Mastering Paragliding by Kelly Farina is widely regarded as one of the most valuable cross-country flying manuals in the sport. The author is a professional alpine flying guide who has spent years leading pilots in Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Its strength is a systematic approach: instead of scattered tips, the book builds a layered progression path — the Pyramid of Progression — so every pilot knows where they stand, which foundation skill is missing, and what to master before moving up. It runs from basic glider handling and thermalling through to cross-country route planning and meteorology for pilots. The Vietnamese edition was translated by pilots Dang Van My and Toan Tran, keeping international aviation terminology intact with English–Vietnamese cross-references. Hardback, full colour, 246 pages, with a detailed contents list, glossary and index. Available exclusively at Mebayluon Paragliding.
📚 The book has three parts
- PART 1 – The art of paragliding
- The goal is the whole journey · The Pyramid of Progression
- Alpine launch · Reverse launch: don't gamble · How to hold the brakes
- Carving turns: master versus apprentice · The black art of thermalling
- The golden rule of rhythm and smoothness · Entering thermals · The 4/90 rule
- Coring the thermal · Climb tactics · Thermal etiquette and gaggle flying
- Holding height · Fast safe descents · Route planning · The cycle of the day
- PART 2 – Understanding our playing field
- Valley winds · Handling cruxes and bottlenecks · Lee-side dynamics
- The trump card: the Bridge Principle · Adapting your route · Speed matters · Flying on instinct
- The atmosphere · Its spectrum: sticky and fizzy days · Thermal formation · Magic air and inversions · The Föhn
- PART 3 – Case studies: the Zillertal, Val di Fassa in the Dolomites, and classic routes
⭐ What top pilots say
These techniques and concepts will help any pilot fly better.
Stephan Stiegler – former Paragliding World Champion, lead designer at Air Design
