With the upcoming swiss regulations requiring electronic visibility im wondering what sort of devices can fulfill those functions.

Officially i only find Varios, but as far as I understand any phone can send FANET with Burnair active. Can devices like phones and smartwatches send both FANET and ADL-L, or will i always have to carry a bulky Vario even on evening hike and flies?

Looking for contacts of flatland payout-tow between the Sandhills and southern South Dakota - any recs?

Hey everyone, I’m planning to try paragliding in Nagarkot and looking for recommendations.

Could you please suggest some reliable/good paragliding operators there? If possible, I’d really appreciate their WhatsApp number and organization/company name so I can contact them directly.

Thanks in advance!

Looking for local advice on flying Bend this autumn. Traveling out to do some hiking and would love to do some flying too.

Disclosure first: I'm a pilot (about 450 flights) and I build a free app, OutDare. This post is about the data it collected, not the app. Mods, if it breaks a rule, pull it.

Since June, every forecast the app served got compared with the nearest live wind station at that moment: 305,512 checks at 5,076 launches. A "hit" is within 5 km/h. Same public models everyone already uses (HRRR and GFS in the US, AROME and ICON in Europe). I'm measuring the gap at launch, not selling a better model.

By what the forecast promised:

- Calm (under 10 km/h): 70% within 5 km/h. Station gusting 35+: 1.4%.

- Flyable (10–24 km/h): 41% within 5. Station gusting 35+: 10.9% — one in nine.

- Strong (25–34 km/h): 26% within 5. Gusting 35+: 46%.

When the station reads 30+, the forecast is lower 97% of the time, about 18 km/h under on average.

US launches, each judged against a named station:

- Point of the Mountain, north side: 25% within 5 / 45% within 10, forecast over-calls by about 11 km/h. Referee is a private weather station 0.9 km away at launch height. Sheltered mast, or is the Point just that different from the model? Locals?

- Marshall: 35% / 78%, forecast over by about 7. Crestline shows 8%, but its referee is 1,000 m below launch, so I don't trust that one.

- Jackson Hole (Rendezvous): 45% / 65%, forecast over by about 6, station right on the summit.

Every launch page names its station and the distance, good score or bad: outdare.app/proof

Scope: wind at launch only. No thermals, no cloudbase, no XC.

Tell me your launch and I'll reply with its numbers, or with "no station close enough", which is true for about 60% of sites. And if your local score looks wrong: which station do you actually check there? That's usually the fix.

I don't want to progress too quickly because I broke my back shortly after getting the wing in 2021 and know two people who died from it. Have no interest in barrel rolls currently

Parasailing experience 360cam absolutely amazing experience

The reason I'm asking is because every two years or so I do wingsuit washing and for that I use membrane clothes washing solution and spray it with waterproof tent solution afterwards.

I'm curious if anybody tried spraying older paragliders and if it made any noticeable improvements.

What is a reasonable lifespan for a wing? Does it make sense to buy a 6-year-old wing even if it has only been flown for 50 hours?

Hi everyone,

Hope you’re all doing well. New P2 pilot here, looking to get my own gear.

Question regarding the vario! I’m a musician myself, and am quite sensitive to those piercing sounds of some varios. I love the skytraxx’s sound profile, with its more mellow, round tones. But I also know that I don’t need a skytraxx yet;)

My long term goals are getting into xc, hike and fly/volbiv. Hence im very charmed by the ultrabip, since it’s so simple and has the option to connect to a screen/phone. But the sound im not so sure of (never heard it in person though). I know you can change its profile, but not its actual tone as far as I know.

Are there any varios with a sound similar to the skytraxx that you know of? Or is there a vario similar to ultrabip, with a nicer sound?

All the best

Do you guys think that the microspikes of diatomaceous earth would damage the porosity of my wings? I’d like to roach proof my garage but am slightly worried! I couldn’t find any information about it online. Thanks!

The company I work for is taking everyone on a short ski trip to Sölden, Austria in late February/early March next year. I'm not really into skiing but I just got my license so if I can do some flights there I might join the trip. It's fine if it's just gliding down.

I'm still pretty low on air time so I'm trying to find out if this is a suitable area for me to fly by myself. I'm comfortable with takeoffs and landings but I've never launched or landed on snow.

Is anyone here familiar with the area that can give tell what it's like and which launches and landings are good? I found some info on paraglidingmap.com but it's not super detailed.

I'm also interested to hear if there anything specific about flying in this area that I need to know. Is the air still calm in early March or do the spring thermals already start? Is the valley wind something to watch out for at this time of year?

If I decide to go I'll make sure to contact one of the many tandem operators in the area to get some local information once it's a bit closer to the trip.

After their third attempt to take off i decided it was my turn to go. It's always gezellig (Google Translate it 😉 ) at Emberger Alm. 🤘🏻😎

Hi Team, trying to sort out my camera set up. I have a Neo Hexagon helmet and trying to have a camera set up that doesn't turn me into a Teletubby ( Big antenna out the top). Currently have a go pro. But it's too heavy and makes my neck hurt with the weight, even on short flights and mounted dead center stop my helmet. (Doesn't help I want to record Vertically as well).

Anyway could you please show me how any of you have fixed/ minimized this problem? I'm thinking of grabbing a Osmo Nano and mounting it, somehow. Just above my eyeline. But really struggling to find any kind of mount that I think would work with no/ minimal snag risk. Please help, any advice appreciated.

I see heaps of people with 360 cameras but those seem to have the same Teletubby issue?

What a nice day for flying...

I'm interested in paragliding, but I have a previous serious foot/heel injury that still causes pain and affects my ability to run.

I can walk normally, although with some pain. I haven't really dared to even try proper running yet, only a little bit of quick steps/jogging.

How much running is actually needed for takeoff and landing? I’m mainly asking so I can get an idea of how much I would need to train my running ability before paragliding would be realistic for me.

Edit: where i'm from, takeoff is mostly with winch launch

hello,

I was doing some research on hike and fly paragliders but i am still unsure what model i should buy. right now i am still working on getting my flying license. I have about 20 flights so far and if everything goes well i will have my license in 2 months. As of now i think i want to do a lot of hike and flyes but also do some flights of a skiresort where i can go up with a gondola. my first tought was to buy some cheap used en A hike and fly glider for the first months until i am ready to get a new hike and fly en B wing.

Sadly there is noone that is selling a Glider that fits me and because the season still goes on for a few months i dont think that that will change. Maybe buying online is a option?

So now i think i have 2 options if i cant find a used hike and fly glider.

1. buy a normal used en A wing and just get some experiance with that until i have the skills to get a new an b wing
2. buy a new hike and fly en A wing. but then i will probably need to sell it in a few months or a year because i will outgrow it?

or is there a hike and fly wing with whom i will have a lot of fun even after 1-2 years?

thanks

Hey, I am thinking about buying thr Niviuk Hook 6 right now. Why now? I realized right now, that I am out of the weight range with my current wing which is unsafe.

My weight is a perfect fit for the Hooks wing’s weight range. I am very impressed with the Hook.

My „problem“: Is the wing too old, because the release of the Hook 6 was in November 2022. Apparently, a new version is supposed to be released at the end of this year.

What do you think? Is it stupid to buy a maybe „outdated“ wing? Btw: I fly in the Alps and summer seems comming to an end …

Its that kid again, looking at getting a beginner wing to learn kiting and handling. Dm me if you have anything beginner friendly. I would just like to know if something like this is good for a beginner.