iP2 Pilot - Novice Paragliding - $2,797
Some people were just born to fly. Perhaps you have already flown as a hang glider, sailplane pilot, airplane pilot, or skydiver. Or maybe you already participate in a number of adventure sports where you catch "big air": windsurfing, kite boarding, snowboarding or mountain biking. Then again, perhaps you are in one of the highly sophisticated, technological, mind-expanding sports such as scuba diving. In the end, it could be that you have never done any of these sports but have dreamed of them continually and it's time to get out there and "just do it". If you are one of these people, and have always had a yearning to be up in the sky with the birds, you can be confident you will absolutely love the sport of paragliding.
Why not just cut to the chase with our iP2 Pilot Paragliding program with: 2 theory sessions; 3 training hill sessions with 30 flights; and 16 Mountain Flights. iP2 is 80 hours (8 days) of intensive training. It will teach you to become a competent, certified paraglider pilot, empowered with the magic of solo flight.
The iP2 Pilot program includes all of the lesson modules from iP1.5 Student and goes far beyond. Pilots participating in this program will be certified to fly their specific equipment and will learn the basics of how to inspect/maintain and fly their specific paraglider/harness/reserve combination and accordingly, must purchase equipment from iParaglide separately.
At iParaglide we have trained over 1900 students in first flight paragliding courses over our 26 years of operation and take pride in keeping our pilots safe through carefully engineered safety systems. This, among other core values, is what distinguishes us from other schools.
Safety is at the heart of everything we do and it is something that is engineered, not chanced upon. We achieve safety through solid founding principles including: selecting a high Factor of Safety headroom; ensuring the pilot is mentally prepared for flight; using only the finest equipment; selecting optimum flying sites; and choosing atmospheric conditions appropriate to pilot skill levels.
We also deliver efficient and effective paragliding programs, with our iP2 Pilot certification course content designed to significantly exceed both the HPAC P2 and USHPA P2 Novice rating standards, while done in an optimal progression, thus simultaneously achieving enhanced performance and reduced learning time frames.
The purpose of the iP2 Pilot Paragliding Rating is to provide you with all the necessary skills to safely fly solo in novice atmospheric conditions (light winds and light thermals: generally daily before 13:00 and after 17:00, at times of reduced solar heating) at novice rated sites (generally gentle slopes with wide open places to lay out and launch and with large fields to land in). Allows the certified P2 novice paraglider pilot to fly unsupervised in novice conditions at novice sites, worldwide.
Beyond that, pilots training for their iP2 Pilot Paragliding certification will be assisted in the selection and purchase of all of their required paragliding equipment. We take pride in selling only the very finest, state of the art paragliding equipment. We make no compromises when it comes to your paraglider. We have done all the careful research and price comparison in selecting the paragliding brands we sell, so you can enjoy the best value for your money. We remain current, acquiring and replacing paragliding brands consistent with this philosophy. We also buy/sell our used paragliding equipment from/to our customers provided the gear is in excellent shape, and has been properly serviced and maintained.
The iP2 Pilot Paragliding training program is intense, but also a lot of fun.
You may choose to take our Top Gun Paragliding Flight School total immersion program during a holiday to learn how to paraglide based in Beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The intent will be to have a great holiday while completing your paragliding pilot training in an optimized total immersion environment, to graduate you in 8 training days.
Or you may chose to conduct your training on weekends only, selecting one day a weekend or two days a weekend training to complete your course in 1 to 2 months.
Our iP2 Novice paragliding course is limited to a maximum of five students per instructor, to give you and each flight the attention it deserves. The paragliding course is designed to exceed the HPAC and USHPA P2 requirements. We operate a structured training environment and execute our daily training objectives in a timely, efficient manner.
Your comprehensive training will implement a variety of teaching methods throughout the paragliding course depending on your stage of progress and specific needs. Before we begin we will give you the "big picture" of our paragliding course structure so you can pre-visualize where we are and where we are going. The following key learning modules will be implemented throughout the course:
Paragliding Theory
We use state of the art techniques, including multimedia and interactive presentations to explain paragliding micrometeorology and aerodynamics to you visually and in plain English.
