Questions:

1. What is the difference between Mountain Swooping, Blade Running and Ground Launching?

2. I want to swoop a mountain and participate in your trips. What are the requirements?

3. Is Mountain Swooping dangerous?

4. I like the awesome pictures on the website. Can I get pictures like that of myself?

5. How can I book the mountain swooping tours?

6. This is too good to be true! It must be illegal, right?

7. Who are you guys?

Your question is not listed? Email us for more information: info@mountain-swooping.com

Answers:

1. What is the difference between Mountain Swooping, Blade Running and Ground Launching?

Blade Running:
Blade Running is a competition discipline for the worlds best swoopers. For it's nature of being a competition it is on special events only and reserved for competing athletes. The competitors have to run through a course of windblade-gates. Mostly a downhill ski-piste is used for Blade Running. It can be compared to Slalom skiing.

Ground Launching:
Ground Launching is - like the name says - an activity that is ground based. A plane is not needed and the canopy is started on the ground - downhill and against the wind. Similar to a paraglider. High performance canopies seldom deliver enough lift and the takeoff is very dependent on wind conditions and angle of the hill. Takeoff locations have to be picked carefully and are rare to find. Jim Slaton offers a great school for Ground Launching: The Ground Launch Center (GLC). Check out the website
There you will also find more detailed info about the history of ground launching and blade running.

Mountain Swooping:
Mountain Swooping is different. Talking the ski-metaphor it can be compared to freeriding or better heli-boarding in untouched powder. A plane is used to drop you over the peaks of the mountains and you will be able to swoop the entire mountain from peak to bottom. No hiking up to a special take off and no ski slope is needed for the sport. Because it is not a competition the requirements are fulfilled by most advanced skydivers. And there is no pressure of making the gates. This means you can decide if you want a scenic glide at a safe distance or a rollercoaster ride at groundrush distance.

2. Hell yeah, I want to swoop the mountains. What are the requirements?

First of all: Be your own proud honest judge (Space Games Rule 1:)
You have to be current and confident with your canopy. Consider to participate a canopy course. We will be offering canopy and mountain swooping workshops through out the year. Check the schedule and sign up for the newsletter.
You should only consider mountain swooping when you have 200 jumps under your wings, for this is the absolute minimum requirement. You will still have to prove canopy control on the DZ before we take you up the mountains. Then you can participate most of our trips with a safe distance to the ground.
If you have got 500 jumps+ and feel really current with your parachute you can participate most of our trips without "qualification". Still you should remain a safe distance to the ground especially on the first rides. You will increase your canopy skills greatly while mountain swooping and you can learn safely and work yourself closer to the mountain.
With more than 1000 jumps you are qualified for all of our trips. We trust your own responsibility.

3. Is Mountain Swooping dangerous?

It can be. Like every sport dealing with the forces of nature and playing with the elements. It is an activity that will teach you respect. Flying down a massive mountain with a parachute that will never gain altitude is a unique experience and you will be careful on your first rides.The mountains we pick for swooping are steep enough even for small high performance canopies. We flew down the Eiger with a 79 and 84 Velocity equipped with extra weight. So you can always get away from the mountain. You can slowly work yourself closer to the mountain by flying sideways or doing light turns.

You can perform Mountain Swooping very safely by always remaining a safe distance. You will learn a great deal of canopy control because you always have a refernce with the ground and can see changes in your flight path after canopy control input.

So by nature Mountain Swooping is not dangerous - it all depends on you and your responsibility.
Play it safe!

4. I like the awesome pictures on the website. Can I get pictures like that of myself?

Thanks for the compliment. And yes, we offer a professional service for Mountain Swooping visuals. World class camera-flyers and photographers like Mike Kleist (Human Flight Images) and Stefan Klaus (Futurefly) will adress your visual needs. We will chase you down the mountains and capture your unique adventure in breathtaking images. We offer a complete DVD editing service and you can also get high quality photos to print posters.

5. How can I book the mountain swooping tours?

Right now we are working on launching our service beginning of 2006. We will be posting news like dates and prices on this website a.s.a.p.
If you are interested in Mountain Swooping sign up for our newsletter for the fastes way to get all the info.

6. This is too good to be true! It must be illegal, right?

Switzerland is very liberal regarding nature activities. Like basejumping Mountain Swooping is tolerated. It is a brand new sport and we are the only ones offering this service. We would like to continue this great and unique sport as long as possible. That's why we play it safe and respect the enviroment.

7. Who are you guys?

Check out the Team page!