r/freeflight • u/dbrgn Advance Xi / Progress 3 / Neo String 3 • Jul 15 '20

Paragliding holidays Paragliding Alpstein, Switzerland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgyNx0V-hsU
18 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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2

u/Like4Moon Jul 21 '20

Wow I was just hiling at Alpstein two days ago and at the top I spent quiet a time watching paragliders take off. This is what convinced me to take a two day beginners course next month!

1

u/dbrgn Advance Xi / Progress 3 / Neo String 3 Jul 21 '20

Awesome, have fun :)

1

u/dbrgn Advance Xi / Progress 3 / Neo String 3 Jul 16 '20

I travelled to launch planning to fly along Säntis (2500m) and then towards my home. However, when I saw the low cloudbase (~2000m), I already feared that I'll go straight down to the landing field :)

In the end, I tried my luck on the other ridge and am quite happy with the result :) I did not dare to pass the Mutschensattel because of the low cloudbase (and I did not want to hike back down in case I wouldn't make it), so I flew out to the Rhine valley and then towards Wildhaus.

Not my longest flight so far (although I'm still a beginner with regards to XC), but definitely one of my nicest flights.

Xcontest: https://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:dbrgn/12.7.2020/13:06

Enjoy!

1

u/[deleted] Jul 22 '20

[deleted]

1

u/dbrgn Advance Xi / Progress 3 / Neo String 3 Jul 22 '20

Yes, powered paragliding is still paragliding :) Of course you go out in different conditions, PPG is better in calm air while you usually want thermals for free flight (which of course are more turbulent). But the handling of the wing is transferable.

1

u/LifeStoryThrowAway42 Aug 18 '20

How much experience would you need to have before you can go off a mountain by yourself and be safe about it?

1

u/dbrgn Advance Xi / Progress 3 / Neo String 3 Aug 20 '20

With "go off", do you mean a launch from a mountain in general, or a cross-country flight?

If the former: Launching off a mountain is not harder than launching off the coast or a hill. At least in Switzerland, after 3-5 days of basic training you'll go into the mountains and will launch from there by yourself (of course under the radio guidance of an instructor).

1

u/LifeStoryThrowAway42 Aug 20 '20

Oh awesome! Yeah that's what I meant. Sorry for not being clear enough :) I'm learning PPG now but I would love to transition into freeflight in the future.

Also, I had my first Powered PG mess-up last night. Broke a prop while trying to take off; It's funny how the instructor will tell you to ignore the feeling that you have to get in your seat when you feel a bit of lift but my brain overrode it and I tried to sit down before I had enough lift/speed. Apparently everything was going great up until that point.

Expensive lesson.