Course Structure
Overview of the P2 Certification Course
The P2 Certification Course is broken into three stages: the pre-flight stage, lower launch stage, and upper launch stage. For each stage, a specified set of tasks must be completed in order for the student to move on to the next stage. Intro course students follow the exact same pathway until they’ve completed their three training flights.
Stage 1: Pre-Flight
Goals
Learn the set-up process, how to organize the paraglider lines, and remove any twists or tangles.
All aviators need a bulletproof pre-flight checklist to follow to make sure they don’t fall out of the sky!
Paraglider pilots use the “forward launch” technique to launch in light winds. New students will use this technique when the time comes for their first flights. Students will do a bunch of reps in the park over several days to get this technique dialed in.
Students will observe real launches and landings from the training hill and then practice a flight plan in our flight simulator.
Kiting involves learning how to inflate a paraglider from the “reverse” position and then launch it. This is the most technical skill that has to be learned during the P2 course. The sooner a student starts practicing it, the safer their launches will be and the faster they’ll progress through the course.
Duration
4 - 6 Lessons Typically
Students are offered as much time as they need to develop the prerequisite skills and mentally prepare themselves for their first flights, there’s really no rush.
Paragliding is a weather-dependent activity. The quality of the weather conditions for training will vary from lesson to lesson. No two students will have the same experience or progress at the same pace as a result. For this reason, we don’t set expectations for student progress based on the number of lessons they’ve attended.
Stage 2: Lower Launch
Goals
Students begin to take training flights off of the “lower launch”, also known as the training hill. The lower launch offers just over 300 ft of vertical from the launch point to the landing zone down below. Each flight lasts 1-2 minutes.
The lower launch offers a spacious area for new pilots to learn how to launch a paraglider under control. Lot’s of repetition here will prepare students to be successful in the next stage which requires launching from a smaller space.
Remember that launching a paraglider from the reverse position is the most technical skill a student must develop during the P2 course. Time spent kiting is critical for advancing on to the next stage of the course.
Students need to demonstrate controlled reverse launches off lower launch in different weather conditions. For most students this is the biggest hurdle preventing them from moving to the next stage. Hint: Practice kiting as much as possible!
Once students have logged 10-15 successful flights on school gear, it’s time for them to move over to their own gear set. This transition is kind of like taking training wheels off a bike. School gliders have a lot of passive safety features that are great for first flights but eventually hinder a student’s progression.
Weather forecasting is a huge part of flying paragliders. Recognizing safe flying conditions is critical for long term success. Knowing how to recognize a good forecast for flying also makes scheduling one’s life around paragliding much easier. The sooner a student starts paying attention to the weather, the sooner they’ll understand how to do their own forecasting.
Duration
15 - 35 Training Flights Typically
There is no minimum or maximum number of flights a student may complete at this stage. Students are not assessed based on the number of flights they’ve completed but on their decision-making and demonstrated skills.
Most of the learning happens naturally at this stage as students get in the rhythm of hiking up to the lower launch each morning and completing a few training flights before conditions become too turbulent to continue flying. The students that make time to practice kiting later on in the morning after training flights are completed will have no issue moving on to the next stage after 15-25 flights.
CAUTION: Students that neglect spending time on kiting and reverse launch practice will linger at this stage for an unnecessarily long period of time.
Stage 3: Upper Launch
Goals
The upper launch offers nearly double the height of the lower launch, over 600 vertical feet from launch to landing. This gives students longer flights and more room away from the hill to practice turns and maneuvers.
Flying from upper launch, students have the space and time to learn more about their paragliders. Students will practice basic maneuvers including 360’s, airspeed control, and a descent technique.
The truth about kiting practice is that it should never stop! New pilots continue to reap great benefit from this practice long after they’ve completed the P2 course. The best paraglider pilots in the world never stop kiting.
There are multiple aspects of paragliding theory that students need to learn about. There are ground school lessons, clinics, and tests that students need to attend and complete in order to qualify for the P2 Certification.
Thermaling is the art of sustaining flight in a paraglider by using thermal updrafts to gain height above the ground. It’s a technical skill that isn’t formally taught during the P2 course. However, for the students that make a strong effort throughout the P2 course, instructors will make an effort to help them get some thermaling practice.
Duration
15 - 20 Training Flights Typically
There is no minimum or maximum number of flights a student may complete at this stage. Students are not assessed based on the number of flights they’ve completed but on their decision-making and demonstrated skills.
USHPA enforces minimum requirements for completing the P2 certification, however the aim of this course is to help students develop more than just the minimum skill set. Ultimately, the P2 certification is just a piece of paper and does not guarantee any positive outcomes for new pilots after completing the course. The important thing is that students receive as much preparation as possible prior to going out on their own.