What is the sport of free flying?

- Free flying is a sport in which the objective is to fly without a motor, using only the forces of nature such as wind, heat, pressure, etc... The two mais disciplines are HangGliding and Paragliding.

What is the difference between Paragliding and HangGliding?
- Both disciplines use the same weather factors to keep airborne: the hangglider has a triangular shape, uses a rigid structure, pilot and passenger fly in a laid down position, the paraglider has a more rounded shaped wing, a semi-rigid inflatable structure, both pilot and passenger fly in a seated position. Usually the paraglider flyes better and stays in the air longer in mellow, low wind conditions, the hang glider tends to fly better in stronger wind conditions.

What is the minimum and maximum weight limit to do a paragliding tandem flight in Rio?

- There isn't an exact weight limit for the passenger. Paragliders are manufactured to fly safely with a total weight (pilot+passenger+equipment) between 140kg and 230kg. We usually fly with people who weigh between 50kg and 110kg.

What is the minimum age to fly a paraglider?
- The Brazilian Free Flight Association (CBVL) establishes a minimum age for pilots of 16 years old. However local free flight clubs have their own rules for tandem flights. The free flight club in Rio establishes an age limit of 16, the free flight club in the city of Niterói enforces a minimum age of 14 years old for paragliding tandem flights.

Do I need to make a reservation for my paragliding tandem flight in Rio?
- It is always better to book ahead, although we are a large team of pilots we fly in various sites in the state of Rio, so it's important to verify that we will have a pilot available at the chosen location on the date and time of your flight. Besides that, some sites have a limit to how many tandem flights each pilot can do a day, at the Pedra Bonita in Rio for example each pilot has a maximum limit of 4 paragliding tandem flights per day.

What about if it isn't possible to fly on the day I booked my flight?
- We always check the weather forecast and try to book your flight on the best possible date and time, however if the the weather conditions aren't good for flying on the chosen day we will reschedule your flight to another date. If by any chance you prefer not to fly, we offer 100% reimbursement.

frequently asked questions about paragliding