Paraglider launching under instruction. Photo: Fabian Gasteiger

Progression: The Ultimate Guide

Getting your paragliding licence is one thing, learning to become an autonomous and safe pilot is another – and takes a lot longer

20 January, 2025, by Bastienne Wentzel Main photo: Fabian Gasteiger

Finally, the day arrives where you can fly free. You have passed your exams and received the coveted pass to free flight: your pilot’s licence. Classic psychology tells us that you have graduated from ‘unconscious incompetence’ – when you started to fly you didn’t know what you didn’t know – to ‘conscious incompetence’. You’ve become conscious of the fact that full competence in flying is still a long way away. Or as one instructor put it: “You’ve learned to launch, land and not hit anything”.  But there is so much more to learn when it comes to flying. Where to start?

Find a club

The easiest way to progress as a new pilot is to keep in touch with the school where you learned to fly. It’s where you know the people, trust the instructors and where their flying locations are convenient for you. They will most likely offer progression courses as well.

It doesn’t hurt to go and take a look at other schools. Every school is different. There are different instructors with different characters and teaching styles. They have different knowledge, backgrounds, experience and preferences. While one may love to go on long XC flights, another might prefer hike-and-fly, or flying acro or strong-wind soaring. Needless to say, these instructors are likely to put an emphasis on different skills. Choose a skill you like or try them all to find out.

Intermediate paragliders flying in Annecy, France
Buddy up – Learning from others is key Photo: Jérôme Maupoint

Better still, look outside your own country, as teaching methods – not to mention flying conditions – vary quite a bit worldwide. Shop around, travel as much as you can and like, dedicate time to it, and you will broaden your view and skills.

How do you know what you don’t know?

An important part of progressing is talking to other pilots, preferably the ones that...

Join us and enjoy the full article

Subscribe to Cross Country for €4.50 – Get instant online access to this article and hundreds more plus Masterclasses. Cancel anytime.

Subscribe Already a Subscriber? Sign in here.