Category: The Academy

On April 5 and 6, seven association tandem pilots from the Île-de-France league met up in Orléans for an intensive course run by Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy. The aim of the weekend was to improve the safety and technical skills of association tandem pilots in a supportive and demanding environment.

Tandem paragliding is often characterized by a low volume of practice on the part of qualified pilots. However, the accident rate among these pilots is not fundamentally different from that of professional tandem pilots. The aim of the course is not to retrain pilots in the true sense of the word, as qualifications are not lost after a certain number of years or lack of practice.

The aim of the course is therefore to provide training, enabling participants to practice in a safe environment with direct pedagogical feedback. On the program: review of the fundamentals, unusual situations (brake failure, passive passenger, etc.), and analysis of tandem accidents.

The training was based on a progressive approach, alternating theory and practice, with exercises designed to take pilots out of their comfort zone. Emphasis was placed on empowerment, autonomous decision-making and safety management in real-life conditions. Each pilot completed between five and six flights in dynamic spring weather. Sunday afternoon was devoted to collective feedback and analysis of the risks specific to tandem flying.

Participants praised the quality of the coaching, the relevance of the exercises, and the studious yet friendly atmosphere. The course enabled everyone to gain confidence, experiment with technical maneuvers and reinforce their reflexes in real-life situations.

Many thanks to Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy for their expertise and patience, and to the Rêv d’Aile school for the quality of the winches and their logistical support. A great success for this session dedicated to the progression and safety of tandem paragliding.

Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy is proud to play a role in the development of women’s paragliding. Noting that the proportion of women is decreasing as the level increases and time passes, Aquilae has sought to reverse this trend by participating in dedicated actions.

In introductory courses, the male/female ratio is almost balanced, at around 60/40. Paragliding and hang-gliding in general attract everyone, regardless of sex or gender. Over time, differences emerge: the average length of time a man takes out a license is 8 years, compared with 4 years for a woman. And this is reflected in the scale of progression or commitment to the sport: in competition, 10 to 15% are women, and less than 10% (6% according to recent statistics) are instructors.

This slow slide needs to be redressed. A fine news from France 3, combined with a superb video report, illustrates the concrete actions that have been put in place, with several examples:

• The organization of competitions by an all-female team, Piment d’Elles.
• Access to the top level for female pilots, in both the French Championship and the World Cup.
• The actions of the Collectif National Féminin of the Fédération Française de Vol Libre.

The CNF creates opportunities for women to meet, exchange experiences and encourage each other to progress. By creating dedicated spaces and offering specific support, it helps to normalize the presence of women in competitive paragliding and show that their participation and success is not only possible, but encouraged.

It is necessary to address the cultural and psychological barriers that can hold women back in sports traditionally dominated by men. Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy is working to adopt an adapted pedagogy, aimed at strengthening female pilots’ skills and self-confidence.

These initiatives have already begun to bear fruit, with a visible increase in female participation in some paragliding competitions. This commitment not only contributes to gender equality in the sport, but also enriches paragliding by adding diverse perspectives and talents, which benefits the entire sporting community.

No fewer than 7 pilots from the Paris – Ile de France league team were registered for the Piment Paragliding Open competition. Mehdi, the team manager, contacted Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy to provide these pilots with a professional framework and support.

Continue reading Coaching of PIDF team on Piment Paragliding Open

Not all missions are alike.

At the beginning of the year, the FFVL – Fédération Française de Vol Libre – contacted me. “Hello Maxime, you’ve passed the DESJEPS diploma, which enables you to carry out missions in free flight development and sports performance training. At the DTN, we see that you’re proposing more and more original and appreciated teaching content, and that several teams are calling on you for coaching. To get straight to the point, would you be interested in preparing the French HG Team for the next World Championships, and being the team leader for the national team on site in August in Northern Macedonia?”

Continue reading Hang-Gliding French National Team Leader

The season is now well under way. Here are a few recent interventions by Aquilae – Performance Paragliding Academy with groups of pilots. Not the least of which are X1X in Belgium, CNF in France and Team USA for the World Cross-Country Paragliding Championships!

Continue reading Long Live Group Action!