PARAGLIDING KNOWLEDGE

P1 – P2 Paragliding Course for Complete Beginners

I'll get straight to the questions almost every beginner has when first getting into this sport. ✦ 1. Beginners often don't know where to start This is a very common situation. A s…

The Second SIV Course at Núi Cốc Lake — Learning to Recover When the Wing Stops Cooperating

SIV — Simulation d'Incident en Vol, the simulation of in-flight incidents — is the course where a pilot deliberately puts the wing into the very states they fear most, in order to…

Wing Loading Explained: How to Choose the Right Paraglider Size

Two pilots borrow the same glider. The 62 kg pilot launches and finds the wing feather-light — weak thermals are workable, but any headwind pushes her backwards. The 88 kg pilot fl…

Guide to Buying Second-Hand Paragliding Gear

Buying second-hand paragliding gear saves money but carries risk. How to inspect the wing, lines, risers, harness and reserve before you pay.

Atmosphere and Thermals – Part 4: Lift Inside a Thermal

How dust devils form and whether to fly them, ideal thermal conditions, how lift is distributed inside the core, and the sink around it.

Choosing Your First Paragliding Gear

Picking the right wing class, harness and reserve as a new pilot: certification level, flying style, reserve sizing, maintenance, new versus used.

The Polar Curve: Understanding Glider Performance

The polar curve shows the speed at which your wing glides furthest. Which flight mode to use into wind, downwind and when crossing sink.

Turbulence Part 3: Flying in Turbulence and the Lee Side

Whether to fly the lee side, why stable days are more dangerous than unstable ones, and how wind strength changes the turbulence you meet.

Turbulence Part 2: How to Spot It in the Field

Spotting turbulence from the weather cycle and the terrain: coastlines, cliffs, summits, gullies, trees and wind shadows.

🌪️ Turbulence - Part 1: Sources

Where does turbulence come from and why must a paraglider pilot understand it? Part 1 covers its nature and four sources: obstacles, thermals, shear and rotors.

Atmosphere and Thermals – Part 3: How Thermals Rise

The lapse rate decides how high a thermal climbs. Part 3 covers real lapse rates, how thermals form, and how they change with altitude.

Atmosphere and Thermals – Part 2: Thermal Sources

Which surfaces produce strong thermals, the daily thermal cycle, albedo, and how to spot trigger points in the field.

Atmosphere and Thermals – Part 1: How Thermals Form

How a thermal is born, what triggers it, where thermal sources sit, and why some spots produce reliable lift day after day.

The Reverse Launch: Three Common Brake-Handling Methods

The reverse launch and its three brake-handling methods: crossed brakes, Mistos and three-axis — what each is good for and the mistakes pilots make.

The Forward (Alpine) Launch Technique

The forward launch, used in light wind and for paramotors: how to run, the common errors that pull the wing off line, and tips for a clean launch.

🪂 Hold the Brakes: Connecting the Pilot to the Wing

How you hold the brakes decides whether you can feel the wing. A basic guide to brake handling technique for new paraglider pilots.

Cloud Types Every Paraglider Pilot Should Know

Recognising cap, banner, rotor, lenticular and mammatus clouds — and what they tell you about wind, lift, turbulence and coming rain.

Avoiding Blow-Back Behind the Hill

Being blown back can mean power lines, severe rotor or a serious accident. How to spot rising wind and keep a safe margin from the face.

Pre-flight Checks and Paragliding Launch Technique

The pre-flight check routine, inflating the wing, the control and acceleration phases, and the launch mistakes pilots make most often.

🪂 Paragliding landing techniques

How to pick and commit to a landing field, the approach box, the S-approach, the final glide and the flare that puts you down safely.

Active Flying Part 4: The Spiral Dive and How to Exit

The three phases of a spiral dive, its physical effects, the danger of a locked spiral, and how to exit safely in SIV training or an emergency.

Active Flying Part 3: Handling Asymmetric and Frontal Collapses

What causes a collapse, how to recognise and handle asymmetric and frontal collapses and their complications, and why SIV training matters.

Active Flying Part 2: Controlling and Damping Roll

What causes the wing to roll, how to control it with weight shift and brakes, damping technique, and safe conditions to practise in.

Active Flying Part 1: Pitch Control and Pendulum Stability

What active flying means, the wing's frame of reference and movement, pendulum stability, pitch control and how to prevent a collapse.