Anyone who can launch and land safely and independently can attend. There is no minimum flying-hour requirement. I adapt the course to your experience, confidence, goals, previous trauma and tolerance of G force. Students have ranged from pilots with approximately two hours to pilots with around 6,000 hours.
100 questions
FAQs
No minimum qualification or licence is required. However, third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory.
There is no strict currency requirement. However, the more current you are, the less apprehension and mental load you are likely to experience when you begin the course.
Yes. Pure is structured as a wing-control and progression course. The aim is to understand manoeuvres through pilot actions, situational awareness and strong fundamentals, rather than simply completing a manoeuvre checklist.
Yes. I train the British Paragliding Racing Academy on Enzos, have more than 1,700 hours on two-liners and can coach the full range of manoeuvres on advanced and competition wings.
Yes. Working with fear and previous flying trauma is one of my specialist areas. We identify your triggers, use progressive exposure and work entirely at your pace. Unlocking one significant fear produces more long-term progression than rushing through a list of exercises.
The minimum age is 16. There is no maximum age, but every student must be honest about their health and their ability to manage a long course day.
You do not need a high level of fitness. Launch is only a few minutes' walk from the car park. Days can be long, you will handle your equipment and some exercises involve higher G forces, so general fitness will make the experience easier.
No. You will wear supplied flotation, and the rescue boat is ready to reach you quickly if you land in the water.
Yes. You can tell me privately by email or during the morning briefing. If a condition could affect your ability to participate safely, you should seek medical advice before attending. Once I know about it, I can adapt your learning experience appropriately.
No. Pregnant pilots cannot participate in the course.
Yes, provided the condition does not prevent the pilot from flying safely or participating fully in the course environment.
You must be able to hear and understand radio instructions clearly throughout the flight. Pilots with hearing loss may attend if their own earpiece or communication system allows them to receive instructions reliably. If the hearing loss prevents reliable radio communication, participation is not possible.
The course is not about completing a fixed list of manoeuvres. Manoeuvres are tools that help us develop pilot actions, situational awareness and the fundamentals. You may complete many manoeuvres, or we may spend longer on fewer exercises to establish a particular pilot action. The objective is to give you the awareness and actions required for safe future progression. You can find out more here www.pureparagliding.com/pure-method
No. You never have to perform a manoeuvre you do not want to do. An optional test reserve deployment is available over the fresh water of Lake Annecy.
Of course. You remain pilot in command throughout the course. You can decline or stop any exercise, and you will never be pressured into doing something you do not feel ready for.
We discuss your goals at the beginning of the course. I then assess your current strengths, weaknesses and next useful progression step. Your programme is built around that destination.
No. One student may be focused on cross-country flying, another on acro, another on 2-liner exercises, and another on rebuilding confidence after an incident. Everyone arrives with different experience, goals, fears and mental load.
We take the time you need. I use manoeuvres to draw out the required fundamentals, and we only progress when the next step is useful for you.
It is broader than either label. The objective is to make you a safer, more efficient and more capable pilot. The Pure Method is a holistic framework covering wing movement, pre-pilotage, pilotage, SIV and acro. It contains the manoeuvres found in a conventional SIV course, but examines them in greater detail and explicitly connects wing behaviour with pilot actions. You can find out more here: www.pureparagliding.com/pure-method
Yes. We can work on a fear or on the effects of a previous collapse, reserve deployment or other flying incident. Tailored exercises and progressive exposure allow us to work through any previous negitive experiences.
Yes. We can work on two-liner-specific exercises and recovery techniques, develop confidence using the B controls through their usable range and help you unlock more of the wing's potential.
The strongest results normally come from a do-review-integrate-return structure. Two days followed by a rest or independent-flying day and then another two days can be very effective. Another option is three days one week followed by two days the next. The gap allows you to decompress, begin integrating the learning and return as current as you have ever been. This is when we see the greatest improvements.
