Don Armeni Park in West Seattle is a place where you might see people flying kites or tossing frisbees, but on Sunday evening a different kind of aerial activity was attracting attention. Ryan Kakoy, a paragliding enthusiast from Everett was seen practicing his maneuvers at the park. Kakoy, who has been paragliding for eight years, is not your average park-goer. He’s a certified pilot sport and treats paragliding as a serious athletic pursuit.

Paragliding, as Kakoy explains, is a lightweight, motorless form of flight that involves a kind of "foot launch". He's gone through about a month of schooling to earn his certification. It’s not just a casual hobby; there’s a pilot certification association, similar to those for other lightweight aircraft.

Kakoy's experience isn't limited to casual flights at the park. He mentioned flying off places like Tiger Mountain and others around 1500 feet high. He has even done base jumping. He also participated in a competition where his flght went almost 62 miles, a considerable distance. During these competitions, there’s a support team that follows the paragliders, using a GPS tracker to know their location.

One might think that paragliding is only for the adrenaline junkies, but Kakoy assures that it's not as dangerous as it seems. He compares it to riding a bicycle; "It's safe if you stick to normal riding, but like mountain biking, it can be dangerous if you start doing advanced maneuvers."  He  distinguishes paragliding from hang gliding, noting that the latter is similar but different, and ultralights, which use a motor.

What about comfort and safety when you’re high in the sky? Kakoy explains that there's a maneuver for coming down easily, and paragliders often use a "P tube," which is basically like a portable toilet. They also carry snacks in their pockets for longer flights.

For anyone interested in trying paragliding, a beginner setup might cost around $5,000, while an advanced setup can go up to about $7,000. 

Kakoy was seen practicing in just a t-shirt. He explains that this is because he gets hot; paragliding is a workout.