Choosing Your First Paraglider? Watch This!

[@travcarrie]

THIS is a GREAT video for someone getting started to watch! Modern EN-A rated wings are SAFE and FUN! There is rarely good reason for an EN-"B" to serve as a pilots "first" glider. I've seen many pilots start on EN-"B" because they feel they will quickly get "bored" on an EN-A, when in fact they fly less often because EN"B" gliders are scarier in less than ideal conditions. An EN-"A" glider is forever part of a pilot's quiver, and even after thousands of flights on competition level gliders, I often fly EN-"A" in sketchier conditions rather then sit on the ground. EN-A is also best glider to learn advanced manuvers like wingovers, spot landing, etc!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you buddy!

[@turkeyphant]

This is incorrect. There are several good reasons to start on an EN-B if you are a talented beginner and instructors often recommend a B for safety reasons (not too hard to think of examples where this is the case).

[@rp71]

Great retro shot of Ron and Parker at 4:49, and great video!

[@AnthonyVella]

Haha! Right!?

[@LeandraKVella]

this video is everything i want in a video: you’re in it, i learn something, AND it keeps me engaged because it’s entertaining. i know this video will serve and benefit current and future paramotorists alike. your dedication to the details is very much alive and well in this video. you are so talented, my love. ✨

[@AnthonyVella]

You’re a dream come true.

[@rwatson2609]

I agree, he may not be my partner in life, but he articulates his words well and explains the critical points perfectly. You definately are not @5:35 . . . . . or it's all muscle.

[@chamales3]

This is the BEST KZbin video I’ve watched today.

[@AnthonyVella]

You honor me.

[@surferchickay]

This video is AWESOME! And extremely well done! I use my "A" glider way more than I thought I would and I am so glad I have one.

[@AnthonyVella]

Awesome! Thank you. 🙏🏻 Blue skies!

[@gsp2west]

Great edit job. Very well done !!!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it.

[@thatparamotorguy]

Great video! Wish I had this when I first started. Fly safe and have fun!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you! Interestingly, when I make one of these videos, I think to myself (as I’m planning it), “what do I wish I’d seen in a video, but didn’t exist, before I started my flight training.”

[@jaredlanhamcrna3666]

This is awesome. Love seeing how much work they put into testing the gliders. Makes me feel so much safer knowing a hippo can fly happy and my wing. Haha.

[@AnthonyVella]

Will you please fly with me?

[@fwkb2]

Nice explanation and very well put together with the graphics and stuff!

[@AnthonyVella]

Much appreciated!

[@adamsilver7268]

Great content Anthony. Keep raising the bar 🤘

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank's buddy! And thank you for the feedback that you gave me when I was still editing it.

[@TrevorSteele1]

Great video!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thanks buddy!

[@jamespearce1262]

Great video, I’ll save this one for my students 👍🏼

[@AnthonyVella]

Awesome! Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@SkidzFPV]

Excellent advice for getting into the sport. Another thing that might confuse new pilots is the fact that many manufacturers use a “low” or “high” in the rating, which of course isn’t something done in the rating process, but it can be a big factor, for example, starting on a buzz (low-B) would be ok for most pilots, but starting on a rush (high-b) definitely wouldn’t be a good idea.

[@DrAElemayo]

If you don't know the difference between a low B and a high B you should be getting an A wing. By the time you're ready to upgrade you'll know the difference.

[@SkidzFPV]

@@DrAElemayo agreed, I started with what my instructor recommended, because I didn’t really know, and it was considered a “high-A” but now I’m flying a high-B, not sure if the low/high difference is mostly in free flight, since I don’t fly with a motor I’m not sure how much difference there would be for you guys, I will say that in strong thermic conditions the high-B is definitely a higher pilot demand, got to have your active piloting skills on point.

[@AnthonyVella]

Good point! I could have specified that when I was talking about the rating system.

[@SkidzFPV]

@@AnthonyVella well, anyone starting should be consulting their instructor, but there still are people trying the whole “KZbin learning process” which I definitely don’t advocate, but it is confusing for people just starting out

[@ryandinan]

Anthony - great video! But you forgot one of the most important variables! Aside from color, what engine oil you run with your glider is the most vital component in terms of safety and handling.

[@AnthonyVella]

Bwahahaha! I feel so stupid for not mentioning color and oil type. The answer is red and amsoil. Thanks for the laugh. 😂

[@nikitademidov1211]

Thanks! Awesome explanation!

[@AnthonyVella]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tjmooney4181]

Wow glad i found this channel thanks a lot 🙏

[@AnthonyVella]

Welcome! I am glad that you found it.