The first day starts between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. Subsequent days start between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. Once we leave the classroom, we remain out until the end-of-day video debrief. Bring everything you need for the day in a bag that can stay in the van: food, water, spare clothing, sun cream and weather-appropriate layers. On an efficient day we may finish around 5:00 p.m. If we need to wait for weather windows, the day can continue until approximately 7:30-8:00 p.m.
The course price includes two flights per day. We always aim for three when conditions and operations allow, but the third flight is not guaranteed. If fewer than two flights are completed, you will receive a refund or course credit. You can find out the exact amounts in our T&Cs: www.pureparagliding.com/terms-and-conditions
Standard SIV and wing-control groups have a maximum of eight students. XC coaching groups have a maximum of four.
Yes. A minimum of four students is required. Courses normally fill well in advance. However, if Pure has to cancel because there are insufficient participants, you will be offered a transfer to another course, course credit or a refund.
I remain in radio communication with you throughout your flight. As you enter the manoeuvre box, I refresh the briefing. When an exercise is new, I can guide you through it in real time. We then debrief the attempt, set a new focus and repeat. As your understanding develops, I progressively step back so that you can perform the action independently.
Yes. Every flight is recorded. Video debriefing is included in the course price, and you receive your videos after the course.
Yes. Every flight includes an individual brief-attempt-debrief cycle. Once everyone has landed, we also complete a group debrief and brief the next flight.
Yes. There are hours of pre-course learning hosted on ActiveAir. Mandatory content includes safety, the site briefing and a reserve deployment/throwing video. You must also complete the required knowledge and test before attending. Failure to watch the mandatory pre-course content will result in you missing the first flight while you get up to speed.
Yes. Your access to the online learning material continues after your course, allowing you to review the content as you integrate what you have learned. You will retain access until the beginning of the following course season.
Yes. The course is one step within your wider flying progression. Post-course feedback and exercises help you integrate the lessons into normal flying.
English, American and Australian.
You must understand spoken English well enough to receive briefings and respond safely to radio instructions during flight. The stronger your English comprehension, the more you are likely to gain from the detailed briefings, coaching and video debriefs.
Bring your own wing, harness with certified back protection, reserve repacked within the last year, certified helmet EN966 or EN1077, suitable gloves and a buff. You should train on the equipment you normally fly so that you learn how your own setup behaves. Gloves are mandatory because pulling collapses can cause line burns. A buff helps keep the supplied radio earpiece secure.
Yes. You must be within the manufacturer’s specified weight range for your wing, harness, reserve and all other relevant equipment.
EN 966 is the airborne-sports standard covering paragliding and hang gliding. EN 1077 covers alpine ski and snowboard helmets. Both are accepted. Lightweight climbing helmets are not, it will void your insurance.
No. Equipment hire is not available. We do have spare wings and harnesses that allow you to continue if your own equipment gets wet after a water landing.
Your reserve must have been repacked within the previous 12 months.
Yes. We can repack your reserve after a practice deployment for an additional charge.
Yes. A reserve repack can be added when booking your course. Remove the reserve from your harness the night before the course and leave it laid out to air. On the first morning, bring it in a bag together with its deployment bag and reserve handle. We will repack it ready for use on the course.
Yes. On the first morning we review your equipment and reserve system, including checking that the reserve can deploy correctly. It is your responsibility to make sure all of your equipment is airworthy and has been serviced when needed.
Your harness must have certified back protection.
Yes. Lightweight wings and harnesses are accepted, provided the harness has certified back protection.
Use the harness you normally fly. Both pod and seated harnesses are acceptable. The important thing is to understand how your familiar equipment behaves.
Bring both if practical. We can use the three-liner for collapses and collapse-to-rotation work, then use the two-liner for two-liner-specific exercises.
Bring collapse lines if you have them, but there are many useful exercises we can complete without them. Collapse lines must be correctly fitted before you arrive because there is no course time available to install them. You are responsible for the installation. Pure cannot check, approve or accept liability for its correctness.
