r/freeflight

Looking for insight. My experience with exploring Norway so far has shown me it has a lot of small airports very close to really cool mountains like the seven sisters. They have a TIZ zone, a loop hole i thought of was "within AFIS operational hours" suggesting i can fly outside of hours but trying to confirm it with them directly just left me on read.

I know you need a license to be able to transmit, and tbh i am interested and its not too expensive, however its my understanding that it can be very country specific, for example in Norway you get a callsign and designation but it will likely not work outside of Norway.

Curious if there is any one with more information on a european license or something similar, outside of asking the local pg club to host my flights for me.

Hi. I just graduated from a paragliding course as an independent pilot and got a high b class wing for myself. All the course flights were in calm weather and went well, plus I have skydiving experience so i thought that this is chill. Now I get to do my first flight as an independent pilot with my own equipment and it was pretty scary have to say.

It was really thermal, completely different from the course. My flight lasted 30 minutes and it was just full fight with the thermals, eventually I just wanted to stop and get on the ground. I got a little scared about the next flight now 😅

Paragliding is far more extreme than i fist tought it would be. Any cheers or something to help for excitment?

I feel like there's more and more paraglider using mountaineering helmets for flying.

Local pilots but also in documentaries with experienced pilots from chriggel maurer and more.

I've just gotten my license and am looking for a new helmet.

While mountaineering helmets are quite light weight I'm not sure, if they offer sufficient protection.

I'd like to get one but am quite unsure if it's a good move, especially safety wise.

What's yohr take on it?

so, I've just gotten my license 2 weeks ago. after passing the exam flight I stayed a couple more days (almost a week) in the region I had my course in and flew independently every day, by the end I felt pretty confident flying there on my own.

now that I'm back I'd obviously like to explore sites closer to home. and while I feel fairly confident-ish about launch and the actual flight, I am pretty anxious about landing at an unfamiliar location. during my course we took off from a variety of launch sites, but the entire time it was always the same landing field. so 100% of my landing experience/practice was on this one fairly large square shaped slight incline landing field with some 3 very concrete reference points to use when estimating height on your approach. the site close to me also has a supposedly easy landing field, but it's just pretty different geometry, perfectly level, and thin yet long rectangular rather than square.

I know that theoretically my learned landing technique should translate to other landing fields but I still have a fair bit of respect/anxiety about my first flight there.

any tipps how best to prepare for this? besides the obvious one of doing my first flight there in the morning in totally still air and having a look around the landing zone before going up to launch.

Was curious to hear other opinions on this video Jost posted during his Everest training. His launch and subsequent flying looks quite out of control. As a novice pilot, I am a bit unsure how chaotic things can look in extreme environments while still being within an acceptable safety margin. But this flying doesn't look at all as controlled as what I see during the x-alps which is clearly pretty extreme. I was also surprised that someone would take such a (seemingly) big risk in a remote, high altitude area, where rescue is surely much more complicated than in a place like the Alps.

Any recs on a place to go for first XC flights with a guided trip in mid October? Leaving from East Coast US so would like to keep flight time under 10 hours. Been thinking about algondonales?

I am starting to think on my first wing. My instructor recommended me (and I have already been flying during the course) to check the Independence Pioneer 4:

https://www.independence.aero/en/paragliders/pioneer-4/ (it’s a German manufacturer and I’m based in Europe)

It has this unique feature:

HIGH-LEVEL A WITH B-UPGRADE
The Pioneer 4 stands for the High-Level A segment: lots of performance, generous safety reserves and precise, balanced handling.
The special feature: With the Speed Limiter, which can be installed or removed in a few simple steps, the accelerator travel can be adjusted. With Speed Limiter, the setup remains clearly A-oriented. Without Speed Limiter, the Pioneer 4 unfolds noticeably more speed and dynamism in accelerated flight – positioning itself as a basic intermediate in EN/LTF B.
Thus, the Pioneer 4 combines two setups in one wing:
A-setup for safe entry and comfortable feeling - B-setup for more performance, whenever the pilot is ready for the next step.
Pioneer 4: Fly EN A - then unlock EN B

Is this something actually useful? Are there other wings doing the same?

I come from a skydiving background, with ~500 jumps and multiple canopy piloting courses. I recognise they are very different wings and that I’m starting as a total beginner, but do suspect my progression may be a bit easier.

Hi,

I am looking for a shirt as a present and remembered the one with the standard questions one gets when paragliding.

Do any of you have a link where they can be bought or a picture as a reference to design one?

This was the only source I could find and it seems dead.

https://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3190&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Hi everyone — I’m a gay male paraglider pilot in London / UK and was wondering whether there are any guys like me here who might be interested in connecting - to share the flying, perhaps chat about flying spots and trips, and maybe even get together for some flying or travelling sometime.

If that sounds like you, feel free to send me a DM. 🪂

Hi everyone,

I’m learning paragliding in Italy and now is time to buy my first paraglide.

My school uses only SWING and they’re going to give me the chance to buy all the equipment discounted but I have a doubt if this maker is the best for safety, materials and durability.

Do you have any advice (I’m a novice still in school) for my first paraglider ?

Some thing to keep in mind:
- max passive safety (at least for now)
- durable and made with secure materials

Thank you a lot to everyone who will write.
See ya,

I just discovered that I didn't trade my 13 mini in and so I figure it would work on my flight deck. BUT I don't have a sim card. So I'm curious is any of the apps (Wingman, Gaggle, SeeYou, etc) allow for preloading maps and airports?

Does anyone has expierience with the reeloq pro system and uses it for paragliding? Is it good?

I want the Phone to be safe If i loose it midair.

I dont need to look at it all the time.

Are there any paragliding stores that have permanent stock of harnesses to try out? It seems there is very little opportunity to try any harness outside of the testivals held around the Alps.