the Kurdish zone. It is near it but not in it. We drove through Mosul on the way to Erbil which is in the capital of the Kurdish zone. Mosul was and probably remains one of the last strongholds of Al Qada in Iraq, and was undoubtably one of the most if not the most dangerous cities in the country. We went through it heavily armed. A week or two after I went through Mosul another convoy from our same office got hit with an IED. Fortunately the armored SUV they were riding in was able to withstand the relatively small explosion.
Erbil and most of the Kurdish zone lies a few kilometers to the east. We walked freely around Erbil without any form of security, weapons or firearms. My Iraqi (non-Kurdish) friend and I stopped at what can best be called a beer garden, had a beer or two and rode a free ferris wheel. The next day we got to see and drive over those 4,000 foot mountains towering over the biggest widest grassy wildflower laden valley you ever want to see. It's a paraglider's and hangglider's paradise as long as you don't go over the back.
The Kurdish Provincial president's son is here in DC trying to promote his province, including tourism and investment. Shortly after I returned from Iraq I tried to create some interest in flying the Kurdish zone. It's speculation on my part but I it's not out of the question that the Kurdish DC office may offer to assist us with transport and other assistance through their Province in return for some favorable press. Perhaps a major publication like National Geographic Explorer would have an interest?
Flying directly into Erbil is easily done through Turkey or Jordan.
If a few people here are seriously interested, I'll follow up.
Dan
Erbil and most of the Kurdish zone lies a few kilometers to the east. We walked freely around Erbil without any form of security, weapons or firearms. My Iraqi (non-Kurdish) friend and I stopped at what can best be called a beer garden, had a beer or two and rode a free ferris wheel. The next day we got to see and drive over those 4,000 foot mountains towering over the biggest widest grassy wildflower laden valley you ever want to see. It's a paraglider's and hangglider's paradise as long as you don't go over the back.
The Kurdish Provincial president's son is here in DC trying to promote his province, including tourism and investment. Shortly after I returned from Iraq I tried to create some interest in flying the Kurdish zone. It's speculation on my part but I it's not out of the question that the Kurdish DC office may offer to assist us with transport and other assistance through their Province in return for some favorable press. Perhaps a major publication like National Geographic Explorer would have an interest?
Flying directly into Erbil is easily done through Turkey or Jordan.
If a few people here are seriously interested, I'll follow up.
Dan