What Is Paragliding?
Paragliding is the closest you can get to flying like a bird. It is a foot launched inflatable wing made popular because it is so easy to carry, set up, and fly (compared with any other aircraft).
The pilot is suspended under the canopy by very thin lines made of Kevlar and sits in a harness (much like an 'easy' chair) for maximum comfort. When flying, you can actually soar like a bird; taking advantage of rising air in the form of thermals or ridge lift.
Total weight of the paraglider, harness, reserve parachute and helmet is usually around 15-20kg. They are rolled up and stowed in a rucksack that can easily be carried by the pilot.
Winch or Hill Training - which is best?
Without a doubt; winch training. You'll learn in a quarter of the time (so it will save you money), you'll have no hills to climb repeatedly (so you don't have to be super-fit) and you'll get around thirty times more airtime (each flight will be to around 1000ft or more and will last between five and ten minutes. With hill training you only get 50ft to 100ft hops that only last a few seconds.
Once you have completed the basics on the winch (four to six days), you'll do an easy day or two on the hill (with no repetitive hill climbing) to qualify as a hill pilot (if you want to). At this stage you will be a fully qualified Club Pilot (tow & hill) - two qualifications for the price of one.
Training to fly from the hill is optional of course. We are finding that more and more people prefer NOT to hill fly because of the 'crowding' and risk of mid-air collision. Instead they prefer to join our Tow Club and only fly from hills when they are with us on our foreign flying holidays. More and more are taking up flying paramotors after winch training for the same reason.
'Winch-Tow' or 'Hill Launch' Taster Day? - A Brief Comparison:
This comparison is a prime example of one of the many reasons we changed to using a winch for basic pilot training.
Taster Day (Hill) |
Taster Day (Tow) |
First hour spent on safety briefing and paperwork. |
First hour spent on safety briefing and paperwork. |
Remainder of the morning spent discussing the weather conditions and learning to understand why it is you're on the wrong hill and now have to move to another flying site because the wind is different to the forecast - then an hour or two of your day wasted while you move. |
Second hour spent on how the glider works and how to launch it, then being towed aloft by hand so your feet are already coming off the ground. The wind is different to what was forecast, but it doesn't matter - you're on an airfield. |
After lunch, now starting to get to grips with the glider and how it works; running around with it being careful not to stick your foot down a rabbit or badger hole, put your glider on the fence or get yourself and your glider covered in sheep or cow dung. |
Third hour; you now start flying properly. Your first flight will last between two and three minutes as we fly you the full length of our airfield (between 600 and 900 metres long) at a height of around 50 feet (15m). You'll repeat this until you're happy to go a little higher and move on to the next exercise. |
Mid-afternoon, just starting a few little 'hops' off the ground (duration probably just a few seconds).
|
After lunch you will fly higher and higher up to the maximum permitted on the first day of 150 feet (50m). You'll do this three or four times - each flight lasting around five minutes. |
Late afternoon finishing off with a flight or two at about 20 or 30 feet above the ground (duration still just a few seconds - thirty if you're really lucky). |
If the day has gone well, we'll just keep flying until the sun goes down or you've had enough - whichever comes first. |
End of the day; you had great fun, but left feeling completely shattered and only really had one 'proper flight lasting less than thirty seconds. You'll leave wanting more flying time, but will dread the thought of having to climb that hill again. |
End of the day; you'll leave the school absolutely 'buzzing' and be desperate for more flying. You'll probably want to join us on an EP course on the next available day. |
We found that less than 10% of people completing a Taster Day on the hill ever returned for more training. The main reason - the thought of climbing that damned hill again. |
Since we changed to winch towing, more than 80% of people attending a Taster Day return for more training. Around 50% of those will sign up for their EP before they go home on the same day. |
What Is A Hang Glider?
Hang gliders have a more solid wing structure containing an aluminium frame that creates a V-shaped wing. In comparison, paragliders are inflated by the airflow and have no internal frame.
A hang glider only semi-collapses into a bag that is about 15ft long and weighs 30 – 60kg. You will need a car with a roof-rack to transport it around.
Is Paragliding Dangerous?
The simple answer is yes. However, it is no worse than skiing, motorcycling or horse riding. In the school environment; you're as safe as you can be because the conditions you fly in are much more controlled - i.e. if we say don't fly, you don't fly. This greatly lessens your chance of injury.
There is a saying in the flying community; "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." Most accidents occur due to pilot error. Very rarely are they due to equipment failure. The majority of accidents occur because the pilot was flying in weather conditions that were too extreme or because they were doing dangerous manoeuvres too close to the ground.
You can compare flying with driving. If you drive like an idiot or in very poor weather conditions, you are more likely to crash than a careful driver (or rider) in fair weather - the same goes for flying.
However, you can rest assured that while you're learning to fly with ParAvion, you will be at your safest. Our CFI has one of the best safety records in the UK with a very well known reputation for being over-cautious (often to his own detriment - no flying = no profit).
