Lowland paragliding involves using meteo-wind pushing against a hill, and thermals to fly. The wind hits the hill and lifts up over it and it is in this lifting air we can fly paragliders. During the early afternoon the wind often increases making takeoffs difficult and the forward launch method is essential. The 'windy' reverse-launch technique is a necessary one to learn if you live in places like England where low pressure is often in charge. We can take off in winds up to about 18mph, the limit being the trim-speed of the paraglider and the pilot's ability. Once away from the takeoff point the wind appears to ease as the wind over takeoff is speeded up due to the venturi effect. So the takeoff location will always seem windier than the air in front of the hill. If you can get airborne then an enjoyable flight can be had. Many UK pilots say the technique using both the A and C risers to pull up a wing is very effective in windy conditions. Others disagree. But the A/C technique is not a beginner's method and low-airtime pilots should probably try to perfect the school taught method of using the A-risers with the brakes as a failsafe if it goes wrong. Other methods like A/C or The Snake take more experience to get right and I believe should not be used by low-airtimers in windy conditions. This short video covers the primary techniques I have found useful when taking off in windy conditions. I (sarah) have 15 years' flying and maybe 1200 hours much of it in blowey English conditions. I hope this is helpful to low-hours pilots and mountain pilots. this video was filmed at Westbury Hill, Wiltshire's prime paragliding and hang-gliding site. The winds were only 9 to 12 mph and the pilots shown are low-airtimers making the classic mistakes we all made when we were new to the sport. (Sometimes we still get it wrong in these conditions.) Paragliders encounter the disturbed air being forced over the hill so it will never be 100% possible to get every takeoff perfect - we cannot 'see' the air. But hopefully, by following these simple tips, windy takeoffs won't be so stressful. Please be aware I am not an instructor and merely offer this video to give insight into the problems a pilot can face taking off in windy conditions. Note this is not an instruction video and I am not a paragliding instructor. I am simply passing on some basic tips for windy flying from my 1200+ hours of flying in the often windy UK weather conditions. If this video gives you ideas that help you in such conditions then I am pleased as this was the aim of posting this video. A paraglider pilot needs to takeoff on the front of the hill in strong winds for three reasons... 1. the wind is still moving up the hill and gives the wing a better angle of attack when pulling up. thus you avoid tucks. 2. The wind is slighly less windy than futher back on the hill where the full force of the horizontal-wind venturi effect is felt. 3. As you are on the front of the hill and therefore on an angle you do not have to pull the wing up through 90 degrees of wind making a successful pull-up more likely. On the flat (further back on the hill) you have to pull the wing up through the full 90 degrees to overhead and the strong wind will likely catch you out at some stage. It is during this first 45 degrees of pull-up where the strong wind effect will be most felt so pullling up on a slope will really help. There are downsides to front-slope pull-ups in strong winds. 1. You are very close to an uncommanded liftoff once the wing is overhead so you MUST watch the pull-up and quickly KILL THE WING if it starts to come up assymetrically. Once the wing has reached the 75 degree position it is too late to do this. 2. You have to be ready to fly immediately the wing is overhead. If the wind is strong enough (say 15kts or stronger) you will probably experience an uncommanded lift off once the wing is overhead. So TURN QUICKLY as the wind approaches your overhead position and be ready to fly. These are just my opinions after 1200 hours' flying in often windy Britain. I am sure there are alternative viewpoints.

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