5 Bad Paragliding Habits

[@Bob_just_Bob]

Great video, excellent list. I'm a newbie and after getting the GoPro tangled during my turn around from a backward launch and another time turning around at the bottom after touchdown I've already stopped using it. And it was GoPro footage that exposed my other Booboo when showing my footage to a more experienced friend and got a kind warning to stop holding my risers during flights. So thanks I've stopped doing those two bad habits already. Regarding the other three, I'm good already. Our Coach advised us all to do the launch run with the footrest between our legs so that my left foot is inside 'the loop' so to speak. This way after launch you just move your left leg forward enough so you can catch the footrest with the right foot and slip into the seat easily without needing your hands really. As a career helicopter pilot, I have one habit that I think others would best utilize. CHECKLISTS. In my job mental checklists are frowned upon but in paragliding paper or electronic ones wouldn't work. So before every launch and every landing I run through the points of the checklist and make sure I have ticked all the boxes. I do this every time I buckle into the harness as well. Each connection is numbered and I don't connect them out of order so I never miss any. Checklists save lives.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

I am absolutely a big fan of rules that you never break. The one rule I have that you never break you mentioned briefly at the last of the always put your harness all the way on or take your harness all the way off. I wish you could somehow focus and come up with a list of these rules as a service to the rest of us.

[@CuervoRC]

Good tips, I've only been flying for a short time, and luckily I don't have any of those habits. I have made myself a 3d printed case to put the go pro in the helmet so that it is impossible for it to get tangled. And I don't get braver for carrying the camera because I'm the only one who can see those videos. I record to analyze later the flight and see where I fail, hand position, where I have lost altitude... it helps me a lot.

[@ozoneswiftak]

I record everything also. Who knows when it will be epic that day.

[@HaraldWanvik]

A good tip for getting into a sitting harness without having to let go of the brakes and grabbing the risers, is to attach a foot rest, then stepping one leg inside it and one outside when launching. This way it is super easy to use your outside leg to press your body inside the harness while in the air!

[@AriintheAir]

Great tip! Thanks for that Harald

[@andyinzuerich]

Nice video. I actually never kite my wing unattached after watching your previous video. Bad habits I could think of: Sitting in your harness as soon as your wing starts flying. Don't do it. Make sure you have enough clearance and definitely won't need to run again. The other one would be coming into final glide before landing heavily braked. Speed is your friend, come in with lots of speed in case there's a wind gradient.

[@AriintheAir]

Good stuff! Thanks for the recommendations, I think I need to make a video about landing

[@ThibaultROHMER]

Excellent list. I'm gonna add: not using helmet when groundhandling (also gloves) and something which is not exactly a bad habit but... people turning in opposite direction of everybody else

[@AriintheAir]

Great additions! Thanks for watching and participating

[@gotravelbug]

I turn in the opposite direction. 10 years of flying, it's like asking someone not to be left handed. So don't agree, it's natural for me.

[@Yourbosskid]

I recently noticed on my helmet a gouge where a rock has gashed it. I took a few fast downwind landings and had to roll it off and felt nothing on my head but I’m guessing I would have been in bad shape if that was my dome that took the impact.

[@vickilowe3255]

@@gotravelbug i think he means turning the opposite direction in a thermal

[@LeifDjurfeldt]

starting with too much wind, because of group pressure

[@5ty717]

Agree with every point. Totally.

[@royceallenson728]

Great video - I would add - the 'mistakes' that I see are: Not being particular enough laying out the glider perpendicular to the wind direction / not expanding the middle of the wing enough in light conditions / not recognising the correct riser pattern on a reverse launch (prior to launch) to recognise potential faults / not being particular enough with their hand position on a reverse launch / not enough GH practice / disconnected from the wing during inflation as to have the feel for when you should give more resistance during inflation as opposed to when to move towards the glider during inflation / rushing the inflation - panicking / getting 'lost' performing to the crowd / committed to launching before the true conditions are established / complaining about 'parawaiting' - I also support others that have mentioned landing

[@p66pur]

Stop calling them brakes, and start calling them controls!! Apart from that your videos are amazing!!

