Paragliding: The Beginner's Guide

The essential training manual, containing everything you need to know to take you from your first flight to becoming a qualified pilot and beyond.

If you’re interested in paragliding or have already started training, this book is what you need. It includes:

• Learn the essentials of keeping safe – like  how turbulence forms behind hills and terrain – through to the intricacies of thermalling with birds of prey, thousands of feet high.
• All the know-how to help guide you from your first thrilling, ground-skimming flights to aerobatic manoeuvres and beyond.
• Follows the teaching syllabuses of the BHPA (UK), USHPA (USA) and other national paragliding bodies, including Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

What the experts say:

“Absolutely bang up to date. Its high standard of writing conveys intricate concepts in an easy-to-understand way. The layout, technical illustrations and time-lapse photography combine to produce a very aesthetically pleasing result” – Steve Uzochukwu, Skywings Magazine, BHPA

“As a new pilot entering this beautiful 3D game, it’d take years of research and conversations with experts to glean all the information this book provides in its 300+ pages. Coupled with an easy reading style, this book is an absolute must” – Wally Arcidiacono, Bright Flight Paragliding, Australia

“Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide is essential reading for all our students” – Jess Cox, Chief Flying Instructor, Fly Sussex, UK

“This book is now standard issue to all of our beginning flight students”  – Brad Hill, Discover Paragliding, USA

340 pages of comprehensive instruction and information including:

Understanding the air
Learn how the air moves and what happens when you fly through it on a paraglider. Aerology is essential to keeping you safe and helping you pass your flying exams, and diagrams and easy-to-read explanations throughout make everything clear.

All the gear you need
Understand the difference between different types of paragliders and harnesses. Learn about flying instruments, helmets and reserve parachutes – as well as specialist kit for acro, accuracy, hiking, mountaineering and powered paragliding.

Getting started
How does a wing fly? What happens on a paragliding training course? How do you safely launch a paraglider in different conditions? Turn? How do you come down? The book answers all the new-pilot questions in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way.

Learning about the weather
The book is an excellent meteorology primer, explaining weather systems and the art of forecasting. You’ll learn to read the clouds and the sky, how valleys and hills affect the wind, and how to use apps and other technology to your full advantage.

Becoming a qualified pilot
Learning to fly independently from an instructor is when your learning curve really takes off. So it’s time to learn advanced manoeuvres that will keep you safe in a range of conditions. In the book you’ll learn about advanced training, techniques, and safety clinics.

Going places
Air law and airspace can be a dry topic, but here the editors have made the essentials really simple and clear so you can stay safe – and legal. Also, find out about the different kinds of instruments available – from basic altimeters to hi-tech flight computers.

Getting your licence
Paraglider pilot training across the world follows the same basic principles. The book follows the broad teaching curricula of the BHPA (UK), USHPA (USA) and other national paragliding organisations, including Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, so it’s suitable for pilots worldwide.

The story of paragliding
From pioneers to world record flights. Learn how paragliding grew from an experimental activity in the French Alps to the incredible adventure sport it is today, enjoyed by an estimated 125,000 qualified pilots worldwide.