Thermal flight training
Passionate about paragliding, you want to continue your training with a thermal training course.
Once you’ve got your licence, you can move on to several different paragliding disciplines, including cross-country, acro and mountain flying. If you’re a young (or not so young) pilot and want to progress safely in any of these areas, you’ve come to the right place! On request, we offer a range of training courses and other post-certificate progression courses.
Thermal initiation course in collaboration with the Flyin’high paragliding school in Crans-Montana
Introduction to thermal paragliding
For this course, we will choose the most suitable flying site for the conditions of the day, depending on the weather and the period (cabin opening): Anzère, Jeizinen, Fiesch or Verbier. All these places offer several flights in a day, in case you don’t manage to stay in the air for long the first time, which will probably be the case at the beginning.
The aim is to introduce you, in a small group of no more than 4 pilots accompanied by an experienced instructor, to the various aspects of thermal flying without having to fear the potential dangers that can arise from trying to fly on your own.
On the menu, we’ll be looking at both the theoretical and practical aspects of the technical, tactical and safety aspects of flying in thermals. No big distance flights to start with, but we’ll be looking at where and when to find thermals, as well as how to exploit them to climb safely and efficiently.
If all this appeals to you but also gives you a few fears, take the plunge gently, accompanied on the radio by an instructor or an experienced cross-country pilot.
Because, contrary to certain preconceived ideas, thermalling is an affordable and accessible discipline for young pilots without having to take any risks. It’s not a risky sport, as long as the basics and rules are understood.
Course programme
The evening before, a theoretical briefing at the Anzère paragliding school (presentation lasting around 2 hours + questions) to cover the main points relating to thermal flying: analysis of the weather conditions and the chosen flying site, theory on flight techniques and strategies (thermal, transition, turbulent air, etc.), emergency landing, etc.
Depending on the place and time of arrival at the flying site, a familiarisation flight with the group, including flight exercises such as rapid descent, collapses, ears, etc.
One or more thermal flights throughout the day, supervised by a radio instructor in groups of no more than 4 participants.
A debriefing at the end of the day.
Who is the thermal flight course for?
- Students at the end of their training, with the approval of the instructor in charge of their training.
- Licensed pilots who wish to fly longer
- Pilots wishing to go on to cross-country training
Equipment required
- Personal flying equipment: glider, harness with airbag or moussebag, reserve parachute repacked less than 12 months ago.
- Warm clothing – if all goes to plan, flights could last between 1h30-2h
- Vario (can be hired for €30 a day)
- PMR radio with the ability to talk in flight (hire available, €10 per day)
Course dates - March to June
- As it’s difficult to predict thermal periods well in advance, we’ve opted for a flexible approach.
- The course is organised via a Whatsapp group: people interested in taking this course register by contacting Cédric by phone, email, Whatsapp or SMS, specifying which course they would like to take.
- From week to week, dates are proposed if the weather is favourable for thermal flights.
- A course is set up as soon as a minimum of 3 people respond positively to a proposed date.
- The optimum period for these courses is from March to June.
Course price
- 70 per person for the theory evening only
- 260 for the whole course (evening + flying day); please note that it is not possible to register for the flying day without the theory evening!
- 30 discount on the course for students and clients of the school
- Minimum 3 / maximum 4 people per instructor; up to 3 groups possible in parallel
Thermal paragliding improvement
This course is aimed at pilots who have already completed a “Level 1 Introductory Thermal” course or pilots who have flown thermal for more than an hour on several occasions (proof required). The evening flights are the perfect opportunity to go a little further in thermal flying, without having to confront the strong and sometimes turbulent conditions that can be encountered on long-distance flights. It’s a very good intermediate stage that allows you to go further, once you’re able to climb autonomously in thermals and fly for up to 1-2 hours in the ‘jar’, staying in the vicinity of the take-off site.
There are several flying sites in the Valais that are particularly well suited to this technique, including two in our region: Anzère and Veysonnaz. We’ll be taking this course at one of these sites, at the end of the summer when conditions are most favourable.
The theory and practical sessions will take place over an afternoon/evening, between around 2pm and 9pm. We’ll have a theory session at the Anzère paragliding school. We’ll look at concepts such as how to fly along a ridge, judging when to leave a thermal to look for the next one, identifying and flying upwind/avoiding downwind, and managing a landing in thermal conditions.
For the practical sessions in Anzère or Veysonnaz, there is a maximum of 2 or 3 participants per instructor. We fly in groups and walk together for 1h30 to 2h, while discovering the different aspects of this style of flying by radio. If conditions permit, we can also try out the take-off rest.
Who should attend the Advanced Thermal course?
- Pilots wishing to progress, who already have a good experience of thermal flying and who are able to fly for at least 1 hour in thermals at a known flying site.
- Pilots who have completed the Level 1 course at the beginning of the season and who have been able to practice thermal flying during the summer season.
Equipment required
- Personal flying equipment: glider, harness with airbag or moussebag, reserve parachute repacked less than 12 months ago.
- Warm clothing – if all goes to plan, flights could last between 1h30-2h
- Vario (can be hired for €30 a day)
- PMR radio with the ability to talk in flight (hire available, €10 per day)
Course dates - August to October
- As it’s difficult to predict thermal periods well in advance, we’ve opted for a flexible approach.
- The course is organised via a Whatsapp group: people interested in taking this course register by contacting Cédric by phone, email, Whatsapp or SMS, specifying which course they would like to take.
- From week to week, dates are proposed if the weather is favourable for thermal flights.
- A course is set up as soon as a minimum of 2 people respond positively to a proposed date.
- The optimum period for these courses is from August to October.
Course price
- 200 for the entire course (theory + day’s flying).
- 20 discount on the course for students and clients of the school.
- Minimum 2 / maximum 3 people per instructor; up to 3 groups possible in parallel
Still interested ?
Training sessions take place between august and october, depending on the weather. As this is an outdoor sport, please contact us so that together we can find the most suitable dates to start your training. The course is organised via a Whatsapp group