Any time you are flying the most important rule is to see and avoid other air traffic. Looking in the direction you intend on turning will help you be more aware of your surroundings, and let others know which direction you are going. 

While flying in traffic, it is your duty to be aware of your surroundings. You will hear this called ‘situational awareness’. Other pilots will expect you to follow standard traffic rules. You need to take your right of way as expected, but don’t assume all the other pilots are paying attention or know what they are doing. Collisions will always be the greatest danger while flying in traffic, so monitor the surrounding pilots by keeping your ‘head on a swivel’ and always maintain a safe distance.
 

Flying with other pilots can greatly enhance your ability to map out a thermal and stay in the air longer. When you find yourself flying with a group, it is usually referred to as “gaggle flying.” Thermal flying will take some time to figure out, but if you find yourself in a thermal with other pilots, there are a few rules you need to know about. 

The first pilot in a thermal establishes the direction of the turn. If you find the thermal first and you like right turns, by all means turn right. All pilots must turn the same direction. If somebody else is already in the thermal and turning left, you need to turn left as well. Again, lower pilots have the right of way. The pilot below has limited visibility above them and may not be able to see you. Even if you were the first person in the thermal, and they enter it turning the opposite direction, you will need to change direction to match theirs. As in ridge-soaring, the pilot below will encounter lift first so you should avoid flying directly over anyone. When joining another pilot at the same altitude in a thermal, enter tangentially to their circle. Don’t cut through their flight path. By entering tangentially, you can smoothly join the other pilot without disrupting their turn. You may join a thermal between two sets of pilots who, for whatever reason, are turning opposite directions. You should turn the same direction as the closest group, keeping in mind that the group below you can’t see up. Keep track of the pilots at your level. If you are in a “gaggle” of pilots you won’t be able to keep track of everyone, so focus on the nearest pilots. When flying with other aircraft, keep in mind the performance of each and respective visibility restrictions. This will help you decide how to interact with them. Paragliders will be the slowest, followed by flex-wing hang gliders, rigid wings, and sail-planes. Generally the slowest craft can turn the tightest and so will generally be at the center of the circle.
 

When ridge soaring with other pilots, space can be limited. There are rules governing the traffic pattern that will help keep you and other pilots safe. Pilots approaching head-on should both yield to their right. This keeps pilots from having to guess which direction the other is going to turn. The pilot with the ridge on their right has the right of way. The other pilot will not be able to yield to their right, so they have the right of way. Lower pilots also have the right of way. If you are over another pilot they won’t be able to see you through their canopy. If the lift increases, they could rise into you unexpectedly. If passing another pilot from behind, pass between the pilot and the hill. You do not want to trap another pilot against the hill leaving them nowhere to turn. If you want to pass, you need to put yourself in the danger zone. If two pilots are at the same altitude heading in the same direction, the pilot on the right has the right of way. This can occur during a landing approach. When following another pilot into a turn you may either follow directly behind them, or make your turn at the same time, putting yourself in the lead for the next pass. Most ridge sites will have a pattern, following the basic ridge rules, that you will begin to recognize after watching for a while. Remember, if in doubt, ask a local.
 

One of the simplest ways to enjoy long flights is ridge soaring using orographic lift. Orographic lift is generated when a continual wind is compressed as it moves up over an obstacle such as a ridge, hill, or mountain. Flying in these areas of lift - called lift bands - can be very smooth. However, there are a few dangers to be aware of. Most importantly you must always turn away from the hill. Ridge soaring generally takes place close to the terrain, so if you fly downwind, you are very likely to fly into the hill before you can make a 360° turn. This is why, when flying close to the terrain, we always make figure-8 turns away from the hill. 

To maintain or gain altitude you must stay in the lift band that extends outward and upward from the terrain. It is advisable to stay as far out in front of the hill as possible while remaining in the lift band. If you are close to the hill, deep in the lift band and the wind increases, you may get stuck there or blown over the back. To avoid this situation follow the rule ‘if you’re going up, go out’. 

Lift Band 

If, while remaining a certain distance out in front of the hill, you find yourself suddenly going up, the wind is increasing or the direction has become straighter. Move further out front until you are in a better position and less likely to be blown over the back. If the wind decreases you can retreat back to the hill where the lift will be stronger. Your speed-system is the best option for positioning yourself on the front edge of the lift band. 

