Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Cross-Country (XC) Paragliding, a section dedicated to enhancing your flying skills to new heights. XC Paragliding involves covering vast distances, harnessing thermals, and embracing the freedom of extended flights. This guide is aimed at those who have moved beyond the basics and are prepared to undertake more daring adventures in the sky. We explore key aspects such as advanced thermal techniques, navigation strategies, flight planning, and safety measures tailored for XC flights. Get ready to push boundaries and join the elite circle of XC paragliders, navigating the skies with confidence and proficiency.
Even a simple descent from a 50-meter training hill can stir a whirlpool of emotions in XC (cross-country) Paragliding. The initial challenge is the frequent climbs back up the hill. While winch-assisted takeoffs offer a solution, they come with their own set of costs and queues. However, once you experience dynamic flight – the ability to glide effortlessly for hours – you realize its allure.
So, let's start by explaining the basic ability of an XC pilot: handling flows. The difficulty is that the air is not visible. A paraglider can perceive it only “by touch” - by the way, his light wing throws from side to side. At the same time, a flight, especially a flight in a flow, is so unlike what happens to us in ordinary life that most people are unable to immediately find the optimal algorithm of actions. There are no analogies, all for the first time.
So, you carefully read the advice from the previous chapter, learned everything, climbed into the sky and stuck into the lift zone.
Often the pilot finds himself in the zone of thermodynamics, where he needs to start or continue the route.
Start tactics should be considered separately for the following three cases: a winch, a small mountain - thermodynamics, and large mountains.
If you think about it, XC Paragliding flights are a terribly dangerous thing.
