Paragliding Greece

Posts Tagged ‘thermalling’

28.10. – 06.11.2023

Fly Tour South Peloponnese & more

smooth thermals & juicy meals & wild landscapes

a fascinating flying holiday experience with Olympic Wings

picture impressions from the *South FlyTour 2022*

We have selected climate and geo diverse flying sites of the mountains in the south of Greece that have been chosen by pilots from all over Europe for their interesting climate and beautiful landscapes.

Fantastic thermal conditions with diverse geological aspects and great XC possibilities at all of the sites.

We will not only take you between take offs and landings but most important support you from our own experience of competition and XC flying in the area with key information to understand and make the best use of the local weather systems and route options always with safety.

This tour takes you paragliding at remote new flying areas with a surprise itinerary specially designed by the Olympic Wings team.

We visit destinations in South Greece that offer great thermal and cross country flying over original landscapes plus coastal flights with impressive sea views – not missing a day of flying.

We can ensure you will enjoy your days flying at the different sites and improve your skills.

Pilots flying with us experience thermal technical flying in addition to smooth flights into the sunset. 

Flexibility and organizational backup, to combine areas across regions with minimum transport time further based on the weather allow us to meet each flying site at the best conditions.

A holiday nonetheless, we travel comfortable through welcoming villages and small towns. We rest nicely in newly-renovated hotels and high quality guesthouses with fresh breakfast, near the sea or on the mountain near the take off.

Suggestions and tips for lovely meals every evening from local-made products to enjoy in a relaxing ambiance.

Greece is a country with a rich natural environment on a grand European peninsula that dives into the Mediterranean sea, surrounded by thousands of floating islands. 

The Peloponnese peninsula has a mountainous interior and deeply indented coasts. It possesses four south-pointing peninsulas, the Messenian, the Mani, the Cape Malea – also known as Epidaurus Limera, and the Argolid in the far northeast of the Peloponnese.

Mount Taygetus in the south is the highest mountain in the Peloponnese, at 2.407 m. Οther important mountains include Cyllene in the northeast, Aroania in the north, Erymanthos and Panachaikon in the northwest, Mainalon in the center and Parnon in the southeast.

Fly with us around South Greece!

Some of the main flying areas:

• Peloponnese
• Delphi
• Athens

Flying impressions:

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Organization:

Olympic Wings offers the complete organization of the trip, for all of the pilots individually, making sure the trip runs smoothly while allowing flexibility for the best flying.

Accommodation for all pilots is at selected locations which further allow flexibility and comfort after the days flying.

Read more about it here > Services

We adhere to the legal formalities and local rules and regulations.

You can book the surprise Flying tour together with your accommodation and transfers directly through Olympic Wings. 
You are welcome to extend your travel time and stay with us longer.

For bookings and any further information please contact us.

Olympic Wings
Paragliding Center & Paragliding Holidays in Greece
email: info@olympicwings.com
Stelios mobile: +30-6942215980
Claudia mobile: +30-6986810618

2023 dates for our North Greece flying tours:

from 01.04. to 10.04.2023 – North East *Drama*
&
from 24.06. to 02.07.2023 – North West *Epirus*

further information: North Greece Flying Tour

Have a look and enjoy our pictures & impressions from this years flying tours in North Greece!

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Enjoy the pictures from the XC & Thermalling Seminar with Antoine Girard & Olympic Wings
2022 at Kaimaktsalan mountain:

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Picture impressions from the sucessfull first XC seminar with Antoine and Olympic Wings Paragliding Greece at Mount Olympus in 2021.

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from 28.08. to 04.09.2021

XC & Thermalling Seminar with Antoine Girard

We are very excited to see Antoine Girard paragliding in Greece, flying together with us and our pilots at Mount Olympus.

Deep knowledge in performance flying and the XC & Thermalling Seminar framework will open the horizons of ability for any level pilot.

The seminar aims at the development of paraglider pilots to perform better at flying thermals and long distance flying by receiving on point guidance.

