Landing in strong wind on a paraglider

[@edelsim3801]

Keep calm and face the wind : ) Great vid!!

[@dymanoid]

You are absolutely right! It's important to stay calm and not to panic.

[@josch1]

Hi, great video. I just got caught yesterday in a strong valley wind, to land I faced the wind and chose a big field without obstacles. I went first on full bar otherwise the wind was still pushing me backwards, then half bar as I got lower and 2-3 meters above ground I realised as the wind got weaker. Probably the nastiest flight I had yet but still one of the smoothest landings fortunately.

[@dymanoid]

Thanks for watching! Yes, landing in strong wind can be challenging, because a small mistake can cause a lot of trouble. Glad you mastered your landing!

[@zapaugul7410]

Thank you for great video. You make it seem so easy and controlled facing the wind while going backwards.Good reminder to keep a strong mind and always face the wind.

[@MeadsLTC]

Great examples thanks for posting 👍

[@drEoNiXb]

Liebe die Videos! Gerne mehr von dir ❤

[@5ty717]

It seems fairly obvious that you’re a considerate and well experienced Pilot thanks for the video. Excellent flying.

[@przewrotab]

Hi, thank you for another educational video. I'm surprised you're not worried about landing behind obstacles. I always in stronger winds, try to be as far from the trees as possible. Maybe unnecessarily? Greets

[@dymanoid]

You are right, it is a good idea to avoid obstacles in strong wind. However, not all of them cause severe turbulence. Small trees and bushes are usually fine. Large and sharp-edged obstacles, such as buildings, rocks, etc., should definitely be avoided.

[@LiiMuRi]

Once, while I was still a paragliding student, I got caught up in such a strong wind that I had to push about 1/3 bar all the way down until I touch the ground, just not to get pushed back. These days I try to land well before the wind picks up too much.

[@dymanoid]

It's always a good idea to avoid strong winds because they introduce more risks. I usually don't fly in such winds, but the local weather in Valle del Cauca just forces you to do that. However, this is a well-known, expected, and quite local phenomenon there, so I was prepared in advance.

[@sebastiennoir9758]

Nice video!! Thanks!

[@simonharris6836]

In a number of those landings you choose a field with trees in the upwind edge when other options appear available. I'd have thought it would be a good idea to avoid upwind obstacles because of the potential for rotor, which extends quite a way downwind. You mention turbulence on one landing but what is your thinking and experiences on this?

[@dymanoid]

You are indeed right. Any obstacle upwind causes turbulence, especially when the wind is quite strong. However, not all obstacles create heavy and nasty rotors. The size and the shape are of importance. I will definitely avoid large or tall buildings, sharp-edged terrain features like rocks, or 50 m high dense forest lines. I have no problem with small trees - they do cause turbulence (and you can see that in the video), but it's quite manageable. If you want to minimize risks, it makes sense to avoid all obstacles whatsoever - I fully agree!

[@TheTomklu]

thank you so much:)

[@RomanLegenstein]

Nice video👍🏻 and nice socks😜

[@dymanoid]

Thanks 😅

[@oatey8868]

Hi, nice video. Just letting you know that in the 2nd landing (you're between Zarzal and La Paila I think?), in those swamps, there is capybaras :) they are a bit shy, but next time you should land closer and then go and visit them

[@dymanoid]

Yeah, I've heard about that, but didn't know where exactly 😀

[@oatey8868]

@@dymanoid There is also some at the vinyard in La Union 😊 It's on the to do list for next time 😁

[@doncucumber]

Why don't you kill it with the rear risers (the Cs in my case)? When the wind it's too strong it's hard to kill it with brakes, and sometimes you're drag by the wind... With the C's the wind goes down pretty smothly.

[@dymanoid]

In extreme winds, like over 30 km/h, it actually makes sense. Otherwise I prefer the brakes. Two-liners tolerate a lot more input on the B's than three-liners, so they don't stall as easily when you pull the B's. Most of the time I try to put down my wing to the side (reverse cobra) with the brake on one side.

[@nico_albrecht]

6:05 If this happens with a climb assist, the damage is great. That's why I hate landings in strong winds. The tension and worry about the gear is very high, but it can't always be avoided. 🙈 With free-flight equipment, it doesn't bother me at all.

[@dymanoid]

It was actually not the strong wind but rather the very slippery surface. But you are right. Sometimes unexpected things just happen no matter how well-prepared / skilled you are.

[@tomchung149]

Is a SIV course necessary before embarking on a Cross Country Flight ?

[@dymanoid]

There is no requirement, but many experienced pilots, including me, will recommend doing at least one SIV course before going XC. You will fly in turbulent thermal conditions, often in places you've never been before, and sometimes you'll need to fly certain challenging maneuvers like deep spiral dives. Furthermore, It's better to know how a collapse of your wing feels like and how to properly react before it happens to you. And it will happen, guaranteed - sooner or later.

[@FlyingSucuk]

landing backwards would scare the sh... out of me :D

[@willricemusic]

Thanks for your incredible & educational content - I'm loving every video! Worth bearing in mind that landing on brown fields increases the risk of encountering unexpected thermals, dust devils etc - see the Fly With Greg video "Paragliding first day out of lockdown: Dust devil, Crash!"...

[@dymanoid]

Thank you for your feedback! And yes, brown fields can be quite unpleasant, especially in the middle of the day. Worth keeping that in mind!