ELEMENTARY PILOT COURSE.

On your first day we normally meet at the Topaz filling station on the Waterford road Clonmel at 10.30 am and after a brief introduction we move to the schools main paragliding site in the Comeragh mountains near by this takes about 10 min.
Your paragliding lessons starts at about 11am with a weather check to determine which part of the site we will use.
After a general briefing on how the day should progress we complete the paper work. This consists of the IPPHA  MEMBERSHIP and going through your insurance details, and then the IPPHA STUDENT TRAINING RECORD BOOK. Required for all paragliding training carried out in Ireland and kept by the school to record your completed training exercises. We can analyse and discuss  your progress each time you come out for a training.

Below is a summary of the procedures  and exercises laid out in the record book & syllabus.

ELEMENTARY PILOT

Phase 1 - Ground Training

1  Introductory talk - School instructors - risk warning health/medical conditions clothing/footwear - the IPPHA - pilot rating scheme.
2  Site assessment -
3  Introduction to equipment.
4  Avoiding/minimising injury.

Phase 2 - Ground Handling

5  Briefing - Checks - wind direction flare/stall.
6  Preparation - Checks - paragliding canopy - harness -  helmet.
7  Inflation - Take-off - landing sequence practised.
8  Directional control - initiating turns ( pre-flight exercises while on the ground ).

Phase 3 - First Short Flights

9  Getting airborne ( initial low height stage ) - take-off with good control of airspeed, canopy and landing.

Phase 4 - Flight exercises

10  Eventualities briefing - to deal with the unexpected.
11  Commands and communications briefing.
12  Responsibilities briefing - student becomes the pilot-in-command.
13  Straight flights maintaining course and airspeed with increased height.
14   Introducing turns with increased height.
15  Completing simple flight plans with increased height.

Phase 5 Theory lessons and examination.

16  Meteorology.
17  Principles of flight.
18  Rules of the air and air law.
19  Elementary examination.

Final assessment of Elementary stage

20  Student has reached a standard of airmanship and attitude to continue training in this discipline to be decided by senior instructor.

CLUB PILOT

Phase 6 - Pre-soaring

21  Theory.
22  180 degree turns to a consistent level.
23  Planned approaches - Minimum 4 successful planned flights making controlled landing within 10m of a target.

Phase 7 - Soaring

24  Soaring flight - Minimum 4 successful flights using ridge lift to maintain gain height.
25  Top landings - Minimum 4 successful flights.
26  Flying with others.

Phase 8 - Improving skills.

27  Exploring the speed range.
28  Accelerator system.
29  Forward launching.
30  Reverse launching.
31  Weight shift and pitch-roll in turns.
32  Cross wind and slope landings.

Phase 9 - Instability and emergencies

33  Theory.
34  Active flying.
35  Rapid descent techniques( Big ears / B line stall)
36  Dealing with an asymmetric tuck.

Phase 10 Theory lessons and examination

37  Meteorology.
38  Principles of flight.
39  Rules of the air and air law.
40  General airmanship knowledge.
41  Club pilot theory examination.

Final assessment for Club Pilot

42  Declaration by Senior instructor.

You are now free to fly unsupervised. You may wish to stay within the schools care, flying in a familiar and friendly environment on our unique sites while receiving extra guidance from us as you hone your new flying skills.

This can be arranged and is free but you will need to join The Falcon Paragliding Club.

Enjoy your new sport and stay Safe.

FAI RATING COMPARISON CHART

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