The Ground Launch Extreme is here! The GLX has been designed for canopy pilots who just can't get enough of swooping and enjoy paragliding or Bladerunning.

The history of ground launching:

The history of Ground Launching goes way back to the 1960s. In 1965 American skydiver and aeronautical engineer David Barish started ground launching while testing a single surface parachute for NASA. The new single surface sailwing was designed to bring space capsules back to earth. This basic design evolved into the advanced paragliders and the sport of paragliding.

The sport of Paragliding:

Paragliding is the simplest form of human flight. A paraglider is a non-motorized, foot-launched inflatable wing. It is easy to transport, easy to launch, and easy to land. The paraglider itself is constructed of rip-stop nylon from which the pilot is suspended by sturdy kevlar lines. The pilot is clipped into a harness and oriented in a sitting position for maximum comfort. With a paraglider, you actually fly like a bird, soaring upwards on currents of air. Paraglider pilots routinely stay aloft for 3 hours or more, climb to elevations of 15,000 feet, and go cross-country for vast distances.

Bladerunning is born:

Again, skydivers have created another form of parachuting different from skydiving or traditional paragliding. This new form of extreme ground launching is called "Bladerunning". Bladerunning was invented in 1996 by Montana resident, B.J. Worth. BJ first got the idea about Bladerunning while performing a skydiving stunt over a ski field during production of a movie. Bladerunning has evolved into one of the most cutting edge forms of parachuting today. Skydiving from an aircraft and then flying down a mountain within several feet of the ground was a hit with skydivers. At the first official Bladeruning competition two American skydivers Clint Clawson and J.C. Colclasure decided to foot launch a tandem skydiving parachute into flight while waiting for the weather to improve. After a couple successful launches the pair began ground launching their new Icarus Extreme FX canopies and flying through the course down the ski slope. The sport of extreme ground launching was born. Bladerunning continued for several years in skydiving without much ground launching. The sport of ground launching high performance parachutes was proved possible but created many challenges for pilots. Skydiving parachutes were often difficult to launch and limited the pilot in the way they could fly.

The GLX development:

Six years after Bladrunning started Icarus canopies combined their test jumpers and formed "Team Extreme". Along with ground launching pioneers Clint Clawson & J.C. Colclasure members Jim Slaton & Luigi Cani joined the team. Team Extreme quickly gained recognition as extreme parachute pioneers. The team pushed the limits of the modern ram air parachute during the Icarus Project . The team conducted several expeditions around the globe and set records by becoming the first (only) parachutist to land on top of Mont Blanc (Europe's highest Alp), descending the north face of "Eiger" mountain in Switzerland with parachutes and landing world's smallest ram air parachutes the VX49/39.

It was during these early expeditions that team member Jim Slaton got fascinated with the idea of using high performance parachutes as tools for exploration. Foot launching large parachutes and paragliders is relatively easy but too docile for a fast, low level flight like Bladerunning. Jim came up with the idea of developing a canopy specifically for ground launching and Bladerunning. We were eager to add the GLX to the Daedalus Project and testing went into full swing. The GLX was created with several features not used on modern skydiving canopies. The GLX is not designed for skydiving but the early versions had design parameters that allowed it to be deployed. Even though it was not common knowledge at the time, Jim flew an early prototype during the 1st World Cup of Canopy Piloting called the "GX". The GX had ram-air stabilizers, a hybrid nose, relocated cross bracing and a spanning technology that allowed the cells of the canopy to get smaller towards the wingtips. Jim ended up taking 9th in the world flying a canopy designed for a much different application!

The new GLX:

The  new GLX is a ground launching machine! After several years of beta testing we have developed a parachute that is easy to launch and a joy to fly down the mountain. The GLX is completely cross braced with a hybrid nose section. The center three cells of the canopy are open and the cells on each side of the center are closed with opening similar to a JVX. The GLX has no stabilizers, reinforced ribs and utilizes Spinnaker cloth. Spinnaker material has been used for years on ram air kites and paragliders. Spinnaker material is crisp and thick allowing it to hold the airfoil's shape better. Spinnaker material makes launching easier and is more rigid during flight. The GLX comes standard with two HMA or Vectran line sets. As an option, pilots can get a continuous line set allowing broken lines to be easily changed in the field without tools. A continuous line set makes loosing a line during flight less "stressful" since you have more attachment points between you and the canopy. If your serious about ground launching and want the most from your Bladerunning experience there is only one choice. Ask anyone who has flown a GLX and they will all tell you the same. See you at the launch point...