Louvain Saddle Paragliding Launch Site

This site is rarely used and is definitely for the more adventure orientated as it includes a nice 4x4 route to get to the site. It's situated next to a viewpoint and the launch area is next to the viewpoint on the saddle below. The view is great and a nice place for a family picnic while you venture out for flight.

Grading:

• Basic 300 flights or 5 sign offs.
• Height: 250m
• Wind Direction Speed: North/NE/NW 15-20km

Dangers:

• Cliff launch,
• Getting blown over the back not a good option.

GPS coordinates:  33°50'9.32"S   22°37'8.80"E

Our Team has a full time Paragliding Woman Tandem Pilot and in high Season we have two lady Pilots a first in South Africa .

Lucille Bueble came up through the ranks and worked very hard to attain her status as one of the very few working female pilots within South Africa . Lucille started as a ground assistant and then started to learn to paraglide and we quickly saw the talent and dedication and enrolled her on a Instructors course . She is now our Manager of our Team and full time Instructor as well as Team pilot . 

Guiding Services :

We offer a variety of paragliding guiding services for flying within the Garden Route and concentrate on mainly the Wilderness , Knysna and Sedgefield sites . We have 20 years of local experience relating to the weather and launch sites . Some of the sites were opened and developed by Deon Borrett and so has intimate knowledge of the lesser know sites like Tolberg , Serpentine and Goose valley .

General guiding : Information on where and when to fly and briefing on site .We offer 2 recovery pick us if landing at the bottom  R 500-00 per day  

Instructional Guiding : we offer Information , Site briefing , and radio input throughout your flights we offer unlimited recovery pickups  : R 500-00 per day and R 300-00 per flight 

SAHPA Paragliding Courses with Dolphin Paragliding school

Travelling in Mozambique is sometimes challenging but still got to be one of the most interesting places to visit in Africa . The road network basically one long road that travels North to South and runs for few thousand kilometers . We entered from Zimbabwe via the town of Mutare and the border crossing was quite easy and soon we were on a good road heading to Vilanculos . Good road means you can travel between 80 km and 100km for long periods . When entering towns or villages always slow down for your own safety and locals safety .Animals like goats and cattle are always ready to cross the road and dogs are all over the towns . We overnighted at Buffalo camp which is a well run camp in the middle of the route between Mutare and Vilanculos .  We arrived the next day and stayed at Alex's place a perfect spot for us we had two launches within walking distances and a sea view . The rate for the stay was really cheap and comfortable and Alex is a great host . From here we explored the area and flew from Dugong Beach a peninsula across the bay . We had to use a Zodiac operated by local adventure operator to reach this point .

We are already recruiting for the next Tour in 2016 of Reunion Island .

Come join us on the tropical Island where all types of adventure are waiting and where the flying is easy and the water is warm . We will organize the whole trip all you have to do is say yes and we ensure you have a great time . From hiking to Volcanos to swimming in blue waterfalls we will enjoy this Island together . With wonderful sunsets and a beer in hand all the stress and worries are no more . Yes there is the flying daily lets not forget about that I mean this is a flying Tour after all . Easy conditions to explore your skills and we will run XC / Sport License and Tandem courses right over here . Join us and have the time of your life.

Paragliding Tours South Africa : Cape Town  : Porterville : Garden Route

Dolphin Paragliding Tours offers excellent opportunity to travel and paraglide in South Africa . Groups can rely on us to have the complete tour ready including transport , accommodation and guiding services of the highest quality . We can offer Tours in English , Dutch , German and on request French . We typically tour in the Summer months and any time from October -March you can get get good flying in South Africa . We offer Tours to Reunion in September and October months .

Our tours start in Cape Town and will include Hermanus , Porterville and the Garden Route for a mixture of coastal soaring and some thermic XC flying . Our guides are highly qualified instructors and know the sites intimately . We average between 15-35 years experience per guide . We can do special trips that combine Game viewing and other Adventure activities as one of the guides is a specialist in wildlife . We also offer Mixed Tours in April - June Period which is adventure 4x4 trips to Namibia and Botswana with some flying where possible .We have all the experience and knowledge to make your trips enjoyable and stress free . We also offer guiding locally where we stay in the Garden Route . Please contact us for any further information and we can quote you per group size and length of tour . We are flexible and are willing to do trips to any sites and places in Southern Africa . We have experience of flying in Mozambique and Zimbabwe as well .

