About Flight Culture
When John Welch started Flight Culture in 2000 he did it with the experience gained in working for 3 other schools. Rather than following the standard school model John wanted to create something really quite different; a school designed to maximize educational effectiveness rather than simply on the basis of commercial success. Right from the start we never took out large groups, feeling that 8 or 10 students with 1 or 2 instructors was a waste of everybody’s time. Flight Culture committed to a maximum ratio of 2 students per instructor, allowing an unprecedented level of personal instruction. The idea of spending ages 'waiting your turn' was gone for good.
Continuing education plays an enormous role for Flight Culture; the idea that whatever your level, you have only taken a few small steps on a never ending path. Rather than focusing our energies on taster days, we devote ourselves to producing pilots and don’t just stop with the Club Pilot qualification. We’ll move you on to Pilot and Advanced Pilot, teach you to fly tandem gliders and paramotors or train you to teach others. We run lots of specialized trips and expeditions abroad to some incredible locations. Because to the enormous skill set that the Flight Culture team have, we’re able to organize overseas trips to your specifications; whether it’s a couple of days in Northern France, a fortnight in Nepal, or an expedition to fly the Mongolian Steppes, we can organize and properly resource it.
The final thing that makes Flight Culture different is the closeness of the team, making it more like a family or tribe than a school. This closeness extends beyond the team and we’d like you to feel that you’re part of it. Paragliding training in Dorset - Paragliding training abroadThe Flight Culture team
John Welch CFI
John is a chief flying instructor (CFI) registered with the British Hang gliding & Paragliding Association (BHPA) & founder of Flight Culture. John began paragliding in 1987 while living in the French Alps and it was in France that he began instructing.
Returning to England in 1994 he went on to gain his UK instructor and tandem rating and worked for two schools in the south of England before setting up Flight Culture in 2000.
John is an instructor examiner, serves on the BHPA executive committee as well as being the safety officer for his local club.
In addition to his paragliding qualifications, John is a PADI diving instructor and a qualified First Aid trainer.
Gary Mullins
Gary was immediately hooked on paragliding after a tandem flight in the Alps and started paragliding in 1997. He joined John at Flight Culture as a Trainee Instructor in 2001, becoming a qualified instructor a couple of years later. He says the best things about teaching paragliding are the big smiles on the students faces at the end of a successful day.
A keen skier for more years than he would care to remember and also plays a bit of golf when it is too windy to fly.
Henry Stark
Henry Stark Married 20 years, 2 boys 13 and 11,surfed my whole life and travelled extensively around the world on the never ending quest for the perfect wave and beach, keen xc mountain-biker,freestyle motor cross rider,skater,snowboarder,and just about any think fun that's going on, now really super stoked about paragliding and working with all the team at flight culture.
Inspired after watching a amateur movie on flight at the Kendell film festivel a few years ago.Now Keen to Help teach others to experience the freedom and thrills of paragliding.
Emily Lane
My nick name is Gromit, and I’m 17. I have been flying for 3 years, starting in 2004. Because the minimum age at which it is possible to qualify is 16 I got my rating the day after my birthday. I have just passed my Pilot rating, as well as being an eager TI for Flight Culture. I’m always keen to help out in any way possible and enjoy working with students. I will be competing in a PWC competition in Nov 2007.