No. We provide a 270N life jacket and a float for your reserve handle.
No. We provide a waterproof radio, waterproof pouch and earpiece.
Yes. You can use your own radio earpiece or built-in earpiece system if you prefer.
Yes, but it must not be attached to your helmet because it could snag the lines. A cockpit mount or, with an open harness, a leg mount can provide useful footage.
Yes. Remove your phone, flight instruments, valuables and any unnecessary cockpit equipment before flying.
Check the weather and temperature before travelling. Bring sensible footwear, appropriate layers, sun protection, suitable gloves and spare clothing for a long day outside.
It is not mandatory for the course, but it is a useful piece of general flying safety equipment and is recommended.
Equipment damage must be claimed through your own insurance.
There has been one student reserve deployment on my courses during the last three years. As with all aviation the risk is never zero but with a structured approach you are at far less risk of loosing control.
We use a rescue safety procedure, a safety boat and rescue board. Students wear supplied flotation and use supplied waterproof radio communication. I am first-aid qualified.
Yes. Exercises take place over the fresh water in Annecy - France and Cromwell - New Zealand, and salt water in Oludeniz - Turkey.
The water-rescue procedure begins immediately, and the safety boat reaches you quickly. You will already be wearing supplied flotation.
Usually, yes. There is a dedicated area beside the lake for drying equipment, and replacement equipment is available to help you continue the course. Wet equipment can normally be dried and the reserve repacked ready for the following morning.
Progression is gradual and adapted to your current confidence, stress and mental load. My aim is to keep you within an optimal learning zone, rather than pushing you into overload. A very confident pilot may progress further in the available time, but every student receives what is useful at their present stage.
No. You remain pilot in command and can decline any exercise. Useful learning requires an appropriate level of challenge, not excessive pressure.
You can miss a flight or sit out for the rest of the day. Safety and useful learning take priority over completing every flight. If you know you suffer from motion sickness, try experimenting before the course with different medications and different doses to find out if something works for you. I use crystalised ginger but it doesn't work for everyone. In one controlled study of seasickness, 1 g of ginger produced a 72% protection index against vomiting compared with placebo group.
You may stop at any time, but no refund is available when you voluntarily choose not to continue after the course has begun.
SIV can often operate successfully when the general forecast looks poor or when normal recreational flying would not be worthwhile. The Lake Annecy valley can create a protected local bubble in several wind directions, and short usable windows between showers may be enough to complete flights. We assess the actual local conditions and only operate when we judge them suitable. A poor general forecast does not automatically mean the course cannot run.
No news is good news. If you have not heard from us, the course is going ahead as planned. Mountain forecasts can change significantly overnight, so weather-related cancellations or changes are communicated the day before. Weather questions more than two days before the course will not be answered.
We will contact you by email and through the course communication group - WhatsApp or Telegram.
Two completed flights constitute a full course day. We always aim for three when possible, but the third is not guaranteed. If fewer than two flights are completed, the unfulfilled portion will be handled through a partial refund or credit towards another course. You can find out more in our T&C's: www.pureparagliding.com/terms-and-conditions
They can be, after discussion with the students. Theory is normally most valuable once you have completed relevant flights and can relate the material to your own experience. On the first day, everyone still attends the mandatory morning briefing and equipment checks. If that day cannot be flown, I generally cancel the remaining day rather than replace it with extensive theory.
Flexible travel is optional and may provide reassurance. Lake Annecy is highly reliable for this type of operation, but no mountain-flying course can guarantee the weather.
Yes, unless Pure has officially told you that the course is cancelled or changed. The forecast may change overnight, and apparently poor weather can still produce suitable local flying windows. If you decide not to attend because of the forecast but the course goes ahead, no refund will be provided.
No. However, you are responsible for arranging your own transport between your accommodation and the course meeting point, and for arriving at the meeting point on time each day.
Yes. Once the course day begins, Pure provides transport by nine-seat minibus. You are responsible for travelling between your accommodation and the course meeting point.
