Your first tandem flight, start to finish

The day itself

You'll meet at a fixed point — usually near the site base — at a slot time the operator confirms the morning of. Weather decides everything, so the confirmation call is normal, not a red flag.

From the meeting point, a vehicle takes you up the ridge. Up top you'll watch a few launches, get harnessed, and hear a 5-minute briefing: run when told, don't sit until airborne, land standing.

Launch is the only hard part — and it's easy

The fear point for almost everyone is the launch. Reality: you jog 5–10 steps on a gentle slope while the wing inflates overhead, then you're airborne. There's no jumping off a cliff edge — a competent launch feels more like being lifted than falling.

Once up, the harness is a seat. Most passengers spend the first minute laughing at how calm it feels versus how scary it looked.

In the air

A classic tandem is a scenic circuit — gentle turns along the ridge, lake and valley views, the pilot pointing out landmarks. Wind noise is the main sensation; speed feels much slower than it looks from the ground.

If you want more, say so — pilots can add mild manoeuvres. If you want less, say that too. A good pilot reads the passenger and adjusts continuously.

Landing and after

Landings are approaches over a marked field, a flare, and a few steps — or a gentle seated slide if the pilot calls it. It's softer than it looks.

Then it's photos, the add-on video if you bought one, and done. From meeting point to landing: typically 2–3 hours, of which 10–20 minutes is flying.

Who can (and can't) fly tandem

• Weight: typically 20–95 kg — limits exist because the wing is certified for a load range
• Age: usually 12+ with guardian consent; no strict upper limit if you're mobile
• Health: heart conditions, recent surgery, pregnancy — disclose and expect a no-fly call
• Fitness: you need to jog 10 metres and stand a landing — that's the bar

Frequently Asked Questions