How old do you have to be to fly?
There are two different options: either you want to learn to fly on your own, or you want to fly tandem paragliding, meaning a discovery flight with an instructor, also known as a tandem paragliding experience with a qualified instructor.
Learning to fly at a paragliding school with the aim of fglying Solo
Minimum legal age: In France, the minimum age for solo paragliding is 14. However, it may be lowered to 12 if the school is approved by the French Free Flight Federation (FFVL) and complies with specific supervision requirements for young pilots.
Parental authorization: written parental consent and a medical certificate are mandatory for minors.
Tandem Paragliding with a Qualified State-Certified Instructor
How old do children need to be?
There is no legal minimum age for children to fly tandem. Children can fly at a very young age, but it is important to understand their motivation. A child who lives near a paragliding site and regularly sees paragliders flying will generally be more comfortable with the idea of flying at a young age. Similarly, a child who regularly sees their parents flying and wants to fly themselves may be able to fly from a very young age, provided they are the one asking to do so.
From around 4 years old, children are often very receptive to the joy of flying like birds… We can take them flying if they genuinely want to. In Chamonix, we choose specific conditions: early in the morning, when the air is calm and the aerological conditions are stable. Sometimes children even get to help control the paraglider — they find it easy and great fun!
The most important factor is not the child's age, but whether the child genuinely wants to fly. It is also important that they have already seen a take-off and/or landing, so that they can understand and imagine themselves doing it.
When making a booking, it is important to provide the child's age and weight so that we can adapt the equipment and choose the most appropriate time of day, as well as to let us know how motivated the child is.
Parental consent: For a minor, written parental authorization is required if the parents are not present (for example, if the child is flying with grandparents or other family members).
For Senior Passengers
There is no age limit for tandem paragliding: if you have always dreamed of flying, don't hesitate — we will take good care of you. A few additional precautions may be necessary.
There is no official upper age limit. People aged 80 and over regularly enjoy tandem paragliding flights.
What matters is physical fitness: you need to be able to walk or run a few steps during take-off.
Health conditions: ask your doctor whether they think you are fit to fly a paraglider.
It is important to provide not only the passenger's age, but also their weight and height. We can adapt the flight accordingly and choose specific conditions depending on each individual situation, including the aerological conditions and the way the passenger takes off and lands.
Some pilots offer seated landings using a specially adapted harness.
Ultimately, tandem paragliding is accessible to the majority of passengers. If there are any particular circumstances or specific needs, please mention them when booking so that the instructors can offer a flight adapted to each individual passenger.
It is important to be properly equipped, meaning that you should dress and wear suitable footwear according to the recommendations provided at the time of booking. Sunglasses and gloves are recommended during the cooler seasons. All these recommendations will be provided when you make your booking.
