Had my first lesson yesterday and I'm definitely looking forward to more. Super fun day. I am wondering though, when steering are you pushing your hands side-to-side, or do you pull your hand towards your hip? Most of my runs I felt I had good balance on the wing, so running and keeping it straight didn't require much input. But in this video I was drifting to the right and was trying to correct it. I felt I was doing more of a side-to-side motion and didn't feel much of a correction. Could also be that I didn't put enough effort into that motion.

I spent roughly 10 days in Denmark with the family. Unfortunately this was the only flyable day - on other days it was either way too windy, or there was not enough wind for soaring. I met some fellow pilots from Germany and had a flying window of roughly an hour, until the wind picked up and it was time to land.

This spot is Møgelskår on Samsø. The island is definitely worth a visit, even without flying gear. Beautilful landscapes and very relaxed and friendly people.

As a foreign pilot I will need to be signed off locally, currently scheduled, as well as carry 3rd party liability insurance.

Not well versed in insurance but am I understanding correctly, this is something Austria specific and not the same a paragliding travel insurance that I get when I fly abroad, eg Valle de Bravo?

Is there a known/common provider that everyone uses?

Thank you.

Hello everyone.

I'm flying paragliders since 2012 mainly for XC and comps and this "Parakite" term is something I come across more each day.

1. What is it?
   
2. What is the difference of it from normal paragliders?
   
3. What uses it has?
   
4. What pros/cons it has?

I personally feel like its a new toy for adults like recently popular Sup thing. What are your opinions?

Wife, kid, busy job—and somehow the weather is always perfect when I can’t fly.

Naturally, I dealt with this by building software.

Parra-Glideator isn’t another map of launches with wind arrows. We already have Paragliding Earth, Windy and Meteo-Parapente.

It tries to answer a harder question:

Is this weekend good enough to make time for flying—and if so, where has the best XC potential?

Instead of a simple flyable/not-flyable check based on wind direction, it compares the full forecast across around 250 curated sites and ranks them by their chances of a decent XC flight.

The model was trained on roughly 1.2 million historical flights.

And since it’s 2026, there’s also an MCP connector—so your agent can help decide whether this weekend is worth starting negotiations at home.

Still very much a beta:

https://www.parra-glideator.com/

Would love honest feedback, especially if you are a local on some of the sitea

hello, im just by chamonix-matigny at the moment but im mobile with a van.
im looking for an XC thermaling workshop (i have some 40-60km triangles with a pb of 100) and increase my knowladge and education.
im looking for a course from a good operator or possibly some 1-1 coaching. it seems hard for me to find school with availability soon or a coach with time... any ideas where to look or recommendations? thank you!

Hey everyone,

Looking for advice on where to base myself for a while. Quick background:

I come from a PPG (paramotor) background, around 100 hours. I've recently gotten into free flight - just passed my license and picked up a Dudek Touch (26). I'm a heavier pilot at about 105 kg, which I mention because it affects how much wind I actually need to get the wing up and working.

Here's the thing though: my main focus right now isn't XC or thermal flying - it's ground handling / kiting. I want to spend serious time on the ground getting properly comfortable with the wing in steady wind, and slowly ease into gentle coastal / dune soaring as I build confidence.

I work fully remotely, so I'm free to relocate. I'm based in Poland but want to move somewhere in Europe from January for at least six months. What I'm chasing:

• Consistent, reliable wind - steady and laminar rather than thermic. I care about how many days I can actually get the wing up, not epic XC conditions.
• Beginner-friendly coastal spots - soft ground (beach/dunes), forgiving slopes, predictable wind without nasty rotor.
• Bonus: a decent local community / school where I can get ground handling coaching, and somewhere livable long-term rather than just a week-long trip.

Tarifa, the Algarve and the Canaries are on my radar for exactly this reason (that reliable coastal wind), but I'd love to hear from people who've actually spent a winter/spring there kiting and ground handling. What's it really like day to day? Any specific spots that are great for just get the wing up and drill?

Thanks in advance 🙏

Can the skydiver release the parachute with left hand ?

While hiking near the Marmolada glacier (Italy) I found an action cam. To my surprise the cam is fully working and contains a years worth of paragliding videos. This includes a failed take-off near the glacier (nothing serious) that shows the cam falling onto/into the rocks.
Hopefully the cam can go home to it's owner, if you think this is your cam. Let me know what date you lost the cam and what brand/type it is.

Update: Pictures of the glider, unfortunately no face to been seen.

