If you want to learn paragliding, you surely have many questions. Here you will find answers to the first and most important ones. By browsing further on our website, you will get a comprehensive insight into how multifaceted and fascinating this incredible air sport really is — and what dreamlike experiences await you when you take off with us.

How much time do I need for paraglider pilot training?

To obtain the pilot's licence (brevet), you must be able to prove 50 flights under the supervision of a flight instructor in at least 5 different flying areas. How many days this takes depends on your available free time and — most importantly — on the weather. To receive the full pilot certificate you must pass a theoretical exam and a practical flight test.
In our flight school we offer high-altitude flights from the beginning of February until Christmas whenever the weather allows it — on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. During the year you can also join us on flying holidays in other countries.

How is the training structured up to the brevet level?

The best way to experience how fantastic paragliding is, is to do a trial day yourself. Already on the very first day you can fly at the training hill. Over another three to four afternoons you will acquire a solid launch technique. As soon as you can launch well and confidently, training continues with high-altitude flights.
All your progress is recorded on a training control sheet and you keep a logbook of your flights. After each flying day the instructor stamps your logbook so you can prove the experience you have gained.
The more routine you have, the easier it becomes to achieve flying milestones: overflying the launch site for the first time, thermaling up to the base of a cumulus cloud, sharing thermals with birds of prey, gliding across to the other side of the valley…
The learning curve is very steep, especially at the beginning. Even long after obtaining the brevet it does not flatten out. Even after thousands of flying hours you can still learn new things and continue to improve as a pilot.

Is paragliding a risky sport?

Correctly, the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (Suva) does **not** classify paragliding as an extreme or high-risk sport. When the weather allows safe flying, the equipment is in perfect condition and the pilot uses common sense (“switched-on brain”) in the airspace, this sport can be practised as safely as cycling.
That does **not** mean there is no risk in paragliding. On video platforms like YouTube you can find spectacular crash videos — but they convey a completely distorted picture and do not reflect the reality of flying.
What really matters is a good education and regular flying practice. Learning to assess weather conditions correctly, mastering the flying equipment, and being able to distinguish sensible behaviour from foolish risk-taking — all of this you learn in flight school.

Is paragliding addictive?

Most pilots will very probably answer this question with **yes** — no wonder people talk about the “flying virus”. Once you’re infected, there is life before your first paragliding flight and life after it.
Life afterwards looks like this: You wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is check the weather forecast online. Can I fly today — and if yes, where should I launch? You constantly study the sky and look for cumulus clouds that indicate thermal activity. You make new friends who share your passion for paragliding. Your holiday destinations are chosen according to flying possibilities and the most interesting conversations you have are aviation-related.
The best therapy for this addiction? Go flying.

Can anyone learn to paraglide?

Being able to stand and walk on your own feet is the most important prerequisite for taking off and landing with a paraglider. To begin training as a paraglider pilot you must be at least 14 years old.

How long is the pilot brevet valid?

Once you have the brevet, there are no regular medical or proficiency checks required. As long as your legs carry you and you still enjoy flying, you can practise this wonderful hobby wherever it is permitted.
By the way — with the Swiss brevet you are also allowed to fly abroad.

What does the paragliding experience world offer me?

Paragliding is an extremely multifaceted adventure sport. You are outdoors in fresh air, get to know new flying areas, enjoy the landscape from a very special perspective, spend great times with friends, make new acquaintances, gather countless experiences and make continuous progress. The better you become as a pilot, the more the sport has to offer. You can look forward to pleasure flights, tactical cross-country flying, groundhandling, hike & fly, and paragliding travel to other countries. Adventure is unlimited.
You might even discover a taste for aerobatics and manoeuvres that release adrenaline. The step into other wind and flying sports (kitesurfing, hang gliding, sailplane or motor flying) also becomes much easier.

Is paragliding an expensive sport?

Paragliding is by far the most affordable form of aviation sport. For the complete training and brand-new personal equipment you should budget around **CHF 8,000**.
There are savings possibilities when purchasing used equipment. You can find the exact prices for training at Magiclift flight school in our price overview.
If you visit our webshop you will also get a good overview of the costs of a completely individually assembled set of equipment.

How long does equipment last?

The equipment consists of the paraglider, harness, reserve parachute (rescue system) and — if desired — flight instruments such as GPS or variometer. You most likely already own good footwear, a helmet, quality sunglasses, gloves and windproof clothing.
Modern paragliders have — depending on maintenance — a service life of about **400–500 flying hours**. So with a new wing you can enjoy yourself safely for several years.
A harness lasts many years; the reserve parachute is recommended to be replaced after about 10 years. In affluent Switzerland the reason for replacing equipment is usually not durability, but rather progress in design: better performance, more safety, higher comfort and weight reduction.

How much does a paragliding kit weigh?

Compared with today, the equipment in the pioneer days was downright primitive — and not particularly heavy. As development progressed, equipment was optimised for better performance and higher comfort, which at one point meant shouldering a pack sack weighing 18–20 kg.
In recent years the trend has clearly moved towards lightweight materials. A modern, weight-optimised complete kit now weighs only about **10 kg** and is comfortable to carry.
Thanks to lightweight equipment, “hike & fly” has become a very popular form of paragliding: walking or even climbing to the launch site under your own power — flying with the lowest possible CO₂ emissions.

Are you allowed to fly a paraglider everywhere?

Our airspace is large, yet limited. Paragliders are flown under visual flight rules. Airspace where instrument flight rules apply is off-limits. These are zones around airfields and airports. Wildlife protection zones and military danger areas also impose restrictions. In general, however, the freedoms are significantly greater than the limiting factors, which of course also include meteorological conditions. With the Swiss pilot brevet, you are allowed to fly paragliders all over the world, provided the legislation in your destination countries permits it.

How do thermals form?

On good days, solar radiation heats up the ground. The warmed ground transfers heat to the air above it. When an air mass is heated at the surface, it expands and its density decreases. In cooler surrounding air, this warmed air parcel rises: voilà, thermals. A special cause of thermally induced rising air is inversion thermals. In pilot jargon, this is called Magiclift — and it gave our flight school its name.

How long can you stay airborne with a paraglider?

On a good flying day, paraglider pilots try to postpone landing for as long as possible and deliberately search for updrafts to gain altitude. Every metre of height gained increases the possible glide distance — allowing you to reach an even more distant thermal. There the game starts again: gain height, glide to the next climb…
Thanks to the excellent flight characteristics of a modern paraglider, cross-country flights of **over 200 km** are possible on strong days — meaning several hours spent in the air.