FAQs

Can my family/friends come watch me/us?
Yes, they can wait for you at the landing zone, which is at the Foothill Community Park. There is easy access to facilities like shaded tables, toilets, water fountain, and a public parking lot.

Paragliding Lessons

What are the age and weight requirements?
To be at least 18 years old (anyone under 18 must have parent's authorization) and must weight between 99 lbs to 245 lbs

What are the physical condition requirements?
You have to able to hike for about 20 minutes to the take-off with your gear, jog and have no serious or recent injuries. Also you must be able to listen and follow the instructions from your instructor. At Boulder Paragliding we speak English, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Where do we meet?
We will meet at the Foothill Community Garden in North Boulder

What do we have to bring?
A bottle of water (there are water fountains on the park), Comfortable clothing, hiking/running boots (we highly recommend to have shoes with ankle support), sunscreen, sunglasses, and thin gloves

Do I need previous experience?
No previous experience is necessary to join the Boulder Paragliding intro courses.

Is the equipment rental included?
Yes, Boulder Paragliding LLC, will provide all necessary gear for all new students. However, it is recommended and expected that students buy their own gear after the 2nd-3th lesson. This will help you connect and get familiar with your wing, harness, etc. Additionally, you'll be able to learn all the skills with your own gear which is essential to your safety and confidence as a Paragliding pilot.

What is an USHPA P1 and P2 paragliding certifications?
P-1 Beginner Pilot: This rating identifies a student who has demonstrated the basic ability to fly in a straight line. The beginner pilot is not yet ready to go out flying independently but can take off, fly straight and land. He/she also understands the basics of glider setup and breakdown.

P-2 Novice Pilot: A novice has learned about turns, maneuvering and how to estimate where he'll land. He/she has flown from higher ground under supervision and demonstrated confident handling of the glider in flight, as well as operation in stronger winds. He/she's had some training about meteorology, air movement, clouds and other environmental factors, and the legal "rules of the road" that govern our flying. The student may be approved to go out and fly with more experienced local pilots at easier sites, but has not yet gained the level of experience needed to operate independently.

For more info on ratings please visit USHPA's website.

How long does it take to get certified as a P2 paragliding pilot?
The program's duration will mostly depend on your consistency and commitment to the sport. We recommend our students to attend our lessons as often as possible, as it takes a while for students to get used to the new movements, build muscle memory, absorb all the new information, and master all the skills. Once you've got the momentum, everything starts "clicking", and you start coming as often as possible to classes, you'll be able to learn faster, fly safer and complete the course in a shorter time frame.

Boulder Paragliding gives every student 3 full months to finish the course. If for some reason you can't finish the course within those 3 months, we can arrange extra classes for an additional fee.
If your schedule is pretty tight and you'll only be able to participate in the lessons during the weekends, it will be harder and it will take you longer to finish the course.

Here are some examples*:

• If you come every day, you can finish your course in about 15 days
• If you come every weekend, you can finish your course in about 8 weeks
• If you can come 3 times per week, you can finish your course in about 6 weeks.
  • *Keep in mind that this estimates will vary due to weather and the student's ability

What kind of certifications does Boulder Paragliding LLC have as a school?
As of 2019, Boulder Paragliding LLC offers P1 and P2 programs.

How much experience do instructors at Boulder Paragliding LLC have have?
Every instructor has more than 14 years of teaching experience.

What will I learn during my full paragliding program?

• To be humble and connect with nature (in paragliding we depend 100% on the weather conditions)
• To be patient
• How to use your gear and equipment
• Ground Handling (kiting is the most important skill of your paragliding career)
• How to layout and pack up your paraglider
• Pre-flight checks on glider, harness, radio and other equipment
• How to safely take off with different wind conditions (forward and reverse launch)
• How to fly and glide in mild to medium conditions
• All needed tools to make wise decisions during your flight
• Landing techniques and approaches
• Smooth and accurate airspeed control
• Theory on aerodynamics and meteorology
• Rules of flying
• How to read the weather and assess flying conditions
• What to do in dangerous situations
• All the required skills of the P2 USHPA program
• Stabilo line
• Rear riser steering
• Safe use of the Speed System
• Ability to deploy and recover from "Big Ears"
• Co-ordinated, smooth 90, 180 and 360 degree turns
• Turns with no hands
• And more...

Do I need to buy paragliding gear in order to learn?
Boulder Paragliding LLC will provide all necessary gear for all new students. However, it is recommended and expected that students buy their own gear after the 4th-5th lesson. This will help you connect and get familiar with your wing, harness, etc. Additionally, you'll be able to learn all the skills with your own gear which is essential to your safety and confidence as a Paragliding pilot.