No. Pure does not provide or arrange airport transfers. Bus services are available and you can find current routes and timetables online. You are responsible for making your own way to the course meeting point.
Yes. We strongly recommend arriving at least one day before your course. This gives you time to decompress from normal life, recover from travel fatigue or jet lag and acclimatise to the area before training begins.
Your welcome email contains a link to the pre-course content. The meeting time and full joining instructions are provided there.
The first-morning safety briefing and equipment check are mandatory and must be completed before you can fly. If you arrive late, you may miss the first flight while your briefing and equipment check are completed. Please plan to arrive early.
Yes. A bag with food, drink, spare clothing and other valuables can be left in the minibus while you fly.
The price includes Pure Method instruction and syllabus; Malin instructing from the safety boat; an instructor on launch or towing and towing-boat operation; life jacket and reserve-handle float; waterproof radio, pouch and earpiece; hours of ActiveAir pre-course learning; all flight recordings and video debriefing; your videos after the course; and two/three flights per day.
Accommodation, food, travel to the course area, personal travel insurance and equipment-damage insurance are not included. Accommodation may be booked separately through Pure, subject to availability.
Yes. A range of accommodation options is available to registered course participants. Details and booking information are provided after you book your course.
Yes. Your course and accommodation are separate bookings and are subject to separate availability and booking conditions.
Yes. A partner may stay with a registered course participant without attending the course.
You will be responsible for arranging your own accommodation, but we can provide a range of alternative recommendations.
Yes. Accommodation is a separate booking and has its own cancellation terms.
Yes. Registered course participants can book a parking space for a campervan, motorhome or camping-car through the private accommodation link provided after booking. Spaces are subject to availability, and a partner may stay in the vehicle with you. Vehicles must be no longer than seven metres and no wider than a standard integral motorhome. Electricity is included, but you must bring your own electrical hookup cable. Toilets are available, but there are no showers. Drinking water can be made available. Children and pets are not permitted. There are no facilities for disposing of grey water or chemical-toilet waste.
For groups of 6-8 you can pay in two instalments by emailing us with the dates. For bookings of less than 6 people, the full course price is payable when booking.
Payment is made by bank card securely online.
Pure does not provide refunds when a student cancels. We strongly recommend optional Meetch cancellation insurance, which offers 100% reimbursement under its own policy terms. You can find out more information here: www.pureparagliding.com/cancellation-protection
Yes, subject to availability. You can transfer to another course date or to another person. If another person takes the place, we need their full details and you will have to share the link to the pre-course content with them.
Yes. You can book multiple places, up to all eight standard course places. There is no group discount.
Yes, by enquiry. A private course costs close to the amount required to operate a complete group course, so it is considerably more expensive than an individual group place.
Yes. Cancellations and newly available places are announced on our chanel. https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbDH6LuBlHpfzEmGV31N
Yes. Send an enquiry and we can organise one.
No. You do not specifically need FFVL insurance. However, third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory.
Third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory. Your cover must be valid in the country where the course takes place. You are responsible for checking that your policy covers the type of training you are booking, including SIV or wing-control training where applicable.
Third-party liability insurance covering paragliding is mandatory. Travel insurance is not mandatory, but it may provide additional cover for medical expenses, cancellation, equipment loss or damage and other travel risks. It is your responsibility to choose a suitable policy and check whether it covers paragliding and SIV. Pure does not advise on or administer personal travel policies.
No. Overseas pilots do not specifically need FFVL insurance, but they must have third-party liability insurance that covers paragliding and is valid in the country where the course takes place.
Yes we can supply a certificate or sign your log book if it is a requirement by your natinal qualification system.
100 questions
FAQs
Anyone who can launch and land safely and independently can attend. There is no minimum flying-hour requirement. I adapt the course to your experience, confidence, goals, previous trauma and tolerance of G force. Students have ranged from pilots with approximately two hours to pilots with around 6,000 hours.
