Your ticket to flying solo
The BHPA Club Pilot rating shows you can fly safely without an instructor present. With it you can fly at club sites across the UK and, with an IPPI card, at sites all over the world.
This course builds on your Elementary Pilot training, which you need to have done first (it's booked separately). We take you through the whole BHPA Club Pilot syllabus so you finish with the skills and confidence to fly on your own.
What you'll learn
- Better flying: top landings, slope landings and soaring, so you can stay up longer and fly more places.
- Flying with others: how to share the air safely with other paragliders and keep a good lookout.
- Getting more from your wing: controlled use of the speed bar and big ears.
- Handling the unexpected: what to do with an asymmetric collapse, so it doesn't catch you out.
- Theory: meteorology, principles of flight and air law, so you can make good decisions on your own.
E-learning included for life
You get lifetime access to our e-learning platform. It has all the theory for the Club Pilot rating, with notes and interactive modules on principles of flight, meteorology, air law and human factors. There are also advanced how-to guides, weather resources and app tutorials (such as Gaggle), with new material added regularly.
Where you'll train
We fly at several of the South West's best paragliding sites on the Jurassic Coast, including Bell Hill, choosing the site each day to suit the wind.
When you're ready for your own kit, Sky Riders students get exclusive equipment bundle discounts from our shop.
Questions
Paragliding Club Pilot FAQs
How long does the Paragliding Club Pilot course take?
About 10 days of training, depending on the weather. You have 12 months from your start date to finish, so you can fit it around good flying days.
Do I need to do the Elementary Pilot course first?
Yes. You need your Elementary Pilot (EP) first, which is booked separately for £750. From complete beginner to Club Pilot costs £1,750 in total, less £250 if you start with a taster day.
What can I do with a Club Pilot rating?
Fly without an instructor at BHPA club sites and private sites, join a club and get £5 million third-party insurance through BHPA membership. Your rating can also be converted to an IPPI card, which is recognised by schools and sites abroad.
Where does the training take place?
At several of the South West's best paragliding sites on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, chosen on the day to suit the wind.
Can I use my own equipment for training?
We'd suggest waiting before you buy anything. Beginners often pick kit that doesn't suit their level, and some of it isn't safe for a new pilot. You train on our equipment, which is maintained and certified, and we help you choose the right gear as you progress.
We're dealers for leading paragliding and paramotor brands and can help with new or second-hand kit. We put the same care into checking used equipment, so it's safe and will last.
Other courses
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Elementary Pilot (EP)
Your first paragliding course. Learn to launch, fly and land a simple flight plan under instruction. Booked separately, before Paragliding Club Pilot.
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Parakite Club Pilot
New for 2026 and built with the BHPA. Go straight to parakiting on the coast without the usual hill training first, or convert from paragliding.
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Pilot Rating & Advanced
Pilot rating for cross-country flying, SIV over water, tandem pilot training and reserve parachute packing with Wingtrim.
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Book your Paragliding Club Pilot course
Tell us when you did your EP and roughly when you'd like to train. We'll get back to you with dates.
- Phone
- 07599 844 678
- Message us on WhatsApp
- fly@sky-riders.co.uk
- Training
- Sites across Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall
- Workshop
- Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN