Learning to fly

Most popular paragliding regions have a number of schools, generally registered with and or organized by national associations. Certification systems vary widely between countries, though around 10 days instruction to basic certification is standard. andem Paragliding at Painan, Indonesia There are several key components to a paragliding pilot certification instruction program. Initial training for beginning pilots usually begins with some amount of ground school to discuss the basics, including elementary theories of flight as well as basic structure and operation of the paraglider. Students then learn how to control the glider on the ground, practicing take offs and controlling the wing overhead. Low, gentle hills are next where students get their first short flights, flying at very low altitudes, to get used to the handling of the wing over varied terrain. Special winches can be used to tow the glider to low altitude in areas that have no hills readily available.