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25 jaar
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Thermalling course

If you are close to getting your licence or already have it, but you want to learn how to thermal better, then this is the right course for you! For many pilots, cross-country flying with a paraglider is the ultimate goal, but the foundation of cross-country flying is the ability to climb comfortably and quickly in thermals in all conditions. In other words: if you can thermal well, you are already well on your way to learning cross-country flying. Our thermalling courses are therefore also intended as an intermediate step between the regular mountain courses and the cross-country courses we offer.

Thermalling is a skill that you can learn too! The coaching team at Paragliding Holland has many years of experience in thermalling and cross-country flying and will teach you the finer points of the craft during the thermalling course.

Locations
Our thermalling courses take place in Bassano (Italy) and in Lijak / Kovk (Slovenia). Both locations are ideal for learning to thermal: thanks to their position on the southern side of the Alpine massif, the weather here is generally good with relatively mild thermals, without strong valley winds or heavy turbulence.

Who can take part?

To take part in the thermalling course it is not mandatory to hold brevet 2, but you should be close to obtaining it. In general the pilot profile is as follows:

  • You have made at least 25 to 30 flights.
  • You have flown recently: you cannot join this course if you have not flown for more than a year.
  • You are able to prepare independently for take-off without mistakes.
  • You can take off reasonably independently.
  • You are able to fly a landing circuit independently.
  • You have mastered the exercises 'big ears with speed', 'collapses' and 'porpoising'.

The requirements above are there to safeguard the level of the group. So please check carefully whether you meet them! If you are unsure, get in touch with our office to ask whether you are ready for this course.

What will we do?

The emphasis on this course is less on doing exercises (you should already largely have those under control) and more on:

  • How do we fly optimally in a thermal?
  • Where can we expect thermals?
  • What kinds of thermals are there and how do you deal with them?
  • How do we best enter and leave a thermal?
  • How do you centre a thermal?
  • What situations can occur in strong thermals: collapses, frontal collapse, etc.?
  • How can we prevent these situations and how should we react if they do happen?
  • What is involved in an outlanding?

We deliberately work with a small group of max. 12 pilots so we can get the most out of the course and coach you as well as possible while thermalling.

Register

Registering for our thermalling courses is easy online. Check our program overview for the dates of our thermalling courses and then click 'register'. After registering you will receive additional information about the course by e-mail.


Prices

6-day thermalling course:
excl. equipment hire		 € 525
Pilots without their own equipment can hire (part of) their kit; see our hire prices.
Pilots who bought their equipment from PaHo are entitled to a customer discount. See our price overview.

Additional costs

  • Accommodation costs
  • Take-off fee per week: depending on location
  • Transport to the take-off

arrow Thermalling course locations
Kovk ridge

blockLijak & Kovk - Slovenia

This beautiful flying area is ideally suited for a thermalling course. The Lijak / Kovk ridge is about 40 km long and benefits from the wind that flows from the Adriatic Sea across the relatively flat land towards the ridge. This makes it fairly easy to stay along the ridge and wait for the thermals that break away from the valley. Because of the open inflow, the thermals are not too turbulent. And along the way there are plenty of large fields for outlanding.

Read more about Lijak & Kovk arrow

bassano

blockBassano - Italy

There is a reason Bassano is one of the most popular flying sites in Europe! This is perhaps the most reliable flying spot in the Alps / Dolomites. Its location on the southern side of the Dolomites and at the start of the Po plain creates excellent flying conditions: the warm air from the plain hits the mountains and has to rise. Of course we make grateful use of that! And on top of that it is wonderful to stay in Italy with all that great food!

Read more about Bassano arrow