Learn to fly
Are you ready to experience the feeling of paragliding?
In 9 days, our expert instruction will take you from wondering to being pilot in command, confidently soaring high above the hills making your own decisions. A journey that will adapt to your learning needs ensuring safety, fun and trust drives your learning to become a licensed paragliding pilot, recognised by the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA).
If you want to learn more, read more under what to expect check out the videos on our Insta or Facebook socials. Or, why not just give us a call?
Are you a skydiver? Ask us about our conversion instruction options!
We’re taking a short break to support our great sport in a different way.
Stay tuned for more info soon.
What to expect
Our courses are fully immersive and experiential. You will be engaged intellectually, physically and emotionally. You will be challenged as you learn how you can work with the elements of air, land and water. You will have a sense of awe and achievement as the theory and the practice combine in your incredible actions. The course is jam-packed and will leave you exhilarated (and pretty exhausted) by new experiences, friendships and confidence.
When it’s flyable, we fly!
We will maximise every opportunity for your safe flight experience. When it’s flyable, we fly. When it’s not, we study for the exam or kite our wings.
Complete service
We are a school, a shopfront and a community. We pride ourselves on the level of safety, sustainability and fun we offer our clients on their piloting journeys. From competition, acro, cross country, hike and fly or speed wing adventures – we have you covered.
Need more learn to fly information?
Course Size – You have a minimum of one instructor for every 3 students at all times and a maximum of 6 students. When you launch, land or do manoeuvres you will have at two instructors focused on you. You will have our undivided attention to ensure your safety, confidence and progression. .
Theory – An essential element of the course which allows you to understand the Rules of the Air, understanding weather, the wing and tools neccessary for post course support and progression. Theory requirements will largely be in our classroom or on a hill waiting for the weather to turn on. Theory includes videos, workbooks and a final written exam.
Flights – Once certified, you will have completed a minimum of 30 solo flights from a variety of epically beautiful sites in the Ovens and Kiewa Valley. High flights will range from 300 – 900m above ground level (AGL). You will have performed many training low slope flights to make sure you are comfortable and confident with safe launch and landing skills and practice. All under the care of of our expert instructors.
What we cover – 9 Days of tuition1; equipment fit, interpretation and setup; safety checks; interpreting and planning for conditions; launch and landing techniques; ground handling instruction and techniques*; training slope flights*; instructional tandem flight, building confidence in your ability to safely control the paraglider in all phases of the flight; first high flights; landing approaches (Figure 8 and Aircraft style); ridge soaring; thermalling; safety techniques including Rear-Riser Steering, Big Ears (descent technique) and Speed Bar; recovery; weather analysis; flying with others; packing and storing your gear; exam support and review; radio calls; review of flights (including video review) and discussion/demonstration of equipment.
*Ground Handling and Training Slope Flights are where we’ll build your skills and confidence to be a great pilot and a safe pilot!
1We also provide up to 2 further days of support for our students as part of their licence fee. This is based on group participation of existing course dates
Typically we are able to complete all training requirements within the 9 days and have you fully certified as a PG2 pilot. If weather impacts on our ability to complete the course, we will find a contingency – usually able to finish by adding a day or 2 onto the end of the course. If the student requires extra days due to absence, extra days will be charged at $350/day#.
2Our training fleet is often brand new. We offer purchase of your wing as part of a package at an introductory price.
Equipment – All the equipment you need to fly is provided: Wing2, Harness, Helmet (feel free to use your own), radios, variometer. We recommend wearing solid footwear, a warm jacket, gloves (mtb or thin work gloves), sunglasses and a drink bottle. Sock savers (small gaiters) also advisable is grass seed season.
Memberships – You will need to join SAFA (our governing body) as a student member ($30). Once you complete your course, there will be a gap payment for full membership as a pilot.
Safety – “Prepare and prevent, don’t repair and repent” rings true for Phil and the Airology Team. Drawing on decades of work in the adventure and safety industry from his teenage years leading tours in Tasmania, mountain climbing and adventure training, providing first aid response to movie companies or now as a Victorian Ambulance Community Officer – safety comes first. Your entire beginner course will provide preventative safety culture while empowering you to practice safe and informed pilotage and decision making.
A typical Day in the life
Meet at 8am -to check weather and select our flying site/s.
A warm-up flight, noting we usually take our first solo flight on Day 2!
Continued work on take-off and landing technique with an instructor with you on launch and at landing.
Build targeted skills as we progress including more advanced safety, decent and speed system skills.
Ground handling when it’s too strong to fly but building your high wind launch and landing skills in the middle of the day.
Lunch plus maybe some…theory for fun, until the afternoon session is flyable.
Further flying, with the aim for magic air sunset flights.
Daily debrief, look at tomorrow’s weather and plan for another awesome team flying day!
Sleep
The Days are pretty big: so make sure you eat, drink and sleep well. Please ensure you are present and focused – these courses rarely work well for you if you have competing activities planned. If it’s flyable, we fly!
#These will be negotiated for availability of instructors and based on a minimum class of 3 attending or attached to another course..