For further information, contact Ken at (801) 971-3414

The Cross-Country Clinic thoroughly prepares paraglider pilots for long distance travel by incorporating a varied and complex array of condition assessment skills and flight mechanics to boldly go where no man’s gone before.

The Advanced Instructor Clinic is a rich, one full day of instruction where experienced pilots come to share pertinent information, unique perspective, and their extensive understanding about the sport of paragliding, and to receive specialized training to become advanced USHGA certified paragliding instructors.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Pilot must pass a written exam that demonstrates their comprehension of approved teaching concepts.
• Pilot must prepare and present a usable and comprehensive lesson plan for P-2 certification.
• Pilot must pass practical class presentations and technique demonstrations.
• Exhibit a solid competency of teaching ability.

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• Helpful hints and techniques to improve their teaching prowess.

Prerequisites:

• P-3 rating.
• Standard Red Cross First Aid card or equivalent.
• At least 200 days of flying and 300 flights or more.

The Basic Instructor Clinic is three days of intensive training designed to make you a proficient and qualified paragliding instructor, and also authorizes qualified individuals to be able to issue P-1 and P-2 ratings.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Hands-on training specifically designed to strengthen instructional procedure and expertise.
• Consultation regarding the recognition and accommodation of each individual student’s learning style.
• Understanding and being able to properly administrate the USPHA rating system.

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• Important ethical considerations pertinent to paragliding instruction.
• A careful study and application of communication skills.
• Methods for best demonstrating the uses of paragliding skills and equipment.

Prerequisites:

• P-3 rating

*Note – After the course, the pilot/ instructor must complete an instructor apprenticeship (must teach and progress with at least one student through the entire P-2 rating process), and also pass a critical one-day instructor evaluation.

The Tandem Instructor  Clinic offers the opportunity for Tandem 1-rated pilots to become Tandem Instructors and become ambassadors for the sport of paragliding by being able to fly with a passenger.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Two days of in-depth classroom instruction and exams.
• Extensive and thorough topic-related discussions.
• Observational in-flight skills analysis.
• Pre-flight briefing and USHPA waivers test.

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• All that is involved in fully complying with USHPA rules and regulations concerning tandem paragliding.
• Advanced methodology of how to safely launch, fly, and land a tandem paraglider.
• Knowing how to properly and adequately prepare for a varying degree of passenger weights and sizes, and dealing with a wide range of reactionary states of mind.

Prerequisites:

• Tandem 1 Clinic.
• Tandem 1 rating.
• 25-40 tandem flight as “pilot in command”.

Tandem 1 is a student tandem rating, and permits the pilot to practice tandem flights with only other current USPHA-rated pilots as passengers. Receiving a Tandem 1 rating is usually conducted as an individualized private clinic. Please contact Ken to arrange a date and time and for further information.

The Tandem 1 Clinic is a prerequisite for the Tandem 2/3 Clinic.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Instructor observation of between 1-3 tandem flights by pilot.
• Discussion of the purpose and requirements of tandem paragliding determined by the FAA and USHPA.
• Tandem 1 qualification exam.
• Discussion and investigation of all the specific gear related to tandem flying.

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• The important responsibilities relating to tandem paragliding.
• The specific and necessary skills pilots must develop in order to obtain a Tandem 2/3 rating.
• Heightened respect for weather considerations, safety factors, and flight mechanics.
• Perspectives for continually refining general assessment abilities of passenger disposition.
• The unique differences between tandem and solo launching, flying, and landing techniques.

Prerequisite:

• Advanced P-4 rating.
• Turbulence sign off.
• 200 hours of logged airtime, or 100 hours with 500 flights of at least 500 feet vertical descent, or 100 hours with 500 flights of 2 minutes or longer.

The Mountain Flying Clinic teaches important information about how to fly at “real” mountain sites that are obviously much different than hill-type sites where pilots are usually initially trained. This two-day event is geared specifically toward P-2 pilots, and should be taken as soon as possible after they complete their P-2 certification. Class instruction has been developed for those relatively new pilots who are now ready for a greater challenge and change of view.

The Mountain Flying Clinic or equivalent experience is a prerequisite for the Thermal Clinic and the Cross-Country Clinic.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Pilots will visit all of the flying sites and landing zones used on a regular basis in the Salt Lake Valley and Utah Valley.
• Each pilot will fly sites that are deemed most appropriate for their skill level (weather permitting).
• We will visit numerous appropriate, inappropriate, and surprise landing zones for evaluation.

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• How to pioneer a flying site.
• How to safely fly in the mountains.
• How to analyze the safety and potential for any particular flying site.
• How to quickly and appropriately plan the best approach to any landing zone.
• Weather tendencies, patterns, and considerations.

Prerequisite:

• P-2 rating.
• Spot landing proficiency.

The Thermal Clinic introduces and teaches the fundamental techniques and theories of thermal exploitation. Thermalling is finding and staying in upward moving parcels of air that can literally heighten the adventurous sensation of paragliding to a whole new and exciting dimension, because a thermal has the thrilling anti-gravity quality of “lift”. And mastering the art of thermalling is essential for anyone serious about experiencing the greatest possibilities of paragliding flight. Imagine using nature’s own elevator to rise up to exhilarating atmospheric heights, and then using those same thermals to go on extensive cross-country excursions far beyond your horizons of expectation.

Thermalling should be approached cautiously and with a high degree of safety awareness. It is not something that can be done safely without a great deal of instruction.

The Thermal Clinic or equivalent experience is a prerequisite for the Cross-Country Clinic.

What The Clinic Includes:

• Three information-packed days that will improve your thermalling knowledge, understanding, and efficiency.
• Up to sixteen hours of classroom time that will give you all the information you need to convert into practical thermalling skills.
• Functional games and exercises used to simulate and demonstrate principles of thermal flying that help build skills on the ground before ever getting into the air.
• Flying thermal sites and in thermalling conditions that are appropriate for each individual pilot’s skill level complete with radio communication coaching and evaluation (weather permitting).

What The Pilot Will Learn:

• Thermalling efficiency.
• Reading and deciphering terrain features for thermal triggers and reservoirs.
• Reading and understanding cumulous cloud formations and what they tell us about the type of thermals that are feeding the cloud.
• Recognizing cloud types that may not be necessarily advantageous for thermalling.
• How to “work” cloud base.
• The many weather related specifics that determine favorable thermalling conditions.
• The best launching techniques to use during thermic conditions.
• Landing in thermic conditions.

Prerequisite:

• P-2 rating.
• Taking a maneuvers clinic before or soon after receiving a P-2 rating is highly recommended.