Seminar topics:

• Tips & guidance to help you climb fast and efficiently
• In-depth directions to flying the flatlands and mountains
• Advise to keep you safe while flying near clouds and terrain
• Skills and tactics to help you fly bigger xc distances
• How-to plan your next cross country & tips on flying new unknown areas
• Straight-forward illustrations to help you maximize flying conditions
• Psychological techniques to help you perform at your best
• Benefits of adjusting your gear & insights into modern design features

on Thermalling:

• How-to search and where to find thermals
• Different techniques at thermalling
• Simple explanations of diverse wind and thermal flow patterns
• Flying with turbulence & active piloting guidelines
• Tips for take off in thermal conditions with stronger wind
  
• Tribute on altitude awareness & decent techniques
• Flying alone and thermalling with other pilots
• Fine tuning your landing in thermal conditions
• First steps to flying XC

Program:

• Introduction and establishment of pilot levels
• Review of pilot equipment
• Area briefing and weather
• Daily tasks and group flights with radio
• Daily debrief on individual and group basis
• Final seminar assessment and summary
  

The course will run in the English language.

Presentations by Antoine Girard:

• Bivouac flights in the Himalayas
• XC in the Himalayas and foreign countries & preparation
• How to beat your personal XC record with management of stress, fatigue, risks
• Choose your equipment for XC flying
• How to optimize cross country flying alone, in a group
• Pilot questions and answers

about Antoine Girard:

Antoine Girard, born in south France, is an active paragliding pilot and adventurer with career focus on cross country flying, bivouac and hike & fly paragliding.

Known in the paragliding world as a respected competition pilot with strong performance in the Red Bull X-Alps competitions and entries in 2013 and 2015. 

In 2019 he set a world record in paragliding, in altitude gain of 5.753 meters during flight.

He made the first crossing of the Andes Cordillera in paragliding from Santiago to Argentina, two flights over Aconcagua 7.100 m. the highest peak in America.

He has large experience in flying new challenging terrain with many paragliding expeditions at the furthest corners of the earth.

Great paragliding accomplishments have led him from the European Alps to higher mountains, worlds’ highest peaks and glorious landscapes in New Zealand, Pakistan, The Himalayas, Peru and Chile in South America.

He has put together and released many paragliding films that follow his explorations and achievements set in extraordinary scenery.

In 2016 Antoine embarked on an incredible journey.

On July 23 during a 20-day and 1.260 kilometres solo expedition in the heart of the Himalayas, Antoine Girard flew over the summit of Broad Peak and reached the Record Altitude of 8.157 m.

Antoine published his book about this experience  In flight towards the 8.000  detailing his efforts on this epic flying adventure. EN VOL VERS LES 8000 is currently released in the french language.

about Olympic Wings team flying support:

Olympic Wings instructors organize year after year paragliding holidays, tours and seminars for the progression of pilots. They are certified professionals in paragliding and active pilots themselves for more than 28 years.

Stelios, the founder of Olympic Wings, is a FAI-certified paragliding instructor well experienced in teaching and guiding international students and pilots at Mt Olympus and across Greece to expand their knowledge and enjoy flying in safety.

Claudia is a certified APPI paragliding instructor, active pilot since 1991 registered with DHV, flying competitions in the whole of Greece and with flying experience in Europe. She’s been a leading member of the Olympic Wings team providing excellent theoretical knowledge and active tutoring for students and pilots flying with us.

More information about us and our growing team in this link Olympic Wings.

We are with you to define what is hindering your performance, how to expand your flying experience the most and perfect your skills.

Motivated to advance your level of piloting with substantial knowledge so you evolve as a pilot – grow your sense of safety and certainty.

Previous XC seminars under Olympic Wings signature:

article XC seminar with Bruce Goldsmith at Olympus   
video Bruce Goldsmith – Cloudsurfing Olympus    
article XC seminar with Michael Nesler
XC seminar with Christoph Burger
XC seminar with Simon Kirsch

Location:

The large flatland area of Thessaly towards the south offers a big potential for open distance and triangle XC flights. A rewarding flight is the cross country towards the Aegean Sea on the eastern side of Olympus with a beach landing.