[@AriintheAir]

Hahahaha! They are controls! They are brakes!!! Brake controls! Control brakes! FUUUUCK IM SO CONFUSED

[@frodenimbus]

Some good advice but I find advice 1 to be exaggerated. Without a wrap you still have sufficient feel and authority to fly safe. And, a wrap may complicate and delay a reserve throw! The only time I find a wrap to be absolutely necessary is for flairing when landing.

[@Graham_lee]

Ari every video you do is top notch I learn so much that I share your vids to make sure others do to, thankyou so much for the effort and knowledge you give.

[@AriintheAir]

My pleasure! And thank you so much for becoming a patron! So appreciate that, it helps so much.

[@JohnTosti]

The reason ppg pilots hold brakes like that is the fact that a throttle is in hand. I fly ppg, Xc PG and speed wings and literally hold toggles different for all 3 disciplines🤣 “toggle monkey” for ppg, half wrap for PG and then cobra grip for Speed flying since i have no reserve to throw anyways 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@AriintheAir]

Hahaha! Braaping toggle monkey!

[@michaelyoung9890]

Pumping the breaks to burn altitude while landing?

[@johankroes19]

Thanx for the tips Ari!

[@AriintheAir]

You're so welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@nigo1787]

8:37 "grabs to the risers and scout to my harness", that's exactly what I do (but not immediately). It's not great but much better in my mind than to let go of the brakes. Supposing you can go in your harness/pod this way

[@CaptainMedoc]

Thanks for this video ! I'm a PPG pilot, but if you watch m'y videos, you'll notice I fly it like a paraglider! Due to our heavy harnesses, we often inflate our wings without being attached, but we hold the risers with our hands direcrtly, which appears to me safer than using a non-attached harness... And we do often fly in thermal conditions ! Thanks again for your great content which I will keep following!

[@markmcgoveran6811]

I'm not a big fan of asking for help and I'm fortunate because there's no one here flying paragliders but me. On the other hand I don't have a lot of people coming up and bothering me while I'm trying to go out and enjoy some paragliding after I spend all the time money and bother to be there with the wing and maybe know what I'm doing. You do as well in a new place to get there early and walk around and look at everybody and everything and watch the show and anybody who looks in your eyes say hi to him talk to him and ask them a question.

[@surreygraham4466]

As an ex HG pilot now flying Paragliders, the one thing that I hate to see is pilots flying slowly into land, brakes down on a thermic day. They have no airspeed in reserve if they kick off a thermal and get lifted 20 feet then they could stall and pile in. Why not just come into land with brakes fully up to give you that ‘cushion’ of airspeed if you need it. What am I missing here? BTW - I bought a Blacklight 2 because of your review and I love it!

[@patrickaubichon]

I hit the like button before the video starts... Gotta support content makers like you. thanks for sharing your experience Ari :)

[@AriintheAir]

I appreciate that! Stay tuned!

[@fedebos22]

Thank ari! We need videos like this

[@martinsanchez2827]

yesterday at my flight site a student grabbed his harness to sit down and threw the reserve. Fortunately, the parachute opened quickly and immediately landed on a vegetated slope. a few meters ahead and he fell off a cliff

[@jonathansummerfield8390]

Nice one! I guess another one that I keep seeing is unexpected pilots landing. No feeling for the brakes. Some are so close to stalling their gliders while landing. And not standing up early enough. As cool as it looks to speed land with your pod harness, you're risking your ass and your pod if you mess up. Now being honest I love to speed land. But getting up into a position where you could take a blow on your feet is a huge safety plus! If its a crazy active launch even here you can stay ready with your feet until you have the necessary ground clearance. As much as I agree on the last one, I have made some weird experiences with locals. Calling this one ground suck - I'm from the alps flying in all kinds of conditions and generally feeling comfortable with a lot. Always willing to learn. But I've met people almost aggressively asking me how crazy I am to even think of taking off now. That the site is to string for regular wings. Only mini wings could fly now. bla bla bla Then I take my turns with my 2 liner and they feel insulted.

[@TLSMatt]

Great tips One other thing drives me nuts is when people don’t check their canopy at launch, especially guys who forward launch. It could be a big mess and they wouldn’t know it till they hit the ground

[@madsloper]

Thanks for the advice, I'll be removing my GoPro camera mount ASAP.

