Introductory Lesson: $80
If you are curious about the sport of Paragliding then come on out and give it a try! On lesson #1 you can usually get your feet off the ground. It is a very hands on experience, and you will be hooked by the end of the lesson.
- $80.00 includes all necessary equipment.
- Meet at dawn at the Point of the Mountain State Flight Park South Side for about a 3 hour long lesson.
- 6-9 assisted launches. Some on flat ground, some from the hill-side.
- 4-5 solo flights (short and close to the ground with radio contact.)
- Watch the intro video. click here
- The flights and money go towards certification if you continue!
You will be surprised at how quickly your feet will leave the ground! That being said, we move forward at your pace and are in no hurry. We start out with an overview of the equipment, and then learn how to launch the glider on flat ground. As we progress, we get higher and higher up the “bunny hill”, and before you know it, you are flying the glider for little short flights. It is common to leave the 2 to 3 hour long lesson with about 4 or 5 good flights under your belt. It is also common for those flights to be anywhere from 30 to 100 feet off the ground. Check out the "Intro lesson" video on the home page to get a better idea of what you are in for! Click here Remember though, progress is set at the students own pace and ability as well as the wind speed, so some people get in a few more and some get in a few less flights. By the end of the lesson you will know if this sport is for you! All money paid for the introductory lesson goes towards the full certification course if one decides to pursue the sport. Introductory lessons occur in the mornings at the crack of dawn at the South Side flight park at the Point of the Mountain. That is where our training hill is located. Lessons require a south wind, which we get like clock work every morning. However, occasionally the wind will blow from the north in the morning. On those days we cancel lessons, so please make sure to call 801-368-5139 for a weather check before you leave home!
Tandem Flights: $100
Tandem flights make a unique gift, date or group activity! Flights are about half an hour or so long and take place at the Point of the Mountain. Pick a day that you would like to fly and then call 801-368-5139 to schedule or email info@utahparagliding.com
When that day arrives, call again for a weather check before you leave home. If the wind is good then we fly, if the wind is not cooperating then we reschedule. We do tandem flights in the morning for about the first 3 hours of the day and in the afternoon for about the last 3 hours of daylight. This is when the air is the smoothest. The Point of the Mountain has 2 sides that we can fly on. Flights take place on both sides. The South side in the mornings and the North side in the afternoons. Both sides are a lot of fun to fly on, but the North side offers the opportunity to get thousands of feet over the valley where the south side offers the opportunity to get hundreds of feet over the valley. Arrangements can be made to fly other locations as well. The Squaw Peak overlook (INSPO) is a great place to fly as well. It overlooks Utah Valley and Utah Lake and offers great afternoon flights! Please call or email with additional questions.
Certification Courses
With Utah Paragliding, enjoy taking as many lessons as you need without the worry of a time limit or a lesson
limit when you pay for the full certification course. The United States Hang Gliding Paragliding Association has outlined a rating program and the requirements to become a certified paraglider pilot. We will walk you through those requirements with our thorough training program.
$1200 For Full P1/P2 Course
- Unlimited lessons in order to fulfill certification requirements.
- No time limit.
- Don’t have $1200? Just pay $80 or $100 per lesson as you go… no problem!
- Flight log and all necessary training equipment provided.
- First year of UHGPGA (Utah Hangliding Paragliding Association) club dues included. A $50 value.
- Can pay per lesson, in installments, or all at once.
- $1200 price contingent upon purchasing gear through the school. You can pick any brand you would like; we can get anything other dealers sell.
- Students receive extra discounts on equipment. $50 off harness, $50 off reserve parachute, and $300 off wing.
- Tandem flights included in training.
- 2 "buddy passes" for anyone to fly tandem free when course is paid in full... a $200 value!
- Discount tandems for family and friends: 20% off, $80 instead of $100.
- Flights from multiple sites.
$1500 For Full P1/P2 Course
- Same course as above.
- $1500 price is for those who already have their own equipment or opt to purchase equipment elsewhere.
Accelerated Course, $80 or $100 Per Lesson Until Finished
- Designed for out-of-town or jobless students, because progress is made more quickly with consistent lessons.
- Pay only for the lessons you need to achieve requirements. Young, fit, only here for one week? Maybe you can finish in only 10 lessons… costing you only $800!
- Must take lessons every morning and afternoon until finished.
