Pilot Development Course or Guided Holiday, which is best for me?

If you are a newly qualified Club Pilot or have less than 20 hours airtime, for sure the Pilot Development Courses (PDC) are for you. If you have a few more hours than this, perhaps had a lay off and are not current and are looking to improve your basic ground handling and flight skills, then you also would benefit hugely from the PDC. My Guided Holidays are aimed at a broader spectrum of pilot - form the slightly more confident current pilot (or pilot with many more hours but is no longer current) to the experienced pilot who wants a stress free, fun flying holiday who wishes to have a flying holiday where:

• all the logistics are taken care of - just fly and relax as much or as little as you want
• the days are instructor led so your safety is closely monitored and some skills will be polished and a few new ones learnt

Why do your prices seem, at first glance, a little higher than some other operators?

• My Pilot Development Courses are instructional courses of the highest caliber so you get 6 days of expert coaching, often 1 on 1 tailored to you
• Maximum group size is 4 pilots. Your progression, safety and enjoyment is my number 1 concern
• You get your own private room - no snoring room mate & no single supplements to pay
• Breakfast and 3 course evening meals are included. (imagine how much you would pay eating at a restaurant for 7 days...)
• Alcoholic evening drinks are included on the Portugal PD Course and Portugal Guided Holidays
• Accommodation is of a very high standard, situated very close, if not on, the main flying ridge and includes a heated swimming pool and stunning vistas
• Video analysis of your flying is included as part of my coaching tecnique on PDC's.

When do I need to arrive at the airport?

AGADIR: before 20.00 PORTUGAL: before 14.30

When should I arrange my flight to leave for my return home?

Agadir: after 19.00 Portugal: after 10.00

How do we transfer from the airport to the accommodation and back?

We will pick you up at the airport on the saturday and drive you to the accommodation and take you back again at the end of your week. Upon your arrival, our driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall displaying a 'Sky Paragliding' sign. We make only one return airport transfer on the saturday so please make sure that your flights fit in with this. Outside of this transfer window you will be expected to make your own way. PORTUGAL: Our transport will be leaving Lisbon airport at approx. 15.00 so please choose your flights to arrive before then. If you arrive in the morning, Lisbon is a beautiful city and worth the visit if you have the time. You should arrange your flight to depart back home to leave no earlier than 11.30 since we will be arriving at the airport at approx. 10.00 for your return journey. Please check the 'which flights do I book' question for info on airlines that fly to Lisbon. MOROCCO: Our transport will be leaving Agadir airport at approx. 20.00 so please choose your flights to arrive before then. You should arrange your flight to depart back home to leave no earlier than 19.00 since we will be arriving at the airport at approx. 17.00 for your return journey. Please check the 'which flights do I book' question for info on airlines that fly to Agadir.

Do I need to bring my own radio?

If you are on a Pilot Development Course your radio will be provided. On Guided Holidays you will be expected to bring your own 2m radio.

What clothing should I bring to wear?

For both Portugal and Morocco you will need clothing which you normally would wear on a nice english summers day. Of course, up on the hills in a breeze it can get a little cooler so your regular UK summer flying gear should be plenty. Our accommodations have swimming pools so bring your swimming gear if you want to swim. Don't forget to pack the sunscreen and maybe a hat.

Is Morocco included in my EU travel health insurance?

Normally yes but please check with your provider. JS Insurance does include it in the EU cover.

What's included in a Pilot Development Course?

• return airport transfers to and from the accommodation
• pre trip consultation. Your aims & objectives
• 6 days tailored professional coaching & transport
• 7 nights half board in your own room
• towels
• radio comms
• Wifi in accommodation
• after dinner alcholic drinks (Portugal only)
• video debriefing

Is it possible to bring my non flying partner?

Yes of course but please remember if you are on a course, you will be immersed from breakfast till dinner in flying. If you are on a Guided Holiday, you can come in and out of the flying as much or as little as you want so there is plenty of time to spend with your partner if you wish. All our accommodation suits non flying partners. We can not always guarantee to have space in the flying transport so we reccommend that if you wish to have some independant transport, car hire can be easily arranged for you at your cost.

