PARAGLIDING GUIDE : EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PARAGLIDING
Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate paraglider, here you'll find all the little guides from Air et Aventure, the paragliding equipment specialist, to help you equip yourself for paragliding, help you choose a paragliding course or simply give you advice on paragliding.
PARAGLIDING AND PARAMOTORING
Paragliding flights
Flying a paraglider consists of taking off from a defined point, called the take-off point, with a paraglider wing made mainly of fabric, and landing a few minutes or hours later. In the course of a paragliding flight, several thermals may allow you to gain so much height that you find yourself several meters or even hundreds of meters higher than your take-off point! With the right meteorological and aerological conditions, you'll be able to fly even longer.
Paragliding is a discipline that is largely unknown and underestimated by the general public! Whether you're flying for hours on end, covering hundreds of kilometers, soaring from the highest peaks or performing acrobatics, here's what you can achieve on a paragliding flight.
What is a paragliding tandem flight ? It's a flight accompanied by an instructor who will take part in the paragliding flight with you. The paragliding school you choose will take care of you from start to finish, both during the flight and for transport to and from take-off and landing.
Paramotor flying
Like its paragliding counterpart, paramotoring involves using a paraglider, powered by a motor in the back. Thanks to this system, you can take off from any flying site, as the motor's role is to help you gain altitude.
LEARN TO PARAGLIDE
Introduction to paragliding and paragliding courses
When it comes to discovering paragliding, there are two solutions! A paragliding baptism, which consists of flying under the same paragliding wing with an instructor for your first flight, or for the more adventurous, a paragliding course, which lets you learn to fly by yourself and discover the thrills of free flight, in complete safety of course!
Discover all our guides to paragliding courses here !
Paragliding progress
Progressing in paragliding requires a very specific methodology, which can be provided by paragliding schools. First of all, the paragliding initiation course will enable you to discover the activity and make your first independent flights. After that, you'll be able to follow a whole series of courses with different objectives, enabling you in turn to learn how to exploit thermals (i.e. warm winds), discover new flying sites, and reinforce your paragliding knowledge and techniques.
PARAGLIDING MATERIAL
Paragliding Clothing
Paragliding, like any other outdoor sport, requires appropriate clothing and gear. With the exception of gloves, you can generally use the same clothes you use for hiking, bivouacking or any other outdoor activity. As for gloves, the choice is a little more complicated, since paragliding is a discipline in which we encounter different air masses at different temperatures during a single flight. The choice of gloves is therefore crucial!
Paragliding helmet
Essential safety equipment, the paragliding helmet is compulsory in FFVL (Fédération Française de Vol Libre) approved schools and strongly recommended for the rest of your paragliding apprenticeship. Inmold or ABS shells, these helmets comply with the EN 966 standard. However, paragliding helmets can have several approvals, enabling them to be used in a variety of sports, such as skiing or mountaineering.
PARAGLIDING EQUIPMENT
Paragliding harness
An essential part of any paraglider, a harness is the seat in which the pilot sits during the flight. There are many different types of harness, from lightweight harnesses that make walking and flying easier, to reversible harnesses for pilots looking for an all-purpose harness, or cocoon harnesses to keep out the cold and boost performance! Whatever your flying style, there's always a harness to suit you.
Paragliding bag
An important element in transporting your wing, harness and all the accessories you may need during your paragliding flight, paragliding bags come in a variety of formats to ensure you have the right bag for the job. Important criteria to take into account are volume, weight, carrying comfort and accessories (pocket, ice axe holder, pole holder, etc.). Before choosing your bag, don't forget that it depends on the equipment you're going to put in it! So you may need several bags, depending on the equipment you have.
Paragliding wing
The paraglider is the element that allows you to fly. A highly technical item to manufacture, these products undergo many months of development and testing before being put on the market! Available in several passive safety categories, there are paragliders for beginners, paragliders for experienced pilots, and paragliders for expert pilots! Connected to the harness by a set of lines linked together by risers, paragliders are chosen according to your level, your weight, and the discipline you're going to practice.
Rescue parachute
Rescue parachutes for paragliding are an essential additional safety feature. As their name suggests, they are not intended to be used, but they must be functional when you need them. That's why rescue parachutes should be chosen according to your weight, the size of your harness's reserve pocket, and your search for a compromise between weight and safety. Round parachutes offer the best value for money, while square-format rescue parachutes offer the best safety performance. You'll also find steerable rescue parachutes that give you the drift you need to reach a specific point or avoid an obstacle on the ground. Don't hesitate to ask an expert to help you make the right choice for your paragliding rescue parachute.
Flight instruments and flights radios
In paragliding, two main categories of accessories will emerge. Flight instruments, which will enable you to obtain important information during your flight, keep a GPS track or even share your position in real time with friends and family.
Then there's the flight radio. This item, which you'll come across on your first day at school, enables you to keep in touch with your instructor or friends during your paragliding flight. As a safety feature, the radio will also enable you, if need be, to communicate with the emergency services if you or another pilot are in difficulty.
Paragliding accessories
Finally, when learning to paraglide, you'll come across a number of accessories that can be very useful. Whether it's rescue pockets to enable you to use ultra-light harnesses without compromising safety, gas pedals, or Ripstop fabric to repair small tears in your paraglider, sooner or later you're bound to need accessories specific to the practice of this aerial sport.
PARAGLIDING FAQ
Discover our FAQ on paragliding flight and find answers to the most frequencies asked by our cients!
If necessary, you can contact Air et Aventure via our online form to ask us all your questions!
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