Dealers for South East England
See Gliders
Paragliding is one of the simplest ways to fly. After a short briefing, you strap into a harness with your instructor, and run forward off a hillside and into the air. To stay aloft, we use wind that is forced upwards by the shape of the hill, as well as bubbles of rising warm air called thermals. Sometimes we have a gentle flight around a hundred feet above the ground, other days we can use powerful thermals to reach the clouds.
No experience required
The weather in the week ahead looks a bit windy and showery -we'll keep checking the forecast and go flying as soon as the weather cooperates.
Thinking about booking a paragliding flight will undoubtly leave you with a whole collection of question. Below are a few of the most frequent questions we get asked. Click on a question to find out the answer.
You don’t need to be an athlete, but a moderate level of fitness is helpful. You need to weigh between 42kg and 110kg (7 to 17 stone). You should be capable of running for 30 seconds, and be able to balance and jump. If in doubt, call us for advice.
There is no legal minimum age for tandem paragliding, but the passenger needs to be able to follow simple instructions, and give their consent to take part in a risky sport. For this reason, we put an age limit of nine years old.
Paragliding is a high risk sport – insurers tend to put it in the same category as off-piste skiing or white water rafting. We do everything reasonably possible to reduce the risk: we are trained and inspected by our national association (the BHPA), our equipment is carefully inspected, and we have many years of experience. But we cannot reduce the risk to zero – so you should only take part if the joy of flight is worth the risk for you.
It all depends on the weather: we need no rain, and light wind from the right direction. The forecast gives us a good idea a few days in advance, and the evening before we can be 90% sure.
Grippy shoes, ideally with ankle support. A wind proof jacket and long trousers. The temperature at altitude is a bit cooler, so wear an extra layer. In winter you’ll need gloves and a scarf.
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