Speed Flying Course

Wow! This is exciting.

Mount Paragliding has teamed up with speed flying legend Dave Edwards to run speed flying courses.

With so much interest in speedflying it's important pilots get the right training because speedflying is fundamentally different to paragliding. Come and learn with someone who has the experience and practical understanding to remove the guesswork and ensure you take full advantage of this exhilarating method of flight.

Dave's planned and precise flying may be considered sheer madness to onlookers, however, when you chat with him you soon find out the opposite is true. Dave doesn't take shortcuts and is motivated to help us develop great all round pilots with the skills to keep enjoying this fantastic sport for a long time.

"I myself wouldn’t be where I am today without the tutorage of David and the understanding that he brought to the table that no other pilot or instructor could bring, I've never met anyone that understands and can explain the dynamics of wind, lee, turbulence and flying better."                             
- Malachi Templeton

Course learnings

  • Weather reading 
  • Coastal and inland considerations
  • Understanding turbulance related to speed flying
  • Using the brake range
  • Why C riser steering is not advised
  • Generating and keeping energy in the wing
  • Trimmers - when and how to use
  • Landings with energy
  • Safety margins
  • Differences between paragliding and speed flying
  • NZHGPA speed wing (SWP) rating requirements
  • ...and much more

During this course we will cover various launch techniques, top landing, and how important it is to learn your wings full brake range. This course teaches precision flying, control and how to generate energy in the wing to give you options when flying close to terrain (low proximity).

If you are looking for training from a speed flying expert you have found the right course - you'll be learning with one of the world's best speedflyers. You'll complete this course equipped to fly accurately, competently and understanding how to safely progress your speedflying.

Course structure

You'll be shown how to perform fundamental aspects of speed flying and then practice them yourself.

  • Low proximity short flights - controlling altitude using precise brake control
  • Top to bottoms - showing precision with various landing approach methods
  • Trimmer use and what that means to flight
  • Coordinated turns with speed and dive control

You will then learn more advanced flying techniques to ensure you can lower the risk and enjoy safer flights. 

  • Pitch, yaw and roll control
  • Obtaining and using energy 
  • Required considerations and skills for top landing
  • Mental considerations to keep you sharp and knowing when to call it a day

This is not paragliding and it is important you understand the increased risks when flying fast and close to terrain, which is of course why a comprehensive course is vital.

See our FAQ section for more detail.

Our coastal site for teaching is accessed through private land at Ruapuke. 


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Speed Flying Course Dates

Dates:
$950.00

 

CURRENT STUDENTS SAY:

Vitezslav Tuma

Vitezslav Tuma

Lots of great times learning to fly for me.

View full testimonial »

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQS

You will need your - 

a) PG2 licence + 40hrs paragliding (logged)

or

b) PG2 licence and a skydiving C licence

Speed flying is a flight on a speed wing where there is ground contact at launch and landing.

Speed riding is a flight on the snow with skis using a speed wing, where ski contact with the snow is throughout the flight.

It's a speedwing if it -

  1. is designated by the manufacturer as a speed wing; and/or
  2. meets the NZHGPA definition - "a paraglider less than 18m2 flat area flown at 7kg/m2 or more"

Our training site is in Rupauke, a remote location on the west coast, so bring whatever you'll need for a day out because you won't be able to pop down to the shops. We are fortunate to have access to private farmland so whatever you take in also needs to be taken out. Here are some suggestions of what to pack -

  • Plenty of water
  • Food
  • Warm clothes, sturdy footwear, sun protection, sunglasses
  • Flying gear e.g. helmet, harness, speedwing or miniwing
  • By all means bring your mobile phone but be aware there's no cell coverage at site

We sell speedwings and harnesses if you wish to purchase either prior to the course. Radios will be provided so the instructor is in communication with you while flying.

Note - before attending the first training day you will need to have completed and returned the paperwork you were sent when you signed up.

There are mandatory online sessions (2 hours total) prior to the first training day. The second training day takes place a few weeks after the first. This gap is to give you time to complete the practical (flying) homework that will be specified after the first training day.

In summary, the commitment is -

  • 2 hours online participation prior to the first training day
  • two non-consecutive weekend days
  • self-initiated flying time between the training days to complete the specified homework

We will run the course on the next speed flyable weekend.

We require 10-15knots onshore wind to run this course.

You will be sent out a welcome email with the site location and other important course information included. After that we communicate via whatsapp as a group to confirm flying conditions, meeting times and location etc. You will need to download the app if you haven't already.

Note - before attending the first training day you will need to have completed and returned the paperwork you were sent when you signed up. This will include a medical declaration form, for example.

You will learn all of the fundamentals that should be practiced for the first couple of years.

Dave flew for many years learning everything he needed to know about weather, turbulance, energy, how speed wings fly, safe landings, brake range, trimmers and how to avoid accidents.

This is not a sport you should try to rush through the learning phase of. Enjoy the journey, not the race to the destination.

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