[@CristiUrsu]

Hi Ari... well yes I admit I'm on the first 2 things you've mentioned... One, because yet nobody told me it's a mistake to hold the brakes as handles during the flight, the instructor only mentioned the half-wrap for landing flares - but you do have a good point on it - and the second, well... I do enjoy watching my flights footage, learn from what I do well or wrong and generally have a post perspective of the flight. Indeed, helmet mounted Gopro has its risks and I suppose a better way would be a chest mounted or elsewhere or maybe... none? What is your take on that?

[@AriintheAir]

Christian! Have fun flying bro, I am not trying to tell you how to do it. Safe flights brother!

[@CristiUrsu]

@@AriintheAir I'm having the fun of my life up there everytime and I'm still a student and learning 😀 Keep safe and keep sharing your thoughts and content, I have no words to thank you 🙏😊

[@niconico3907]

The best is camera position is on the knee. it moves less than other body parts, so it make less shaky videos. There is no obstruction to the camera view on the knee. With a chest mount, you will have a nice video of your chest strap, or carabiners, but not much else. On the knee, less chance to tangle with your lines, and if it tangles anyway, its easy to untangle. you can easily change from front view to wing and pilot view. Its within easy reach to start and stop recording And in case of crash, you dont often crash on your knees

[@LonelyCinderella123]

I've been using a GoPro since my very first flights and since they tend to be short anyway I just press record before takeoff and then do not pay any attention to the camera whatsoever. And yes although it can definitely help when you make a mistake to be able to watch it later. But yes I have mostly had it on my helmet perhaps other positions are better (I have been tangled on takeoff before but nothing has ever happened in the air).

[@pierreolsson588]

You should make a video about 5 good/great habits also! One habit I have is to NEVER turn on my instrument until EVERYTHING is ready for launch, and double checked. When I push the button, I KNOW I'm ready...

[@AriintheAir]

Thats a great one!

[@overcrak]

I liked your video and i would really love the idea of a "crowd-sourced" list of do's and dont's in paragliding. Unfortunately a guy that i met during my last SIV died few weeks ago by kiting is wing while unattached to the harness..with picked it up and he dropped from like 15m. Thank you for your video!

[@PhilippeLarcher]

Wow was it on a hill or flat?

[@ParaglidingScotland]

On my favourite wings shorten brake (advice #1) will result in MAJOR stall/spin risk! In general (all ratings of wings) DON'T do this 'half wrap' as it's dangerous, NB designers decades ago started having to lengthen brake lines to counter wrap accidents. No.2 & No 3 No.4 No 5 100% agree with you. Extras: 'torpedo' is a VERY bad idea... To such an extent I will refuse to continue RE-training pilots who want to stick with 'torpedo' ... However your stay in harness launch position till safely flying IS VERY GOOD advice 😀 PS I've been teaching for quarter century - flown over 10 thousand Hrs

[@ozone7]

Letting go of your brakes the second you leave the ground, to adjust your ass in the harness... I see it every day, and I have no words. Well maybe I do: It's like choosing to adjust your tie with your feet just as you are driving right into the busiest intersection in your hometown. CAN'T IT FU...ING WAIT???

[@voordenhout]

Numbers 2 to 5 seem pretty straightforward, but I do not agree with your absolutist statement about how to hold the brakes. I do not like the half-wrap, because I get my hands too high then for comfortable flying and I also don't like the feeling of the line across my hand. I am flying an open harness and I do wonder whether flying a pod harness means that you will have your hands lower and then perhaps your arms do get lower. Because I do never have my hands as low as you demonstrate in the video unless I am flaring. And since I've been flying for almost 30 years without any major incident and haven't had a serious collapse in more than 10 years, even though I fly regularly in strong thermic air, it cannot be as bad as you describe. I would say different strokes for different folks on this one. As for a bad habit that I see a lot: Stopping with running and dropping into your harness while you are still less than 1m from the ground. Most of the time people get away with it, but if it goes wrong, it can go wrong spectacularly. Cheers, Harm

[@DarrellMalick]

Nice video! Hope to fly with you sometime.

[@martinsanchez2827]

New subscriber. Saludos desde Argentina

[@AriintheAir]

Saludos Martin!