Paragliding Slope Soaring and Kiting Skills
You will not apply skills in the air until you have mentally and practically rehearsed and mastered them from the safety of the ground. We will do a minimum of three sessions of paragliding Slope Soaring and/or Kiting at a variety of training hills and sea-breeze influenced fields and will also include the use of simulators.
Paragliding Mountain Flying Skills
Each paragliding flight will have clearly defined "mission" objectives. Flights will consist of beautifully coordinated carving turns and very clearly planned and orchestrated flight paths. Each flight will repeat learned skills and introduce new ones in synergistic, progressive manner. Your progress in achieving critical milestone skills will be carefully monitored. We will vary the terrain and conditions of your paragliding flights to teach you to use the different approaches that work in particular situations.
While free from the ground up in the air, you will experience true paragliding free-flight, with no windscreen to separate you from total immersion into the sky. You will feel the air rushing softly around you. At these times you will live truly in the moment, with no stray negative or imposing thoughts about your day-to-day life to distract you. You will be comfortable in a secure paragliding seat-harness, at times experiencing the "aha" moment as you soar high above the tiny, mere mortals below, unaffected by their petty troubles, like some sky god from Greek mythology.
Your course of paragliding study will take you to some of the most beautiful, pristine views known to man. You may launch your paraglider from a glacier high in the alpine of a jagged mountain peak, to soar above the meandering rivers in the valley below. You may soar the cliffs along the ocean, like a bird, playing in the sea-breeze. You may engage a thermal with your paraglider and become one amongst the clouds. You may fly, gently paragliding out across the valley, playing in the magic air as the sun fires up a blazing red sky behind the mountain range beyond.
At the end of our time together, you will be empowered with the fulfillment of man's oldest dream: the joy of flight. And you will be free to embark on that quest on your own as a certified, competent and safe iP2 Paraglider Pilot.
The sky will be your playground. And you will be free to go play with the birds.
iP2 Pilot - Paragliding - $2,797 (+$97 Theory and/or +$297 Slope Soaring repeats and/or $347 additional days)*
* Price includes: 80 hours of training conducted in 8 training days. Requires purchase of equipment from iParaglide. Can be done spread between 4 weekends or 8 weekends, pre-scheduled. A training day is dawn to dusk, plus commuting to the mountains. Paragliding pilots not attending scheduled days, or leaving mid day, will be charged $347/day for extra days, as required. Course modules require successful completion and a 75% minimum pass mark. Paragliding students will have to repeat failed modules at a surcharge of $97 for Theory and/or $297 for Slope Soaring, each. Pilots must block successive weekends back to back to ensure minimal time lapse between sessions to retain theory and motor memory of launch and landings. Pilots with time lag such that modules need to be repeated to assure safety and currency will need to pay for additional sessions accordingly. Pilots requiring extra days to complete flights or requiring additional training time to achieve P2 Novice certification safety standards will be charged $347/day for extra days. Comprehensive novice-level class study and demonstrations; written exam (requires a minimum of 75% to pass); novice ground school; sixteen (16) high mountain and thirty (30) training hill instructor supervised paragliding flights, or equivalent, and flight test. There is an i4X4 fee for rides up the mountains at $15-$25 per flight or trip up the mountain depending on the mountain. We ask that you bring your own sturdy, agile footwear with ankle support (ex. hikers) and warm athletic clothing providing full body coverage. Full payment of the course and time commitment to specific dates must be received prior to commencement of training, with no refunds for partial course completion. We reserve the right to discontinue training any student not following directions or conducting themselves in a manner that may endanger themselves or others. Participation does not guarantee certification as a pilot, all standards must be achieved. Pilots must correctly complete Homework Assignments in a timely manner including but not limited to: Weather Forecasts; Kiting 10 minutes in the forward and reverse positions; maintain and submit a logbook; submit all certification paperwork and pay for and maintain HPAC and WCSC memberships. On course completion, requires student payment of: $175 CAD yearly insurance to HPAC; or $15 USD P1 & P2 rating registration and $120 USD yearly insurance to USHPA. Some landing sites require a $10/day fee payable by the student to the land owner and/or yearly dues of $50 landing fees and $50 local paragliding club fees. For pilots carpooling from iParaglide or our other carpool locations, there is a $100/day iRide fee which includes mountain transportation.
