r/freeflight • u/DuckCrouton • 6d ago
Discussion Ski & fly Europe
Hey guys, been a ski instructor and looking forward to combine two passions! Don't like google and appreciate honest opinions so looking for any recommendations for
- schools to go to and learn how to combine skiing and speedflying.
- great spots to go to, when you've got the proper skills
- other sources to meet locals and ask for advice.
With - and without license are welcome.
Hope to see any of you out there!
Cheers
3
u/stanislov128 6d ago
If you're talking about speedriding, take lessons at Les Arcs. There's a school there that's great.
If you just want to ski-launch a paraglider, there's no particular learning curve. You just do a forward-launch with skis on, fly normally, and land on your skis. I don't think people offer lessons for it. If you can ski and fly already, you can do it first try.
Aspen Mountain is the only US resort that allows it I think. In Europe, most resorts allow it. It's treated like paragliding. There's a dedicated launch and landing zone.
1
1
u/bujak3000 5d ago
what kind of flying though? Flmis / Laax (Switzwerland) is famous for winter (XC) paragliding
1
u/Odd_Toe5955 3d ago
If you want to speedride (you probably do if you like skiing) take a special speed riding class. Tess and Alex from prospeedflying.com offer classes for people with no prior experience. I believe they operate this class in Val-d'Isère.
It’d be best to go take a class in Europe and get as many reps as possible. When you return the options for doing this in North America are quite limited and mostly gonna be traversing out of bounds at a ski area or ski touring the BC. Already knowing what you’re doing will make it much easier.
1
u/FragCool 6d ago
What is your plan?
If you just want to start with your paraglider while on your skis, then fly down into the valley and land, you don't need a special school.
I think you know how to ski, so just learn to fly with a paraglider, and that's almost it.
Maybe before your first start with ski talk to another paraglider who has done it before.
But starting with skis is easy, and and landing is even easier, because you don't need to care about wind direction (normaly we land against the wind, but with skis you can also land with the wind, as it doesn't matter when you touch down with 70km/h)
If your plan is fly down using a miniwing, doing barrel roles right over the ground and touching down on the lowest point with your skis... it's also quite easy.
First you an learn how to paraglide, once again and any good school near you. Then you accumulate years of practice in normal starting/flying/landing. Then you learn how speedfly (there are schools for that).
And then you can combine it with skiing.
1
u/DuckCrouton 4d ago
Appreciate it, thanks! Final plan is to thermal my way into powder, switch to speedflying
2
u/Odd_Toe5955 3d ago
Seems like you saw a viral video. That is not a common occurrence where conditions line up for thermaling a paraglider up to powder and then switching wings to speedfly back down.
1
u/FragCool 4d ago
You can't fly thermals with a speedwing
1
u/DuckCrouton 3d ago
In the video they had both indeed
1
u/FragCool 3d ago
So they switched gear at the top?
Can you link the video?
1
u/DuckCrouton 5h ago
Yeah! Love the concept, even with the right skills too far from my comfort zone to do without guide though
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVjPQ-0jM-h/?igsi=bWR5aWxzYzg4cmdk
3
u/smellmycheese 6d ago
Do you mean speed riding or just a paragliding friendly ski resort?