FAQ’s and some crucial info for anyone interested in learning to become a paraglider.

“Is paragliding safe?”

• That is entirely up to you and me. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

• Paragliding of course has inherent dangers. The real questions are;

• Will you receive your rating to fly solo with the knowledge and experience to be a safe paraglider?

• Will you learn and apply what is needed to recognize and minimise the risks to an acceptable level everytime you fly?

If you receive proper training, keep current airworthy equipment, remain teachable, and practice good judgement, YES, we have found we can minimise the risk to an acceptable level and have a whole lot of soft landings and fun in some of the most extreme conditions. The amount of “unsafe” people in adventure based sports unfortunately seems to be at an all time high. If you received proper instruction in any adventure sport and went out there and are involved, you are most likley seeing the type of unsafe participants you are thankful you did not become. It is of the utmost cruciality that you find an instructor who has a passion for cultivating the mindset and knowledge base so relating your level of skill and experience to the weather and the flying site each and everyday is second nature. This takes a level of committment you should know and feel right away. I work hard to have you in a training atmosphere (proper mindset/comfortable and fun communication etc. as well as in the appropriate weather and location) that not only allows you to learn but make your mistakes be part of the fun.

My students history shows they leave the nest with a true understanding of what's needed to minimise risk everytime they fly in this amazing aviation adventure sport. THAT is how this sport stays FUN.

Is paragliding a sport for me?

We really are an incredibly eclectic mix of amazing people flying paragliders today. You do not need to have a background in aviation or aviation type sports such as skydiving or have a pilots license of any sort to learn to be a proficient paraglider. I believe most people that don’t believe they could do this, can. I am the type of person and instructor that will tell you if I truly believe this sport isn’t for you. This is an aviation adventure sport so it does take some time and commitment. I’ve worked hard to develop a curriculumm and process that has worked for people with very busy schedules. I’ve created a sylabus that cultivates the confidence and humilty that’s required for this sport no matter your personality type. There’s no one like you. It’s pretty incredible how many different personality types I’ve trained over the years. Your individuality and your learning type is what I efficiently get to know so we can get you to run off mountains and be towed aloft to FLY while you learn how to minimise risk and with the confidence you need. I also have the skills to reign you back if needed so you leave the nest with the humilty you need to stay safe in this amazing sport. I’ve had some bad ass acomplished athletes get their feathers quite ruffled only to thank me soon after and be really grateful I took the time and care. I have and will tell you if I believe this sport is not a fit for you. It’s rare but we have to be willing to do so when necessary. You can feel confident that if there is any legitamate reason you should not be paragliding I will tell you.

How long does it take?

I’ve had students take 7 days and others take all winter. It’s really up to how proactive you and your schedule can be. I’m available full time so can get you there as soon as weather and your schedule permit.

How much does it cost?

My instruction is hourly based on an updated lessons and equipment invoice so you are never paying for hours you didn’t train. For brand new beginners the Desert Wind training for foot launch, surface tow pilot, to receive individualized instruction with one on one coaching, sports psychology training throughout as well as the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding (USHPA) course accreditation and training is usually right around $2400.

Will I get individual coaching?

YES. I get to know you. I get to know what works for you. You are reminded there are no dumb questions and if you have any questions comments or concerns throughout the course. I work with all my students in small groups AND one on one time that is sufficient for each student. You will know during my in person introductory course that my questions are created out of a history of getting to know people in order to teach an adventure sport efficiently and safely while having fun. It is my responsibility to have a training course and philosophy that can adapt to everyone and individual coaching is part of that. You will also be training in small groups and watching the pilots just ahead of you at times which everyone agrees is a huge part of the fun.

Is Phoenix and Arizona a good place to learn to paraglide?