Tours Reunion Island 7-14 days July Holiday

If you are in interesting in booking this tour please contact us

Namibia 14-21 days July August

If you are in interesting in booking this tour please contact us

We headed up to Zimbabwe via the north of the Kruger Park and via Mozambique to arrive in the Gonarezhou National Park . Transition from Kruger Park South Africa into Mozambique coincided with the lack of any wildlife which included birds and made me wonder why they had opened the border fences to allow game to get poached freely on Mozambique land . After some border issues and usual nonsense we entered  Zimbabwe and stayed our first night in Gonarezhou park and had some nice visitors to the campsite in the form of a pack of hyenas ;we also heard a lion roaring happily away .We stayed another night in one of the most scenic campsites I have camped in and headed off to Chimanimani . The road was long and mixed from really  good road to really bad roads with many pot holes . We eventually arrived in Chimanimani National Park and began our first quest to climb and fly off the top of the peak called Mount Binga the highest point in Mozambique . Our team consisted of my brother and his life partner , myself and our guide Thomas . We overnighted at a great hut with a view of a valley that was glorious in its beauty . Well rested we set off on what was expected to be a journey of 3 -4 hours climbing up a steep path . The guide led us another path for some reason only known to him and we met some illegal gold diggers who seemed to influence the decision of dear Thomas and we got properly off the path . Eventually one of the Gold Diggers who obviously knew the mountain showed us the way through big boulders and thick shrubs which took its toll on our bodies . We arrived on the top after 5 hours  of hard hiking somewhat tired and subdued . I had run out of water and the team was low as well . Flying was an option but with no water and maybe a big outlanding and another serious hike in the mix and our team not in the best of shape as my brother was battling after effects of serious flu we decided to walk down . The hike and view is awesome the mountains very rugged and a great place to stay for at least 4 days and hike the surrounds . Paragliding is also an option as there were some various options that could be explored . The major problem is launching into wind from Mt Binga might mean landing in Mozambique and having to hike up Skeleton Gorge or flying with no wind and gliding down to Zimbabwe side . We left the area to head up the highlands to the north and climb Mount Nyangani the highest mountain in Zimbabwe . We arrived in area and found some accommodation near Worlds View a really beautiful launch site which explored during the afternoon . Encountering some vehicle problems we headed to Mutari and had a flight from Honda Valley site which a very scenic with some awesome rock cliff faces nearby . We did not know the site or area so were conservative in our approach and did not head out on a XC flight . Potential is massive here for some real exploring but communications and retrieval must be planned as road network is maze of dirt tracks and roads and potential for getting lost all day is there .We landed near the main tar road nearby (5km) and had excited kids swarming us with welcomes . I would love to come explore this region and fly the escarpment that has some nice waterfalls that one can fly past . We fixed the car and headed for Mount Nyangani .We overnighted and we were ready to hike and fly by 06h00 . We reached the peak quite easily and the walk was around 1h30 to the top of Mount Nyangani the Highest point in Zimbabwe .I passed many potential launch site for the SW , W , NW directions with easy landings and awesome views . The Trade Winds seem to reach this mountain range and we had a strongish easterly blowing . Launching is possible in the Easterly directions but outlanding at bottom of escarpment is a long trip to recover of around 140 km as there are no direct roads from Mt Nyangani . The wind increased in strength so a lee side into thermal launch was not wise option for us and 10-12 hours of recovery was also not an option with the logistics at hand . Ideally we need two vehicles and 6-8 persons with 2 ground crew and drivers . Next time hey .We enjoyed a freezing night camping (I was toasty warm in my mountain gear and sleeping bag ) and then headed to Mozambique 2000 m below and and 30 deg C warmer ..next story begins soon .

We offer an comprehensive  Paragliding Sports License course for all those pilots looking to progress to become Tandem pilots or fly international competitions .

Course Curricululm 

Sports License Course September 2015

Theoretical part;

Theory held by Jorg Bueble

Date: 26./27. of Septerber 2015

Location: Lecture room Rondevlei, held in Power point with embedded videos

If the weather is good for flying then we might split the theory lessons to both days

from 8.00am to 12.00pm, otherwise one full day.

