Paragliders Talk About Safety Following Fatal Accident

A fatal paragliding accident in Santa Barbara County Sunday didn’t lead to cancellations at Fly Above All Paragliding Tuesday.

Students spent the day learning how to solo and tandem at South Elings.

Georgie Yap, the wife of 84-year-old student Bill Harris, came to watch. Yap said they were aware of the fatal paragliding accident that happened about ten miles away. Harris said they came all the way from Honolulu and researched the safest paragliding school. He paraglided more than a dozen times and plans to continue with the sport.

Instructors believe human error led to Ron Faero’s death.

The avid paraglider slipped from his tandem harness in Rattlesnake Canyon on Sunday afternoon. Faero’s teenage daughter had been paragliding before and managed to crash land. She is recovering from minor injuries.

Bill Heaner, an award winning instructor visiting from Salt Lake City, said they have a pre-flight check list they teach students to do at least two times before launch. He said they check leg loops and straps that connect both pilot and passenger.

“Whether it’s solo or with a passenger we have to be methodical, unfortunately every so often human errors comes into play,”said Lorenzo Romano, a tandem apprentice.