Flying Frenzy Paragliding Courses

"Professional, friendly, and most of all fun from start to finish, I must thank Flying Frenzy for getting me started, I wish I had done it years ago."

All our training courses follow the excellent BHPA paragliding hill syllabus which lays out a structured and progressive programme with enough flexibility for us to tailor your training to fit you. Our courses on offer are as follows:

Taster Day £140

The FFPG taster day is the best way to experience paragliding. We work hard to get you progressed as far as possible - usually by the end of the day you will have had a solo flight from the main slope.
The day will include:

  • Introduction to the sport and paperwork
  • Discussion of the risks involved in paragliding
  • Basic theory of paragliding aerodynamics and local airflow
  • Daily canopy and equipment checks
  • How to keep yourself safe
  • Pre-flight checks
  • Canopy inflation and control on the ground
  • Low flights on shallower slopes (known as ‘hops’)
  • A higher flight from main slope if time, your energy levels and rate of progress allow


Note - The Taster day training is effectively exactly the same as the first stages of the EP

Taster Day Vouchers
If you'd like to buy a Taster Day as a gift, download the booking form       and send it to us. We'll then send you out a personalised voucher.

Elementary Pilot (EP) £500

The EP is the first BHPA level of competence.
By the end of the EP, you will be able to:

  • Take off and land un-assisted in moderate conditions
  • Fly at appropriate airspeed
  • Make smooth turns to at least 90 degrees
  • Choose and carry out simple flight plans.
  • Pass the theory exam
Note - If you have done a Taster Day and want to carry on with the EP we deduct the cost of the Taster from your EP fee.

Club Pilot £650

The BHPA level of competence required to fly without direct instruction, within a club environment.
By the end of the CP, you will be able to:

  • Ground handle in a range of conditions
  • Take-off and land in a range of conditions, from light winds to moderately strong winds
  • Use your canopy's full range of airspeed appropriately
  • Make 180 degree turns
  • Carry out hill-side and top landings
  • Fly safely with other pilots
  • Demonstrate understanding of the concept of active flying
  • Deal with small asymmetric tucks and carry out the 'big ears' rapid descent technique.

You will also have at least 30 minutes of soaring flights and will have gained further theoretical knowledge of Meteorology, Principles of flight, Airlaw and General Airmanship. You will have passed the CP exam and shown your instructors that you have an attitude to paragliding sufficiently responsible to leave the school environment.

Booking form links

We do like to talk to you if at all possible before booking up but if you are ready to make your booking click on one of these links...

Booking form
 For you for whatever course you'd like to do...

Voucher Booking form
 If you'd like to buy a Taster Day as a gift for someone

Tandem Booking form
 If you'd like a Tandem flight with us

Tandem Voucher Booking form
 If you are buying a Tandem flight for someone

If you don't have access to a printer please contact us and we can post you out a paper version.

 

What is included and what is not

Equipment ~ The EP course fees include hire of all the equipment you need - Paraglider, Harness and Helmet. As you start the Club Pilot course you will need to buy a helmet and will be thinking about getting your own equipment. We stock the best of the new wings around and have a good range of second-hand canopies. We will make sure your purchases suit your paragliding style, abilities and aspirations.

BHPA membership ~ In order to paraglide in the UK, you must be a member of the British Hang-gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA). One-day membership is included in the price the Taster Day and Tandem flight. As you start the Elementary Pilot course you will need to become a full member. Annual membership costs £104 for your first year and £89 per annum subsequently. As a member of the BHPA, you are given 3rd party insurance and with annual membership, you receive a training magazine and the monthly magazine Skywings.

When you have completed the CP there is a £10 registration fee payable direct to the BHPA.

Taster Day Deals

We offer two great deals to make your Taster Day more sociable and even better value. (Please note only one of these deals can apply at a time!)

Couples Deal ~ If your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend or partner wants to come too, they pay half the normal rate. (Please don't embarrass yourself by trying to get this deal for a friend or family member!)

Group Deal ~ If you get a group of six or more at the same time, one of you comes free.

Progression through the Courses:

Many people start with the Taster Day to check that Paragliding is for them before committing to the Elementary Pilot Course (EP). If at the end of your Taster Day you want to continue training (lots of people do!) you can then pay the balance of the EP course. You have six months to take your Taster Day after paying the deposit or buying the voucher. For the EP and CP, you have six months from the first day of the course. Progress is fastest when you can take your training days as close together as possible. If you exceed the six months or the maximum number of days you can continue your tuition by paying the current daily rate.

Your first day

The evening before your first day (or if you’ve not been out for a while) it is a good idea to give us a call to see how the forecast is looking. If the weather is not looking good you can book some further dates. Then again on the day, please call us around 8.45 - 9.00am to check it is still good and when and where we will fly. Have a look at the where we are page to get maps to our four main training sites.

The weather conditions need to be just right for safe paragliding - so please don’t be too surprised if we have to cancel. Usually we start the day's training at eleven o'clock though sometimes a later start makes sense in the summer or earlier in the winter.