Tandem paragliding with a Female pilot
In Zell am See Kaprun so many Arab guests ask for a female pilot for tandem paragliding. Mostly we have to tell them it’s not possible. Even if we find a female pilot she will not be there the whole year. They are just really rare. Maybe for a reason since for a tandempilot it is a great plus to be taller and heavier than your passenger.
Of course there are simple starts on perfect starting fields with perfect light wind. Even a child could start a tandem then. But in tougher conditions, like no wind or strong wind or a tall and heavy passenger, it is much much safer if the pilot has some extra explosive power in reserve to correct some situation that can occur during the start. Then we are typically talking about a male tandem pilot.
For Arab ladies safety should be what is the first priority. So a stronger, taller male makes it all a bit more secure. And then there is experience. A female tandem pilot straight from her training and exam flight will not offer the safety of a tandem pilot with hundreds or even thousands of flights in his name. Of course there are exceptions: female pilots who have a competition background for example.
So in general we advise our customers to give it a go with a local male pilot from our team. If need be we can give you a tip for area’s 1-3 hours away where you will find a good female tandem pilot.
Yes, there are a few female tandem pilots spread out over the Alps. Currently there is no female pilot in Zell am See. We are working on it. At the moment you would have to drive between 1-3 hours to another flying area.
Yes, we fly with arab women almost on a daily basis. And from all Arab countries: Saudi as well as Dubai etc etc. It is never a problem. We invite all Arab women to fly with us.
No, it is not necessary to touch the pilot at all. During the flight there is no touch anyway because the pilot is far behind the passenger. At the start and after the landing we can tighten and remove the gear without touching. We know that with traditional women we do not shake hands or make high fives.
In very easy conditions a child could start a tandem with an adult as a passenger. So maybe in 75% of cases a woman can easily start a tandem with passengers up to 20kg above her weight. But in a little bit harder conditions some extra explosive power of a male pilot will create a safer situation. But sure there are very tough women out there!
We always ask before using somebody’s photo or video. We know that this is especially not appreciated by Arab passengers and for many women a total no go. We respect that. The customer is King. Your wish is our desire.
For sure women can and do go on courses to become pilots. There are a lot of really good female licenced paragliders in the sport. But exactly because of the special requirements for tandem pilots there are just not too many women that bother to train for and get the special tandem licence.
