In issue 213 we went on a specialist vol-bivouac course with Antoine Girard and Martin Beaujouan from Alpwind.fr. It was an in-depth course covering many different aspects of vol-bivouac flying. Below is a list of what is covered in the course, all things you should think about if planning your own vol-biv adventure.
How to prepare your flight for bivouac and other paragliding trips
- Mapping: Three levels. Prohibited areas, areas to be avoided, flyable areas (landing, take-off)
- Weather: forecast and history; how the different models work; deciding the best time to go
- Topography: Analysis of breezes, take-off and thermal slope, areas of scree, forest or mountain pasture etc.
How to choose your material to fly
- Type of wing, harness and rescue
- Type of tent – single or double wall, tarp, or sleeping under the stars
- Type of bivouac material – sleeping bag, mattress, stove etc
How to pack your equipment in the harness
- Dangers
- Pitfalls
- Balancing
How to repair your equipment
- Making line splices
- Fixing tears in ripstop
- General repair kit
Creating and using a pharmacy kit
- Small injuries
- First aid
- Emergencies
How to manage food and water
- Home-made dry food
- Managing water
- Mechanical or chemical water treatment
Navigation
- Choosing your route once on the ground
- How to orientate yourself in the air
- Software tools to help you on the ground and in flight
- How to read the conditions in flight and adapt your flight
Managing electronics
- Use of solar panels and power
- Types of auxiliary batteries
- Instruments
- Cables
Choose your top-landing / bivouac location
- Place to pitch the tent
- Potential take-off
- Descent on foot
Take-off and top-landing techniques
- Managing a heavy harness on take-off
- Pumping technique, cobra launches
- Take-offs with front and back wind
General physical preparation (for competition or expedition)
- Physical preparation techniques
- Minimum preparation needed
How to build a team
- What you need
- Relationships
- In-flight communication
- Learning to fly in pairs
How to manage the mind
- Motivation
- Emotions
Recording your trip
- What cameras and equipment to use
- How to manage media
- How to film
Dangers of bivouac flight
- Emergency communication tools
- Tracking
- The dangers of a heavy harness
- The dangers of fatigue
Using your equipment for a makeshift bivouac
- Sleeping in your wing
- Cold management
- Humidity management
How to manage altitude and acclimatise (specifically for paragliding)
- The dangers of not acclimatising
- The dangers and symptoms of hypoxia
How to go from a “small” project to a “big” project, in France or elsewhere
