We teach 6-day XC guiding / training courses in South Tyrol and the Dolomites. The area is a mecca for big FAI triangles up to 350 km. The aim of this course is not to push that limit, but more to become a better all-round XC pilot and to break your own personal records. This is the place to do that!
Cost: €600 per person
Next courses:
- June 8 to 14 (contact us to book your spot, min 2, max 6 pilots) -- INCLUDING FREE SPEIKBODEN LIFT PASS! (*)
- July 4 to 10 (contact us to book your spot, min 2, max 6 pilots)
- August 10 to 16 (contact us to book your spot, min 2, max 6 pilots)
(* if you stay in the accommodation we book for you, or if you book an accommodation that will provide you with an Ahrntal tourist card)
Included:
- Launch assistant
- Detailed pre-flight weather forecast & site briefings
- Expert and personal XC guiding
- Detailed post-flight debriefings
- Organizing accomodation in Sand in Taufers
Excluded:
- Accomodation costs
- Airline flights
- Lift pass (the June course includes a free Speikboden lift pass) / transport to launch sites
- Insurance (AA/Allianz or Covermore cover paragliding)
- Glider, harness, reserve, LOUD radio (UHF 476–477 MHz)
Important requirements:
- A freshly repacked reserve no more than 6 months prior to the XC course
- IPPI card (required to fly legally in Europe)
- Minimum IPPI level 3 (PG2 in New Zealand)
- Phone with Internet so we can create a WhatsApp group when in Italy
Recommended communication device:
For communication while flying in Italy it is best to use a mobile phone with data (very cheap in Italy, see below, and amazing coverage everywhere) + Zello + BT PTT button that works with Zello and a BT headset; we use Shokz Openrun Pro 2 mini's for that and this BT PTT button (but you can find many BT PTT buttons that work with Zello on AliExpress or more professional ones too).
We can also use radios (our radios are AnyTone AT-D878UVII Plus's so we can use NZ/AUS PRS freqs or EU PMR freqs and pretty much everything else, even digital radio), but Zello with BT headset + PTT button works amazing, without any noise and you don't have to take your hands off the brakes, so we highly recommend this solution.
Notes:
- A iTim SIM card or eSIM in Italy costs ~€25 EUR initially and then ~€8 per month for unlimited calls and texts & 70 GB of data per month. Get it at Radio Mair Electro in Bruneck.
- We can repack your reserve in New Zealand (100 NZD) or in Italy (€100) on the day before the course.
- Make sure you have a cover bag over your paraglider bag so your paraglider does not look like a paraglider, otherwise some airlines will charge you extra for sporting equipment.
Here are some of the experiences of our past XC participants:
Flying XC with Michel and Aniko was a real supportive experience. Weather forecast, site briefing, safe landing options… all given / talked through before making our way to the take-off. Once up there you just need to focus on finding thermals and/or following their paths to stay up. They come around and show you were to go to climb better. That’s a good way to start XC flying or improving without too much worry about a new site, weather, etc.
They are always happy to answer every question!
Marion Blanc
Here's a video of me flying here for the first time many years ago (excuse the expletives):