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Paragliding

Paragliding, German Gleitschirmfliegen, is foot-launched free flight with a soft wing. Ground handling, launch aborts, weather windows, thermals, landing area, air law and FAI/federation rules define training and competition.

LevelDiscipline FamilyAir Sport CategoryAir sport

AI-generated illustration: Paragliding — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Air sport

Family Air Sport

Level Discipline

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Free flight with soft paraglider, foot launch, weather decisions, wing control and controlled landing.

Geeignet für Suitable for people who accept height, weather reading, patience and formal flight training.

Cost Tandem or taster day with flight school; no self-start with bought wing. Course, wing, harness, helmet, reserve, radio, weather/site membership, travel and regular ground handling. DHV/USHPA/BHPA-adjacent flight school, paragliding club, tandem provider or FAI/CIVL structure. Gleitschirmfliegen is a language variant of paragliding; keep as alias.

First progress Ground handling on day one; safe solo/thermal flights take many supervised sessions.

Fitness level medium

Was du brauchst

flight school
paraglider
harness
helmet
reserve
radio
launch/landing site

First steps

book tandem or taster
check flight school
learn ground handling
practise launch aborts
take weather briefing seriously

DHV/USHPA/BHPA-adjacent flight school, local paragliding club, tandem flight or national free-flight federation.

Fly only with qualified training, suitable weather, checked gear, approved launch/landing site and conservative decision routine.

Weitere Angaben

Aliases Gleitschirmfliegen

Tags paragliding, air-sport, luftsport, gleitschirmfliegen

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

By task, launch, fly, navigate and land legally.

Teilnehmer

individual pilots or tandem.

Teamgröße

solo; team scoring possible by event.

Spielfeld

launch, airspace and landing area.

Dauer

Depends on format and event.

Wertung

task points, time, distance, accuracy.

Gewinnbedingung

Best valid time, placing or score in the announced format.

Ausrüstung

paraglider
harness
helmet
reserve
radio

Wichtige Regelpunkte

airspace breach
launch/landing rule breach
task error
unsafe equipment

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

FAI / CIVL
World Air Sports Federation (FAI)

Sporting code Section 7 World Air Sports Federation · official-rulebook · high
Become a Pilot USHPA · official-beginner-guide · high
Elementary Pilot Training Guide British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association · training-guide · high
How to get into paragliding Super Fly · beginner-blog-guide · medium