Reporter Jordan Dafnis with WHNT News 19 in Huntsville Alabama tried the Paramotor on after our interview.
Man hopes to paramotor in all 50 states to raise money for charity
POSTED 6:23 PM, JANUARY 17, 2020, BY JORDAN DAFNIS, UPDATED AT 08:16PM, JANUARY 17, 2020 – WHNT 19 NEWS
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A California man with a passion for paragliding is taking the sport to all 50 states. His goal is to raise $50,000 for local charities.
Harley Milne is calling it the 50 X Challenge Paramotor tour.
“For me, it’s about inspiring people to do something good to help others in general and just in recognition about trying to do this tour across the whole country,” he said.
In each state he wants people to see what he’s doing and donate to a local charity of their choice.
Setting up isn’t as easy as 1-2-3 takeoff. The weather conditions have to be just right.
“That’s always the biggest variable, sometimes altitude can make a big difference so here at 650 sea level it’s actually pretty nice for us,” Milne said. “But flying the glider at 7 or 8 thousand feet, which I did around Moab in Utah, it’s a much more difficult takeoff.”
He flies around 1,000 feet above the ground, strapping into the paramotor like it’s a backpack.
I got to put it on and was surprised at how light it was.
While Milne is enjoying his journey teaching people about paragliding and inspiring them to support one another, he is learning too.
He said, “I think it’s been a very good reminder that life is about what you make it.”
Milne has been flying for five years and has more than 500 flight hours. His next stop is Florida.