No minimum qualification or licence is required. However, third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory.
There is no strict currency requirement. However, the more current you are, the less apprehension and mental load you are likely to experience when you begin the course.
Yes. Pure is structured as a wing-control and progression course. The aim is to understand manoeuvres through pilot actions, situational awareness and strong fundamentals, rather than simply completing a manoeuvre checklist.
Yes. I train the British Paragliding Racing Academy on Enzos, have more than 1,500 hours on two-liners and can coach the full range of manoeuvres on advanced and competition wings.
Yes. Working with fear and previous flying trauma is one of my specialist areas. We identify your triggers, use progressive exposure and work entirely at your pace. In some cases, unlocking one significant fear produces more long-term progression than rushing through a list of exercises.
[NEEDS INFO: Proposed minimum age is 16. Please confirm.] There is no maximum age, but every student must be honest about their health and their ability to manage a long course day.
You do not need a high level of fitness. Launch is only a few minutes' walk from the car park. Days can be long, you will handle your equipment and some exercises involve higher G forces, so general fitness will make the experience easier.
No. You will wear supplied flotation, and the rescue boat is ready to reach you quickly if you land in the water.
Yes. You can tell me privately by email or during the morning briefing. If a condition could affect your ability to participate safely, you should seek medical advice before attending. Once I know about it, I can adapt your learning experience appropriately.
No. Pregnant pilots cannot participate in the course.
Yes, provided the condition does not prevent the pilot from flying safely or participating fully in the course environment.
You must be able to hear and understand radio instructions clearly throughout the flight. Pilots with hearing loss may attend if their own earpiece or communication system allows them to receive instructions reliably. If the hearing loss prevents reliable radio communication, participation is not possible.
The course is not about completing a fixed list of manoeuvres. Manoeuvres are tools that help us develop pilot actions, situational awareness and the fundamentals. You may complete many manoeuvres, or we may spend longer on fewer exercises to establish a particular pilot action. The objective is to give you the awareness and actions required for safe future progression. [NEEDS INFO: Add link to the Pure Method page.]
No. You never have to perform a manoeuvre you do not want to do. An optional test reserve deployment is available over the fresh water of Lake Annecy.
Of course. You remain pilot in command throughout the course. You can decline or stop any exercise, and you will never be pressured into doing something you do not feel ready for.
We discuss your goals at the beginning of the course. I then assess your current strengths, weaknesses and next useful progression step. Your programme is built around that destination.
No. One student may be focused on cross-country flying, another on acro, another on competition-wing control, and another on rebuilding confidence after an incident. Everyone arrives with different experience, goals, fears and mental load.
We take the time you need. I use manoeuvres to draw out the required fundamentals, and we only progress when the next step is useful for you.
It is broader than either label. The objective is to make you a safer, more efficient and more capable pilot. The Pure Method is a holistic framework covering wing movement, pre-pilotage, pilotage and SIV. It contains the manoeuvres found in a conventional SIV course, but examines them in greater detail and explicitly connects wing behaviour with pilot actions. [NEEDS INFO: Add link to the Pure Method page.]
Yes. We can work on a fear or on the effects of a previous collapse, cravat, reserve deployment or other flying incident. Tailored exercises and progressive exposure allow us to work with your current response rather than forcing progression.
Yes. We can work on two-liner-specific exercises and recovery techniques, develop confidence using the B controls through their usable range and help you unlock more of the wing's potential.
The strongest results normally come from a do-review-integrate-return structure. Two days followed by a rest or independent-flying day and then another two days can be very effective. Another option is three days one week followed by two days the next. The gap allows you to decompress, begin integrating the learning and return with useful experience and better questions. [NEEDS INFO: Add a clearer answer describing what someone can realistically expect from two, three and four days.]
The first day starts between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. Subsequent days start between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. Once we leave the classroom, we remain out until the end-of-day video debrief. Bring everything you need for the day in a bag that can stay in the van: food, water, spare clothing, sun cream and weather-appropriate layers. On an efficient day we may finish around 5:00 p.m. If we need to wait for weather windows, the day can continue until approximately 7:30-8:00 p.m.
