Flight Skills

Why People Fly — a Flybubble film

Have you ever wondered why people fly? Since the dawn of time mankind must have looked up at the sky and wanted to emulate the birds that move so freely above us.

We are a fortunate generation. For us free flight has become a reality. Thanks to the generations before us the kit is safe and accessible, there are established flying schools and flying sites.

Free flight in all its disciplines is more accessible than it has ever been.

Our new Flybubble film celebrates the joy of free flight and the wisdom of British Philosopher Alan Watts.

Flybubble mini series: Walk Climb Fly (with Rob Johnson)

Flybubble Walk Climb Fly vlog miniseries with Rob Johnson

We're excited to present our new miniseries of mini-adventure vlogs—Flybubble Walk Climb Fly—with mountaineering instructor, paraglider pilot and guest filmmaker Rob Johnson of Filmuphigh.

Invoking James Brown: Get up, get on up!

Into the blue: flying XC on blue thermal days

Flybubble team pilot Phil Clark helps you make the most of those cloudless, blue thermal days. Learn why they happen and how to make them work for you...

Flying teamwork makes freeflight dreamwork

In this free flying cross country tips article, Flybubble team pilot Phil Clark shares with you his key learning points from an ambitious planned closed-circuit XC flying task and shows us that, done right, flying teamwork can make freeflight dreamwork.

Thermal Hunting: Finding thermal sources and trigger points

Time is running out and we must find lift, or land within minutes! Get a front row seat as we search for that elusive thermal source. Is it in the mountains or flatlands? Where will a thermal form? Where does it go? Let's find out.

Unknown

I wanted to test myself against the desert. To travel by paraglider over the harshest part of South Africa, solo, self-supported. To feel like a bird. To be free. But the desert is dry, and ancient … and it doesn’t care.

On the rocks: staying up in early morning

On the Rocks (Staying Up, Early)

Join Greg on a west-facing mountain slope early in the day, as we try and stay aloft together and work the scraps of lift to avoid an embarrasing landing at the base of the pass. In this episode: investigating sloping terrain, keeping turns flat and tight, turning before you leave the lift, matching your proximity with your skill level, looking for recurring patterns to find lift, gliding fast and straight in sink, using figure-of-eights to follow the lift, alternating between lift sources, being patient and working for every metre.

Angle of Attack: Test Your Control

The air is never still; it is always moving. So your paraglider control inputs should always be active. But what is the best way to control the angle of attack, why do you get collapses, and how to you avoid a stall? Join Flybubble Paragliding for a demonstration of active flying and challenge Greg to a game of 'catch that collapse!'

How to Win at Hike & Fly

Join us for an enlightening discussion with a very special pilot. Christian 'Chrigel' Maurer is #1 in the world: multiple European champion, PWC champion, Acro champion, and 6 x Red Bull X-Alps winner. This guy knows his flying, especially hike and fly! We talk about how to win, taking risks, balancing flying, work and family, the best gear for racing ... and much more.

How to use your speedbar safely

Using the speedbar on a paraglider can improve your safety in windy conditions, but it can also be very risky if used in the wrong way. Join Greg as he explains the ins and outs of the speedbar.