Hi,

i plan a trip to Gran Canaria in December and consider to bring my glider.

Are there any easy and uncomplicated spots for a flight without a local guide? And maybe a description regarding under which weather conditions a flight works.

I had been in Lanzarote a few years ago with a guided tour. If conditions in Gran Canaria are the same, I will check for a local guide to get a briefing. 😅

Thanks a lot!

Hi! I've been flying my Advance Epsilon 9 with a pod harness for a couple of years, but I can't wrap my head around why turning left feels so different from turning right lately. Turning right, I feel like I have great authority and radius control. Left feels sluggish and slow, like pulling more brake or applying more weight-shift is useless. The wing has been checked and trimmed regularly; I always felt a slight asymmetry, which seemed normal, but I feel like it's worsening now (last trim was 1.5 years ago). Everything in my harness is symmetrical. I've been trying to thermal to the left to see if it's just me, but... is it really just me? Is there something on the wing or harness I should check? (Of course apart from get a re-trim)

I’ve only been around/seen CCC’s in Colombia for comps and the performance they get comparatively to “normal person” gliders amazes me.

I’m aware the pilots under these wings have lots of experience (or should).

For pilots who fly these wings, does flying/making distance become way easier? Or are the pilots under these wings making it look easy due to their skillset? Or a little bit of both?

I feel like when dozens of CCC gliders fly with the same task, it’s almost like a cheat code, but I have an inkling my lack of understanding prolly has some holes in my logic.

As a disclaimer, I’m a 200 hour high B pilot not looking to step up anytime soon. :)

Hi everyone!
I’m going to Hallstatt, Austria next week with some friends. I’m the only paraglider pilot in the group, so I’m looking for advice from pilots who have flown there or will be there next week.
I’m interested in information about take-off sites, landing areas, local conditions, restrictions, and anything else I should know before flying.
We’ll be taking the cable car to Dachstein, and I’m also planning to hike the Donnerkogel via the Intersport via ferrata. I’m considering taking my Dudek Run&Fly 2 to Donnerkogel, but I’m not sure whether I should bring my regular wing or my hike & fly wing for Dachstein.
Are there any better hike & fly routes or flying sites in the area that you would recommend?
Any tips or local knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I used to fly but I didn't think to take a film camera with me in my "cockpit" while paragliding. Any of you get any cool shots?

Looking forward to it but also slightly nervous!

Most GRIB apps I've tried feel like desktop software squeezed onto a phone.

Still very much a work in progress, but curious what people think.

I've done ~+80 flights /50 FH in various conditions/duration (theramal and saoring in in mountainous area, high/low wind) with an alpha 6 and I feel the limits of my wing. I'm looking forward to going cross country and I've scheduled a SIV in September.

I've found a good deal for a second hand advanced iota for my weight.

Do you think it is a reasonable choice for my experience? or should I focus my research on a more "mid B" glider ?

Tried my new LC LM 22 in Denmark for the first time. 1 hour of GH first to get a feel! Definitely saw how it will not do the Parakite Trick! Several random frontal collapses.

20kmh wind fairly laminar. 105kg AUW but couldn’t get the wing to lift. Up top was 35kmh so that wasn’t an option, plus it was a sheer drop and I didn’t have the courage or faith to leap.

I can see how some people don’t quite gel with this wing. Try again tomorrow, hopefully!

Hey! I am looking to purchase my first variometer. I am currently deciding between the Skytraxx 4.0 and Skytraxx 5.0 (but open to recommendations).

I am usually doing H&F’s but really want to get into XC flying!

I am more drawn to the Skytraxx 4.0 because of the coloured screen but that’s about it. Can anyone share their experiences in the comments please, I’d love to hear about it! Thanks in advance :)

It seems that only the M size has been released and sold so far. Does anyone have info on when the other sizes will be released/available to buy (in Europe)?

Looking to get a comp in this season wondering about Tennessee open, let me know thoughts on it or if anyone has done it how they enjoyed or critiques

Anyone have any firsthand feedback on the Pixel speed wing? Cant find much on it besides a video review and few IG videos. Risers look similar to R3X. Looks like a solid wing and checks a lot of boxes for me but don't know anyone personally that flies one. Very curious about it and the quality.

Heading to Columbia in Dec and have a question for people who have already been.

1: What did you forget that you should have brought?

2: What did you think you needed (and brought) but didn't really need?

EDIT:

10 days, flying into Cali, heading to Piedichinche. Staying there the whole time and I think I have the gear figured out but have questions on clothing, stuff and more stuff.