The sport of hang gliding is soaring to new levels for a local man. Franksville resident Paul Olson and fellow pilot Bill Fifer of Traverse City, Mich., are participating in the first International Motorized Gliding Air Show in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Dec. 29-30.

In addition to the team from the United States, pilots from France and England will participate in the air show.

The Ministry of Tourism is hosting the show and an international tourism convention to introduce air adventure sports as a tourism product in Pakistan. The greater outreach effort of the event is to make Western tourists feel welcome and also promote the Pakistani nation as one that is enlightened and moderate. Pakistan's state of emergency was lifted on Dec. 16. President Pervez Musharraf lifted the state of emergency on Dec. 16 and restored the Constitution after passing a flurry of constitutional amendments and decrees to ensure that his recent actions would not be challenged by any court. The decrees he passed received intense criticism from all sides, but Musharraf hopes ending the six-week old state of emergency will quell tensions and portray his nation in a more positive light.

Olson, a technology support specialist at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, said this event will launch him into the role of unofficial goodwill ambassador. It also will raise international awareness for the sport of hang gliding. In the world of aviation, hang gliding is the most free form of flying.

The pair planned to use their own Swedish Mosquito powered hang gliding harnesses; however, shipping the gear overseas proved to be more difficult than anticipated. Due to post Sept. 11, 2001, regulations, Olson was forced to send his equipment through Canada. It is unknown whether the delivery will be made prior to the air show, but he was optimistic his part of the show will go on.

Ironically, the two pilots met when Olson purchased a Mosquito powered harness from Fifer.

"I'm his second customer," bragged Olson. "In the aviation world, powered hang gliding is a tiny market. People fly because they love the freedom."

Olson later became a dealer of the product line. When the organizers of the upcoming competition were looking for Mosquito pilots to participate, they called the manufacturer in Sweden.

"He suggested Bill, and Bill called me," Olson said. "He asked, 'How would you like to go to Pakistan and fly in an air show?' "

Am I crazy?

Because nonessential travel was not recommended at the time of the invitation, Olson reportedly asked himself, "Am I crazy?" The answer was a resounding, "Maybe."

"I gave it a lot of thought and did a lot of reading," said Olson. Eventually, his trepidations subsided, and he approached the trip with open wings.

During his travels, Olson will adhere to the advice given by a friend. He taught Olson about some of the customs he may encounter and what to watch for.

"Don't look women in the eyes. Don't shake their hands unless they extend it. You are considered a gift from Allah. They will pick your body clean," said Olson. "To quell that, I'm making these Mosquito baseball cards. I'll hand them out."

Olson's cards feature people in different poses that help promote hang gliding.

"When they see us flying, that will be a big treat. That's what I'm hoping," he said. "I'm trying to do my cultural things right. I got all my shots."

He was told to not drink the water, to be careful what he eats and to stay away from hospitals if he gets injured.

"It's a lot like going to the North Pole. You're on the other side of the world," said Olson. "Opportunities in life are not always trips to Disneyland. They sometimes have a little effort or risk involved."

The voyage

For Olson, 54, and Fifer, 66, arriving at the site might be the most challenging part of the air show. The route takes them from Chicago to London, allows them to meet with a hang-gliding enthusiast during a 12-hour layover, and then heads to Islamabad. With the 11-hour time difference, the voyage lasts two days. They will fly in the air show and are slated to return home Jan. 1.

Olson described Islamabad as an interesting, modern city in the northern part of Pakistan.

"I love getting a broader perspective on the world and appreciating where you are," he said.

In 2005, Olson joined eight British pilots and flew for 10 days in France. He also has visited Europe, Japan and Thailand.

Olson will document his trip as much as possible, including using his wing-mounted camera. He was hesitant to bring his video camera and computer on the trip due to safety concerns. He admitted he will miss not having constant accessibility to his cell phone.

Upon his return, Olson plans to share information about his trip and the competition with the MIAD community during the school's Starve and Curious presentation.

He will send appropriate communications to the Oz Report, a hang-gliding online paper that previously mentioned his excursion.

Opportunity of a lifetime

Olson and Fifer are soaring to heights not previously traveled in the hang-gliding world.

"We're the world's lightest airplane, and this is an opportunity of a lifetime," said Olson. "There is a lot of potential. Who knows what could come out of this?"

His research indicated the people of Pakistan are generally hard-working, warm and friendly.

"I'm looking forward to seeing that and being open-minded to see how they live. I just can't say no to these experiences," said Olson. "I don't what to end my life saying, 'I should have.' Now is the prime of my life. I have enough experience and still have my health. It's now or never. It's exciting."