Hang Gliding to Paragliding Conversions
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Price: $2300
Paratech Paragliding run Hang Gliding conversions on demand so simply contact us to arrange a suitable start date.
To qualify for the Hang Gliding conversion course you must have logged a minimum of 50hrs with the last flight being within 12 months. You will be required to provide documented evidence before any booking is accepted and this will also be submitted to the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia to help fast track your application for the PG2 paragliding licence. If not a current SAFA member you will need to pay for the SAFA student membership or renew your full membership.
Our Chief Paragliding Flight Instructor, Jason Turner, was previously a full time hang gliding instructor, and with over 2500 hours flying them, he is fully aware of the physical and mental hurdles faced when transitioning into paragliding.
Generally, experienced Hang Glider pilots are comfortable in the air and familiar with soaring strategies, rules of the air and landing approaches, but how a paraglider is controlled, feels and flies is completely different and this takes a lot of adjustment especially in turbulence. The initial training is not too hard, the real problems start when the hang glider pilots are fresh out of school and they push the limits of the flying conditions too quickly and choose to fly when normal beginners would not. Quite often, newly converted hang glider pilots get a big fright within the first 20hrs because they attempt to fly in strong conditions that they simply don't have the "hands on" flying experience for.
The conversion is a skill based course and you will only progress at your own rate. You can expect 5-6 full days of training with about 8 hours of theory and a theory examination spread throughout the training course.
At the end of your training you will be competent in launching and landing the glider in light and strong winds and have logged several soaring flights in thermal and ridge lift conditions. Only when the Chief Flight Instructor is satisfied will you be signed off for the PG2 licence. You can still not then legally fly a paraglider until the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA) has processed the PG2 licence application and you are a full SAFA member if not already.
It is a breach of Civil Aviation Law to fly a paraglider without a current licence and you can/will be prosecuted for doing so.
Total price includes GST but does not include the SAFA student training fee ($25), the Canungra Hang Gliding Club student fee ($20) and the SAFA full membership fee required for the issue of the PG2 licence, unless the pilot is already a SAFA full member and CHGC member. A $500 deposit is required before any booking is confirmed.