Paragliding
Learn how to paraglide with UCPA and get a chance to do your first solo flight. A paraglider is a non-motorized, foot-launched inflatable wing. If you are already an experienced flier, get your flight hours in under the supervision and guidance of UCPAs knowledgeable instructors. Learn how to untangle your glider, how to put your harness and how to guide your glider by learning the commands. Learn the take off phases, control your acceleration, and your braking. All this practice is alternated by theory lessons in the classroom. At the end of the week you will be able to fly independently for the first time, guided and assisted by our instructors with a radio.
Always included in our holidays
Accommodation
Instruction or guiding
All meals
All technical equipment
Friendly & social atmosphere
UCPA offers paragliding trips for those that have had a few days previous experience in Loudenvielle. In Loudenvielle, you will stay for at the new 5* UCPA wellness campsite to practice your piloting skills, improve your technique and prepare for your pilot's license. Fly over the Pyrenees National Park surrounded by mountains, looking down on lakes and valleys.
I am afraid it’s not quite that simple. There will be at least a couple of days where your feet stay firmly on the ground at flight school. Your first few flights will be with an instructor, one at the take off and one at landing and you will be guided all the way through with a radio.
Paragliding is an unpowered, foot-launched wing where you launch from a terrain feature such as a slope. Parachuting or skydiving is when you jump out of an aircraft and deploy a parachute to descend. You actually fly like a bird, soaring upwards on currents of air.
This is a bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, however, your flight time will depend on thermals and wind conditions. On a good day, in ideal conditions, you can stay up for as long as you want but, when the conditions are trickier, even the best pilots will only manage a flight of a few minutes duration. As a beginner, expect to only be in the air for a maximum of half an hour at a time and as your skills improve you will be able to control the wing for much longer flights.
There are two phases to launching a paraglider. First the flier must ensure that the wing is inflated in the wind and has flown up over the pilot’s head. Then, the pilot has to run down the slope until they have enough speed to fly and the wing lifts you off the ground. You can be assisted by vehicles, but this isn't something that you would do with UCPA. To land a paraglider there are several different phases that will all be explained thoroughly on your course, from losing elevation, to lining up your landing spot to balancing before putting your feet down on the ground.
At first yes it can be as you will be practicing running around a lot on the ground figuring out how to get your wing over your head. When you are more advanced the physical demands are minimal as you are floating in the air for the majority of the time! You will need to hone your coordination skills for this sport and be able to carry your wing to landing and from take off sites, but other than that it’s pretty easy on the body.
You can see some suggestions for the packing list for summer (or winter sun) here: https://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/information/all-about-your-holiday/
Specifically for your paragliding course, you should take:
- Comfortable sports clothing – shorts & tops, please bring long sleeved top and trousers too as it can get chilly up high
- Waterproof/windproof jacket and trousers (easy to move in)
- High-top hiking shoes with good ankle support
- Good quality sunglasses
- Pair of soft gloves
- Medical certificate of fitness to paraglide (template available upon request).
- €34 to €54 (prices vary) for payment of the FFVL license (air civil liability insurance)
- A notebook for note-taking
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