Archived News
Past Events:
November 7, 2013: WCSC AGM: come vote for the 2014 board members (or consider volunteering for a year!) and renew your membership at the same time. Info on the WCSC forum
October 26-27, 2013 - Women's Fly In (Facebook Page) (NWPG blog *NOTE* blog has last year's dates) (Chelan, WA, USA)
August 17-24, 2013 - Canadian Paragliding Nationals Competition (Quebec, Canada).
August 10, 2013 - 37th Annual Lakeside Hang Gliding and Paragliding Event (Invermere, BC, Canada)
June 30-July 5, 2013 - Chelan Cross Country Classic (Chelan, WA, USA)
June 23-29, 2013 - Rat Race Competition, Rat Race Sprint and Superclinic (Oregon, USA)
June 7-9, 2013 - Lumby Days (BC, Canada)
June 1-2, 2013 - Blanchard Bash (Washington, USA)
April 20-21, 2013 - Oceanside Open (Oregon, USA)
Jan 12, 2013 - HAGAR exam study course
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June 30, 2012 - XC seminar
July 7 & 8, 2012 - HAGAR exam study course
July 20-29, 2012 - Acro/Siv course with Pal Takats (one of the best Acro pilots in the world!) in Revelstoke, BC
August 5-12, 2012 - Canadian Paragliding Nationals, Pemberton BC. More info here.
November 7, 2013: WCSC AGM: come vote for the 2014 board members (or consider volunteering for a year!) and renew your membership at the same time. Info on the WCSC forum
October 26-27, 2013 - Women's Fly In (Facebook Page) (NWPG blog *NOTE* blog has last year's dates) (Chelan, WA, USA)
August 17-24, 2013 - Canadian Paragliding Nationals Competition (Quebec, Canada).
August 10, 2013 - 37th Annual Lakeside Hang Gliding and Paragliding Event (Invermere, BC, Canada)
June 30-July 5, 2013 - Chelan Cross Country Classic (Chelan, WA, USA)
June 23-29, 2013 - Rat Race Competition, Rat Race Sprint and Superclinic (Oregon, USA)
June 7-9, 2013 - Lumby Days (BC, Canada)
June 1-2, 2013 - Blanchard Bash (Washington, USA)
April 20-21, 2013 - Oceanside Open (Oregon, USA)
Jan 12, 2013 - HAGAR exam study course
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June 30, 2012 - XC seminar
July 7 & 8, 2012 - HAGAR exam study course
July 20-29, 2012 - Acro/Siv course with Pal Takats (one of the best Acro pilots in the world!) in Revelstoke, BC
August 5-12, 2012 - Canadian Paragliding Nationals, Pemberton BC. More info here.
April 2014
Spring has arrived! Big flights are already happening in the Fraser Valley, and the waiting game is in full swing too…will the rain stop? Will the wind die down? What starts out as a dreary morning can give way to an epic flying day. And it has been. Coaching and tandems begin in May, contact Martina to book your one-on-one lesson to improve whatever skills need fine-tuning, or come along for a tandem flight and learn all about this magnificent sport!
On March 8-9, 2014 Jet Set Paragliding was at the Langley Regional Airport to celebrate women pilots! Together with girlsfly2 we spent the weekend introducing different types of aviation and flying-related careers to women and girls of all ages, inspired by Women of Aviation Worldwide week. The Langley airport offered free flights for first time female flyers (say that five times fast) and Jet Set Paragliding gave away a free instructional tandem at the event. That was in addition to the draw for a free tandem through our Facebook page!
Jet Set Paragliding was thrilled to be a part of this event and to talk to so many of you about paragliding!
March 2014
Jet Set Paragliding had a great time at the Langley Airport last weekend, teaching lots of excited kids (and their parents too!) all about paragliding and laughing with them as they tried on a harness and ran around. We also drew a winner for a free paragliding tandem and mini lesson - congratulations to Brenda from Chilliwack, who can't wait to take her flight as soon as spring shows up! Photos on our Facebook Page.
The Skywalk Team Pilot meeting was this past weekend in Italy. Unfortunately my private jet failed to show up to take me, so I am patiently waiting to hear all the test flight reports on the new EN B-rated Tequila 4 paragliding wing and the Range Air pod harness. I will share all the news as soon as it arrives!
Also…the Canadian Nationals have been rescheduled! Eric Olivier has graciously offered to host them in Quebec once again, August 9-16. Watch our Event Page for more details.
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February 2014
Jet Set Paragliding is proud to once again take part in Women of Aviation Worldwide week! We will be holding a draw through our Facebook page just like we did last year, and one lucky woman will win an instructional tandem flight with current Canadian Female Paragliding Champion Martina Lang, as well as an introductory ground handling session. Last year's winner Kelly made us this awesome video of her experience (scroll to the bottom of the page).