The course price includes two flights per day. We always aim for three when conditions and operations allow, but the third flight is not guaranteed. If fewer than two flights are completed, you will receive an appropriate partial refund or course credit. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm the exact calculation and whether the student chooses between a refund and credit.]
Standard SIV and wing-control groups have a maximum of eight students. XC coaching groups have a maximum of four.
Yes. A minimum of four students is required. Courses normally fill well in advance. However, if Pure has to cancel because there are insufficient participants, you will be offered a transfer to another course, course credit or a refund.
I remain in radio communication with you throughout your flight. As you enter the manoeuvre box, I refresh the briefing. When an exercise is new, I can guide you through it in real time. We then debrief the attempt, set a new focus and repeat. As your understanding develops, I progressively step back so that you can perform the action independently.
Yes. Every flight is recorded. Video debriefing is included in the course price, and you receive your videos after the course. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm how and when videos are delivered and whether Pure may use footage publicly.]
Yes. Every flight includes an individual brief-attempt-debrief cycle. Once everyone has landed, we also complete a group debrief and brief the next flight.
Yes. There are hours of pre-course learning hosted on ActiveAir. Mandatory content includes safety, the site briefing and a reserve deployment/throwing video. You must also complete the required knowledge and test before attending. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm the exact ActiveAir styling and what happens if the work is incomplete.]
Yes. Your access to the online learning material continues after your course, allowing you to review the content as you integrate what you have learned. You will retain access until the beginning of the following course season.
Yes. The course is one step within your wider flying progression. Post-course feedback and exercises help you integrate the lessons into normal flying.
English only.
You must understand spoken English well enough to receive briefings and respond safely to radio instructions during flight. The stronger your English comprehension, the more you are likely to gain from the detailed briefings, coaching and video debriefs.
An SIV certificate can be provided where it is required by your national qualification system. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether logbook sign-offs are also available and whether restrictions apply.]
Bring your own wing, harness, reserve, certified helmet, suitable gloves and a buff. You should train on the equipment you normally fly so that you learn how your own system behaves. Gloves are mandatory because pulling collapses can cause line burns. A buff helps keep the supplied radio earpiece secure.
Yes. You must be within the manufacturer’s specified weight range for your wing, harness, reserve and all other relevant equipment.
EN 966 is the airborne-sports standard covering paragliding and hang gliding. EN 1077 covers alpine ski and snowboard helmets. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether Pure accepts EN 966 plus both EN 1077 class A and class B helmets.]
No. Equipment hire is not available. We do have spare wings and harnesses that may allow you to continue if your own equipment becomes wet.
Your reserve must have been repacked within the previous 12 months.
Yes. We can repack your reserve after a practice deployment for an additional charge.
Yes. A reserve repack can be added when booking your course. Remove the reserve from your harness the night before the course and leave it laid out to air. On the first morning, bring it in a bag together with its deployment bag and reserve handle. We will repack it ready for use on the course.
Yes. On the first morning we review your equipment and reserve system, including checking that the reserve can deploy correctly. This is a course safety check, not a formal airworthiness certification. [NEEDS INFO: Explain what happens if equipment does not pass the check.]
Your harness must have certified back protection. EN A, B, C and D wings are accepted, as are competition and acro wings.
Yes. Lightweight wings and harnesses are accepted, provided the harness has certified back protection.
Use the harness you normally fly. Both pod and seated harnesses are acceptable. The important thing is to understand how your familiar equipment behaves.
Bring both if practical. We can use the three-liner for collapses and collapse-to-rotation work, then use the two-liner for two-liner-specific exercises.
Bring collapse lines if you have them, but there are many useful exercises we can complete without them. Collapse lines must be correctly fitted before you arrive because there is no course time available to install them. You are responsible for the installation. Pure cannot check, approve or accept liability for its correctness.
