Above the rooftops of the capital

The sun slowly rises over Vienna as Roland Brunnbauer climbs on to the roof of gondola number 10 of the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater. It’s 6 in the morning. There’s a moment of stillness before the adventure begins. He has been eagerly awaiting this moment for a year. It was not only the hard training and elaborate planning that brought him to this seven square-metre roof of the carriage, but also the inner urge to keep expanding the horizons of flying.

This flight is different. Roland, the professional acro pilot stands on a landmark that was not intended for flying. High above Vienna he intends to take off from the roof of a gondola on the big wheel at a height of 65 metres – a takeoff that requires both skill and mental strength. It is no ordinary flight, and will be a first for both Roland and Vienna: a launch from an area just half the size of his glider. Once the canopy is released to the wind, every move has to be perfect, and he has to react precisely to every gust in order to control the wing’s wayward behaviour.

"SEVEN SQUARE METRES AS A LAUNCH AREA IS VERY SMALL. THAT'S WHY I PERFECTED MY THROW & GO LAUNCH TECHNIQUE IN ADVANCE."

Roland Brunnbauer

Vienna is the stage for this unique project: Roland needs 11 to 25km/h of wind from west-northwest. He has been waiting for weeks for this exact window. The forecasted wind speed is above the ideal range, but Roland is determined to give it a go anyway. As is so often the case, the wind proves to be an unpredictable player. Natural turbulence causes his paraglider to veer to one side on the first attempt and it gets caught on the steel framework of the Ferris wheel. Roland frees his PI 3, but two more failed attempts follow. The tension rises: nervousness spreads. A knot in the lines almost forces him to abort, but not quite. Roland takes a deep breath, clears the knot – and then, as if the wind had finally come to its senses, the right moment arrives.

"THE BUZZING OF THE DRONES IN THE AIR WAS MY SIGNAL THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO START."

Roland Brunnbauer

This time the launch goes well: the cells fill with air, Roland has a complete wing above his head. A couple of steps take him over the edge of the gondola and adrenaline turns to pure joy. He’s airborne, committed to flight, jubilant. The city spreads out below him, the sky his element. After a few wingovers, he steers his way smoothly between the trees, heads for the Kaiser’s Meadow and aims for the marked landing area. He is greeted by cheers and celebrations from the entire team.

“I can't really believe it yet and I'm extremely grateful for this unique experience that will stay with me forever!” Roland sums up. It is the knowledge that he has succeeded – that the dream that has been with him for so long has finally come true. But more than that: this flight shows what is possible when creativity meets tireless determination: it is not only the first paragliding flight from a Ferris wheel, but also proof that the limits of flying can be raised again and again.