From April to late October our 'Fly Guiding' service provides pilots with transport to the sites, retrieves, detailed safety information, briefings at both launch and landing areas, information on where the best thermals are, possible XC routes and in-flight safety advice where necessary. This service offers hassle free flying for maximum airtime.
We can tailor the day to your requirements: the perfect fly guiding day would be to set you a competition/XC task with turn points, start and finish gates make sure it's loaded into your GPS. We would fly the task with you and if necessary helping you to find the best thermals, climbs and making sure you utilise the best glides, all via radio. We have a number of XC routes within our local valleys ranging from simple 12 km flights to out and returns, 25 km triangles and cats-cradles up to 50 km all with good land out options.
Before you visit call or email us for a GPS waypoint upload of our local flying area, or we can do this upon your arrival.
We
try and visit a different flying site each day depending upon the weather
and pilot proficiency. The area has a number of excellent sites accessible either by road or cable
car. Details can be found in the 'Sites
Guide' pages.
Ideally we try and complete at least 2 or 3 good flights each day depending upon the itinerary and weather.
Paraglider
'Fly Guiding' clients should have a minimum qualification of BHPA -CPC or
level 2 licence or IPPI 3 with some mountain experience or at least 30 hours
airtime since qualification. All your own gear should include a selection of
clothing for both hot and cool circumstances, good hill walking foot ware and proper flying helmet. Please bring your licence, log book,
instruments and radio if you have one. We have radios for hire if required.
Our licensed radio frequency is 161,325. Don't forget your camera, vario or
GPS computer cables so you can view your pictures on our equipment!
In addition
you require at least 'third party' flying insurance and a holiday insurance
that includes medical, repatriation and cancellation cover.
European citizens should bring an EHIC card the 'European Health Insurance Card' that entitles you to reduced-cost and sometimes free medical treatment if it becomes necessary while you're in a European Economic area (EEA) country. In the UK, 'Air sports Insurance Bureau Ltd' offers holiday insurance if required. Tel. +44 01983 298480 or e-mail to airsports@bhpa.co.uk
The cost for our fly guiding service is from 75 Euros a day or 50 Euros for half day and includes transport to all local drive-to sites and retrieves, though for budding XC pilots retrieves are limited to mainland Europe !
However, we are happy to offer substantial discounts for groups up to 8 pilots where we will charge an all in price of just 250 Euros a day for the local flying. For 8 pilots this equates to only 31,25 Euros or around £26 a day per pilot.
All fly guiding charges shown are for local flying in and around the Chamonix Valley and include transport to and from all the drive-to launch sites and all retrieves, but not cable car costs! An additional charge of 40 Euros a day that covers extra transport costs is made for trips to places like Annecy: this cost is split between all clients in the minibus.
Radio/variometer hire is 40 Euros a week or 8 Euros a day. Reserve parachute hire is 10 Euros a day.
If you are struggling with your thermalling and help is required to help enhance your technique then we could offer you additional tuition at 130 Euros a day. Go to our 'Thermalling Course' page for the details.