No. We provide a life jacket and a float for your reserve handle.
No. We provide a waterproof radio, waterproof pouch and earpiece.
Yes. You can use your own radio earpiece or built-in earpiece system if you prefer.
Yes, but it must not be attached to your helmet because it could snag the lines. A cockpit mount or, with an open harness, a leg mount can provide useful footage from your perspective.
Yes. Remove your phone, flight instruments, valuables and any unnecessary cockpit equipment before flying.
Check the weather and temperature before travelling. Bring sensible footwear, appropriate layers, sun protection, suitable gloves and spare clothing for a long day outside.
It is not mandatory for the course, but it is a useful piece of general flying safety equipment and is recommended.
Equipment damage must be claimed through your own insurance. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether suitable equipment-damage insurance is mandatory or strongly recommended.]
SIV is an inherently higher-risk form of training, so it cannot be described as risk-free. The risk is managed through individual progression, continuous radio coaching, flotation, over-water operation and established rescue procedures. There has been one student reserve deployment on my courses during the last three years.
We use a rescue safety procedure, a safety boat and rescue board. Students wear supplied flotation and use supplied waterproof radio communication. I am first-aid qualified. [NEEDS INFO: Add any further staff qualifications or emergency arrangements you want named.]
Yes. Exercises take place over the fresh water of Lake Annecy.
The water-rescue procedure begins immediately, and the safety boat reaches you quickly. You will already be wearing supplied flotation.
Usually, yes. There is a dedicated area beside the lake for drying equipment, and replacement equipment is available to help you continue the course. Wet equipment can normally be dried and the reserve repacked ready for the following morning.
Progression is gradual and adapted to your current confidence, stress and mental load. My aim is to keep you within an optimal learning zone, rather than pushing you into overload. A very confident pilot may progress further in the available time, but every student receives what is useful at their present stage.
No. You remain pilot in command and can decline any exercise. Useful learning requires an appropriate level of challenge, not excessive pressure.
You can miss a flight or sit out for the rest of the day. Safety and useful learning take priority over completing every flight.
You may stop at any time, but no refund is available when you voluntarily choose not to continue after the course has begun.
SIV can often operate successfully when the general forecast looks poor or when normal recreational flying would not be worthwhile. The Lake Annecy valley can create a protected local bubble in several wind directions, and short usable windows between showers may be enough to complete flights. We assess the actual local conditions and only operate when we judge them suitable. A poor general forecast does not automatically mean the course cannot run.
No news is good news. If you have not heard from us, the course is going ahead as planned. Mountain forecasts can change significantly overnight, so weather-related cancellations or changes are communicated the day before. Weather questions more than two days before the course will not be answered.
We will contact you by email and through the course communication group. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether the group uses WhatsApp, Telegram or both.]
Two completed flights constitute a full course day. We aim for three when possible, but the third is not guaranteed. If fewer than two flights are completed, the unfulfilled portion will be handled through a partial refund or credit towards another course. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm the exact calculation and terms.]
They can be, after discussion with the students. Theory is normally most valuable once you have completed relevant flights and can relate the material to your own experience. On the first day, everyone still attends the mandatory morning briefing and equipment checks. If that day cannot be flown, I generally cancel the remaining day rather than replace it with extensive theory.
Flexible travel is optional and may provide reassurance. Lake Annecy is highly reliable for this type of operation, but no mountain-flying course can guarantee the weather. [NEEDS INFO: Decide the accommodation refund policy if Pure cancels because of weather.]
Yes, unless Pure has officially told you that the course is cancelled or changed. The forecast may change overnight, and apparently poor weather can still produce suitable local flying windows. If you decide not to attend because of the forecast but the course goes ahead, no refund will be provided.
No. However, you are responsible for arranging your own transport between your accommodation and the course meeting point, and for arriving at the meeting point on time each day.
