It looks cool, to just step gently off the hill, tip back into your pod, and swoop off, inches from the grass. There is a hidden danger in this bad habit, one which will show its teeth when launching into unexpected turbulence or striking a hidden object.
In this article and accompanying video we demonstrate and discuss how to catch thermals and control your thermaling turn focusing on four key concepts: thermal searching, using weightshift, tightening on the core and optimising brake input. Using the correct timing, weightshift and outer brake inputs can dramatically improve your climb rate and get you to the top of the stack.
What does 'active flying' mean for paraglider pilots? We discuss this vital paragliding skill, and how to master it.
A simple technique for handling a tricky situation - crosswind launches.
A simple guide to joining thermals filled with circling traffic.
Learning to fly slowly to extend your safety margin and improve your sensitivity to the stall point.
Low-airtime paraglider pilot Ked Shayer found that he made some big improvements in his flying this year. He even won some prizes! Wisely, Ked noted down some of the things he learned so he could refer back to them later. We thought his notes would also be useful for other new pilots to read so, with Ked's permission, we've published them here for your benefit with bonus expert commentary from Carlo at Flybubble.
When the wind is strong (over 20km/h on the ground) the wing generates a lot of power during the pullup. Here’s a simple technique for reducing the power and staying in control. This short article with images explains the basics of the technique step by step. The accompanying video at the end then demonstrates it. After that, it's up to you to practice, practice, practice!
Flybubble explains how to escape from any small hill when trying to thermal and go cross country. Especially useful for flying sites that face away from the sun, like Devil's Dyke near Brighton in South East England. Exploring the content of the video and extending the ideas to help you get away.
Carlo Borsattino, Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) of Flybubble, flew the Swing Mistral 7 and U-Turn Blacklight a good amount in varied conditions (light, strong, smooth, turbulent, dynamic, thermic) within a few weeks of each other, so could draw a very good and clear comparison between them. Carlo compares the two 'High B' wings in this article.