Be aware of the fast and slow beat while ridge flying. When flying up and down the ridge line, you may find that you are covering ground quickly in one direction, and slowly in the other. This happens when the wind is not perpendicular to the ridge. You have a partial tailwind going one direction, and a partial headwind in the other direction. If you choose to perform a top or side-hill landing while ridge flying, it would be wise to land on the slow beat, or in the direction you are moving the slowest. Keep in mind, that in relation to the ground, your glider will seem to respond faster when turning on the slow beat. Conversely, when turning on the fast beat your glider will seem to turn slower and respond sluggishly. It’s not actually turning any differently, but you are covering different distances depending on whether or not you have a headwind or a tailwind. When turning during the downwind beat, it is wise to begin your turn earlier than you would expect. 

When a wind passes through a constricted area, it becomes compressed and speeds up, creating a Venturi effect. When wind passes over a terrain feature, it produces ridge lift. When it passes through gaps or between features, we get higher winds without the lift. This is a problem to consider when crossing a gap in a ridge because there is little or no lift, and higher wind speeds. Make sure you have extra altitude and terrain clearance to avoid being trapped in these areas of high winds. Don’t confuse gaps with depressions or bowls. The wind will be stronger in the bowls, but so will the lift, because the terrain is still deflecting air upwards. 

If you are ridge soaring a rounded hill be aware of the ‘seam’. This is the best area of lift and will be a narrow window perpendicular to the wind flow. When flying this area of lift, you will notice that you have a fast and slow beat on both sides of the seam. When you fly out of the seam, you’ll notice an increase in your ground speed. This is your cue to turn back into the seam and onto the slow beat. If you fly too far on the fast beat, you may find yourself unable to penetrate back upwind or in rotor behind the hill. 

When launching on a round hill, it is important to identify the seam and launch directly into it. It will help if you pick a horizon reference point, so you can recognize if you are getting pushed off your launch heading which is very common in this scenario. 

One last thing to be aware of is wake turbulence from other pilots. When ridge soaring, you are more likely to notice the wake turbulence generated from the wing-tip vortices of other aircraft. The larger and slower the other aircraft’s airspeed, the larger the turbulence will be. It’s especially noticeable behind tandem paragliders. In most cases, the wake turbulence feels like a ditch in the air. However, it can be enough to cause a deflation of your glider, and you should take precautions if you suspect you are about to fly through it. 

If other aircraft are passing upwind of the launch area, wait at least 15 seconds before launching yourself. Avoid flying directly downwind or upwind of other aircraft. This is particularly important if you are close to the terrain. When ridge soaring, it is impossible to avoid crossing behind other pilots, so make sure you are thoughtful about managing your glider. Adding an extra pound or two to your brake pressure may help. Make sure you are turned slightly away from the hill, so as to be in a safer position if you do encounter turbulence. When performing a landing either on top or at the bottom of the ridge, avoid the vortices of other pilots upwind of you. Close to the ground is the worst time to encounter turbulence. 
 

When it comes time to land your glider, you must pull down with both hands to cause what is called a “flare.” The forward and downward travel of your glider will be reduced and with practice you will be able to stand up comfortably with minimal running. Depending on the wind speed you will find that sometimes you can bring your glider to a complete stop and making a tip-toe spot landing. 

The most important aspects of a good flare are timing and speed. Some schools employ a two-stage flare technique while others simply encourage students to smoothly pull the brakes until your elbows are locked and your hands are below your butt. The important thing here is that you are the pilot in command of the aircraft. Your instructor will guide you through a proper flare sequence, but it is up to you to execute a well-timed flare and land safely. 

If you flare too quickly or sharply, you will overpower the glider and cause it to gain altitude. If you are lifted as you begin your flare do not continue the flare. Hold your hands where they are, and when you are back down to 3 feet from the ground, finish your flare. If you continue to rise more than a few feet SLOWLY ease your hands back up. If you raise your hands quickly the glider will surge and abruptly swing you into the ground. When you start to descend again treat it like another landing. If you are coming in for a landing and start to descend quicker than usual, you will need to flare earlier. It will probably still be a faster landing than usual, but you want to slow yourself as much as possible by completing a full flare. If you are landing fast, try to match speeds with the ground by running. If the landing is too fast, perform a PLF. 

You will tend to land on what you are looking at - commonly known as “object fixation.” This is beneficial if you are focused on your spot landing target, but it can be potentially dangerous if you are fixated on a fence, tree, vehicle, or other obstacle. Force yourself to look at the spot you want to land on. 

Whenever possible, challenge yourself to make spot landings. Spot landings take practice to master, but once you are confident you will be able to land in smaller landing zones and successfully fly more sites. 

