Progressing in paragliding : how to improve in free flight ?

WHAT ARE THE KEY STAGES IN PARAGLIDING PROGRESS ? 

Progress in paragliding is a rewarding adventure that can be discovered and mastered through various course. Each stage marks a significant advance in the mastery of this aerial sport, and safety remains the watchword at every level. Let's take a look at a few key stages that represent the questions most frequently asked by beginner paragliders.

How long does it take to make your first solo paragliding flight ?

Generally speaking, the first totally solo flight with a paraglider takes place after 3 or 4 days of training in a paragliding school. The first two or three days are generally spent learning how to handle the paraglider on the ground, getting to grips with inflating the glider on school slopes, and as soon as your instructors think you're ready to take off, they'll take you on your first big flight. In practice, you're on your own under your paraglider, but you're guided by your instructors, via radio, from the start to the end of your flight. In short, the instructor gives you instructions, and you carry out the commands given to you.

When to make your first solo flights outside school

Flying solo for the first time is an exciting but delicate step. Before embarking on solo flying, it's imperative to have acquired a solid grounding in paragliding school, and a good knowledge of your equipment and aerodynamic principles. Generally speaking, a pilot is ready for this stage once he or she has successfully completed a certain number of supervised flights and obtained the endorsement of his or her instructors (generally after about ten days at the school, always if your instructor tells you that he or she feels you can do it). It's also a good idea to start out in good weather conditions at a well-known site, with an easy take-off and a large landing area, so that you can fly with complete peace of mind.

There's no set number of flights, as this will depend on a number of factors : your learning capacity, your personal confidence, how easy it is to get into the sport, etc. Generally speaking, paragliding schools advise you to do an initiation course and a progression course before starting to fly on your own. Even if you've already flown alone in a school on your 3rd or 4th day of training, that doesn't mean you're ready. The reason? Events that you are still unaware of at this stage of your progress, and which are managed by your instructors without you even realizing it (aerology, various obstacles, other paragliders around you, etc.). So be careful not to get ahead of yourself.