[@markmcgoveran6811]

Do you ever say a number? What is the way from the hill what number in altitude is a way from the hill? Fly away from the hill before you get in the pond. Is 500 ft a good minimum height to decide that you need to stay hold of the brakes and fly that sucker?

[@markmcgoveran6811]

It's a hobby and people would be happy to tell you something that was useful if they thought you would listen to them. I like this discourse it's nothing like what everyone else says.

[@caradaan3525]

Not wearing gloves is a bad idea

[@dude4good]

Where can i find the video where you explain about the accident of the person that was not attached to the glider?

[@Ripstop_pilot]

Dude!!! The handle thing! I pointed this out on one of my videos a while ago. My observation was that they all star in "paragliding gone wrong" videos 🤣 Ok I've been in one, but not for the handle thing.

[@AriintheAir]

hahahaha! I almost titlted the video "How I know you're about to blow it"

[@razvaniluca6472]

Awesome video !!

[@AriintheAir]

Thanks!

[@Itsallgoodtogo]

My instructor is always yelling at people not to pull on their seat the moment they take off... If you have a seat you cant flip into without the help of your hands ... you damn sure fly for a few seconds extra!

[@AriintheAir]

Exactly!

[@gulliveradventuresin]

Hi Ari! Another very good video. Your content is making our sport more safer. Love to see you back. Your first point is absolutely true but in my case I am having some issues. Few months ago I changed to Chair harness from Pod and installed Acro toggles(ozone) on my wing. Because I wanted to learn stalls & some Acro(Again your video about full stalls helped me lot). Now after more than 100 Backflys I am back to Pod harness but I don't want to go back to normal toggles. Because I have learnt lot of stuff to do with the wing and I feel very comfortable with Acro toggles. But they have quite different feeling while thermalling. I tried to do classic half rap with acro toggles. But it seems I am not efficient as previous, especially in week conditions. I will love to hear your opinion about it this..... Thanks in advance.👍

[@AriintheAir]

Thanks for the kind words Gulliver. As for acro toggles - they're the best, aren't they?!? So soft and comfy and give a really good authority. I usually shorten my brake lines when I add the acro toggles so I don't need any wrap. That could become a problem when flying XC because the brakes need to be long enough for you to push full bar and have them stay slack. There might be a brake length that works just fine for the toggles for thermaling, you'll just need to play around with it. Good luck!

[@gulliveradventuresin]

@@AriintheAir thanks man. I moved to acro toggles permanently. I am never coming back now.

[@dennisshen4388]

Thanks for the 411 on max. I got to go ask him next time I see him.

[@bobbyjacobs7837]

Not hooking up the speedbar!

[@AriintheAir]

God thats so good! I did that yesterday actually on my acro glider

[@zachpaquette604]

Ari - I've just binge-watched your channel and really appreciate your content. It's fun to watch in part because of your authenticity and insightful prospective on a sport your 5K members love. I've been paragliding for six years and one of my bad habits is pushing on my risers lines when turning to create more weight shift. I'd be stoke to hear your prospective on how bad of a habit (or perhaps not) this is. Maybe there are good time so really push on the riser lines in certain circumstances? Lastly, I know all about raising money. If you're open to a suggestion, I'd recommend setting a goal with your audience. Example: I want to raise $2.5K per video. Okay easy! Here's how. If just 10% of your audience (500 people) donated $5 for each video you produced that $2.5K per video. Set a goal with your audience. Give it a name like "$5s Make Ari Hollar!" Micro donations are where it's at with fundraising, because anyone can do it without feeling inadequate or cheap. Then the deeper pockets will naturally join in with bigger donations around your named cause, which to me sounds like promoting the paragliding community in a healthy, happy all inclusive way. Anyway, it you want to talk more on that subject I'd be keen to rap with you offline. Thanks for the great content. You've got $5 coming from me now! Z

[@AriintheAir]

Amazing comment and a generous offer. Lets chat man. Hit me at [e-mail] and lets do a lil video chat

[@birseyleryap]

nice one brother

[@AriintheAir]

Appreciated

[@fervillafuerte]

Nice Video my friend

[@AriintheAir]

FER!!!!! Thanks bro! What else should I talk about?!?

[@sebastianphizone4808]

I totally disagree with number 3. Kiting, while not connected, has saved me injury and death numerous times. I would rather lose my wing, than my life. If you ground handle and train yourself to let go of the wing, then you have potentially just saved your life.

