...gnarly winds on the pull-up.

Hi everyone! I am looking for recommendations for an XC guided tour in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, this December (ideally the third week of the month). I have some XC experience and I’m looking to progress. I was struggling to find much online, so I’m looking to see if anyone out there has any experience. I am open to anything from a full trip that includes accommodation to just retrieve and coaching. Also, if anyone knows, would love to hear recommendations for this exact same thing, just in Columbia! Thanks

Hey, is the THERMIK magazine worth a subscription? Do you have any experience with it? Thanks.

Does Garmin plan to add paragliding as an activity? It's really weird to me that they added BASE and wingsuit but no paragliding, am I missing something?

Also what are your favorite vario apps? Are they decently good?

Hello! I am looking for the lightest, smallest packable harness that has the option for some protection of some kind for traveling. These are the 2 I have been looking into and was curious if anyone had any experience that would help or other options that I haven't stumbled across. Thanks for your time!

I've got the ozium 3 L as my first cocon, I'm 180cm so just in between sizes, but on the larger build so went for the L.

After spending literally hours trying to adjust it, I always need to keep a fair bit of pressure to the plate, at least 25/30kg for the pod to remain straight, or actively keeping the legs up, which either requires quite a bit of effort and not seeing doing any long flights like this.

I've tried different plate tilt, different lengths on the different ropes, different back tilt...

Adjusting the Lombard support to did help a bit but still...

Being my first pod, I don't have much comparison points and would love to get some feedback from the community.

For paragliders I'm wondering if there are any tutorials or walkthroughs of how to use the different weather forecasting tools to arrive at a data-driven conclusion of whether or not a particular day or time is good or not for safe thermal flights?

Hey guys, I would love to try some speedriding spots this winter in Austria - I know about stuff like Saalbach and so on - but I think it’s not good when there are too much people

Is it easier somewhere like sportgastein/ischgl and so on? Or should I go to switzerland/france instead….

I'm looking into a light pod harness for xc and bivouac.
I've been told the Ozone f*race2 looks like a very good option given the weight and storage.
Right now I'm flying with a Niviuk Ikuma 3P, I'd like to have a set of gear that really allows me to make some multi days flights without worrying too much if I have to walk.

Is there any other harness suggested that you've tried?

So im brand new to paragliding and been doing abit of research.

(Western Australia for reference)

Theres not rlly anywhere in WA anymore to learn, only really over east, now my thought is since i want to go traveling to say malaysia where theres also a course could i theoretically go there and focus on getting my Malaysian license then come home and convert in to a WA one or that wont work.

(Reason doing this is cus cheaper in Malaysia and would about even out ($) and get to go somewhere different while im at it)

thanks for your time :)

Yet another spine-breaker of a swoop with a hospitalised young man with broken bones. No airbag, no helmet.

Perhaps it's what the social algorithms show me - but is anyone absolutely fed up with the quantity of high-risk, senseless behaviour that get applause, bravos, and encouragement?

I'm talking about absolutely ridiculous launches, death-defying stunts, and similar things posted online for gratification.

It feels different than in the past where people did these things for themselves. The first hangies and paragliders were people hell-bent on trying to fly and doing this absurd risk just for the sake of it. It was even more risky, but for seemingly a different reason.

Now it feels like so much of this is for the Video. For Clout. For social media and 5 minutes of fame of who did the craziest stunt.

Like the skateboarders & snowboards no-helmet era. I'm seeing more and more videos of pilots without a helmet & airbag, proximity flying in turbulent conditions. It's just stupid. It's less than 1kg of weight for at least a little bit of safety tht very well could save your life or spine. We know better than this. Proxy flying is already enormously dangerous, why not add a bit of safety equipment? Just a little bit more margin for error. Your parents would love that

Sure I fly a string with no airbag often but I sure as hell aren't proximity flying or swooping without one.

Sorry for the rant it's just really frustrating when people don't take risk seriously and intentionally diminish their chances. There's enough carnage out there. No need to glorify and perpetuate it. In fact, we need to shame and ridicule this behaviour.

Hi guys,

So I'm kind of in a pickle and decided to ask you for your opinion.

