Guidelines to Beginner and other Training Courses |
NB: We sell equipment, we do NOT offer flight training !
It is better & cheaper to use your own equipment during flight training. |
Below are guidelines costs for Flight Training courses;
| Training Courses: |
Trainer Costs vary |
Weather permitting |
| Paraglider Foot Launch Training: |
$750 ~ $1'500 |
5~9 days |
| Powered Paraglider Foot Launch Training: |
$1'500 ~ $2'500 |
10~14 days |
| Wheeled Launch Paragliding Training: |
$1'500 ~ $3'500 |
10~14 days |
| Wheeled Launch Conversion: |
$300 ~ $600 |
1~2 days |
| Hang Gliding to Paragliding Conversion: |
$275 |
per day |
| Parachute to Paragliding Conversion: |
$275 |
per day |
| Intermediate Skills & Inland Thermalling: |
$275 |
per day |
| (SIV) Simulated Incident in Flight: |
$650 |
Course |
| Refresher Course: |
$275 |
per day |
| Tandem Paragliding Introductory Flight: |
$150 ~ $300 |
30~60 minutes |
|
NOTE: We do NOT train pilots, we sell equipment ! |
When it comes to flight training, obviously the final decision who you select to train with is your responsibility !
If you ask us for training, we will simply recommend you can search the SAFA web site for Foot Launch Training or for Wheeled Based Paraglider Training is started again via SAFA or the RAA to locate your closest flight instructor. |
When training, most instructors usually agree it is better to learn with your own Paragliding equipment, thus enabling you get to better understand how your equipment works & reacts in diverse conditions, also we know people respect there own equipment as well not having to pay for damaging other peoples equipment.
We consider it rude to place restrictions on who you would like or want to train with, however there are schools and trainers in Australia that arrogantly decline to train you unless you purchase there equipment as part of there training, the main reason behind this if the truth be told, "it's all about making more money from you" and not giving you the ability to genuinely shop around !
The only reason the above would be acceptable is, if a student was wanting to use dodgy, unsafe, self made or secondhand equipment. Supposedly that is the main reason why people are required to pay a $20 insurance cover and sign a waiver form by the SAFA to indemnifies the trainers !
Lets hope the above pushy/forceful purchase mentality will abate and those that train PPG will concentrate on what they supposedly do best "Train people" to become pilots !
As Australian Powered Paragliders (APPG) do not offering any form of training, you get the final choice to arrange a flight training course that best suits your needs & location.
There two main PPG types of entry courses, Foot launch and Wheel launch.
Experienced pilots can contact us to arrange a flying adventure at our pristine 3'500 acre farm south west of the Barrington & Gloucester highlands in NSW.
In the future this farm may become a northern training location best suited to students with a flexible lifestyle, as the weather at certain periods of the year may restrict the amateur flying time.
If the weather turns for the worse there is plenty to do on the property like swimming, fishing, hiking, 4x4wd, horse riding & shooting etc... Although there is the usually morning and evening calmness that should allow for hands on training.
The view from the Highlands looking down on one of the historic homestead. |
Beginner Training Course:
The goal of the beginner training course is to provide the student with the skills and knowledge to set up the equipment, proper ground
handle of the paraglider, launch and land with instructor's assistance and to reach the goal of flying without the instructor's assistance in just a few days. For a foot launch training course the student will learn all aspects of Powered Paragliding including reverse & forward launches, tips and tricks, equipment
maintenance, weather, flying techniques, and many other items that would normally take a student many years to learn on their own.
During course radios should be provided usually a maximum of three students are allowed in each class for up close personal instruction.
Usual items covered during Foot launch beginner course:
1. Review and understanding of the equipment.
2. Review of the various parts of the paraglider wing and what they do and why.
3. Learn to put on harness and adjust for comfort and proper usage and safety.
4. Proper Reverse launch and techniques for 8~16-kph (5~10-mph) winds.
5. Proper Forward launch techniques for 0~8-kph (0~5-mph).
6. Beginner ground handling of a glider. Inflation of the wing and learning to control right and left brake toggles. (practice, practice, practice)
7. Control of the wing in reverse position and turn to forward launch position.
8. Multiple advanced ground handling techniques such as: high wind launches, low wind launches, ground handling without a harness, weight shift ground handling, fast deflation of wing, safety techniques, upside down inflation to clean wing, etc..
9. Reverse launches simulated without engine.
10. Forward launches simulated without engine.
11. Forward and reverse launches with weighted simulator on back.
12. Engine on back ground handling.
13. Simulator training to master flying without ever leaving the ground.
14. Harness techniques, getting into the harness while in flight, to proper in seat flight position, weight shift techniques.
15. Complete discussion of first solo flight, launch technique, course directions to follow, throttle adjustments, turns and landing
procedures.
16. Preflight inspection and warming up of the engine.
17. Solo flight, launch, altitude, seat, turns, flying, landing.
18. More flying to reach the goal of flying without instructor's assistance.
19. Basic engine maintenance, oil petrol mixtures, spark plug gaps, cleaning of engine etc.
20. Basic wing maintenance, folding, and care of wing.
21. Discussion of safe flying conditions and areas to fly.
22. Review of the various equipment options available on the market.
23. Receive a beginners training certificate.
The beautiful trappers hut top dam, north west of one training field.
Remember we DO NOT train pilots we sell PPG Equipment ! |