Will I have my own room?

Yes. I believe that a high quality environment with a good nights sleep in your own private room is beneficial to your performance and enjoyment of the course/holiday.

I need to buy a reserve parachute. Can you supply me one before the trip?

Yes certainly. We supply some of the best reserves on the market and can also fit it to your harness when you arrive if you choose.

I am looking at changing my wing. Do you have demos to try?

By prior arrangement we can have for you gliders for demo from the Sky Paragliders range. We can also offer demos for you to try before your trip with us back in the UK.

Will I have my own ensuite bathroom?

All rooms in Morocco have their own ensuite bathrooms. In our villa in Portugal, two of the bedrooms share a bathroom/toilet. The ensuites are allocated to couples and early bookers.

I need a new harness. Can you help?

Yes. We can supply most brands and you can benefit from our Sky client 10% discount.

Is there wifi in the accommodation?

Yes. In all our accommodation free wifi is included.

Do you offer any discount on equipment?

For our clients, yes. We offer a 10% discount on any equipment purchased by our clients, whether before or after attending our courses/holidays.

Do you offer group discounts?

No. We have very limited places on our trips to preserve the quality and experience of your course/holiday and thus our courses are in high demand and always a sell out. However, you can save a few quid if you choose to share your room with a mate.

What's included in a Guided holiday?

• return airport transfers to and from the accommodation
• 6 days professional guiding with some instructional tips & transport
• Morocco - 7 nights half board in your own room. Portugal includes 7 nights in your own room with breakfast plus 3 evening meals and evening alcholic drinks
• towels
• Wifi in accommodation

Which flights shall I book to Agadir - Morocco?

We make only one return AGADIR airport transfer on the saturday so please make sure that your flights fit in with this. Outside of this transfer window you will be expected to make your own way - we can help you with a taxi - cost about £40. Our transport will be leaving AGADIR airport at approx. 20.00 (dont worry, if you are delayed - we will wait - it's not your fault) so please choose your flights to arrive before then (both Easyjet and Ryanair arrive at 19.30ish) You should arrange your flight to depart back home to leave no earlier than 19.00 since we will be arriving at the airport at approx. 17.00 for your return journey (all flights to UK leave at about 19.00-20.00). Airlines that fly return from the UK to Agadir on Saturdays are: EASYJET - Gatwick & Manchester RYANAIR - Stansted

What is a CP Progression Clinic?

Qualifying as a Club Pilot is only the first step on a long journey. Your next steps into the air as an independent pilot are, for sure, exhilarating but there is still so much more to learn to make your progression both safe and enjoyable. That's why I have created my Post CP Progression Clinics, tailored to you to make you a safer & better pilot to tackle the next steps on your path to being an aviator. With a maximum of only 4 pilots per clinic, this ensures that I can tailor my detailed coaching to your needs. Your progression will be accelerated, safe and fun with much of the coaching 1 on 1. I will provide you with the skill set and confidence that will make you a better independent pilot equipped for the challenges that lay ahead - be that thermalling, cross country, confined landings, reading the weather and so on. Pre and post flight briefings are an essential part of the clinic and compliment the in-flight coaching as well as evening video analysis. ​ My Teaching Philosophy People learn in different ways, at different speeds and want to be pushed to different extents and to different levels. Much of paragliding is a mind game. Hence I don’t try and make you conform to a fixed system. I find a system to suit you. Although we laugh, play and fly as a group, as much as I can, I try to keep the coaching one to one. My aim is to teach you to ultimately teach yourself. It all starts in the head and creating an environment where you feel comfortable and safe and up for experimenting is vital. That means sending you up on sites & in conditions where you’re comfortable then further challenged but not terrified and where conditions are consistent so that you can really consolidate the skills I teach you.
Small group power. Many of the techniques, I will teach you 1 on 1. However, in the small group, you may learn as much from others on the course as you do from me! Watching people of a similar standard confront and overcome the same hurdles is powerful and inspirational, as well as being a whole lot of fun.