[@tjmooney4181]

@@AnthonyVella been flying the same small Cima k2 with my flattop since 2014, it's about time to try something new ;) with the knowledge from your video I'll be able to compare

[@AnthonyVella]

@@tjmooney4181 That's awesome to hear. I think you'll be much happier with the newer technology found in modern gliders. I'd love to hear what you decide to go with. Of course, reach out if you need any help finding the right glider for you.

[@flyingtime5501]

Thanks for your honest videos. This hobby needs more ppl like you!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you very much!

[@pjbrewer56]

A ton of great info! Anthony, you hit this one out of the park! I watched every minute and learned a lot!

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you very much for watching it all. I put a lot of effort into this one, so I’m really glad you enjoyed it and got something from it.

[@GolfFoxtrot22]

Nicely put together Anthony. Some fantastic B roll. I really enjoyed it.

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you MATE!!! Haha. It was great chatting with you this morning.

[@GolfFoxtrot22]

@@AnthonyVella the joy of different timezones😉

[@AnthonyVella]

@@GolfFoxtrot22 Haha. It's time for you to move to the states. Convert all of the PPGers into FlexWingers. #GROWLER

[@GolfFoxtrot22]

@@AnthonyVella haha, that name is never going to go away.

[@wolfhound665]

I've been enjoying your videos. Just getting ready to take a tandem trial flight to see if I'm up for this (Not the proverbial spring chicken) and living in CO at over 6k' so your video is very informative to me. Thank you for it.

[@ironeagletrike]

Great video Anthony!! Even though I have been flying I love these type of videos, one can never stop learning!

[@AnthonyVella]

That's how you know you're a bonafide aviator. =)

[@johngemmi3576]

YES!!! Amazing video. Thank you for the hours of dedication it takes to make a video like this. Hope to see you sooner!!

[@AnthonyVella]

Hey buddy! Thank you very much for noticing the time that went into it. It seriously make its all worth it the effort. I hope to see you soon as well! You’ll have to plan a flying trip out here in the desert. 🌵

[@paraglidingtalk]

Incredible video. I don't think people truly understand the work that went into this. If I had to guess, you spent a 100 hours editing this. Love your channel man. 👋🤓

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you, brother! I loved (still do) Paragliding Talk. It served me and many others leading up to starting my flying adventures.

[@mraffifpv1685]

Small mistake: The DGAC only requires load testing up to 5.25G, while the EN requires 8G. As for most Wings only the largest size is tested (as this is the most critical one when everything is scaled). So for the BGD Magic the L size was tested up to 1000daN (~1000kg) dynamically.

[@EvilBikerGangOfTheSky]

Great info 👍

[@AnthonyVella]

Thanks for watching!

[@Petersundt1337]

What about for someone flying coastal? IMO flying a wing with kiterisers is significantly easier (pitch control) and safer (low chance of being dragged). With coastal flying, you wouldn't expect collapses anyway, so I think there's an argument to be made for a large modern kiteriser wing like a Moustache 22. Having flown both the Moustache and a EN-A, I feel a lot more comfortable and safer flying my Moustache at the coast.

[@AnthonyVella]

Interesting perspective. That’s a pretty darn advanced wing though! Truth be told, I got a competition rated glider when I was only about 10 hours in. And yes, the beach/coast is generally more forgiving than inland flying sites.

[@rule1dontgosplat]

love that you used the magic motor as your example. that was the wing i chose for many reasons and i love it

[@AnthonyVella]

I love it too!

[@aboveitall8483]

I bought mine down in Mexico from Hector. I asked if it was certified, he said Si Señor he gave me a good price what could go wrong. Thanks for the video. Everybody should fly a certified glider.👍

[@marcusaurelius1639]

glad i chose this video you got me hooked on the sport

[@shaneross7428]

Awesome video thank you.

[@FlyBabyFlyPPG]

Anthony and Leandra I love you guys great video and good spirits for you from Universe Positive.

[@JohnUllrey]

Nice job! Very engaging and easy to understand.

[@AnthonyVella]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TomMinnick]

Excellent advice from a knowledgeable and awesome dude.

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you brother! I appreciate all of the support you’ve given me.

[@frankportillo7758]

Great video! Lots of helpful information for all Ppg pilots in one entertaining video. Now let’s go fly.

[@AnthonyVella]

Vamanos Pues!

[@FireChicken747]

I live in SW florida and we have absolutely no hills here Its as flat as paper. But we do tend to get a lot of wind, especially down by the beach. would there be a way to take of on flat terrain and if there is would a bigger wing be more optimal?

[@jolli6773]

Ngl imma pass

[@BlaiseinSky]

Excellent advice there mate!

[@faresawwad8996]

i guess it was not certified enough

[@JimTheKid]

Definitely was not the issue

[@anto2699]

There is a difference between load certification and en certification. I don't think its a good thing to put all you security on the en certification that are made only in calm air with optimal condition.

[@dnorthup65]

Awesome breakdown. Great video as usual.