Any time you are landing, remember it is better to land safely and have a long walk than it is to try a risky landing close to your target. Spot landings are not mandatory - safety is.
 

Before you fly a new site, you should take time to look at the landing zone and think about the possible landing approaches. When it comes time to land you should already have a plan in mind. Think about all the possible directions you could be coming from and visualize the landing approach for each. Always make sure you will have ample altitude to reach your landing zone. Don’t count on a perfect glide. You may encounter sink or a headwind that could cause you to land short of the landing zone. Having extra altitude will give you a chance to determine the wind direction and give you an opportunity to set up a good approach pattern. When it comes time to land, you will most likely use either a T-approach, a downwind-base-final, or a combination of the two. 

T-Approach 

The T-approach involves drawing an imaginary T across your landing zone with the base of the T crossing the center of the field into the wind. The top of the T should be at the downwind edge of your landing zone. You should lose your altitude with figure-8 turns at the top of the T. Once you are low enough, proceed onto your final glide down the base of the T, into the wind. You may need to do several shallow S-turns along the base of the T to lose more altitude. When doing figure-8 turns, stay focused on the target in the landing zone that you want to hit. This will help you know when to go on your final glide. 

Downwind-Base-Final Approach 

The downwind-base-final approach involves three steps that put you in the correct position for landing. You start with a downwind leg along one edge of the landing zone. In light winds, you may extend this leg beyond the downwind edge of the landing zone as long as you have enough altitude to get back. The base leg across the downwind edge of the landing zone will move you to the center of the downwind edge. When centered, you will make one last turn into the wind and onto your final approach. As in a T-approach, you may have to do several shallow s-turns along the final glide to burn off any excess altitude. 

Once on final glide, you will be out of your harness and have your feet and knees together in the PLF position. If you are lifted while on final glide, you may have to do several s-turns to burn off altitude. You should be constantly evaluating your altitude, the wind speed, and your glide ratio.

 

If you have any skydiving experience or have watched old WWII movies you should be familiar with a PLF. It is a landing technique that involves keeping your feet, ankles, and knees tight together with a slight bend at the knees. This allows your legs to support each other and is substantially stronger than each foot hitting the ground individually. You should use the PLF position any time you are close to the ground. As you are coming in for a landing, you should be prepared to land harder than expected, even though the need for a PLF is rare.
 

There are a few basic maneuvers you will be required to demonstrate in order to complete your P2 training. There is an official skill checklist as part of this program that you can refer to at any time to see the current progress of your training. Your instructor will talk you through the process as well as ensure a safe flying environment before initiating any maneuvers the following list is meant as an introduction to terms you will be hearing during your training. 

• Forward and Reverse Inflations and Launches 

• Weight shift Turns 

• Rear Riser Turns 

• 360 turns 

• Hands-off Flying 

• One-handed Flying 

• Big Ears 

• Spot Landing 

• PLF
 

Landing will require significant pilot input in order to touch down gently. When you are several feet off the ground, you will perform a “flare” that slows your ground speed as you touch down. A flare is performed by smoothly and aggressively pulling both brakes down as far as you can. It may take a few attempts to get the timing right and your landing may be faster than anticipated. However, the process and timing are easy to learn and you will be landing softly in no time. Paragliders move across the ground in no wind at about 20 Mph. If you have a headwind this speed will be decreased. If you have a tailwind this speed will increase. You want to land moving as slowly as possible, so it is important to land into the wind. You want to land on your feet to avoid injury, not on the back of your harness. If there is a vehicle, tree, object, pilot, etc in the area you intend to land, do not focus on it/them. Look to an open area and steer yourself there.
 

Airspeed is the speed of the glider through the air. This is constant, unless the angle of attack changes either by the pilot applying brakes, or from a change in relative wind (see Flight Dynamics). Most gliders fly between 20 and 23 mph through the air with no brake input (trim). 

Ground speed is the speed of the glider relative to the ground. Your ground speed is a combination of airspeed and wind speed. With a headwind, your ground speed is airspeed minus wind speed. With a tailwind, it is airspeed plus wind speed. The more headwind you have, the slower your landing speed (ground speed) will be. A decrease in your ground speed will proportionally decrease your glide ratio (horizontal distance divided by vertical distance), and an increase in your ground speed will increase your glide ratio. If, for example, your airspeed is 20 Mph and you have a 5 Mph headwind, your ground speed and your glide ratio will be reduced by 25% (ground speed becomes 15 Mph and a glide of 7:1 becomes 5:1).