[@AriintheAir]

If kiting the glider without being hooked in saved your life because the wind was too strong to be clipped into a harness for, then the technique did not save your life, you were merely doing something super dangerous that you shouldn't have. If its too strong, its too strong.

[@petrkoz]

Worst habit...lay your glider unattached in the middle of take off when other pilots are ready.

[@AriintheAir]

HA! I love that one

[@DennisZylstra]

Thanks. I will stop my helmet cam, holding risers, start trying a rap, and will never write a check to someone if I have insufficient funds.

[@AriintheAir]

Hahahahaha! Don't forget to eat your vegetables Dennis. Thanks for watching brother

[@MrKbtor2]

The gopro for beginner on helmet thing...so true. I have a story

[@AriintheAir]

True story

[@windmaker6677]

Hey Ari, I just found your channel and especially like the kind of humble but still passionate approach to paragliding that you are putting put there. I would like to point out just one thing that is kind of bothering me and that for me does not really fit into the style of narration that you are doing at the moment. And this would be the very last clip of your intro. -> 0:46. A basejump with two gopros kind of stands in contrast to the principles you offer in the "philosophy of paragliding video". What do you say? Just get rid of those 6 seconds of showing off in future? Hope you take this as what it is just a little constructive critism. Greetings and save flights.

[@AriintheAir]

Interesting! Well, first of all, the base jump has no gopros, and the opening that follows it is actually a skydive over water from a tandem paraglider. Movie magic. Also, I'm a professional action sports athlete, have been for over a decade. So, I take my own level of risk and expect everyone to do the same. I make a living by recording my extremely dangerous sports. Its a dirty job! lol. Also, showing off isn't inherently bad and is the subject of my next video. Stay tuned and thanks for the note!

[@windmaker6677]

@@AriintheAir hey thx for the answer.. Yes you are right a basejump and a tandem skydive over water are different things when it comes to stakes ;). And also the need to film things to make a living off it, is right. Its all about reflecting if you really need a video of what you are doing or if it would be better to focus. Looking forward to your next video.

[@pkskyter]

Really good comments but I disagree with the pre-kitting tip. What is so wrong with pre kitting? I do it every launch just to 'un-ball' my glider. I do it with a very strong grip on my Cs and am ready to 'quit' any second I feel like the glider is out of control by pulling in the Cs really hard and if need be, all the way behind my backside. I can 'tease' the glider out of the ball by alternating the As and Cs, all the time feeling how strong the conditions are. If I can't hang onto the glider while pre-kiting, I pack up and go home or wait a while if the forecast is for dropping wind speed. I have let go of my glider twice and it was early in my paragliding years before I really understood kiting. The glider ended up in a mess as you say and took a long time to untangle but I figured if I was attached to it at the time it might have taken longer to untangle me :-) It is also a great way to check your lines and wind direction and the glider will lay itself out nicely ready to launch.

[@AriintheAir]

Peter, thanks for the note. I agree with you; experienced pilots can choose this technique once they are familiar with kiting, wind, thermals, gusts, launches, etc. The problems I've seen come from experienced pilots who aren't great instructors, telling students to do like they do, without the same understanding. This leads students to think its how they need to do it. Like I've said, I've seen it go horribly wrong, to the point of a fatality, so I'm sure you can understand that I'd tell people to find another technique to precheck their gliders. Cheers brother! Safe flying.

[@pkskyter]

@@AriintheAir Hi Ari, Yes, I understand. I'm not an instructor and I hope I haven't passed bad habits onto less experienced pilots :-) I'd be interested how the fatal accident happened because I was always under the impression that once attached the drag danger was ever present. Where as pre-kiting, you can just let go if it gets too much and if you let go just one riser then you should be able to recover the glider even if tangled without losing complete control. But, I imagine a 'free' flying wing could be a danger to bystanders or other pilots.

[@TheChrisBreyShow]

I have a hard time watching people pull the wing up reverse, turn prematurely without even checking it, then get deflations, tossed around and dragged! Then blame the wind! LOL

[@cliffahrens1557]

How can I message you?

[@AriintheAir]

[e-mail]

[@paulaberle2595]

Great list, thank you Ari