“Groundhandling? Oh, I’ll do that again when I have time.”
We have heard this sentence countless times.
Almost every pilot spends many hours on the practice slope during training. The glider is inflated, collapses again, the lines get knotted, you sweat, maybe swear a little and secretly wonder when the “real flying” will finally begin.
Then come the first high-altitude flights. The first thermal flights. And suddenly you never see many pilots on the practice slope again. Too hot. Too exhausting. Too tedious. The grass is too high. The arms get tired. And anyway, flying is much cooler than running around on the ground.
However, this is precisely where a major misunderstanding lies. Ground handling is not just an exercise for student pilots. Groundhandling is one of the most important skills of all – from the first flight to becoming a World Cup pilot.
Why ground handling is so important
Statistically speaking, the take-off is one of the most critical phases of a paragliding flight. Many incidents do not happen in the air, but just a few seconds before take-off.
The reason is simple: if you don’t have your glider completely under control, you are often already at a disadvantage when you launch. A cleanly inflated, stably controlled wing is the basis for a safe launch.
But the requirements can be very different:
- A steep launch site with a strong headwind requires a different technique than a flat launch site.
- A snow-covered launch site behaves differently to a dry meadow.
- A light tailwind requires different decisions than a clean wind from the front.
- Highly thermal conditions require more control than calm morning air.
The better your ground handling skills, the more reserves you have in such situations.
A good pilot doesn’t just take off. He controls.
Ground handling does not stop after the start
Many people only think of ground handling during take-off. However, this skill will also help you after landing. Anyone who has ever landed in strong winds knows the situation:
You touch down cleanly. The flight is actually over. But suddenly the glider fills up again, pulls up and tries to drag you across the meadow. It may look funny to the spectators. Less so for the pilot concerned.
If you can actively control your glider on the ground, you have a big advantage here. The glider is deflated more quickly, the tractive forces remain controllable and the probability of an involuntary “afterflight” is significantly reduced.
The best dry run for active flying
Groundhandling not only improves take-off and landing technique. It is also an excellent dry run for active flying.
A pilot who can keep his glider stable over his head for a long time in medium winds automatically trains precisely those movements that will later become important in turbulent air.
If the glider moves backwards, release the brakes slightly. If it shoots forwards, slow it down. If it moves to the side, you actively go under it. You use exactly the same principle later in the air.
Movements on the ground vs. in flight: If you run under the glider during ground handling, this corresponds to a weight shift to the same side in flight.
The more time you invest on the ground, the more intuitive these movements will become later in the air. Many experienced pilots can already tell from a pilot’s ground handling how active and clean they will fly later on.
Practice not only makes perfect - it's also fun
Groundhandling can be frustrating at first. The glider is constantly falling down. The lines get tangled. The wind never does what you want it to do.
But at some point, something interesting happens: you start to feel the screen. You no longer react to what you see. You react to what you feel. And that’s when groundhandling suddenly becomes incredibly fascinating.
It is not without reason that pilots from all over the world make a pilgrimage every year to famous groundhandling spots such as the Dune de Pyla in France, the wide slopes of Castelluccio in Italy or the coastal dunes of Denmark.
There, it’s often no longer about going flying. It’s about playing with the wing. Trying out new movements. Developing precision. Getting to know the limits of the material and your own abilities.
For many, groundhandling will eventually become a discipline in its own right within the sport of paragliding.
How to improve your ground handling skills
1. practise. And then practise again.
There is no shortcut. Groundhandling is like skiing, making music or mountain biking. Theory helps. Practice helps more. Even regular short sessions often bring significantly more benefits than a single long training day per year.
2. Perfecting the reverse wind-up
Reverse winding should become a matter of course.
Train:
- Correct sorting of the risers
- Clean gripping of the A-risers
- Controlled winding
- Relaxed unscrewing
- Safe demolition maneuver
On challenging launch sites, a clean reverse launch technique reduces stress enormously.
3. the 5-minute challenge
Pull up your umbrella and hold it over your head for five minutes. The goal: The cap must not touch the ground during this time. In the beginning, you can observe the glider. Later, you should try to control it more and more by feel.
Take the opportunity to be aware of your surroundings at the same time:
- Wind changes
- other pilots
- Obstacles
- Available area
- Terrain shape
Because that’s exactly what you have to do later at the start. If you can manage five minutes, increase to ten minutes.
4. slalom and parkour
As soon as you can hold the glider stable, start actively running through the terrain.
Define different goals:
- against the wind
- with the wind
- laterally to the wind
- around obstacles
Important: First move the glider in the desired direction. Only then do you follow it. Not the other way around.
5. Pull up the slope
In stronger winds, you can make targeted use of the pulling power of the glider. Pull the wing up backwards and hold it in the power area in a controlled manner. Not completely over the head, but where it develops the most pull.
Work actively:
- Brakes
- A-belts
- Body position (hips!)
Consciously feel when the glider is pulling the strongest. If there is enough pull, go up the slope. If the pull decreases, slow down or stop and bring the glider back into a working position.
This exercise improves your glider feeling enormously.
6. Train active glider lowering
Many pilots practise the inflation process regularly.
However, controlled take-off is hardly possible. Yet this is precisely what becomes crucial after a strong wind landing.
Exercise:
- Stabilize the canopy frontally over the head.
- Apply half brake. Let the glider come slightly behind you.
- Turn 180 degrees towards the screen.
- Apply both brakes firmly and completely.
- Actively approach the canopy during the fall.
The more often you practise this, the more automatically it will work in an emergency.
Safety tips
Do not ground everywhere
Many meadows belong to farmers or tenants. Always ask for permission beforehand. This not only protects the vegetation, but also the relationship between flyers and landowners.
Avoid tall grass
In Switzerland, groundhandling in tall grass is almost considered a crime. In addition, high vegetation increases the wear on lines and cloth and makes it more difficult to control the glider. Short, open areas are much more suitable.
No ground handling with Föhn
Ground handling and foehn are not compatible. Even supposedly weak foehn winds can generate strong, impulse-like gusts. These can lift a pilot unexpectedly or pull them over the ground with great force.
If a hairdryer is involved, the umbrella is better left in the pack sack.
Wear gloves and helmet
Injuries can also occur on the ground. Gloves protect against line burns. A helmet protects against tripping, falling or unexpected towing movements.
Stay awake
Ground handling is not an autopilot mode. Always keep an eye on things:
- Wind development
- other persons
- Obstacles
- Remaining area
Especially when the exercises are going well, attention levels often drop.
Take breaks
Groundhandling is more physically demanding than many people think. Drink enough. Eat something. Take regular short breaks. As concentration decreases, the risk of error increases – and the fun factor usually decreases as well.
Conclusion
Ground handling is not a necessary evil from the training period. It is the basis for safe take-offs, controlled landings and active flying. Every minute you invest on the ground pays off later in the air. And if you stick with it long enough, you will often realize that ground handling is not just boring preparation for flying. Groundhandling is already flying – simply with your feet still on the ground.