The main take-off for the XC & Thermalling seminar is located on the western side of Mount Olympus, on top of the village Kalivia. It is called Tourtofolia and provides take-off directions towards west, south and east at a height of 1.250 m. Several paragliding and hanggliding competitions up to world cup level have been organized here already.  

Organization:

Olympic Wings organizes the seminar at Mount Olympus and offers accommodation and all transfers during the flying days for all the individual pilots taking part at the seminar.

All necessary retrievals from XC flights are included in the transfers.

The pilots accommodation is located in the area close to the flying site with short drives to the take-off.

You can book the XC & thermalling seminar together with your accommodation and transfers directly through Olympic Wings.  

For bookings and any further information please contact us.

Olympic Wings
Paragliding Center & Paragliding Holidays in Greece
email: info@olympicwings.com
tel.: +30-23520-41741  
Stelios mobile: +30-6942215980
 

from 17.04. to 24.04.2021
from 03.07. to 10.07.2021
from 30.10. to 06.11.2021

Single Skin Paragliding Advanced Course

This specialty course in paragliding is aimed at pilots already flying who wish to perform hike & fly with focus on the features and techniques attributed to Single Skin paragliders.

Single Skin paragliders are specially designed one-surface canopy gliders further EN certified by the same standards as traditional paragliders.

This modern design contrasts the idea of the wide profile canopy that is created by top and bottom panels reinforced with internal diagonals. 

Effect of this original careful construction and choice of high end materials, is the low weight and compact abilities giving pilots the advantage to travel outdoor and combine activities in nature.

Single Skin paragliders are reliable, ultra light and playful. They are perfect for nature enthusiasts, active travelers, mountaineers and adventurers.

Mountaineering is first to include the notion of hike & fly paragliding, considering how paragliding was invented so hikers could fly down mountain slopes instead.

Hike & fly major result is the ability to cover more ground – explore far distances on foot and remote terrain by air. 

The course is organized and offered by 
Olympic Wings Paragliding School & Center
– with constant and complete operation as a paragliding professional –
worldwide recognized since 1995 
for paragliding holidays & tours, beginner & performance courses, special seminars
and tandem paragliding flights.

More information about our growing team and Olympic Wings qualified paragliding instructors in this link -> About us

Course itinerary overview

Theory lessons in

• Equipment set up
• Preparation for flying
• Aerodynamics
• Meteorology and topography
• Risk analysis and dangerous situations

Learn about

• Equipment combination review
• Manage gear characteristics equivalent to performance
• Plan procedure for the activity trip
• Weather observation & analysis in forecast and real time
• Factual guidelines to mountaineering and safety

Practical lessons in

• How to prepare the glider and overall equipment
• Glider ground control
• Take off techniques / Launch stand-by and cancellation 
• Flights with and without turns, maneuvers with single surface gliders
• Active flying techniques and thermalling behavior
• Steering and breaking the glider
• Intro & explanation to fast decent techniques with Single Skin gliders
• Controlled landings & landing approach methodology

Olympic Wings paragliding equipment is modern following the latest technical designs and materials, continuously checked and EN certified for paragliding.
Our students train with a complete set of reliable flying gear including
a newest model single surface glider!

Location:

Olympus with its highest peak Mytikas – 2.918 m – is the highest mountain range in Greece and the famous home of the Greek Gods. It is located directly next to the Aegean Sea with long coast lines and sandy beaches.

Our flying area – with more than 15 take off’s – covers the three named mountains Pieria, Olympus and Kissavos that form a longer range parallel to the sea separated by impressive valleys and high plateaus.

These mountains protect our area throughout the year from strong meteorological winds so developing their own local wind systems which we use for flying.

The many different flying sites offer particularly great training experience as they present for pilots each their own diverse flying conditions.

Those who are interested for alternative dates and/or private lessons are welcome to place their request.

For bookings and any further information please contact us.

Olympic Wings
Paragliding Center & Paragliding Holidays in Greece
email: info@olympicwings.com
tel.: +30-23520-41741
Stelios mobile: +30-6942215980

Tandem flying with students

Impressions on Mount Olympus & Olympic Wings flying areas