Are There Any Age Restrictions?
UK law says 16 years with no upper age limit, but for practical, safety and liability reasons we limit ours to between 18 and 60 years.
Although paragliding does not require physical strength or fitness, it does need you to be mentally alert with good coordination skills and good spatial awareness. You will also need to be fit enough to take a few knocks and tumbles in case you fall over during the more basic stages.
Are There Any Weight Or Size Restrictions?
You will need to weigh somewhere between 50kg and 110kg. Sadly, they don't make gliders bigger or smaller than this - well, actually they do, but they are not certified so we can't use them. Tandem wings despite being built to carry two people cannot be used for one extra large person without a separate certification process and this is rarely done.
If you are only 5ft tall and weigh 100kg you simply will not fit into a harness, but thankfully very few people come into that category. If you are exceptionally short or tall, it will be best to talk to us first. You shouldn't have a problem providing you are somewhere between 4ft 10" and 6ft 2" tall.
Is It Weather Dependant?
Very much so. Take a look at the Weather page for full details.
What Qualifications Do I Need To Fly On My Own?
There is no law that says you have to be qualified to fly paragliders within the UK, but you would have to be very foolish indeed to try and fly one without qualified instruction. Many people gave their lives in the development of aviation learning from their mistakes. Are you willing to make all those mistakes all over again for yourself?
Pilots receive new ratings as they progress through their flying career that reflects their skill level. In the UK under the BHPA those ratings are as follows:
• Elementary Pilot - After completing this course you can only fly under direct Instructor supervision within a school environment. This course is just a basic introductory stage to allow you the time to experience it before you (or your instructor) decide whether you have what it takes to become a pilot.
This stage can be completed in just a few days.
• Club Pilot - After completing this course you will be considered to have the minimum knowledge and skill necessary to fly solo without direct Instructor supervision at the majority of UK club flying sites. However, you are not allowed to fly cross-country or beyond the boundaries of a controlled club site. You will only have a very basic understanding of meteorology, air law, flight theory and navigation.
It is at this stage you are at your most vulnerable. It can be compared to having just passed your driving test - the learning has only just begun.
This stage can take between a few weeks and a few months depending on your commitment level, attendance and luck with the weather.
• Pilot - At the end of this stage you will have completed a number of further flight requirements and have logged a minimum of 25 hours (double this is more realistic) airtime. At this point you will be considered a more competent pilot and will be able to fly in a lot more places. You will also be able to navigate controlled airspace and fly cross-country. At this stage you will have studied long and hard to achieve a good understanding of meteorology, air law, flight theory and navigation.
To achieve this level you will need to have been flying between one and three years (the lesser if you do our advanced courses abroad).
• Advanced Pilot - This requirement is met only by logging many hours of airtime and flying many cross-country flights. Only truly dedicated pilots; mainly Instructors and competition pilots achieve this level.
To achieve this level you will need to have been flying around three to five years.
All of the above will require many hours of study followed by a written exam. Each stage obviously becomes more difficult than the last and will involve a lot more study time.
The school will take you through all four stages if you wish, because we run advanced training courses abroad every year - obviously, this is the safest way to progress. You can however achieve Pilot and Advanced Pilot ratings in the club environment without any help from the school, but this will take a lot longer.
Why Should I Learn With A BHPA Registered School?
In order to become a BHPA Instructor you must achieve all the above ratings plus the following:
1. Spend two to three years learning 'how to teach' with a school as a Trainee Instructor.
2. Attend a BHPA Club Coach Course and become a Club Coach.
3. Attend a BHPA Instructor Course.
4. Become a fully qualified First-Aider.
5. Pass an Instructor Examination (theory and practical).
This will make you a basic level Instructor, but you won't be able to run your own school. Two to three years later (after learning how to teach Trainee Instructors), you can attend a BHPA Senior Instructor Course followed by another examination to become a Senior Instructor.
After several years as a Senior Instructor (in order to gain lots of experience), you may (depending on support from the BHPA and your CFI) be allowed to start your own school and become a Chief Flying Instructor.
Tough requirements huh? Amazingly, there are many non BHPA schools (mainly paramotoring only) being run by people who wouldn't even come up to our Club Pilot standard.
Will You Teach Us On Old Equipment?
Absolutely not! Sadly, this is the way a lot of schools operate - it is not unusual for you to be taught on ten year old worn out gliders, but at ParAvion we will only teach on the very latest equipment. Our school gliders are replaced every few months. You may benefit from this further too, because once they have had around 25 days use, we sell them on to our students at a much reduced rate.
I've Already Bought My Bargain Kit From An Internet Auction Site
If this is the case, then you've probably just wasted your money on a load of junk. We would not even consider teaching you on equipment bought in this way, so please don't ask.
Why Must I Have A Reserve Parachute?
You may think a reserve parachute is unnecessary, but none of the instructors at ParAvion will give you a Club Pilot rating unless you have one. This is not a BHPA requirement, but we think it would be irresponsible of any instructor to let you fly outside of the school environment without one.