Yes. Once the course day begins, Pure provides transport by nine-seat minibus. You are responsible for travelling between your accommodation and the course meeting point.
No. Pure does not provide or arrange airport transfers. Bus services are available and you can find current routes and timetables online. You are responsible for making your own way to the course meeting point.
Yes. We strongly recommend arriving at least one day before your course. This gives you time to decompress from normal life, recover from travel fatigue or jet lag and acclimatise to the area before training begins.
Your welcome email contains a link to the pre-course content. The meeting time and full joining instructions are provided there.
The first-morning safety briefing and equipment check are mandatory and must be completed before you can fly. If you arrive late, you may miss the first flight while your briefing and equipment check are completed. Please plan to arrive early.
Yes. A bag with food, drink, spare clothing and other valuables can be left in the minibus while you fly.
The price includes Pure Method instruction and syllabus; Malin instructing from the safety boat; an instructor on launch; towing and towing-boat operation; safety-boat cover and rescue board; life jacket and reserve-handle float; waterproof radio, pouch and earpiece; hours of ActiveAir pre-course learning; all flight recordings and video debriefing; your videos after the course; and two flights per day, with a third attempted when possible. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether site, administration or other operational fees remain separate.]
Accommodation, food, travel to the course area, personal travel insurance and equipment-damage insurance are not included. Accommodation may be booked separately through Pure, subject to availability.
Yes. A range of accommodation options is available to registered course participants. Details and booking information are provided after you book your course.
Yes. Your course and accommodation are separate bookings and are subject to separate availability and booking conditions.
Yes. A partner may stay with a registered course participant without attending the course.
You will be responsible for arranging your own accommodation, but we can provide a range of alternative recommendations.
Yes. Accommodation is a separate booking and has its own cancellation terms.
Yes. Registered course participants can book a parking space for a campervan, motorhome or camping-car through the private accommodation link provided after booking. Spaces are subject to availability, and a partner may stay in the vehicle with you. Vehicles must be no longer than seven metres and no wider than a standard integral motorhome. Electricity is included, but you must bring your own electrical hookup cable. Toilets are available, but there are no showers. Drinking water can be made available. Children and pets are not permitted. There are no facilities for disposing of grey water or chemical-toilet waste.
No partial deposit is used. The full course price is payable when you book.
Payment is made by card. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm the charged currency and how foreign-card conversion is handled.]
Pure does not provide refunds when a student cancels. We strongly recommend optional Meetch cancellation insurance, which may reimburse an eligible claim under its own policy terms. [NEEDS INFO: Verify the live Pure-specific policy, including the approximate 5% premium, purchase within 72 hours of booking, covered reasons, evidence requirements, exclusions and refund terms.]
Yes, subject to availability. You can transfer to another course date or to another person. If another person takes the place, we need their full details and required documentation. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether transfers have a deadline or a maximum number of changes.]
Yes. You can book multiple places, up to all eight standard course places. There is no group discount.
Yes, by enquiry. A private course costs close to the amount required to operate a complete group course, so it is considerably more expensive than an individual group place.
Yes. Cancellations and newly available places are announced through an availability group. [NEEDS INFO: Confirm whether this is WhatsApp, Telegram or both, and whether it is also the formal waiting list.]
Yes. Send an enquiry and we can organise one.
No. You do not specifically need FFVL insurance. However, third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory.
Third-party liability insurance that specifically covers paragliding is mandatory. Your cover must be valid in the country where the course takes place. You are responsible for checking that your policy covers the type of training you are booking, including SIV or wing-control training where applicable.
No. Overseas pilots do not specifically need FFVL insurance, but they must have third-party liability insurance that covers paragliding and is valid in the country where the course takes place.
Third-party liability insurance covering paragliding is mandatory. Travel insurance is not mandatory, but it may provide additional cover for medical expenses, cancellation, equipment loss or damage and other travel risks. It is your responsibility to choose a suitable policy and check whether it covers paragliding and SIV. Pure does not advise on or administer personal travel policies.