Becoming an independent paraglider pilot : What courses are available to help you fly alone ?
The question most frequently asked to paragliding instructors is undoubtedly about autonomy. How many flights are needed before you can fly on your own with your equipment? How many paragliding courses are required before you can become autonomous in free flight? What licenses are needed to fly solo? All these questions have answers that depend on each individual and each situation.
Feel free to explore all our paragliding courses in Grenoble.
To give a general idea, we could make the following shortcuts:
The paragliding beginner courses will enable you to discover the activity, learn to fly safely and give you the basics and techniques for taking off and landing, thanks to the work of the instructors. During the day, you'll take part in theory lessons with the whole team, as well as learning how to inflate your gliders on the training slope. Your first flight won't be in a tandem, but don't worry, the instructor will be there to guide you by radio and help you with your technique. Theoretical lessons are compulsory for the course. The most important thing to remember is to work hard and keep at it. Whether on the ground or in the air, you need to be able to put the instructor's advice into practice.
The progression course will provide you with a little more flight volume, during which, if you do well, your instructors will start to let you fly a little independently on the take-off and landing phases. During these flights, you'll also become familiar with flying in calm conditions.
After these beginner and progression courses, depending on your profile, your instructors will encourage you to fly independently, or they may advise you to continue with a few more training days in a paragliding school to help you reach the milestone of flying solo.
Be aware that flying independently does not mean you can stop flying with a school. It simply marks a stage where you can carry out flights in calm aerological and weather conditions on known sites, independently and safely. This allows you to increase your number of flights, and therefore your number of take-offs and landings. As a result, you will gain experience in these flight phases. You can also take this opportunity to reproduce, in flight, the exercises covered during your training courses, if your instructors have validated that you can perform them independently. Paragliding instructors all hold a pilot license, making them experienced professionals who can help you improve your flying skills. Certified instructors will support you throughout your flight time.
Afterwards, if you wish to progress further (for example in thermals, or to improve the amplitude of your turns, etc.), returning to a school may be necessary to fully apply what you have learned. This is why thermal performance courses are offered by schools affiliated or not with the FFVL (French Free Flight Federation).
PROGRESSION COURSE TO MOVE TOWARDS PARAGLIDING AUTONOMY.
As mentioned above, the aim of the paragliding progression course is to lead you towards autonomy. To achieve this, you'll increase the number of hours you fly during the course. The notion of take-off can be tackled if the inflation conditions are right, and your instructor will certainly begin to give you autonomy over the different phases of landing so that you can familiarize yourself with the approaches and associated heights during paragliding flight.
In flight, the exercises and objectives will become more varied so that you can discover as many situations and sensations as possible. Piloting the glider will increasingly resemble what paraglider pilots have to deal with during a flight.
Don't hesitate to ask your instructor and monitors at the end of the course about your autonomy, and seek their advice. They are in the best position to advise you on the subject.
ADVANCED COURSE TO BE AUTONOMOUS IN PARAGLIDING
Once you're autonomous, flying calmly at a known flying site, you'll be able to look further afield. You'll be able to improve your skills, take to the skies and enjoy the thrills. The ultimate goal of every paraglider pilot is, of course, to have fun in thermals. The aim of the refresher course is to help you discover the joys of flying at different sites in different weather conditions (thermals). That's why, during a paragliding refresher course, you'll be required to move around several flying sites during the week, and to fly over a wider range of hours. Your theoretical knowledge will also be more advanced. Finally, you'll be able to enjoy flying solo.
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