[@AnthonyVella]

Appreciate it buddy!

[@tombird4263]

Great timing for this video...I was just looking for a wing for my pet hippo. Actually, this is very well done Anthony.

[@AnthonyVella]

Are you calling my wife a hippo!? 🦛

[@DarioushAryan]

great... bravoo

[@mj47749]

How much do you fly these days Anthony? Just curious, as I feel i am losing touch with paramotoring.

[@AnthonyVella]

Hello! Well, to be honest, I didn’t do much flying the last 6 months. A friend of mine passed away while flying a hang glider last year. However, in the last couple of weeks, I’ve flown quite a bit. I think this coming year will be full of flights. Where do you usually fly?

[@TitusIV]

It's all relevent advice but you could dive much deeper. Pilots struggle with differentiating wings with the same rating, why go with one brand over one other comes down to the wing's Characteristics. Some brands have more responsive wings and others have more dampened wings, some have lighter fabric great for hike and fly but also more fragile while other wings have stronger and heavier materials better for soaring, strong winds and even acro. There are many other metrics like the aspet ratio of a wing that influences the glide ratio, safty and agility of the wing that pilots need to understand. It's all about about finding the wing that is right for the kind of flying you personnally like and for this you need to understand every impact of every characteristic of each wing. I understand it's for Beginners, but it would be nice for them to know what are the next steps in choosing a paraglider.

[@AnthonyVella]

I spent about 300 hours writing, filming, and editing this video. I could have expanded, but with 4 kiddos, a wife, and a job, I was glad to publish this video and get it off my chest. Maybe I’ll make a part 2 to touch on what you mentioned.

[@TitusIV]

​​@@AnthonyVellaabsolutely, I just wanted to expend that's all. It's all great info, I just didn't want people to think that was all. It would be amazing if you could expand with a part 2 but take your time family first !

[@DarthVapor151]

Hey @Anthony, which microphone are you using in this video? Sounds so good and crisp.

[@AnthonyVella]

Thanks for noticing! I was using the Rode Video Mic Pro.

[@DrAElemayo]

A bit off topic but what wing should I choose for a hippo? He's 700 kg

[@AnthonyVella]

I’d suggest the wings off of a 747.

[@GoBirds2018]

You are one strong dude. Get well soon

[@devilmonkey]

I don't trust this video anymore

[@FlyingCircusAct]

lol

[@jameserswell2161]

Can flare mustache be your first?

[@MrSpeedyAce]

Now I'm never even considering buying a paraglider hahaha

[@zionmobile]

Geez. I’m at the beginning stage of researching and looking for training to get into the sport. Will be flying at sea level around the gulf coast of FL. I’m a big guy 6’2” and 215 naked lol. With all the gear/motor probably 300lbs. The BDG magic large barely reaches my weight rating. 😅

[@AnthonyVella]

I weigh 210 pounds and I fly the medium large size. But then again, I have a lot of experience and prefer to be more heavily loaded. As mentioned, new pilots should lean away from the maximum loading (at first), even when they're as fit as an ox. haha

[@davidh7636]

I have never heard of a smaller glider going into paracutal stall. That was a common problem a few years ago using larger gliders. Stay with smaller.

[@AnthonyVella]

Interesting point. I see how that makes sense.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

​@@AnthonyVellaI think you might want to consider the physics of the situation a smaller way is no more immune to parachute a stall than a larger wind. The designs that change so much every single year or evolution you can't compare them based on size across a couple of decades it's just not a valid comparison. Then when you have a person who says I never heard of one he doesn't have any scientific reasoning behind it he's just standing there without a thought telling us what he didn't see.

[@khan3547]

Damn. I wish you a quick recovery and best of health.

[@brandonfasan]

Pretty good video..

[@AnthonyVella]

Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@markmcgoveran6811]

I already committed to an epsilon 9 high-level bee glider and I'm learning to fly it I'm not going to be a paraglider pilot. I'm going to be an epsilon 9 pilot. I weigh so much I had to get the biggest wing and I have to be sure and go to the bathroom before I launch so I'm not overweight. I'm flying heavy I'm coming in heavy. I don't have much choice I don't have much money it was the best deal I could get and I'm going to fly. I bought a second wing for 200 bucks with a harness in the garage sale and it's a lot smaller wing and I'm going to use it for ground handling practice so it doesn't pluck me.

[@turkeyphant]

Epsilon 9 is low/mid B not high B.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

@@turkeyphant I heard it was high end B I don't really care it's what I'm going to learn to fly. I got another wing that I haven't opened yet and had a chance to look at carefully it's a speedwing and it's probably beat up because the harness that I got with it is really beat up. I'm going to try and make a simulator with this lighter smaller Wing where you sit in the seat that's attached to the ground and try to keep the wing overhead but it can't jerk you up because it's attached solidly to a pivot.