iParaglide Top Gun
Total Immersion - iP2 Pilot
Paragliding > $ 3,297**
** Our one-of-a-kind Top Gun Paragliding Program is a total immersion training method whereby we safely graduate skilled HPAC P2 Novice or USHPA P2 paraglider pilots in an unparalleled 8 days of training time. Requires purchase of equipment from iParaglide. Due to optimized delivery methods, and synergy building from one day to the next, we grow skills in an efficient manner, and graduate the very best paraglider pilots in this program. Top Gun participants book 9 days holiday in Vancouver and we optimize weather analysis to select the 8 paragliding training days including mid week flying to optimize the chances of achievement of certification. Top Gun requires intensive study and high aptitude students. Not every student will have the coordination/aptitude to pass all skills and graduate in 8 days. Course modules require successful completion and a 75% minimum pass mark. Paragliding students will have to repeat failed modules at a surcharge of $97 for theory and/or $297 for slope soaring, each and will be done following Top Gun Week. Pilots requiring extra days to complete flights or requiring additional training time to achieve P2 Novice certification safety standards will be charged $347/day for extra days, and will be conducted after Top Gun Week. There is no guarantee of weather and we will add/delete lesson modules to optimize learning progressions accordingly. If insufficient Mountain Flights can be completed within Top Gun Week to demonstrate P2 skills, options will include completing flights after Top Gun week or rescheduling time for later in the season or the following season. For 2024, iP2 Top Gun Zeta is June 29 - July 7. iP2 Top Gun Omega is August 3 - August 11. For a reference click here. Terms in * above apply.
iP1.5 Student Upgrade
Paragliding: + $1,400***
*** If you have completed a iP1.5 Student with us and would like to to get your iP2 Pilot rating, we will credit $1,347 from the iP1.5 Student against the iP2 Pilot rating course. So your upgrade to iP2 Pilot will be an additional $1,400 for an additional 5 days of training. Requires purchase of equipment from iParaglide. Training days are dawn to dusk, plus commuting. We will only do this if you sign up for the iP2 Pilot within 3 days of your iP1 Student, you have passed with a minimum of 75% each course module, and continue with the paragliding flights within 7 days, while the knowledge is still fresh. Terms in * above apply.
iP1 Solo Upgrade
Paragliding:+ $1,900****
**** If you have completed an iP1 Solo with us and would like to to get your iP2 Pilot rating, we will credit $897 from the iP1 Solo against the iP2 Pilot rating course. So your upgrade to iP2 Pilot will be an additional $1,900 for 6 additional days of training. Requires purchase of equipment from iParaglide. We will only do this if you sign up for the iP2 Pilot within 3 days of your iP1 Solo, you have passed with a minimum of 75% each course module, and continue with the paragliding flights within 7 days, while the knowledge is still fresh. Terms in * above apply.
Slope Soaring Upgrade
Paragliding:+ $2,450*****
***** If you have completed a Slope Soaring with us and would like to to get your iP2 Pilot rating, we will credit $347 from the Slope Soaring against the iP2 Pilot rating course. So your upgrade to iP2 Pilot will be an additional $2,450 for an adtional 7.5 days of training. Requires purchase of equipment from iParaglide. We will only do this if you sign up for the iP2 Pilot within 3 days of your Slope Soaring, you have passed with a minimum of 75% each course module, and continue with the paragliding flights within 7 days, while the knowledge is still fresh. Terms in * above apply.