Namibian Paragliding Adventures

Paragliding in Namibia is small and there are only a handful of pilots that actively fly. Yet paragliding is strictly controlled under our Association (NAHPA). The Namibian Hangliding and Paragliding Association was formed about 10 years ago. The need arouse to set up a controlling body under the umbrella of the Namibian National Civil Aviation. Our constitution was presented at governmental level and published in our Government Gazette. It is law in Namibia that all free flight pilots need to be in possession of a valid paragliding license and properly trained in order  to fly in Namibia. A licensing structure was adopted from SAHPA (South African hang gliding and paragliding Association). Namibia once belonged to FAI  but due to the financial burden and to little members could not afford to be part anymore. At this stage we are running a skeleton Association due to some members leaving Namibia or stopped flying. The most active member of the association is the National Safety and Licensing Officer of NAHPA (Alex Stauch). The other members are in Windhoek (Piet Steenkamp and Chris Lotter.)

Even though we have reduced to a small number, our association and National rules still apply and are checked. So if you would like to fly in Namibia you must contact the association or associated school. This is necessary because we have had serious accidents which could have been prevented if these pilots where properly briefed by our local authority or pilots. So please you as foreign pilots are most welcome to visit us but please make sure you stay within our National rules and regulations. All pilots coming on our tours are automatically legal in Namibia under the umbrella of our School.

We have sites ranging from good thermal conditions with a very high ceiling and dunes ranging from 70m to 150m at the coast and dunes inland up to 350m.There is a real possibility that one could fly records here. There are rumors that Namibia is to extreme for thermal flying and we would just correct this incorrect information. Our thermal flying inland is the same as any Alp or other flying conditions where we experience from 5m/s - 8m/s climb and of course very scenic. As any other place in the world of course you need to be an experienced pilot with safety training to fly in thermal conditions.

                                       So please ignore these rumors.