Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide

Essential paragliding training guide 

• Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide is the one book you need to help you learn to paraglide. It contains everything you need to know to take you from your first flight to becoming a qualified pilot and beyond.
• Clear writing, photos and illustrations make the concepts easy to grasp. From how turbulence can form behind hills and terrain, to how you can use thermals to climb up thousands of feet in the sky.
• The book has everything you need to know to take you from your first thrilling, ground-skimming flights to becoming a qualified pilot and beyond – from soaring hills to flying over stunning mountain peaks.
• Paraglider pilot training across the world follows the same basic principles, and this 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.

With over 300 pages of comprehensive instruction and information about how to fly a paraglider, the book includes:

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.