A view of paramotor flight. Pics: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: As Qatar and the region’s first paramotor pilot, Hessa Albinali may not be the conventional pilot, but the 29-year-old sees the country in a different light while in her elements, clocking more than 400 flights on paramotor and paratrike.
Hessa, who operates from the Sky Masters Air Sports Complex, is licensed to fly and instruct prospective paramotor pilots in Qatar. Paramotors are light, portable aircraft without doors or roofs that run on regular fuel using a giant parachute. It can be mistaken for paragliding, but the difference is in adding a motor and larger wings. A paramotor is for solo pilots, while a paratrike is a car with three wheels that can have one or two seats. This depends on whether it is used for individual or two-seater flights.
Hessa Albinali, first Qatari woman paramotor pilot
In an interview with The Peninsula, Hessa said she never considered flying as a dream or ambition, but she geared towards the idea after trying it.
“I liked it. So I decided to be a pilot,” Hessa said, adding, “Before becoming a paramotor pilot, I first tried paragliding in different countries and then liked flying. I looked for places to learn paragliding, but since we don’t have mountains in Qatar, I decided to become a paramotor pilot by taking my licence at Sky Masters.”
Located at Sealine Beach Road, about 60km from Doha, Sky Masters Club offers adventure-seekers a thrilling and hair-raising experience only better explained if experienced. Air tours go for QR600 for 10 minutes, QR1,000 for a 20-minute session, and QR1,400 for 30-minute flights. The club, certified by the Association of Paragliding Pilots and Instructors (APPI), also offers training courses for those interested in the sport at a rate of around QR10,700 for two to three weeks. The club currently runs its flights during sunsets and sunrise for the summer.
The club, founded and owned by Mohammed Al Yafei, a certified APPI pilot and a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the World Air Sports Federation team leader, opened just before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, it became a popular destination for many visitors. With Qatar’s plan to welcome around six million visitors by 2030, the Club could play a massive role in promoting Qatar as a tourism hub for air sports lovers and adventure seekers.
“When people visit any country, they usually look for something interesting and new to experience. So paratrike or flying, in general, will contribute to increasing tourism or the different destinations visitors can try. So we hope that this place (Sky Masters Club) will be one of the visitors’ choices here in Qatar,”
“During the World Cup, many visitors sought something new to experience. So Paratrack experience was one of their choices,” Hessa said. “We had a significant patronage during the World Cup. Several fans from Argentina, Mexico – from many competing nations and neutrals somehow found their way here.”
A trip on the paratrike would take users past Sea Line Beach until the Regency Resort in the desert. “We fly above Sea Line beach and see the dunes meeting the sea. Sometimes, especially in winter, we can see flamingos and different types of birds. If we are lucky, we see some dolphins also,” Hessa said.
Speaking about the challenges she faced as a woman, Hessa said it was difficult initially, especially from the community. She urged interested young people to visit the Club, learn with professionals, and decide if they want to become solo pilots.
“There were some comments that the sport is not for females. But again, if we continue supporting this sport, it will increase in Qatar and become popular among youth.”
