How To Get Away From A Small Hill (On Your Paraglider)

For pilots beginning XC flying, it can be a real challenge to get away from a small hill. Especially if the wind is light, and even more so if it is strong. Enjoy this short tutorial about leaving the hill.
(If you're thinking of flying here, always check the site guide first skysurfingclub.co.uk/sites-gui... which mentions we shouldn't overfly the field behind the forest due to the horses.)
In the extended edition (flywithgreg.com/programs/get-...) I also explain the site choice, the weather forecasts, the strategy for searching for thermals, where the lift will be, how to hold onto the core, how to work with other pilots ... and how to top out, ready for your first XC! It is an intense half hour packed with information.
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Penta Grandma (Supervirus)
Crown (Matt Wigton)
Awaken the Dawn (Joshua Spacht)
#paragliding #xcflying #thermaling
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[@FlyWithGreg]

If you're thinking of flying here, always check the site guide first skysurfingclub.co.uk/sites-guide/chalton/ which mentions we shouldn't overfly the field behind the forest due to the horses.

[@DrRezaAliRumi]

Best wishes dear

[@matoko123]

I can't stand horses. awful smelly creatures.

[@charliewalsh9247]

Great video Greg

[@skizzofly]

Beautiful Job Greg!!! well done!

[@elimmiho608]

Ahhh that was so helpful! Thanks Greg!

[@tobyc3692]

Another bit of ‘Greg’s Gold’. Thanks so much for this little gem. I’m a real noob, and I have been looking for videos that describe the science of flying - Where?, how?, why? Your vids real help. Thanks!

[@robertzeeland]

That assessment at 3:31 made me realize you are a crack at what you're doing. Cheers Greg, plus one subscriber^^ Best Rob🥂

[@revampedyt]

Awesome greg! Always love and learn from your videos.

[@FlyWithGreg]

Glad you like them!

[@benzac3333]

A lot like flying inland in Australia. Great video.

[@billcallahan9303]

The problem with forecasts is that they're forecasts. But what the heck, go with what you got. Great video!

[@yashkummar]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[@MegaSpiez]

amazing explained & done! thanks

[@PsyCHoZRH]

Respect! these are my goals in Switzerland, north-eastern Switzerland on the border with Germany.

[@tennesseecaldelari4191]

Incredible how you can fly the flat lands!!!! have to come and try :)

[@Pestifer138]

Awesome Greg, one and only channel with a bell 🔔 ;)

[@ripmanridin7092]

Great info.............thanks bud!

[@andrewsparkinson1566]

Good one Greg.

[@ChrisJewell7333]

Keep up the great work Greg pilots like my self sure need your knowledge…👌

[@helicopter2630]

Your a good teacher 👍

[@paulomilko5422]

great video!

[@airgaborpara3824]

Another quuuul video!

[@FlyWithRhys]

Here as the 1000’th viewer... keep it up Greg! 👌

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks Rhys! You know the other solution we volbiv pilots prefer ... walk up a 1000m mountain in the morning and launch after noon: you'll get away :-)

[@hrishikeshgogate5657]

Good one 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@camotobe]

Awesome.

[@raphaelbarroscoutinho]

Hi Greg, I’m from Brasil, I’m a beginner and have been watching your videos and it help a lot. Can you tell the way of making a lift in front of the hill?

[@mercyshaver5264]

Thank you 😊

[@francescoset6546]

Nice!!!! But what happend with your flybubble collaboration ? sad not to see you there again!!! luckily you are going on flying and making beautiful videos :)) 💪

[@FlyWithRhys]

He’s evolved into something new Francisco... like a Pokémon.

[@AbdoAbdo-qx1ym]

Peace be upon you. I salute you from Morocco and I watch a lot of the videos that you provide on KZbin. I want to ask you a question. Please, what is the camera with which you shoot this favorite program

[@AsaadBugis]

amazing. i hope to visit your home city for paragliding

[@Johnny-gb7eh]

Another great video. Hey another subject I'd like to see covered some time would be how close to the sea would you be able to catch your first thermal then set off in land? I'm guessing you won't be able to take a thermal off the beach with the cold ocean breeze right there? Small hill near the sea 😉

[@FlyWithGreg]

you can get thermals off the sea (just need a temperature variation) but that's usually in winter here, when the land isn't good for xc. It is possible to thermal away from a coastal soaring site, the guys over at Woolacombe do that regularly. But yes, it's tough to get it right. A warm ocean helps.

