Portrait - Enak Gavaggio
ENAK GAVAGGIO
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
EG: I am a jack of all trades, not good at anything. I like all activities that are related to play, if there is no play, there is no need for me to be interested. To this I add sharing. I am unable to go and do an activity on my own, I need to share and laugh. In short, I practice or have practiced paraglider, skydiving, base jumping, hockey, skiing, snowboarding, combat sports, tennis, golf, biking and surfing.
When and how did you learn paraglider ?
EG: I started flying in 1998 at paraglider, and in 2000 I started skydiving and base jumping. I threw myself like crazy into paraglider, I bought my Vision up before I even started. First with a one week course in the rain where we didn't fly, so I really learned with my friends, in the fields behind our houses 🙂 I have the reference course of the paragliding pilot that you should not follow... From my first flight I put a pirate flag in my glider...
My 3rd flight was soaring where I hit the ground directly twice before coming home.
My 7th flight was pulled by a cunimb, where I didn't know how to do the ears! So, I first tried pulling on my A's (which I quickly released!) and then pulling on my stabilos; before I realised that my two techniques didn't work, and that I absolutely had to get off, I launched myself into some "3.6". Before losing half consciousness because I was so centrifuged; and ending up landing in the middle of a field of riding obstacles while passing 15 meters from a big high voltage line...
With this experience, I managed to hit my best friend face to face, and then to do a stabilo against stabilo on a full moon flight , on a night when there was no moon...
In short, I burned up all the stages while everyone was asking me to take my time...
Then, well, I got scared, wanting to fly too early in the afternoons. And since I am a Plouf paragliding pilot, I only fly in the morning or in the evening.
What is your practice at paraglider ?
EG: So my Leaf is my second glider ! Of course, I'm not allowed to take my vision out again... I think it has had its day... I love to fly cool and to be able to do facetimes with my nephew and my friends to say hello. So I'm not a great paragliding pilot, even though I've been flying for more than 20 years, but I love above all these moments of calm and the sound of the wind in the lines.
Do you have a special memory of flight to share with us?
EG: My best flight will remain the one in Norway (in Are) in restit, with my friend Romain Raisson who has been flying with Supair for more than 25 years !
What are your upcoming projects (paraglider and outside paraglider) ?
EG: My plans for paraglider are very mundane, going with friends, on foot or otherwise, sharing those last moments at the start when we are still earthlings before leaving the ground, and passing each other by the right or left once in the air, having fun! And of course, I especially like to fly in a Tandem, and to be a passenger, to fall from the harness whenever I want... With a parachute of course 🙂
