Flying & safetyYour safety on a tandem paragliding flight

How safe is tandem paragliding?

A tandem pilot must correctly judge the interplay of equipment, personal flying experience and weather at all times. Passengers regularly ask about the risks and safety of tandem flying – and flying a paraglider today is far less dangerous than outsiders assume.

Many media outlets still portray paragliding as a risk sport for adrenaline junkies. That is definitely nonsense: most pilots see paragliding as an enjoyable, relaxing play with nature.

It's also true that outdoor sports always carry a residual risk. In paragliding, that residual risk is the weather. It decisively influences the safety and feasibility of a tandem flight – so please understand if, for safety reasons, we occasionally have to cancel a flight at short notice.

Tandem pilot training

In Germany, formal training with a final paragliding licence is mandatory. Paraglider pilots licensed to carry passengers are called tandem pilots. A pilot can only earn the tandem licence after extensive solo training, followed by further theoretical and practical training and a final examination. The German Hang-Gliding Association (DHV) issues tandem licences.

The tandem pilots in our team are all highly experienced and hold every required licence. Because practical experience matters so much in tandem flying, our pilots first flew countless flights together, comparing notes on launch and landing procedures. To this day, after every season, the team still debates the best techniques and small refinements that make flying along as easy as possible for our guests.

The tandem paragliding equipment

Working with our partners Ozone, Bruce Goldsmith Design (BGD) for our newest tandem wings and Advance for the best harnesses, our equipment is kept at the current state of the art. Key components of our flying gear undergo careful material inspections at shorter intervals than legally required.

Legally, tandem equipment must meet these requirements: it must be certified and carry a seal of approval, a rescue parachute is mandatory, and both pilot and passenger harnesses have back protectors. Helmet and gloves are mandatory too – we provide both. In cooler weather we also keep an extra windproof jacket ready for you.

What should you bring? Only sturdy, ideally ankle-high footwear, plus comfortable sporty clothing. There's a light breeze in flight, so sunglasses help. Please don't bring lots of bags or backpacks – carrying capacity in the air is very limited.

Weather analysis for your tandem flight

In principle you can paraglide all year round, even in winter – every season has its charm. Spring and summer flights are usually much longer, though: stronger thermals make it possible. Safe tandem flying demands constant weather assessment: our team checks the latest data several times a day, with intensive weather research on the evening before each flight day.

Dedicated aviation forecasts, satellite imagery and wind readings from measuring stations across Upper Bavaria and Tyrol combine into an overall picture of the expected flying weather. Based on this, your pilot agrees the flight date with you. It's very rare that we have to cancel a confirmed flight at short notice because of weather – if it happens, a new date is arranged immediately.

Many guests wish for "blue sky" for their flight. Yet the best flying weather usually comes with cloud cover – and wind is the more decisive criterion for a safe launch. Just call us: we always have the latest weather data.

Insurance in paragliding

German law prescribes specific insurance for paragliding – it's included in the flight price. The tandem pilots carry every required policy for the passenger and for themselves: owner's liability insurance for third-party personal and property damage, and passenger liability insurance specifically for tandem paragliding.

Before every flight, our passengers complete a registration form, agreeing to follow the tandem pilot's instructions and confirming they've been fully briefed on the procedure. This registration also constitutes a legally binding air-carriage contract between passenger and tandem pilot: the pilot is the operator of that specific flight and signs for the presence of all insurance policies.