Paragliding glossary

The control lines and handles acting on the wing’s trailing edge.

A connector commonly used to attach the paraglider’s risers to the harness.

An instrument platform or holder positioned in front of the pilot.

A packing bag in which the wing is folded so the cells stack neatly on top of each other.

The classification of paraglider wings into classes A to D based on flight-test behaviour under the European EN standard.

The equipment that supports the pilot beneath the wing.

Protection for the pilot’s head.

The front edge of the wing, where the airflow meets the canopy and the cell openings sit.

The cords connecting the canopy to the risers, with suspension lines carrying the load.

A harness without a leg cover, in which the pilot sits with legs free.

A harness with a leg cover that encloses the pilot's legs in flight.

A separate emergency parachute carried for use during flight.

A harness that turns inside out to become a rucksack for the whole kit.

The straps between the paraglider’s lines and the harness attachment points.

A foot-operated system that changes the wing’s suspension geometry to increase airspeed.

The rear edge of the wing, where the brake lines are attached.

A wing whose suspension lines join into only two main rows, A and B.

A simple ribbon or strip of fabric that mainly shows wind direction.

A fabric tube on a pole that shows wind direction and gives a rough idea of its strength.

The lifting part of a paraglider, connected to the pilot by lines and risers.

An area without cumulus in an otherwise cumulus-filled sky, where thermals are weak or absent.

Cumulus clouds lined up by the wind into long bands.

Strengthening lift just below the base of a cloud.

The lower boundary of a cloud.

A heap-shaped convective cloud with distinct edges.

A narrow, rapidly rotating column of rising air near the ground, made visible by dust.

Strong, gusty wind flowing out of a thunderstorm and spreading across the ground.

Brief increases in wind speed above the average.

A layer in which temperature rises with height instead of falling, so thermals stall in it.

The side of a slope or obstacle sheltered from the incoming wind.

Rising air that can help a glider maintain or gain height.

Cloud cover that blankets the whole sky and shuts out the sun.

Rising air produced when wind is deflected upwards by a slope.

A region of rotating airflow that can form on the lee side of terrain.

Air moving downwards.

Air whose layering stops warm air from rising far.

The large-scale wind set by pressure systems, as shown in the forecast.

A rising current driven by differences in air temperature and density.

A detached parcel of warm air that breaks away from the ground and rises on its own.

The height to which rising warm air climbs before thermals die out.

The part of a thermal where the air rises most strongly.

The displacement of a thermal by the wind, so it rises at a slant downwind instead of straight up.

Irregular, swirling airflow with changes in speed and direction.

A thermally driven daytime flow that draws air up the valleys towards the ridges in big mountains.

Light wind that keeps changing direction.

The acceleration of wind through a constriction in the terrain or over the top of a hill.

A sudden change in wind direction or speed with height.

The side of a slope or obstacle facing the incoming wind.

Defined parts of the sky in which particular rules of operation apply.

The speed of the glider relative to the surrounding air.

A descent technique in which the wingtips are folded in to reduce the wing’s area.

Placing your circles over the strongest part of a thermal.

A launch technique for strong wind in which the wing is raised from the side.

A deformation in which part of the inflated canopy folds or loses its flying shape.

A situation where part of the canopy, usually the wingtip, gets caught in the lines.

A launch in which the pilot has their back to the wing and runs in the direction of flight.

A collapse of the leading edge across the whole span of the wing.

Horizontal distance travelled per unit of height lost in a glide.

Practising control of the wing while staying on the ground.

The speed at which the pilot moves over the ground.

The final part of a flight in which the pilot returns to the ground.

An area chosen or designated for landing.

The place pilots take off from, usually on a hill or slope.

A launch in which the pilot faces the wing while inflating it.

Soaring in air that wind pushes upwards along a slope.

The speed at which a glider descends through still air.

A course in which pilots practise flight incidents under instructor supervision, usually over water.

Using rising air to maintain or gain height without engine power.

A state in which one half of the wing is stalled and flies backwards while the other flies forwards.

A rapid descent in a tightening turn with high G-forces.

A state in which excessive angle of attack separates the airflow and disrupts the wing’s normal lift.

The transition from the ground into flight.

Circling in a thermal to gain height.

Landing up at or near launch instead of in the landing field below.

An unintended landing in the crown of a tree.

A situation where the pilot rotates relative to the wing and the risers twist above them.

A series of linked alternating turns with gradually increasing bank.

An instrument or function showing height relative to a reference.

A short-range wireless link a vario uses to send data to a phone or another instrument.

A radio network for exchanging data between compatible free-flight devices.

Technology for electronic conspicuity and collision warnings between compatibly equipped aircraft.

A satellite system providing positioning, navigation and timing.

A flight-log file format named after the International Gliding Commission. In practice it is a text file with the .igc extension.

Sharing position updates with remote viewers during a flight.

A time-ordered series of positions recorded during a flight.

An instrument indicating the pilot’s rate of climb or descent.

A stored location with coordinates used for navigation.

Terrain without significant high ground, as opposed to mountains.

An elongated stretch of high ground whose crest usually forms a watershed.

A place where warmed air breaks away from the ground and starts to rise, such as a forest edge, field boundary or terrain break.

The course distance divided by the total time taken to fly it.

A flight along a route beyond the immediate area of the launch site.

A closed triangular cross-country flight whose shortest leg must not be too short relative to the total distance.

The predetermined end of a route, defined in competitions by a finish line or cylinder.

Combining hiking on foot with flying, either as a recreational outing or as a race format.

A cross-country flight to a single turnpoint and back to the starting point.

Getting a pilot back after landing away from launch, usually by car.

The course set by the organisers for a given competition day.

A point where a route or task turns onto its next leg.

A multi-day trip covered by flying and walking, with the pilot carrying overnight kit.