Duration: 7-8 hours in total

Theory subjects:

Equipment:

• Material used in modern paragliders

• Glider certification today, ratings, use of this gliders, danger, performance

• Choosing the right glider and ego decision

Aerodynamics

• Airflow, wing profile, lift forces

• Airpspeed, Wind speed, Ground speed

• Aspect ratio

• Drag forces and what they do

• Polar (performance) Curve

• Turn forces

• Paragliding design; aspect ratio, wing loading

Airlaw:

• Structure and Governance of Paragliding in South Africa

• Sports License theoretical and practical requirements

• Privilege of a Sports license rating domestic and international

• Annual checks after Manufacturer specification and South African Law

and how they are done

• General rules

• Airspace structure in South Africa

• Visual Flight Rule (VFR) minima inside South African Airspace

• Administrative and Criminal offences in Aviation (Paragliding) in South Africa

• SAHPA Manual of Procedures

Flying Skills (Practical aspect)

• Flight planning

• X-country; planning, landing, weather, airspace

• Different types of landing approach and techniques

• Special flight situations and how to act and react

• Water and obstacle landings

• Parachutal (deep) stall; how to recognize and react

• Full Stall

Big ears and how to do them efficient (accelerated and without)

• B-line Stall; Execution, Glider reaction and exit. Errors and danger

• Deep Spiral Dive; Execution, Glider behaviour and exit techniques, errors/dangers

• Active flying; why and how

• Asymmetrical collapse; Aerodynamics and reaction

• Frontal collapse; Aerodynamics and reaction

• Reserve deployment; When to deploy and how

Meteorology

• Atmosphere

• Cloud classification

• temperature gradient, inversion, stable/unstable conditions

• Air pressure

• Air density

• Global circulation

• High pressure/low pressure systems in the southern hemisphere

• Warm fronts, Cold fronts;

• Turbulence

• Wind and thermals

• Whirlwind, how they develop and dangers for paragliding

• Thermal structure

• Techniques to core the thermal

• Wind system in the mountains

• Dynamic flying (Soaring)

• Thunderstorms; development and danger

• In which meteorological conditions not to fly

• Micro climate at the coast (Garden Route)

The Theory course will touch most aspects of the Sports License exam. Some of

the subjects are refreshers from the Basic License course which are important to

know.

Please bring a copy of your SAHPA license and log book to the theory

Performance flying Practical part;

Instructors: Jorg Bueble/Deon Borrett

Date: weather permitting a weekend in October 2015

Location: Porterville

Accommodation: Can be organized by us at cost.

Transport: Limited space available at cost sharing.

Duration: 2 Full days,

Practical flight manoeuvres as per SAHPA License Manual/MOP

3

• Pendulum; Pitch and Roll control/stabilizing

• Point of stall (incipient, not a actual stall)

• Asymmetrical and symmetrical wing tugs

• B-line stall

• Butterfly Stroke landing

The practical course covers the practical manoeuvres for the Sports license which

are required.

Please note that this is a performance training and not a SIV course. We do not

teach and practice full stalls, deep spirals etc. over ground.

All pilots participating must have a glider not rated higher than EN-B or LTF 1-2

We will have modern EN-A certified gliders available should you not be sure to fly

the manoeuvres with EN-B high end glider.

Tandem Paragliding :South Africa : Garden Route with SAHPA rated instructor .

TANDEM PARAGLIDING FLIGHT

We operate from the Garden Route and are flying near towns of George, Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Sedgefield. The majority of our flights are done between Sedgefield and Wilderness.

Tandem flying is fun, safe and easy. Within in a few minutes you could be flying like an eagle.

A SAHPA tandem rated pilot will fly with you and you can sit-back and relax while you share the joy of flying with them. Anyone can do it from 3 years to 100 years old. Perfect gift voucher.

Cost: R 850 -00 ( Photos and video and extra R 250-00 includes 4GB card )

  Video Tandem Flight

TANDEM FLIGHT ADVENTURE

This is a longer flight with detailed instruction and a chance to fly yourself in a controlled and safe environment.

 The Instructor will give you chance to handle control toggles and guide you so that you will fly the paraglider safely.

R 1450 -00   (Photos and video is extra R 250-00 includes 4GB SD card .)

  Video of Tandem Adventure Flight

TANDEM POWERED TRIKE FLIGHTS

 We operate from the Garden Route and are flying near towns of George, Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Sedgefield.The majority of our flights are done between Sedgefield and Wilderness.

Tandem Trike flying is fun, safe and easy. Within in a few minutes you could be flying high in the sky. With the Trike flight one can explore the coast and search for marine life like dolphins, sharks, whales, rays and even turtles.

This Trike flight is ideal for photography and video shoots. It's also great for those persons who are not so mobile and is wheelchair friendly. All flights include free video or photos. Perfect gift voucher.

Cost: R 2500 - ( Includes Pics & HD Video on 4gb card.)

  Video Trike Paragliding Flight

Dolphin Paragliding Team for 2015 is a great team of veteran pilots working together with a motivated groundcrew that offer a professional Tandem flight experience . Dolphin Paragliding operating for 15 years with any major incident or accident . Well done to whole Team .