[@turkeyphant]

@@markmcgoveran6811 1. it doesn't make what you heard, anyone with even p2 knows it's not a high b. There's no instructor who could make that mistake. 2. You wouldn't survive on a high B. 3. Just look at the EN test to see it's not a high B. 4. You don't make a simulator with wing you use a harness.

[@AnthonyVella]

Interesting! I’d like to follow your progression.

[@Therealpicodogg]

Better content drop than the Easter Bunny.

[@AnthonyVella]

Haha. Happy Easter!

[@thabangmorwanatv9055]

Nah am good now bro

[@beingbigz]

bought already without watching your video

[@AnthonyVella]

Nice. What did you go with?

[@_spartan11796]

Think my old bedsheets would cut it?

[@AnthonyVella]

absolutely! Haha

[@turkeyphant]

There is no point starting with an EN-A for about 70% of pilots. Yes there are some nice performant A wings but there are plenty of very benign B wings and they are often actually safer for many sites around the worth due to the higher speed on bar and better glide.

[@AnthonyVella]

As mentioned, I started out with a B Wing. Once I opened my school, I was pretty surprised to see how many people really needed as much assistance as possible from the glider. The majority of the people I’ve trained have been over 45 years old, and one was 75 and 105 lbs. If this were a video on the best beginner 3D printer, I’d probably agree; However, the consequence of potentially getting something “to hot to handle” carries a much higher risk when it comes to flying. So while I agree with you, I have to simultaneously say I don’t think people should get a more advanced wing, EVEN if there’s a good chance that they’ll be just fine because it’s their life that is on the line. As for the different sites that may benefit from having a faster glider, I’d suggest avoiding any high wind locations when starting out. My free flight instructor advised me (a very experience PPG pilot) to avoid flying ANYWHERE in or around my home in El Paso because the conditions are strong and unpredictable. I stand by the recommendation, but, I TOTALLY understand your perspective and don’t think you’re wrong. I guess you could say that my perspective is a very cautious/preventative one.

[@turkeyphant]

Good luck avoiding any high wind locations as a new pilot in the UK. We train thousands of pilots and all start out with good enough training to be comfortable launching in winds up to 24 km/h. If we didn't let beginners fly in high winds we wouldn't get any pilots and wouldn't have a world champion team.

[@turkeyphant]

How bad are the winds in El Paso?

[@AnthonyVella]

@@turkeyphant at the moment, the wind is gusting to 40 miles per hour.

[@AnthonyVella]

@@turkeyphant we’re also high desert at 4000’ MSL with insanely sharp thermals that are guaranteed to massively collapse your glider. My instructor is a record setting pilot, and he won’t even fly here.

[@UpcomingJedi]

The choice to get a used wing by a noob trying to save money is like a noob who sees a spectrum analyser on ebay for under $1k and thinks its a good deal. Until they try actually using it after getting experience. Then they quickly find out its pretty much only useful for teaching because they didnt think of checking the specs for RBW (response bandwith) which is what makes them expensive and they wish they bought new....and from a name brand at the store where they vould have been told about it before buying only to find out that it cant 'zoom' in to view signal details as well as the more expensive one.

[@AnthonyVella]

*still trying to process I have low bandwidth. lol

[@lobbyrobby]

I have a question. Why so handsome, bro?

[@AnthonyVella]

I have a theory on that, and I call it “the theory of special effects and good lighting”.

[@LeandraKVella]

@AnthonyVella PFFFFFFT

[@PatrickDuffy-u3s]

I was shocked as to the amount of discourse there is concerning this subject. Especially when it comes to "reflex" wings, there's no real agreement between all paramotor enthusiasts on this subject, it's a small dysfunctional family

[@AnthonyVella]

Interesting

[@PatrickDuffy-u3s]

@@AnthonyVella I'm starting with an A-rated wing, for sure.

[@AnthonyVella]

@@PatrickDuffy-u3s I’m happy to hear that. A responsible decision, no doubt.

[@geu6270]

Only problem is testing something at 8 times the load has already reduced the lifetime tensile strength. 🙄 I certainly understand testing a couple of 100 or more of the production model and then putting thiss out to pasture.

[@359Joey]

How very ironic you almost became a statistic yourself! So glad to hear your gonna be ok and fly again. One thing is for certain for me atleast, when i fly again i will never advance past an A wing.Period.

[@tomgillotti]

Great video, as always, Anthony!

[@AnthonyVella]

I appreciate it, as always, buddy.

[@geu6270]

Only problem is testing something at 8 times the load has already reduced the lifetime tensile strength. 🙄 I certainly understand testing a couple of 100 or more of the production model and then putting thiss out to pasture.

[@geu6270]

The good news is I don't believe they do that and really only do a sample group.