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Hi,
I am curious as to the best way to get into Speed Flying (ground launched)? I am interested but come from a none skydiving or paragliding background. Which would be the best of the 2 as a springboard into speed flying. Also i am based in the UK but will be in NZ in December this year. Any courses out there? Cheers
For me I would say Paragliding because of the foot launch, glider handling, control and pilot position.
Also depending which glider you decide to buy can also give you the ability to ridge soar in suitable wind conditions which is basically paragliding - you are just using a mini glider.
But its very close - skydiving gives you the canopy control skills and foot/swoop landings.
Where in NZ will you be ?
NZ Boogie Dec 2010 - see events section more details will be posted when I receive more details.
Courses in NZ
http://www.wingsandwaves.co.nz/speed_flying/
http://www.skywings.co.nz
Trying to find out if there are more and will add them to the schools index - see Guidelines section on the main website...
Thanks for the info. Looks like i will probably go down the PG route. How much PG experience do you think i will need before i can progress into speed flying? I'm more interested in the speed flying then PG.
Ill be primarily in the North Island but have lots of scope to head down to South Island if necessary. Where is this boogie happening?
Event is at Treble Cone - Wanaka, NZ
one of last years event videos
[url=http://verticalresources.org/wordpress/?p=137]http://verticalresources.org/wordpress/?p=137[/url]
2010 Event details will be posted in this thread...
http://forum.speed-flying.com/topic/nz-speedflying-boogie-dec-2010
Thanks for all the info. How long after getting my club pilot licence should i give it before moving into speed flying?
Impossible to answer, but could be as soon as next day or earlier... 
No legal requirements in UK (different in other countries) but the more paragliding experience you have the better your piloting skills, weather and terrain knowledge will be.
Remember Speed-Flying isnt Paragliding, so to compare Speed-Flying to Paragliding would be like what BASE jumping is to Skydiving. You need to know what you are doing... IYKWIM
Interesting post. I'm also thinking of speed riding in UK and going to NZ in December. Got a skydiving background but not much idea how to start... What's the best way?, is there any schools where to get advice in UK, o better Scotland where I live?
Any tips will be welcome...
Got a skydiving background but not much idea how to start... What's the best way?
is there any schools where to get advice in UK
There is a UK Speedflyers group on Facebook where we sometimes chat etc...
Thanks for your answer. Haven't jumped for a while and got no rig now. Guess it's a matter or getting my self a canopy and go out there...;-)
Will check facebook too!.
The less expensive route would be paragliding. Either way, you've got years ahead of you if you want to do it right. Don't be in a rush.
You are welcome to come fly with us in the Northwest of England
Drop me an email
Find me on facebook too just search for Zen Speedflyers 
Contact Mark with Zen Speedflyers in the above post. You WILL NOT regret it.
There is another direction coming from skiing, too.
Starting and landing is much easier with skies than by feet.
The speedflying wing behaves differently compared to a normal paraglider.
In fact the wing is a mixture between this and a parachute.
Due to the shorter lines and higher force per area it is very stable.
There for also the control inputs react faster and more violently.
The faster speed and more intense ground contact is where the danger is coming from!
However it is still possible to learn speedflying in a very short time.
Only make small steps, start with wing handling, go over to small direct A to B runs and do not exaggerate after your first high altitude run.
There is lots of paragliding literature out there and maybe you have a friend who is already doing paragliding...
