Learn to fly

We aim to help you to learn to fly safely and enjoyably both here in the UK and abroad - apply here.

Run by John Welch, Flight Culture takes a very different approach to paragliding training, if you begin a course with us you will notice the difference immediately.

All students are taught in very small groups, typically 2 or 3, which ensures that you get personal attention and individual tuition. On busy days we make sure that more instructors are available so that group sizes are kept small.

All the equipment we use for training is modern and of good quality. We also supply a full range of gliders and accessories, with an emphasis on matching the student with the right gear for comfort safety and price.

We offer a refund policy on all courses, if you wish to discontinue at any point we will refund the unused part of your course fees without question.

We offer and promote training to the very highest level (including professional development up to instructor level as well as pilot and advanced pilot training).

Flight Culture is very fortunate as a school to have a terrific team of instructors and trainee instructors. Because of this we are able to maintain a maximum ratio of 2 students per instrtuctor.

We teach using top quality, current generation equipment which makes learning safer, quicker and more fun. The gliders and harnesses that you use within the school are what newly qualified pilots are buying and flying. Because you will be doing all your training on these sort of gliders you won't have to go through a period of acclimatization when you buy equipment; you'll already be used to it.

We offer you training to fit around your lifestyle; you'll be able to join us for part of a day (or even an hour or two) if that's what is most convinent for you. If conditions only look suitable for part of the day then we'll be out, making the most of the oppertunities. We believe that flexability is an important part of training.

We will teach you to a very high standard, covering all aspects of the BHPA training program thoroughly. We won't cut any corners and will help you to become a skillfull, confident pilot.

Learn to paraglide in Dorset and the South West of England
Learn to fly abroad

How much will it cost?

Elementary pilot - £500. Find out more about Elementary pilot training

Club pilot - £700. Find out more about Club pilot training

More information about the training

Getting started (the Elementary Pilot course)

The Elementary Pilot course will take you from being a complete beginner to the point where you are able (in a limited range of conditions) to arrive at a hill, prepare your equipment, take off, and fly down to a landing field at the bottom of the hill. You will be able to link left and right turns and to land under full control at a landing point of your choosing. In order to achieve this you will have come up with a flight plan, which you will have discussed with your instructor. For your first session, you will begin with an explanation and practice at reading the site, followed by a simple safety drill. We’ll then move on to looking at the equipment and inspecting it before learning how to get into it.

The next step is learning how to inflate the glider. Inflating means getting the glider from lying on the ground, to up above our head. Once your inflation is fairly tidy we then practice running along the ground and steering the glider. Most of the first day will be taken up with ground training. You learn to really control your glider which will provide a solid foundation for your take-offs during flight exercises. Progressing on to flights at too early a stage will simply hold you up later on so we ensure that you develop these essential skills.

During your second training session we will progress on to flights. We’ll start by practicing take-offs and landings from a small hill which will get you 3 or 4 feet off of the ground. Again we place a heavy emphasis on perfecting these skills and techniques. As the day continues we will gradually make higher and longer flights and eventually introduce turns. By this stage you will be making flights of 40 or 50 ft above the ground. As you continue to improve we’ll continue to increase the size of your flights until eventually you are able to fly from the top of the hill to the bottom unaided. These flights could be 200 ft or more above the ground. You’ll be linking your turns, following your own flight plan and landing gently at your target.

There is a theory exam and you will receive theory lectures and be provided with a set of theory notes to support this. By the end of your Elementary Pilot course you’ll be comfortable with this range of basic skills and won’t feel that you’re being rushed through the syllabus. We will move you forward at your own pace. As a rough average, the EP course is usually completed in 3 or 4 sessions.

Club Pilot

The next step is to gain your Club Pilot qualification. The main part of this training is to teach you to fly without coming down (soaring). You’ll learn a whole range of skills to improve your flying including; top landing, slope landing, rapid decent techniques, how to accelerate your glider, as well as improving your general control of your glider. We’ll teach you a number of different ways to initiate turns and explain the benefits of each. Again, there is a written exam that we will help you to prepare for; you’ll be given a set of Flight Culture study notes as well as a number of lectures.

Because we are able to use some of the local club sites to teach on, you’ll begin the process of integration into the club at an early stage. You’ll already be familiar with many of the sites by the time you qualify and have made friends with other pilots.

You’ll want to buy your own equipment while you’re doing your Club Pilot training so that you can get used to it .

Club Pilot usually takes 6 to 8 training sessions.

Once you’ve qualified as a Club Pilot you can fly outside of a school environment and the real adventure begins.

Training Abroad

Many students opt to do part of their training abroad and we offer a very active foreign program (see our Trip Calendar). If you come abroad with us you are paying for us to take you as far as possible in that week. If you get a good week, you can cover a tremendous amount as well as having a terrific time. If you’re part of the way through your training and buy a set of new kit from us, we’ll include a trip to either Dune de Pyla or Lanzarote.

Continuing Education

Club Pilot isn't in any way the end of the line; once you have 25 hours of airtime, Pilot rating is the next step. Although we’ll help you to gain your Pilot rating, it is something done within the club environment rather than through a school. If you hope to fly cross-country you’ll need your pilot rating. You’ll need to learn new skills, further develop your existing skills as well as facing a formidable written exam. From Pilot you can move on to Advanced Pilot that will allow you to enter competitions.