[@Ripstop_pilot]

Charlton. Not my favourite launch. But I was keen and inexperienced. Must try it again. Nice flight greg. Is the ground still snaggy with thorns?

[@FlyWithGreg]

yup, keep the wing up, find a thermal fast.

[@nicolodemarchi6979]

Just yesterday I saw your video on flybubble on the exact same topic but from 7 years ago 😅

[@FlyWithGreg]

I have the opportunity to offer more indepth videos now, and take another angle, so you can learn from both!

[@nicolodemarchi6979]

@@FlyWithGreg of course, it just was a nice coincidence (or maybe the YT algorithm LoL) to see them one day after the other and for sure xc knowledge is never enough. Your work is really amazing. I have the luck to be surrounded by lots of great pilots and instructors (even my dad himself is an instructor) and your in-flight videos are a first person tool to see more clearly what they're talking about. Keep it up 😍😍

[@dylanclaude856]

Did you finally buy that powerful omega ? :D Thanks for the video !

[@FlyWithGreg]

Yes I bought it the day I first flew it for a review! It's amazing for its weight.

[@crashnburnband]

That hill looked like you had to get into something straight away. Was that Liddington? I had a look the other day but opted for Uffington instead,

[@FlyWithGreg]

Charlton. yeah it's really marginal.

[@barrywebber100]

If you used an A or low B rated wing would you still have been able to gain the same height? Thanks for posting Greg.

[@FlyWithGreg]

yes sure, the low B can have a good sink rate and if you stay in the thermal you top out, it's more about mapping the thermal and staying with it

[@chrisjokinen217]

What wind speed did you need to get off? I live in very flat hot region and haven't flown in years because of it

[@FlyWithGreg]

I find you need at least 10kmh to get thermals to release well, and about 20kmh if you are hoping to soar something small while waiting for a thermal to come along. Mountains make it easier :-)

[@oldschoolwaverider]

I live in the North East of England. I would like to fly from south shields to the school field opposite my house in Durham. If it's allowed of course. Since I know very little about paragliding. . .yet. 😁

[@FlyWithGreg]

that's a bit close to Newcastle airspace to be able to thermal high enough, but you could have some fun soaring the coast at Seaham!

[@kylewolfman]

To answer your question I want to fly everywhere! Hopefully I get a chance...

[@pilotopedia]

Good video but you did not really explained how to take flight in plains

[@akinadom]

Careful! Looks like your right carabiner is not locked properly!

[@FlyWithGreg]

Thanks I'll check it out next flight, usually it's one of my preflight checks to roll the closure all the way to the top. It doesn't affect the strength, but presents a risk for a line going through the gate.

[@NelsonsWings]

@@FlyWithGreg I think you know that if the gate is open, even momentarily, strength is dramatically reduced.

[@akinadom]

@@FlyWithGreg I know from rock climbing that carabiners with open gates can in worst case scenarios break under just 80kg of load. I also found that those grivel screw locks come undone very easily, which is why I use their twingate carabiners on my ultra light harness. They are as fail safe as it gets imho

[@engscott78]

Legit

[@mercyshaver5264]

🙂👍

[@NelsonsWings]

I wish you could find a way to get back with FlyBubble. Your new channel is good, but there was a synergy with FlyBubble that was more than just the sum of you two. They need your video production skills, you need access to new gear so you can publish review videos. I urge you to mend any fences, smooth any ruffled feathers, and figure out a way to combine efforts. I'm sure I an not the only fan with these sentiments!

[@milesb4231]

Seems crowded - strap on the motor and go. So much easier.

[@bubstacrini8851]

Most of us do this because #1 we don't want to listen to a motor on our back...kinda like telling the owner of a beautiful sailboat he would get there quicker with a speed boat