ParAvion Training Courses:
To qualify to Club Pilot standard so that you can fly without an instructor present, you must complete ALL of the stages of our Training Syllabus in order; the Elementary Pilot Course and then the Club Pilot Course.
The learning process is simple:
1. If you're not sure yet - try it with a Taster Day
2. Complete an Elementary Pilot course
3. Complete a Club Pilot course
4. You're now qualified to join a flying club and fly without an instructor.
All ParAvion courses are run seven days a week including bank holidays (weather permitting). Paragliding is VERY weather dependent - see our weather page.
Booking
Once we have received your payment you will be emailed a reference number and a link which will take you through our booking process. You will need this reference number to complete the forms and to register with our online booking system.
Age, Height & Weight Restrictions
For insurance and liability reasons; our courses are only open to people aged between 18 and 65 years old providing you're fit enough. You will need to weigh somewhere between 7st 12lb (50kg) and 17st 5lb (110kg) and be between 5' 0" (1.52m) and 6' 4" (1.93m) tall to fly paragliders.
A high percentage of people in the UK are overweight due to a more sedate lifestyle than years ago (and we don't care about that), but what we do care about is your safety. The simple fact is, if you're too heavy for your frame; you far are more likely to injure yourself if you fall over or have a hard landing.
Ideally your BMI (Body Mass Index) should be under 28; you can use this chart to check, but if you're not sure please call us. If you are very fit and muscular the BMI chart can be misleading so please check with us before writing off your dream of flying a paraglider.
FREE Tuition
Take a look at our Latest News section for details of our fantastic equipment packages - a glider, harness, reserve parachute and helmet for as little as £2,995.00 and with no tuition fees). Why pay for training when you can have it FREE?
How Long Will It Take To Qualify?
Over 90% of our students complete their full Club Pilot training within six or seven days of training (some less), so we will allow you seven 'complete flying days'. How far apart these days are will be dictated by your attendance (you must book regularly) and the weather. Depending on how often you can attend and how kind the weather is to you; it can take anything between two weeks and several months.
If it takes you longer than seven 'complete flying days' you will be charged at a discounted daily rate of £100.00 (our normal daily rate is £170.00). Please note: This will only ever happen if you spread your attendance over too long a period and require refresher training.
Your rate of progression will depend on how many flights you achieve on any given day and how close together you can make those days (an average 'complete flying day' will be five or six high flights to between 500ft and 2000ft). If you can attend on weekdays, occasionally this number can be doubled or more; so you'll get two day's worth of training completed in one (recently we had a young couple complete their EP training in just one day as they were in a group of only three students).
Our student groups are quite small during the week (typically four to six) which should enable you to progress faster for the reason mentioned above. At weekends it's a bit busier (typically six to ten). If you decide to go on to CP (Hill) or paramotor training, then it can often be just one student with an Instructor.
We have a support forum so you can keep in touch with other students you'll meet (and us of course). Also, if you can make yourself available at short notice we will contact you by phone, SMS or email for a 'last minute' place if one becomes available.
Learned With Another School?
ParAvion inherits students from other schools regularly, but if you have started your training with another school (whether it is UK based or not), it is unsafe for us to try and pick up where they left off because we will not know your ability, knowledge or currency.
You must first undertake a Safety Evaluation Day (same price as a Taster Day) so that we can cover the basics with you. We will then be able to determine the level of training you will need and advise you accordingly.
You will need to discuss your previous training with our CFI and he will expect you to be able to produce proof of your training in the form of a log book or training record.
Our reasoning is simple; ParAvion's training standards and safety record are second to none and we want to keep it that way.
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