The combined elementary and club pilot paragliding course gives you ten days tuition with Fly Sussex. During your ten paragliding lessons we will teach you the practical and theoretical skills to fly a paraglider. Throughout your paragliding course we follow the BHPA syllabus as outlined below. The first section of your course (EP) we work towards mastering the basic skills; launching, simple flight plans and landing like a feather. The next section we focus on more advanced flying skills in the club pilot (CP) course. The club pilot course is the minimum BHPA rating you will need in order to paraglide anywhere in the world, without an instructor present. During your paragliding lessons we will work towards developing your skills in order to make you a safe and competent pilot. Practical Instruction We meet at our shop on the A27 near Lewes and head to one of our training sites from there. We have 8 sites to choose from depending on the wind direction and weather forecast for the day. Theory & Exams During the ten day EP & CP course there are 3 multiple choice exams to take. Don’t panic, we will be there to guide you through all the relevant theory in person during theory lectures at relevant points in the course. You can also log into the Fly Sussex online theory platform ‘Skool’ where you’ll find theory videos and articles. You can also ask question to the instructors and get to know other members of the paragliding community. BHPA INSURANCE: We are a British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) approved and regulated school, therefore all students must be a member of the BHPA whilst training. BHPA membership gives you third party insurance an allows toy to gain the BHPA Club Pilot rating. The cost of this is not included in the course and will need to be paid for by you. A full breakdown of the BHPA fees can be found on their website here. We can organise BHPA paperwork when you sign in at the shop on your first lesson. Getting to and from the flying sites: All our flying sites are out in the countryside with no public transport within 3 miles so if you have a car feel free to bring it but be prepared for a walk up to the take off area. Once you have flown and wish to leave the site you have the option to head off in your own time. If you require a lift please give us advance notice. Paragliding Spectators: We welcome your friends and family along to watch you fly. Please be aware there may be a walk up onto the hills involved, if you think this may be difficult for any of your group will can try to give them a lift but please give us advance notice. Well behaved dogs on leads are permitted onto the South Downs but please be aware there is live stock on all our flying sites. WHEN YOU CAN FLY: Here at Fly Sussex Paragliding we pride ourselves on being the only full time paragliding school in the UK who flies all year round 7 days a week (weather depending). We have even been know to fly on Christmas day! The ideal weather conditions are light winds with no persistent rain. WHERE YOU FLY: A massive advantage of learning to paraglide with Fly Sussex is we have all our own private training sites dotted around the beautiful South Downs national park. This enables you to fly in much safer uncrowded airspace on beginnerfriendly sites. We always begin the lesson at our shop on near Lewes on the A27, check out a map of where we are. What you receive: Once a member of our team have checked your order we will email you a PDF voucher, this will include login details that can be used on our booking system. IMPORTANT BOOKING INFORMATION How do I book my lessons? After you’ve purchased the course we will email you a voucher which has your own personal log in details to book through our website booking page. Alternatively you can email or phone us on 01273 858170. When do we start? Don’t forget to call 01273 858170 after 7.30pm the evening before your booking and listen to the voicemail message for confirmation and start time for the following days flying. We will specify a time to meet at our shop which varies according to the weather forecast. If the weather prevents us from flying then just rebook. Please be aware the start and finish times vary according to the weather on the day. What do I bring? Attire: Comfortable clothing and suitable footwear (ie walking boots). Gloves and layers are a must on cold days. Suncream and sunhat are also a good idea. Lunch: We also recommend bringing plenty to eat and drink, you’ll need at least 2l of water and plenty of snacks as learning to fly is physically demanding. Can’t make it? You must give us at least 48 hours notice to cancel your booking. Failure to show up will result in you losing your day with us as your instructor will be waiting for you. British Hang gliding and Paragliding association: The flyer will need to join the BHPA in order to do the course, you can join with us on the first day of training or do it in advance on the bhpa website. The BHPA provide third party insurance which is mandatory. If you are already a member please bring your membership card so we can take a note in your training log book. A full breakdown of the BHPA fees can be found on their website here. We can organise BHPA paperwork when you sign in at the shop on your first lesson. If you would like to take out personal accident cover then you will need to organise this on the morning of your course. Feel free to enquire with an instructor while signing in. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries. Check out our FAQs What can I do with the BHPA club pilot rating? The BHPA club pilot (novice) rating allows you to fly unsupervised without an instructor. If you plan on flying within the UK then you can join a club near you which usually costs between £10-£100 per year. Once you have completed all the tasks in the BHPA student training log book, passed your exams and demonstrated the correct attitude to fly you can then be signed off by the chief flying instructor. Here are some of our happy students getting signed off! Been there, Got the T-shirt! When ordering your paragliding voucher you have the choice to add a Fly Sussex T-shirt for a reduced price. When you come to fly on the day you can pick your perfect tee!
