Getting Started
STEP ONE
Please provide the following information. Please note that an accurate weight is critical for your safety, it ensures that we put you on the correctly sized paraglider. If you’re not sure about your current weight please inquire about using our scale at your first lesson.
STEP TWO
Join our Telegram group chat by clicking the following link: Fledgling’s 2026 Student Chat. Please add a profile picture that will help us put a name to a face!
We’ll use this group chat for announcements related to training. Weather delays & cancellations, event updates and general announcements will come through this chat.
STEP THREE
Sign up for lessons! Use our Team Up Calendar to schedule yourself for lessons. Students can schedule themselves anytime before the evening deadline. The calendar can be accessed through the Student Dashboard or more directly through the Team Up website or Team Up app. See instructions by clicking the link above.
THE FOLLOWING STEPS ONLY APPLY TO STUDENTS SIGNED UP FOR THE P2 CERTIFICATION COURSE
STEP FOUR
Create a Student Flight Log. Click the link and follow the instructions.
A completed flight log is required for the P2 Certification. It’s a student’s responsibility to keep the log updated with their flights after each lesson. Instructors will reference each student’s flight log to track their progress. The flight log includes a separate tab with a P2 Course Checklist. These are all the requirements a student must fulfill to complete the certification.
STEP FIVE
Sign up for an USHPA Pilot Membership. P2 students need to have an active USHPA membership within 10 days of their first lesson. We are unable to train students without an active USHPA membership. The USHPA membership is what gives us access to the training site in Boulder as well as USHPA sites across the country.
Once you register with USHPA, they will give you a QR code that needs to be scanned by an instructor in person. Please bring this QR code to your next lesson to complete the sign up process.
STEP SIX
Sign up for an RMHPA Membership. P2 students need to have an active RMHPA membership to fly at RMHPA sites. Boulder is an RMPHA site, the other primary sites are listed here.
Red Tail students can get 50% of their RMHPA membership dues for the first year with the Coupon Code: RedTail2026
The Rocky Mountain Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association is our local club, which insures several sites in our area. The club’s mission is to maintain our current sites and improve future access. The club is run by volunteers in our local pilot community.
STEP SEVEN
Grab a textbook and water bottle from us when you come out for your first lesson. The textbook is called “Paragliding: The Beginner’s Guide”. Students put down a deposit for this book at the beginning of their course and can receive a refund for the deposit once the book is returned. We recommend using our collapsible water bottle during training for safety reasons. It’s better to avoid having hard objects in your harness during flights.
Where to Go
Lessons take place at Foothills Park in Boulder: 503 Locust Ave. Boulder, CO 80304. Parking is available all along Locust Avenue. To find us, look for the silver Nissan truck with the Red Tail logo.
What to Bring
- Athletic Clothing with Long Shirt Sleeves
- Good Shoes for Running
- Water
- Snacks or Lunch
- Sunscreen
- Thin Gloves (Recommended)
- Helmet that Fits Well (School Helmets are Available)
What Not to Bring
- Climbing Helmet
- Bicycle Helmet
- Helmet-Mounted GoPro
- Drugs (Weed Pens or the like)
Helmets with minimal protection or with any permanent fixtures that a paraglider line can wrap around are a hazard.
Drug Policy
We kindly request all students to refrain from consuming any type of conscience-altering substance when training with us. Our past experiences clearly indicate that students perform much worse under the influence, even if they are used to consuming a certain intoxicant in their everyday lives. We’ve seen multiple instances where cannabis consumption or micro dosing resulted in errant judgement and unnecessary danger. A clear mind is critical for good judgement.