Dharamshala: Civil aviation minister of India, Gajpati Raju, shall inaugurate the Paragliding world Cup at Billing near Dharamshala India on 23rd October 2015, whereas flights shall start from 24th morning. This was disclosed by Sudhir Sharma, President of main organizing authority, Billing Paragliding Association while talking to PTI at Dharamshala on Wednesday. Sudhir said that it is first Paragliding World Cup being organized in South Asia, and Himachal (Billing) is the proud to be part of it.

The 123 competing pilots from 35 countries, who have registered for the event, have already arrived at Billing. This includes top 8 of the first 10 aero pilots in the world, who will show their talent in the no. 2 best paragliding site of the world at Billing (Dharamsala).

Sharma also added:

The sight was declared 2nd best when it had facility for 6 or 7 pilots to take off simultaneously. Now we have developed field for 40 to 50 pilots to take off together and are sure that Billing should be declared no 1 paragliding site in the world post this World Cup.

He said that:

Himachal government is very serious for uplifting the status of aero sports as it is the first government in the country to frame and implement rules for the same in India. The state government has taken decision to establish the first National Institute of Paragliding in Billing and Chief Minister of the state Virbhadra Singh will lay the foundation stone of the institute on 31st October before presiding over the closing ceremony of World cup at billing.

Beside 123 competing para gliders, around 500 free players are also there to show their skills. Post this world cup the state shall now bid for the Super Finals of 2017, the bigger event.

Presently, participants and officials are residing in the tented colony in Billing, complying with the new format of the World Cup. According to the minister, the state is now expecting luxury tourists in the area. Even the title sponsor for the event, Airport Authority of India is making efforts to bring more tourism to the state. AAI is developing the Gagal Airport at Dharamsala as a model airport of Hills in the country. Dharamsala Airport shall be starting refueling facility from 23rd Oct to mark the world cup paragliding.

Cine personalities like Preeti Zinta and Sukhvinder Singh shall grace the show.

The first ever Paragliding World Cup of South Asia being organized in Bir Billing near Dharamsala shall also be the testing ground in India for Gagan project. This project shall test Geo Augmented Navigation System for aircrafts, which shall be braided by GPS system. Gagan system is a satellite based Augmented system SBAS being implemented by AAI (Airport Authority of India.)

The system has been developed by ISRO to establish, deploy and certify satellite based Augmented system for safety of life in Indian air traffic.

Mr. Rakesh Kalra, North zone regional director of AAI said:

After USA, Japan and European Union, India shall be the 4th in the world to implement this new Navigation System. This will replace ground based equipment slowly.

Kalra was talking to media in Dharamsala on Thursday. He is here in connection with world paragliding championship.

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