Ground Handling
1. Reverse Kiting
If the glider falls LEFT, face LEFT, step LEFT and add LEFT HAND brake.
If the glider falls RIGHT, face RIGHT, step RIGHT and add RIGHT HAND brake.
Minimal test
10 clean on each side
2. Forward Kiting
Note using shadow, as well as feel.
Segment 4:44 – 5:33
Minimal test
10 clean crosses with breaks.
5 left and right with rear risers (not as effective as forward leaning)
3. A’s OR Rears’s
Good for strong winds. Note the strange brake switching technique when turning.
Minimal test
10 switches clean. 5 turns.
4. As AND Rears
Rear risers go to dropping side.
Segment: 2:22 – 4:19
Minimal test
10 pitch clean. 10 roll clean.
5. Side (Weight Shift) Kiting
Note how the chest faces to the wind, not the glider.
Minimal test
5 clean – both sides – on flat
5 clean – both sides – on slope
5. Pre-stalling / Stalling
Minimal test
10 clean pre-stall > release
10 clean stall near ground
5. Big ears
Practice going in and out of big-ears on the ground – useful also for big-ears landings.
Minimal test
5 clean
6. Spins (body and wing)
Best with lower rated wings – not competition wings
Minimal test
Take off and land still reversed – 10 clean
Take off forward, then reverse, then forward – 10 clean
Dunes – land with pre-stall > spin – 5 clean
CROSS-TRAINING
Practice switching between forward and reverse ground handling (particularly, switching to reverse if the wing is dropping back), and rear riser steering.
Practice crosses (+) to demonstrate full control.
Combine ground handling with take-offs and landings.
Combine ground handling with kill-wing techniques.
About the Author
Mark Ashton Smith What’s national standard for paragliding in Cornwall - among the best you can find in the country? (1) the coastline 🧗🏼♀️ - the most beautiful in the country. We can enjoy it, explore it, and get good at coastal soaring 🏆 (2) the views 👀from up high - all coastlines of the peninsula that everyone comes to visit all in one panorama - absolutely stunning 🏆 (3) technical tor & small hill, inverted, broken-up, and low base flying 💥- really sharpens XC skills - none of this lobbing into house thermals and climbing to 6-7 grand off the bat. If you lose concentration you’re on the ground. If you can learn to fly XC well in gnarly Cornwall you can fly well anywhere in the UK. 🏆(4) the convergence 🌥🌥🌥 - it’s the best in the UK and if we can fly it, it opens up 150km plus flights and even learning to soar sea breezes gets us in league with that lot around Brighton. 🏆 (5) We got instant access to lots of ace coastal sites/beaches to train at within a short drive which gives us more air time, ground handling skills, and wagga skills (call out to Dunc)🏆,and (6) our sites aren’t busy!! You’ll be lucky to find more than 2 people flying at Carn Brea on a perfect day. In Bodmin moor you’ll be with your mate and that’s it. No crowds. 🏆👌Happy to be in one of the best flying areas in the country - just important not to get pulled into the league numbers games which suits other areas but not ours. Gavin McClurg made the same point. Distance is great but there’s loads of other ways to have top flights. Focus on what’s the very best in your home turf! 🏴☠️