YES. Learning to fly in AZ is amazing. Fall, Winter and Spring (October through April) give us ideal conditions for paragliding training. Light winds, light thermals and cool or warm days to tow you aloft and kite/ground handle. I trained in AZ summers for years. It’s just not the experience you want. AZ also has the types of challenges that create amazing pilots. The “knowledge per flight ratio” is higher in the desert than anywhere in the world. I’ll prepare you to fly almost anywhere. Many pilots say, “If you’ll be flying here you will want to train here.” I say, “If you’ll be flying anywhere, you’ll want to learn here.” Pilots that trained elsewhere and come to or move to Arizona sign up for day courses, thermal clinics, intermediate and advanced flying clinics with me all the time. They realize it’s far more demanding than where thay have been taught and or flying and they need to get dialed in. Learning to tow has endless benefits. Instead of quick 20 second to 2 minute flights from small training hills after your pay in tows your releasing at TWO to THREE thousand feet above the ground so we get SO much more coaching in PER FLIGHT than any training hill out there. AND we learn to foot launch on some amazing training hills that have been used to train paragliders for over 28 years now!

Will my instruction be thorough so I know how to fly safely on my own?

Absolutely YES. We start at the beginning and create an outline of progress that works for you, or if you’re already trained up a bit we can chat, look at any online flights/logbooks you have and I’ll work out a personalized course specific to getting you to your next level. Proper paragliding training has ground school, simulator training, ground handling sessions, rescue parachute throw in a simulator training sessions and more TO BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR DWPG Beginner and USHPA P2 COURSE. You will be added to the local pilots group chats and get involved right off the bat. The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Assoc. (USHPA) has a great sylabus for us and a lot of what is needed is outside their scope such as local weather, local environment, the mind training sports psychology type aspect as well as some other items. Your initial training/P2 course needs to be saturated with “The mind game” training for a sport such as this. I received my initial P2 and P3 training from FOUR of this countries best instructors (Dixon White, David Prentice, Steve Mayer & Chris Santacroce) and that has helped me cultivate a P2 to P4 course that has proven to stand out and cultivate pilots that know how to do the work to keep this sport fun and be the pilots that everyone loves to fly with and learn from. In this sport, that’s saying something.

You know ALL the proper ettiquite of this sport, you will have your own equipment and have it dialed in before your P2 course is complete and so much more.

What are some key items that seperate Desert Wind Paragliding from other instructors and schools out there?

I am available full time. You get highly individualized one on one training AS WELL as training with groups.

Desert Wind Paragliding is the first and longest running school in Phoenix AZ.

I have an absolute passion for integrating my training with mind aspect adventure sport psychology type coaching so you can get into the flow state more efficiently and stay there longer. I have yet to learn of another school that has a sylabus integrating visualization and overcoming fear techniques for P1,2,3,4 training as I do.

Other schools have followed my lead on using the Surface Tow Pilot Sylabus Course as well as other training techniques.

Chat anytime for a basic intro Q & A. Affordable in person and zoom courses on everything from weather forecasting, beginner ground handling, equipment choices, thermal 101, advanced thermal flying, XC flying, sports psychology training, flight instruments use and a lot more.

An individualized training process.

You become the pilots all the other pilots want to fly with.

Signing up with Desert Wind gets you SuperFly Paragliding Team membership. This is BIG.

You will be a Team Member of SuperFly Paragliding at Point of The Mountain (POM) just outside of Salt Lake City. This eliminates any reason for an Arizona resident wanting to learn to travel out of AZ to train. If you are going to fly here, you really want to learn here. It’s a matter of you being able to safely fly here due to getting some or all your instructing here in our environment and weather. POM is the largest and best known training hill in the USA and SuperFly is one of the two original and longest runnning schools there. As a Desert Wind Paragliding student you will have TEAM MEMBERSHIP which means you will be able to go and train with SuperFly and their team of instructors anytime and the cost is included in what you paid for your P2 course and equipment through Desert Wind Paragliding. With or without me present. This is an incredible advantage in the summer months most all my students take advantage of. We have a ton of fun learning and flying there AND you get to learn not only AZ type flying sites and conditions but a whole other set of skills. I consider my DWPG Beginner Fledgling/USHPA P2 courses to be the most one on one and thorough courses in the USA. This is primarily due to how challenging it is to learn in the desert. It’s incredibly challenging BUT it cultivates amazing pilots! THAT is what’s so important and why other new P2 pilots that learn on friendlier grassy training hills do not have the skillset that Desert Wind Students have.