This year we are also posting a special offer - any tandems purchased for a female during Women of Aviation week (March 3-9) are available at half price! Our unique package including an instructional tandem flight followed by a mini lesson where you get to practice launching a paraglider (on flat ground for your first tries of course!) is normally $200, but to encourage more females to take flight, all packages bought from March 3-9, 2014 will cost only $100! Flights are valid any time during the 2014 season.
Don't have a Facebook account? Send us an email to book your flight!
Breaking news for competition pilots - the 2014 Canadian Paragliding Nationals in Pemberton, BC have been cancelled. Nicole and the HPAC competition committee are busy trying to find a new venue and volunteers to run the meet, stay tuned for details or let us know if you want to volunteer some time.
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January 2014:
We held another successful HAGAR study course and have a group of pilots ready to go cross country as soon as the weather allows. April and May are usually the best months, but we get some great cold-weather thermals from now until March, so come on out and freshen up your skills. About a dozen pilots showed up on January 18th (despite the fog and the cold) and shook the dust out of their wings. Join us on Facebook and join the conversations on when & where we'll be flying
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December 2013:
The Holiday season is a busy time of year for everyone, pilots included! Some are lucky enough to go off flying somewhere sunny and others are staying home to work as much as they can now to save up brownie points for the promise of spring flying.
To keep your skills from getting rusty, read up on what the pros are doing. We've received our first shipment of "50 Ways to Fly Better" and a few other orders from XC shop and are ready to distribute them to the eager pilots. Contact us to get in on the next order!
Also, if you haven't yet written your HAGAR exam, come join us on the first weekend in January to prepare. We moved the course time a little later (we're now meeting 12-6pm instead of 10-4pm each day), register asap so we can get books printed.
This is my favourite time of year, reviewing the past and making goals for the future. Join us on Facebook to discuss your upcoming goals for 2014 - maybe it's time to finally come for your first tandem flight, or to book a day or two of one-on-one coaching to improve your current skills.
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November 2013:
Just Announced! Our next HAGAR course is set for the first weekend in January. Details on our HAGAR exam course page.
We have already started taking orders for the upcoming holiday season. I'm excited to announce we now carry Flytec instruments! After the Nats I was in contact with Flytec USA and besides being offered a pro-pilot sponsorship, they asked if I would sell their products to which I answered...of course! Each purchase of an instrument (such as the XC/competition Flytec 6020) comes with a free lesson on using the amazing features loaded within each unit. From my competition experience I can explain which options make the most sense for you to use when flying locally or at an event. Visit the Flytec webpage to look at their products then email us for Canadian pricing.
Orders for books & dvds from XCshop are going in soon to make it over here in time. All products are listed on the XCshop website. Please email us for Canadian pricing on all products.
As always, the Nanovario makes a perfect gift as well for the traveler, tandem pilot or hike & fly pilot in your life. I've been using mine for a couple of months now and just love it!
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October 2013:
Is it mid-October already? Time is flying but so are we as the weather remains sunny! Flights are changing from chasing long distances to working on thermal skills in light conditions and sharing the sky with bald eagles in the Fraser Valley. The Women's Fly-In in Chelan, Washington is the next fun event to attend (info on Event Page) over the last weekend of October, come join us for a great time, including Pie & Chilli contests at the party on Saturday night!
It's time to start thinking about your behaviour over the past year, and if you've been good enough for Santa to bring you a present ;) Some of our products come from overseas so we will be placing orders for the holidays very soon. Check out the awesome book selection (as well as DVD's and other neat stuff) on the XCshop website...order through us to save a few dollars with group shipping! We are taking orders now as well for the Nanovario, the newest offering from Flyte Park. At only $105 + shipping it's a fantastic vario at an awesome price! Great for taking along on a hike & fly, as a 2nd vario for tandem pilots and perfect for those on a limited budget who want to keep things simple. Order yours today!
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August 2013:
Martina's back from competing at the Canadian Paragliding Nationals and brought home the trophy for Top Canadian Female! To see pictures of the event (and the cool trophies) check out the photos on Jet Set Paragliding's Facebook Page.
As summer winds down, we are looking into hike-and-fly adventures and starting to think about indoor lessons and courses again. Contact us if you would like to join in for any Fraser Valley hikes or are looking to expand your knowledge this fall and winter through attending a HAGAR course, work on your next HPAC rating, et cetera.
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July 2013
More tandems flown - our passengers so far have included someone challenging their fear of heights, a fixed-wing student returning for a second paragliding flight and our Women of Aviation Worldwide instructional tandem flight winner!
We are also helping pilots progress in their paragliding career by administering HPAC exams. HPAC has just updated the requirements for our national ratings, with exciting changes including witnessed tasks (for instance spot landing!) and Jet Set has developed checklists for this. We are developing a price list to include dedicated time to helping YOU advance and ensure you are prepared to write your exams. Information on the new HPAC ratings is on their website (and soon to be here).
HAGAR study guides are also still selling well and the feedback from pilots is fantastic! Lots of high scores after studying the guide - it's very encouraging to see how many pilots want more information and are working to be the best they can be. Email Martina if you'd like to buy a copy!
