Advanced paragliding for pilots ready to take their skills into real mountain flying.
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ADVANCED XC COACHING
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Course format
Bespoke XC coaching in Annecy. There is no fixed course length or public calendar. Coaching is priced per day and arranged privately after enquiry. Availability is seasonal: the earliest possible start is May, with the main coaching season in June, July and August. Instruction is in English. Standard groups are limited to four pilots, with Malin normally coaching as the sole instructor. Larger groups may enquire, but require an additional instructor and are limited to six pilots. Transport to launch and XC retrieval are included. As this is a bespoke course, if you and your friends don't think you fit the description, but you still want some training, please feel free to enquire, and we can discuss what is appropriate for you.
Who this is for
Applicants must have previously completed SIV training with Malin, either through Pure or earlier Flyeo courses, and be known to him as having competent wing-control skills. You should be comfortable operating independently in thermic mountain conditions and already know how to use your GPS, radio, flight instruments and tracking system. This is not a beginner XC course; you need to be able to fly at least 50km and be happy spending 3 hours or more in the air. You do not need a two-liner, competition experience or a specific XC distance. You do need the mental bandwidth to work on efficiency, decisions and strategy rather than spending all your attention on basic wing control.
There are stages to progression.
You can’t teach a drowning man to swim, and you can’t study the fine detail of XC efficiency while all your attention is still being consumed by the wing’s movements. Before we work on speed, decisions and strategy, Malin needs to know that controlling your wing has started to become automated. If you are landing after an hour in thermic air, tired and wide-eyed, you are not quite ready.
On the Ground, In the Air, then Do and Review. The structure keeps learning deliberate rather than leaving improvement to chance. These are just some of the aspects we cover.
01. On the Ground
02. In the Air
03. Do and Review
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Three questions before a transition
1. Where is the next likely climb?
2. Which line gives me the best air, i.e., what am I flying over?
3. Do I have enough height to reach it with a sensible margin?
Sunken-cost bias
Continuing with a poor decision because you have already spent height or time on it.
Reset: judge the next move from the situation now.
Tunnel vision
Fixating on one detail or goal while better information appears nearby.
Reset: widen your scan and name three useful clues.
Overconfidence
Repeating yesterday’s success without accounting for today’s conditions.
Reset: ask what has actually changed since your last flight.
Anchoring
Remaining attached to the original plan after the sky has changed.
Reset: update the plan from the newest evidence.
Thermal challenge
How quickly can you identify and centre the strongest part of a thermal? Efficient pilots reduce exploratory turns and spend more of the flight climbing in the strongest part of the lift.
01 Emotional state
How did I feel on launch, in flight and after landing?
02 Tactical decisions
Which choices shaped the flight?
Which were the right ones?
03 Technical execution
How efficient were my climbs and transitions? What does the data say?
04 Weather interpretation
What did the day actually do compared with the forecast?
05 Preparation
Did equipment, hydration, clothing, fatigue or organisation affect the result?
What three things went well, and which one should I deliberately repeat next time?
Malin co-founded the British Paragliding Racing Academy in 2016 with Russ Ogden, Barney Woodhead and Guy Anderson. The Academy has seen a World Champion and a European Champion, with British team gold and silver medals among its results. Malin is a PWC pilot, has represented the British team, has more than 1,700 hours flying competition wings and approximately ten years of experience flying two-liners. The purpose is not to turn every pilot into a competition pilot. It is to make advanced competition knowledge useful to pilots who want to fly cross-country with greater clarity, speed and efficiency.
2016
British Paragliding Racing Academy co-founded.
World + European
Champions since the Race Academy was founded.
1,700+ hours
Flying competition wings.
10 years
Two-liner experience.
Included in the coaching
Bespoke coaching shaped around the group, maximum four pilots in the standard format, live individual radio coaching while Malin flies with the group, detailed GPS tracklog analysis, structured daily debriefing, Pure’s comprehensive XC Student Workbook, mandatory pre-course content through ActiveAir, transport to launch, XC retrieval, accommodation options supplied privately after acceptance and booking, and honest feedback on strengths, weaknesses and priorities.
Mandatory equipment
Bring your wing, harness with certified back protection, reserve repacked within the previous 12 months, EN 966 or EN 1077 helmet, GPS flight instrument, radio, suitable tracker, speed bar, mountain XC clothing, gloves, food, hydration system and an in-flight pee system. You must already know how to operate your GPS, radio and tracker before attending.
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FFVL insurance
FFVL insurance is mandatory for XC Coaching. Follow Pure’s step-by-step guide to arrange the correct cover before attending.
Enquire through the contact page. Malin reviews the message and contacts the pilot personally. Experience, previous SIV training, goals, availability and group requirements are discussed. A bespoke number of coaching days and private price are agreed. Accepted pilots then receive booking, preparation and accommodation information.
Enquire About XC Coaching