Learn to fly!
You can learn to paraglide at any time and schedule that works for you. Some of our students have only one day a week for paragliding class, others can dive in and do two solid weeks to complete their training. Other students come to Costa Rica for a two week learning vacation. Some have a weekday or two to devote to flying, others do mostly weekends. Each option is a great way to learn, whichever works for you!
Most students start with a two day Introduction to Paragliding. This is the first two full days of training. Almost all students decide to continue, but you also have a chance to decide if paragliding is really for you without a large commitment of time and funds. We meet at our training hill at Emigrant Lake outside of Ashland, Oregon. We discuss the principles and history of our sport for about an hour. Each student has a full set of gear, so we unpack and learn how to set up your equipment. With demonstration and one on one support you will learn the basics of handling the paraglider. With a step by step process you will progress from inflating your glider and running with it on the flats, to taking short flights under your instructor's supervision. During the two days you will take short flights under supervision, while learning the basic principles and getting the "feel" for flying in a safe, controlled environment.
Then we figure out a schedule of training that works for you. Each student pilot has their own learning style and everyone progresses at their own pace. We always have a number of students at different levels, so we all learn from each other.
Every year we do several trainings in Costa Rica. The next one will be September 2010. Each training lasts 2 weeks and leads to a P-2 rating. This is a great way for you to learn in a beautiful tropical location. Because we are guaranteed perfect flying conditions we can accomplish the full Paracrane paragliding course. We stay as a group in a comfortable bed and breakfast designed exclusively for paragliders, where we can relax after a day of flying, share stories and watch video of the days flying.
What time of year is best?
The best time to learn is now! When you have the time and we can work out a schedule. Winter in southern Oregon is fairly mild, so we can fly every month of the year, so you don't have to wait until June to learn to paraglide! My first year of paragliding I had 63 flights off mid-launch at Woodrat in January. Now I spend January through March in Costa Rica, where I teach paragliding and lead tours for all levels of pilots. From April through November I teach mostly in southern Oregon. Give me a call at 541-840-8587 or send me an email nick@paracrane.com. Let's get flying!