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June 2013:
We are having lots of fun flying with our tandem passengers! Check out the video on youtube (also on our Tandem page) that our last couple made - they brought 2 extra cameras with them to get multiple views and shared this great video they made.
The Lumby Air Races were "blown out", but it was still nice to go travel to a new site and see old friends again. Ah, the curse of weather-dependant competitions!
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May 2013:
Announcing the Lower Mainland Eaglet League! The creator of this fun "competition" is Mark Carter who, if you don't already know him, took some one-on-one coaching sessions with us last year as a Novice pilot, had a podium finish at the Lumby Air Races that same summer, competed at the Canadian Nationals, and earned his Intermediate Rating with Martina here at Jet Set Paragliding. Now he wants to help mentor newer pilots to "spread their wings" as well, and has created the Eaglet League for all Lower Mainland pilots on EN A or B wings. Details on Mark's blog, or check our "Bragging Rights" page for the sign up sheet and rules.
Join now! No entry fee and fun challenges to help you progress all season long.
Proudly sponsored by Jet Set Paragliding and Thermal Addict Airsports.
Cross country flying has begun and strategies are being discussed at launch and landing zones around the country! Jet Set Paragliding is placing an order for "Cross Country Flying" by Burkhard Martens, the follow up to his highly successful book "Thermal Flying". Contact us now to order your copy!
The sun is out longer and afternoon flights are happening at Bridal Falls. Come meet us for some after work flying...we had some great flights over the last couple of weeks when launching at 5:30pm so it's worth the drive out!
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April 2013:
The rain has returned but we are still talking and dreaming about flying. Thermal Addict Air Sports (local Skywalk dealers) unveiled their new website and Facebook page - if you're looking for gear I personally recommend Skywalk products, and these are the guys to talk to if you want to buy a paraglider, harness or fun flying-related accessories!
Flyte Park has released the Nanovario, even smaller than the original Microvario! If you are looking to buy a second vario for hiking, tandems or those days you don't want a lot of electronics weighing down your kit, check out the details on Jet Set Paragliding's shop page.
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March 2013:
Spring Training has begun! Been hitting the training hills and kiting fields whenever we can squeeze in a few minutes between showers. A few new pictures are up on the Community page, along with links to businesses owned by pilots. Think about supporting those who share the same passion as you!
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February 2013:
Jet Set Paragliding is pleased to announce we are offering a FREE TANDEM FLIGHT in honour of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week! The aim of this week of international events is to introduce more women to aviation, so to do our part we did a draw for a tandem package (including ground school and other goodies!) Congratulations Kelly! Looking forward to introducing you to paragliding :)
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It's even been a great month so far (for February anyway!)...we've managed a few flights and even a spot-landing contest hosted by the local Skywalk rep. Check out the video of our fun day.
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January 2013:
Flyte Park has released the all-new Microvario Pro! Now available, details on the Shop Page
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Jet Set Paragliding hosted another successful HAGAR study session over the weekend of January 12/13. Pictures of the event are here. Great to have more pilots out there understanding the Transport Canada regulations pertaining to our sport! We had a great mix of attendees including pilots who came in from the Okanagan, and even a hang glider pilot braved the paraglider-filled classroom :)
October 2012: Great flights are still happening, orders are coming in for our new helmets and pilots are starting to plan their costumes for the Fly In on the weekend of Oct 27 & 28 in Chelan, WA. Details here.
September 2012: New Products! Jet Set Paragliding is pleased to be selling Ruroc Helmet Systems and accessories. Great for flying, boarding, skiing, speed riding...see our Ruroc Shop pages for more info.
Radio Flyer! Check out this video from when Sadie from our local radio station 89.5 The Hawk came with me on a tandem flight! Video on YouTube
As summer winds down, the flying continues but is generally more mild. Hiking up the mountain and flying back down become popular options. Locally we plan to hike & fly Cheam, Bridal and Elk this fall. Those who want to join us for just the hike portion and watch us fly are more than welcome too. More information will be posted on our Facebook page and Newsletter. The newsletter link is at the bottom of this page on the right hand side, or click here to see the Facebook page!
Don't forget to order your lightweight Microvario by Flyte Park to help make your hiking kit easier to haul up to launch. This vario is half the price of other small varios on the market and the positive reviews keep coming in!
July 2012: I'm excited to announce I am now a Team Pilot with Skywalk Paragliders! My new purple, white & orange Cayenne 4 can now be seen in the skies around the Fraser Valley, and I will be flying it as I compete in the Canadian Paragliding Nationals next month.
April 2012: Jet Set Paragliding now has an online shop! Check it out here. The first two products are the Microvario (and accessories) plus snazzy new t-shirts on the way. If you're looking for a small, lightweight and affordable audio-only vario, the Microvario is the way to go. I ordered one for myself and loved it so much I asked if I could sell them!