If you have enough height most paragliders will self-recover*, but at low-level you will need a parachute. Pilots have been saved from as low as 80ft by their parachute when it all went wrong.
*Recovery time depends on the glider's performance rating.
Do I Have What It Takes To Be A Paraglider Pilot?
You must remember that paragliding (like all aviation) is an entirely weather dependent pastime. However, the more you put in, the more you will get out. You must be prepared to be patient with the weather and book in regularly (at least four days a month).
It is ideally suited to people with more flexible time; shift workers, self-employed, part-time, semi-retired, retired or unemployed/between jobs.
If you can only commit to every seventh Sunday or don't get much free time, it's not even worth considering taking up paragliding.
If you leave long gaps between training days you will be forever taking three steps forward and two back - you’ll always be playing catch up. If you do this, it will cost you more money because you will have to keep paying for refresher training.
We can get you through your training to Club Pilot (Tow) in a very short space of time - around seven days spread over a few weeks, but to achieve Club Pilot (Hill) requires a higher level of commitment and can take several months. It will also help greatly if you can be available at short notice so we can call you in when the weather conditions are 'just right' to complete your final tasks.
If you are impatient or are not prepared to book in regularly, then
you may be better off taking up golf.
How Do I Get Started?
We recommend you complete a Taster Day first. This is the first day of the Elementary Pilot course that will allow you to achieve limited solo flight. At this stage you can decide if this is really what you want to do before you pay for the remainder of the EP course and the CP course.
Do I Have To Do A Taster Day First?
The Taster Day is the first day of the EP course, so yes you do. Many schools will offer a Taster Day and then charge you for an EP Course in addition to this. We think this is unfair, so we made them all part of the same course.
How Long Will Each Course Take?
Two or three days to achieve EP (because we teach you on tow - to learn EP on the hill can take five or six days), three to four days to achieve CP (tow).
If you decide you want to fly from hills in addition to tow, then a further day or two to complete hill training to gain a Club Pilot (hill) rating.
The time taken depends on your natural ability, luck with the weather
and your attendance. You can normally achieve more flights during the
week because of fewer participant numbers - as a result, you should
progress more quickly.
Why Learn With ParAvion?
Our Chief Flying Instructor has taught with seven different schools - he ran three of them (and was CFI of two before becoming CFI of ParAvion). In that time, he has worked with many different instructors. Considering this experience; he thinks we have the best instructors, the best facilities, the best equipment and some of the best training sites (including three private airfields) – that are all exclusively ours to use. We have what most other schools wish they had!
We also have one of the best school safety records in the UK – why would you want go anywhere else?
How Do I Know If The Flying Is Going Ahead Or Not?
We leave a message on our answerphone the evening before your booked day.
The weather message is set the evening before your booked day just after 1915 (after the latest forecast updates). You simply call in after 1930 and listen to the joining instructions for the following day. If your day is cancelled due to unsuitable weather, just call and re-book as soon as you can.
We also have a weather conference on our discussion forum where our CFI keeps everyone updated on weather developments and current forecasts.
Where And When Do We Meet?
At ParAvion's premises (here) at the time specified by our weather (answerphone) message. Normally this will be between 0830 and 0930.
What Do We Wear?
Windproof clothing, and a good pair of walking boots (boots are VERY important).
We will not allow you to fly without boots that offer good ankle support and grip (most walking boots are fine). Please be sure to call us if you're not sure of the requirements.
What Should We Bring?
A packed lunch; sandwiches and plenty of water. In summer; suntan lotion and a hat.
What Time Will We Finish?
This will vary depending on the time of year, but generally we finish a good day around 1600 - 1730. It depends on the weather; sometimes we may go on until later if we've had to wait for midday thermic activity to settle down.
How Much Does A Paraglider Cost?
The average cost of new equipment for the beginner is:
• Paraglider - £1800.00 to £2,300.00
• Harness - £4500.00 - £600.00
• Reserve Parachute £450.00 - £650.00
However, we offer a great deal for new pilots - check out our 'Club Pilot Package' deal.
Second-Hand Equipment
If you don't want to buy new, then we can sell you an ex-demonstrator or ex-school wing (we won't sell unknown secondhand wings because we can never 'truly' know their history). If you want to buy second-hand equipment (providing it's from us), you will still be entitled to same day rate charge as above.
We buy new school gliders every few months, so there is always a supply of 'almost new' gliders in stock. We only teach on them for around 25 days before we sell them on. This ensures that we have a good supply of used gliders all the time.
Important: If you buy or intend to buy secondhand equipment from someone other than us, then that is your choice. However, we will not teach you on it. As stated elsewhere, we will only teach on NEW equipment. We consider this a very serious safety issue and there will be no exceptions.
We will always do the best deal we can for our students. There are some models that are a little cheaper, but mostly these are poorly made and are just a waste of money. Buying cheap will cost you more in the long run as you will have to buy twice.