SHOULD I BUY USED EQUIPMENT AND OR PURCHASE MY OWN EQUIPMENT?

Please, please know this is not a sales pitch. I’m trying to save your valuable time and money wether you sign up with me or another instructor/school as well as helping you avoid being in the uncomfortable situation of having schools and or instructors treat you “differently” than their full package students even though they were happy to let you sign up for their training course or courses. As well as suddenly find yourself “uncomfortable” in the air. I have had many a student come to me to sign up after wishing they had never gotten in the pickle in the first place. SO much of the “hardly used” or “brand new” paragliding equipment that online is said to be “airworthy” but had no recent line trim test and the many other tests needed by a professional. We see pilots flying this equipment sometimes saying “see, it flies just fine!” Yes, but how’s it reopen? How’s it going to react in turbulent air? How’s it’s flare authority when you need to flare to avoid a hard landing? Used equipment buyers never like those questions because they simply don’t know. We do and the answer is most likley not well. You’re buying an aircraft, a harness and a rescue/reserve parachute. Do you really want to buy used?

You will just need to buy your next wing, harness and reserve sooner. “Yeah but that’s fine I just want a beater set up to learn because that’s when I’ll be beating it up the most.” That’s the worst type of thinking to have. Pilots are flying 100 miles and staying in the air for up to 8 hours in one flight with the CURRENT BEGINNER equipment today that a good instructor will sell you ! It’s not the equipment, it’s the pilot. The best and safest way is to buy a beginner set up through your instructor (PLUS YOU SHOULD GET A DISCOUNT WHEN YOU PURCHASE YOUR EQUIPMENT FROM YOUR SCHOOL) and fly it until you are ready for a new, faster more dynamic intermediate wing. A proper beginner set up, if you take care of it, will last you until you are ready for a faster glider and or different set up. End of story.

The equipment in the last 2 years alone has increased in reopening time (safer), better glide, better speed, lighter and more compact. It does every year. Why would you want to sacrifice that when you’re not even saving money in the long run? Take advantage of joining this sport when you are and capitalize on the advances in safety, weight and size the new equipment has become.

THIS IS NOT A SALES PITCH

I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE NO MATTER WHERE YOU TRAIN

YOU WANT TO PURCHASE YOUR EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE INSTRUCTOR THAT SIGNS YOUR P2/ TRAINS YOU

Many instructors and or schools have a policy in place that if you do NOT purchase equipment through them as part of your training they have an additional cost you’ll need to pay. This is due to the fact that the money they did not make on the equipment sale went to labor for training and they need to then make up that difference. It is a common practice. Costs can range anywhere from $500 to $1800 from what I have seen out there. We also have to test whatever you bring to us, that you may think you got a deal on but most times did not, and do a proper inspection since we will be flying you on it. They rarely pass a proper accredited inspection. If someones selling equipment on line for whatever amount you can say to them, “How about this, let’s send the wing in for a proper inspection. If it passes all the tests which will confirm it only has the hours on it you are saying it has, I’ll pay for the inspection and buy it. If not, you pay for the inspection and now have a proper inspection report to advertise with your equipment.” I’ve never had anyone agree to it. Don’t buy used gear even if you think you know what you’re doing. Consult with more than your friend who paraglides. Paragliding has made such incredible strides in safety, lightweight, size/more compact, speed, glide and more it’s not worth buying and is one of the many reasons why there’s so much used gear out there. ALL of my students will testify that buying new state of the art equipment and doing at least the last half of their training on it created a confidence they wouldn’t trade for anything and they then see how it wouldn’t have saved them money as well.

What should I expect?

FUN. Adventure and comraderie. Having a great experience right from the start is really key to you staying in the sport and having long term fun. Desert Wind Paragliders are travelling the world with their paragliders with the skills to do it right. Learning to relate your skill level to the weather and flying site so you know when NOT to fly takes individualized instruction. Learning how to apply some sports psychology aspects so you have the mind game to step up through the challenges. Learning how to discern between your inner fear and adrenaline is a total game changer. Not everyone gets there in adventure based sports. I really want you to.