Try paragliding
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A paraglider is a fabric wing that is laid out on a hillside, inflated and steered with brake lines. You can try it on a tandem flight with an instructor, spend a taster day making low hops down a gentle slope, or train over about ten flying days to the BHPA's Club Pilot rating.
ModerateOver £500 / $650A few weeksOutdoorsWith othersUK and US
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What you learn
Training starts on the ground. Instructors show you how the canopy is laid out, inflated and steered with its brake lines, then you make short hops down a gentle slope before moving on to gentle turns and higher, longer flights. Some UK schools, such as Airways Airsports in Derbyshire, train on an airfield with a winch instead, starting a few feet off the ground and working up to flights of up to 500 metres (about 1,640 ft), with five or six flights a day.
In the UK the first rating is Elementary Pilot, which Flying Frenzy in Dorset says usually takes four days and ends with a 25-question theory exam. Club Pilot follows, with ridge soaring, accurate landings and further exams, and it is the rating you need to fly with a club rather than a school. The BHPA says it normally takes around ten days of flyable weather to reach Club Pilot. In the US, USHPA's training programme includes ground school, theory and witnessed tasks such as consecutive spot landings within 100 feet (about 30 m) of a target, and USHPA calls kiting, handling the wing on the ground, the most important building block.
There is no real upper age limit provided you are reasonably fit, the BHPA says, though by law you must be 14 to fly solo. Pilots should be fit and active, with good co-ordination; no flying experience is needed.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| BHPA registered schools (BHPA guide prices) | One-day taster; or a full course to Club Pilot; or pay by the day | Taster usually around £150; full course around £1,200 to £1,600; around £150 a day |
| Flying Frenzy, Dorset | Tandem flight, aiming for at least a quarter of an hour in the air; passengers 45 to 120 kg (7 to 19 st) | £160 |
| Flying Frenzy, Dorset | Taster day; Elementary Pilot, usually four days; Club Pilot, usually around six days | Taster £190; Elementary Pilot £700; Club Pilot £900 |
| Airways Airsports, Darley Moor Airfield, Derbyshire | Winch-launched taster day; Elementary Pilot, a further four days; Club Pilot | Taster £199; Elementary Pilot £950; Club Pilot £950; both together £1,750 if bought straight after the taster |
| Torrey Pines Gliderport, La Jolla, California | Tandem flight, generally 20 to 25 minutes; first come, first served; no weight limit as long as there is enough wind | $200, or $190 cash (check on the day) |
| Paragliding San Francisco | USHPA P2 course, typically 10 to 15 days with at least 35 flights; equipment provided for the first 10 days | $2,200; or $200 a lesson for the first 10 lessons |
Kit is extra once you go beyond a taster. The BHPA lists a harness, helmet, emergency parachute, flying suit and boots, and Flying Frenzy asks Elementary Pilot students to buy a helmet. For a taster day, the BHPA recommends its one-day introductory membership, which is valid on the day of issue only.
How to start
- Choose between a tandem flight, a one-day taster or a full course, and find a BHPA registered school in the UK or a USHPA school or instructor in the US.
- Check the school's weight and age limits, what is included and how it handles days lost to weather, since every flight depends on the wind.
- Wear flexible walking boots with ankle support and no lacing hooks, and allow spare days in your diary.
Where to go
- BHPA: learning to paraglide UK
- BHPA: learn to fly, age, fitness and insurance UK
- Airways Airsports: paragliding lessons, Darley Moor Airfield, Derbyshire UK
- Flying Frenzy, Dorset: paragliding courses and tandem flights UK
- USHPA: how do I learn to fly? US
- Torrey Pines Gliderport, La Jolla, California: tandem paragliding US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Two ways to plan it.
Plan it yourself Free
The links you need to book it, get there, find somewhere to stay and eat, and see what else there is to do nearby. They are searches for you to run; nothing is saved.
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Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to learn to paraglide in the UK?
The BHPA puts a full course to Club Pilot at a registered school at around £1,200 to £1,600, and a one-day taster at usually around £150. At Flying Frenzy in Dorset, Elementary Pilot is £700 and Club Pilot £900.
How long does it take to learn to paraglide?
The BHPA says it normally takes around ten days of flyable weather to reach Club Pilot. Because flying depends on the wind, those days may be spread over weeks.
Is there a weight limit for tandem paragliding?
It depends on the school. Flying Frenzy in Dorset takes passengers between 45 and 120 kg (7 and 19 st), while Torrey Pines Gliderport in California says it has no weight limit for paragliding tandems as long as there is enough wind.
Is there an age limit for paragliding?
The BHPA says there is no real upper age limit provided you are reasonably fit. You must be at least 14 to fly solo, and Torrey Pines Gliderport says there is no age limit for its tandem rides.
Where this comes from: BHPA, Paragliding; BHPA, Learn to fly; Airways Airsports, Paragliding lessons; Flying Frenzy, Paragliding courses; Flying Frenzy, Vouchers for taster days and tandem flights; USHPA, How do I learn to fly?; Torrey Pines Gliderport, Tandem paragliding flights; Torrey Pines Gliderport, Tandem FAQs; Paragliding San Francisco, USHPA P2 certification. Opened 13 November 2026.
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