Hike & Fly course

Freedom Parapente offers two hike-and-fly courses in a 4-day format:

• “Hike and Fly Discovery” course
• “Sporty Hike and Fly” course

Objective:

You are independent in paragliding on your usual flying sites and wish to discover new playgrounds while continuing your progression, combining the enjoyment of mountain hiking with flying.

The aim of the course is to deepen skills in effort management, mountain flying, and all related aspects (new flight plans, route choices, etc.), to explore the mental dimension of the activity, and to learn the safety management specific to this practice.

Who is it for?

To perfectly meet everyone’s expectations and adapt to each participant’s technical level, we have set up two separate courses:

• a “Hike and Fly Discovery” course
• a “Sporty Hike and Fly” course

The “Hike and Fly Discovery” Course:

The “Hike and Fly Discovery” course is designed for pilots with a basic certification level, independent in takeoff and landing, who have flown around twenty hours this season, and are capable of 2.5–3 hours of flight with 600–700 m of elevation gain in a day carrying a backpack.

In Detail:

Practical Content:

• Refresher sessions on a training slope, ideally on a slope with access to a short hike.
• Daily technical ground exercises
• Hikes, flights, and learning about the mountain environment
• Landing accuracy

Theoretical Content:

• Briefings, debriefings, aerology, and meteorology adapted to the mountain environment where we will be flying (specifics of the Sancy Massif)
• Map reading

The “Sporty Hike and Fly” Course:

This course is designed for pilots with a certified level, capable of hiking continuously for more than three hours with approximately 1000 m of elevation gain on moderately technical trails, and eager to improve the various skills required for hike-and-fly, including route optimization, weather assessment, effort management, use of tools, and more.

In Detail:

• Half-day technical session on uphill hiking / hill workshop / “using trekking poles” / effort management
• Advanced map reading, applied to reach takeoff sites in the most efficient way
• On the two best days, we will move within the massif, both flying and hiking, to put the lessons into practice

For both courses, an overnight stay in an unmanned mountain refuge will be organized, with dinner provided by the instructional team.

The courses are supervised by a team of at least two instructors, including at least one DEJEPS paragliding instructor and one mountain guide (AMM), also a trail running coach.

Personal equipment to bring:

Certified wing and harness equipped with passive protection and reserve parachute, certified helmet, radio (can be loaned upon request), folding trekking poles, warm clothing plus change, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, hydration pack, and food for the day (energy bars, etc.).
For the overnight in the refuge: sleeping bag liner / sleeping bag and lightweight mat.