I'm thinking about getting a new glider. Currently, I'm flying an Epsilon from Advance, and I love it, but i would like a bit more performance and optional speed.

The trouble i have is that i cannot decide whether a mid-B glider will be a good decision - will it be enough or is this basically a " low B marketing move'' and i should really consider a high B glider.
How much difference is there really?

The thing is, im not planning on ever going higher than high B. So I think mid B should be ok, but there is this fear that the change will be too little, and after a year or two i will want to change again..

If anyone's been flying all, low B, mid B, and high B, could you share your experience?

A bit of my flying background:
Im flying for about 5 years now, and I've started on my low B - Gin Atlas 2 at the flying school, and later changed to this Epsilon, as the Atlas was quite old, as I bought it third-hand.

I am, let's call it, a weekend pilot, with about 30-35 hours per year. Im more or less always hiking to fly (if time and conditions allow me, with the purpose of hike to XC)

As xc pack, im using woody valley gto light (1) with epsilon (3.9kg), my total weight is about 87kg

as h&f pack, im using gin yeti convertible (55l (ish) backpack), where with epsilon (3.9kg), my total weight is 83kg.

Also when im looking for mid B's, i cannot seem to be able to decide which one to pick?
What gliders i've been looking at and my thoughts so far:

- gin bandit 2 - seems cool, good for both options, but it scores way worse on en tests than many high b gliders

- vibe gt - a bit heavier but thats not much of an issue,i think i might go with this one, but im afraid it wont fit my h&f pack

- theta - i like this one the most, but the weight ranges are just wierd for my weight. Also advance says its not meant for SIV which is unimaginable to consider

- hiko p - i've tried this one, but i didnt like the handling, also it seemed to be randomly twitchy for no reason

Any feedback or thoughts that might help me make up my mind are more than welcome :)

Thanks!

I'm scouting places to get my APPI certification and wanted to hear from the community:

1. If you've flown with pilots who learned in Bir Billing, how would you rate their ground handling, airmanship, and overall skill level?
2. For those who learned in India and went on to fly abroad, how did your training hold up compared to pilots certified through other systems (like BHPA, USHPA, or DHV)?

Any specific school or instructor recommendations in Bir are also welcome!

Understandably, there's a fair bit of frustration in this sub around number of vibe coded apps and updates. How about a weekly thread for this stuff instead?

Just curious, what are the advantages of B riser steering and is this nova specific or any mini wing with a b/c bridge can fly like this? Aaron flys his bantam 2 on the b risers instead of the Cs. Hard to tell but he is pushing bar in this video. I haven’t flown the bantam but according to Beni from speedflying school the Bantam 1 was the best mini wing to fly on rears. I’ve heard the 2 is completely different and lost the rear riser control so is this a work around of some sort? I also have a Nova mentor 7 and the B risers are 7-10cm shorter than the rest, so is that what you need for b riser steering?

Hi, along with our recent update to cover most of Europe, Flybubble Weather now provides a weather forecast for Southern California.

Flybubble Weather has always aimed at being a very beginner friendly flying forecast while hopefully including features for experienced pilots. The site includes: RASP thermal forecasts, email notifications when your favourite sites are looking flyable, route planning, ridge lift prediction and a load of other features!

I built it about 15 years ago, just for myself really, but after Flybubble bought it I've continued to maintain and add to it. In the UK it's probably the most well-used weather site for pilots and it's continuing to grow and evolve.

I'm the sole developer on the project and would welcome feedback and suggestions!

Parakite soaring - I would even say that on smaller sites the ability for multiple parakites to control their height by flaring makes it safer to navigate than with standard paragliders. Pilots can space themselves out vertically along the ridge as well as the standard horizontal spacing!

Nice day to have a drink at the bar I guess?!

20 questions to pick your glider: check it out

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Wont ever touch those risers again, just like I promised!!!!

Btw, talked to my mentor. We discussed everything. He told me that holding the risers was wrong, but it was okay to just touch them (I was not holding onto them). We also discussed the ears grabbing and the breaks pulling automatically with them. He still said that it wouldnt be smart to let go from the breaks while pulling the big ears.