Where to learn Hang Gliding and Paragliding?
Whether you want to get into hang gliding or paragliding or paramotoring, all of these incredible sports will require training from a qualified experienced BHPA instructor and will require you to have BHPA CP qualifications before you can join the club and fly out sites.
It is not that hard to learn. On average it will take about 8-12 full days of training to get from zero, through to elementary pilot,and then to qualify as a club pilot. How long training will take depends largely upon on your availability which needs to coincide with suitable weather and your ability. This is not always easy to achieve, as the kind of weather suitable for flying training needs to be be very stable and relatively calm. For weekend warriors this means it could take you a year to 18 months to achieve CP. If you have more flexibility with your free time, it could be achieved in six months here in Wales. This means you will need to be extremely patient if you want to learn here, although it is beneficial to learn on the sites and in the conditions that you will later be flying in.
Some paragliding schools run residential courses abroad where it is sometimes possible to achieve your qualifications in approximately 2 weeks. However it is wise to be extremely cautious with your choice of schools training overseas. The environment and weather is often completely different to the weather in the UK and these qualifications can can sometimes be poor preparation for flying here. We often fly in fairly windy conditions in Wales and courses in Spain and the Alps are often windless and will not teach you the skills you require! This often means that in order to join the club you will need some extra training here in the UK. Talk to our local schools first for advice, and please do not buy equipment before training!
We have have two excellent paragliding schools here in South East Wales, Axis paragliding and paramotoring, and Crickhowell Paragliding.
If you are interested in learning to fly a Hang Glider, the are no local registered schools at the moment. please watch this space as there may be a change to this situation.For Hang Gliding there are currently only 3 schools in the UK
Southdowns Hang Gliding School
For a Tandem Hang Gliding experience try https://flylikeabird.co.uk/
To find details of schools local to you also have a look at the national associations webpage: www.bhpa.co.uk/schools/schools.php