- Some restrictions apply. Read on
What will $1200 get me? With purchase of the full certification course, Utah Paragliding's program is structured to allow you HOWEVER MANY LESSONS YOU NEED in order to achieve all P-2 requirements, with NO TIME LIMIT. All equipment is provided. It takes the average person about 10 to 15 lessons to work their way down the certification checklist. Last season, many of our students finished their P-2 training with almost enough flights and hours for a P-3 rating. If you are like most people, you may not have $1200 to pay all at once. That's okay! You can pay $80 per lesson. Once you have paid for 15 lessons then you are all paid up, even if you need more lessons, you won’t pay more than the $1200. If you are on the $1500 program, then you can pay $100 per lesson. After 15 lessons you are likewise all paid up. We are in no hurry to kick you out of the nest. However, some people are in a hurry. So, folks who travel from out of town to learn here, or even locals who want to learn fast are welcome to take an accelerated course. Unlike the full course which can be attended at leisure, the requirement for the accelerated course is daily training every morning and afternoon (weather permitting) until finished. The cost is $80 per lesson or $100 per lesson depending on whether you have equipment already, or will purchase through the school. Progress is made so much more quickly when lessons are attended consecutively, so for the accelerated course you only pay for the lessons you get. If you can get certified in 10 sessions then you only pay $800 to get certified. A great program for people without a job or who can take work off for extended periods of time. Utah Paragliding students also enjoy special discounts on equipment when they are ready to buy. You can plan on $50 off your harness, $50 off your reserve parachute and $300 off your wing from retail prices. These discounts apply only on new gear; discounts do not apply to used gear. No equipment purchase is required for lessons. Training occurs on the school's gear. Utah Paragliding sells Skywalk and APCO paragliders, both outstanding companies that make great equipment. However, we realize that there are other great brands out there too, so if you would like another brand, that is totally fine. We can get any glider out there, so please just let us know and we can make it happen. All student discounts still apply. We do our best to keep demo gliders on hand for you to try. But it is very difficult to keep every make in every size and color combination in stock; there are just too many options. So please be aware that it may take a few weeks to get your new glider after ordering it, as we order each glider upon demand. During Peak season sometimes it may even take up to a month, because gliders sell out and factories get backed up. So, it pays to plan ahead and order early as soon as you know what you would like. In the meantime while waiting for orders to arrive, we are very good about keeping you in the air on school gear. For the last 2 seasons this has been a non-issue for students. Memberships with the UHGPGA (Utah Hangliding Paragliding Association) and USHPA (United States Hangliding Paragliding Association) are both required to be able to fly at the Point of the Mountain. Utah Paragliding will pick up the tab on the UHGPGA membership, but the student will need to pay for the USHPA membership. And you get a free flight log. We have some loaner training manuals and DVD’s. Students receive 2 “buddy passes” for anyone to fly tandem free with purchase of the full certification course when the course is paid for in full. Students also can have their family and friends fly tandem at a discount rate! 20% off means that they can fly for only $80 instead of $100!
Advanced Ratings (P3/P4), $100 or FREE to graduates
- P-3 rating. You have 20 hours and 90 flights? Take the exam and show us what you’ve got and we will help fill in the gaps.
- P-4 rating. Got 75 hours and 250 flights? Take the test, we make sure you are good to go for the rest of the requirements and voila!
- No charge for Utah Paragliding graduates.
If you are a graduate of Utah Paragliding there is no charge for your P3 and P4 ratings. Getting these ratings is mostly a matter of flying… a lot. After you have the required hours and flights then we can fill in the gaps on the check off list and sign you off for your rating. There is no real P3/P4 course, because it takes a very long time to build up the numbers. I have had students get enough time in to get their P3 after about a month of getting their P2. But they usually don’t have a job, or live near the Point of the mountain and are literally my shadow, following me around and calling me all the time and going on lots of flying expeditions with me. I like my shadow students; we have a lot of fun. They are the teachable sponges that absorb everything. Even the annoying ones become good friends. You need 20 hours and 90 flights to get your P3, and 75 hours and 250 flights to get your P4. If you have those requirements and are from out of town, then come on out and take the “course” and get your rating. Basically what it would entail is me observing and verifying your skill level. We go down the check off list and make sure all requirements are met. If you are found lacking in any area then we work on refining those skills. There is a written exam. The rating upgrade for a non-graduate of Utah Paragliding is $100.
Student Discounts
Utah Paragliding students will enjoy special discounts:
- $300 off new wing
- $50 off new harness
- $50 off new reserve parachute
- 20% off tandems for friends and family… $80 instead of $100.
- Discounts do not apply to used gear, but fair prices will!
Have A Question? Want To Schedule A Lesson?
Call Jonathan at 801-368-5139 or email info@utahparagliding.com
Got a Question? Call 801-368-5139