Pilot’s license
Become a licensed Swiss pilot and fly with total freedom!
The Swiss pilot’s licence in detail
The Swiss paragliding pilot course is a very complete course. It enables students to acquire a solid basis enabling them to become autonomous pilots. This training includes theoretical and practical parts, which are validated by two exams conducted by the FSVL (Fédération Suisse de Vol Libre).
To become a paragliding pilot in Switzerland, you need to satisfy the following conditions:
- From the age of 14, you can start flying a paraglider in a school.
- From the age of 16, you can pass the final practical exam.
- The theory exam must be passed during the training, before the practical exam.
- The final practical exam enables you to obtain your licence.
- A minimum of 50 flights on 5 different sites is required to be eligible for the practical exam. Fly Riviera is a school that flies on many different sites. You will therefore have the opportunity to fly and discover many paragliding spots during your training.
- At least one autonomous flight must be completed, in agreement with the instructors. Fly Riviera offers a highly advanced training programme, with progressive exercises to develop students’ autonomy.
Once the licence has been obtained, the pilot is licensed for life. There is therefore no obligation to maintain a certain number of flights each year to keep the licence. The Swiss licence is very well recognised internationally, allowing pilots to fly in most countries.
Fly Riviera’s advantages
Professionalism
A school accredited by the FSVL (Swiss Paragliding Federation) that promotes safety through enhanced training. We want our students to have all the skills they need, from their first solo flights to the start of their life as a pilot.
Sonchaux
Our main spot is a unique flying site!
The 1,000m of vertical drop at this site will allow you to learn the basics of flying in complete safety and to perfect your skills by practising the manoeuvres numerous times.
All this while flying over Lake Geneva and the Riviera 🙂
Professionalism
Fly Riviera flies every day! We offer flying days during the week, at weekends and throughout the 4 seasons! This allows students to keep up a regular training rhythm and optimise their learning.
Students can take part in a wide range of activities, such as hike and fly, groundhandling sessions, theory lessons, ski touring, etc.
Dynamism
An active school that flies regularly and on many different sites. Under the watchful eye of our instructors, you will pass not only all the exercises required for your pilot’s licence, but also many others that will help you improve your skills.
The initiation course
The adventure starts here!
The initiation course brings you to your first solo flight, under radio guidance. In a gently sloping field, you will learn the basics of how to take off and land a paraglider. At the same time, we organise at least 1 flight in a tandem paraglider with an instructor. During this flight, you’ll learn how to fly a paraglider and to perform the manoeuvres required for your pilot training. This instructional flight will give you the knowledge and the confidence you need for your first solo flight. Supervised on take-off and landing by 2 instructors, you will make your first solo flight under radio guidance. It’s a flight you won’t soon forget!
Everything you need for your first solo flight is included in the module. So there’s no need to have your own equipment.
Rate: 550 CHF
(Duration 3 days)
The general terms and conditions that apply to the modules can be found on the GTC page.
Your training in different stages with the Super Package
2 successive modules bring you to your pilot’s licence : blue & violet.
You start your training with the school’s equipment and then complete your skills with your own equipment.
Spread the cost of your training over time and get your pilot’s licence at a super advantageous rate!!
The blue module
Discover the breathtaking sensations of flying!
This is the first step in the Super Forfait : this module brings you up to your 10th radio-guided flights. During these flights, you will gradually learn all the basics of flying a paraglider alone; a first step towards flying autonomously and the exercises required for the rest of the training. The “YouFly” training follow-up programme brings you a solid pedagogical consolidation through comments and videos on the piloting exercises.
Equipment rental is included in this module, allowing you to discover paragliding in more depth before investing in the equipment that will accompany you throughout the end of your training and the beginning of your life as a licensed pilot. It’s also an important step for our instructors, who will be able to see you flying and advise you on finding the right equipment for your future participation in this magnificent sport.
Rate: 530 CHF instead of 630 CHF
Save 15% on the start of your training!
(Validity 2 months)
The violet module
Expand your knowledge &
Get ready for the practical test
This module will gradually bring you to the point where you can fly without radio guidance and finalise your training. This progression is adapted to your individual skills. Flying under radio guidance will enable you to perfect the manoeuvres you learnt in the blue module and to learn new, more complex ones.
The ultimate aim of this module is to bring you to the practical exam. It includes up to 55 additional training flights, 15 flights more than the minimum required for the pilot’s licence (see above). We want all students who leave our paragliding school to be ready to start their flying life with all the necessary qualifications.
Equipment rental is no longer included in this module. At this stage of the training, it is interesting for the students to acquire their own equipment, which will accompany them throughout their future life as a pilot.
Rate: see “Super Package details” section.
Save over 20% on the end of your training and 15% on your new equipment!
(validity 1 year)
The Super Package in detail
Split your payments and buy your equipment at a great price !
A complete training course for CHF 7,500, including training, rental and new equipment.
Step No 1 : You will discover paragliding by completing the initiation course (green module). Flying equipment is provided by the paragliding school. An initial payment of CHF 550 is made at the start of the course.
Step No 2 : You will learn the basics of flying a paraglide and will be able to test different equipment during your first 10 flights. The instructors will see you flying, which will enable them to give you the best professional advices for the choice of the paraglide that will accompany you during the rest of your training and the beginning of your life as a pilot. A second payment of CHF 530 is made at the start of the blue module. The student benefits from an initial saving of 15% on flights and equipment hire.
Step No 3 : At the end of the blue module, we organise a meeting in our shop. You’ll get personalised advice from our instructors on the acquisition of your equipment, and the chance to try out harnesses under the portal. The equipment is then ordered by the paragliding school. The reserve parachute is installed in the harness and the instructors do a test flight of the glider. The licence numbers ( mandatory in Switzerland) and the installation of these on the glider are also included in the Super Package. Students benefit from a 15% discount on the purchase of equipment. The equipment will be invoiced at the next step (No. 4).
Step No 4 : You finish the course with your own equipment. This allows you to prepare yourself as well as possible for the exam figures and to master the paraglide with which you will be flying for the first part of your life as a pilot. Follow-up training is provided by Fly Riviera’s exclusive “YouFly” training programme to prepare you for autonomous flight and the practical exam. Students benefit from a discount of over 20% on flights to complete their training. The remaining course fees and materials are invoiced in 1 or more payments, depending on the student’s budget. The first two modules (Initiation and Blue Module) are deducted from the total amount..
Example: 7,500 – 550 – 530 = CHF 6,420 (the balance is invoiced in 1 or more instalments depending on the budget).
Additional training flights: if a student needs more flights than the 65 included in the full course, the student who has taken the Super Package benefits from flights at the preferential rate of CHF 25 instead of CHF 30.
Additional advantages
Even more benefits with the Super Forfait!
The benefits in brief :
- 15% discount in the blue module.
- 15% discount on the purchase of equipment.
- 20% discount for the end of the training flights.
- YouFly” training follow-up programme included.
- Additional training flights at a special rate.
- 1 autonomous flight included ( required to take the practical exam).
- Next autonomous flights at the preferential rate of CHF 50 (instead of CHF 60).
- Personalised advice on the purchase of equipment.
- Installation of FSVL numbers (worth CHF 100).
- Rescue installation and test flight offered.
- The student finishes his training and starts his life as a pilot with new, latest-generation equipment! It’s important that the equipment allows you to fly for a sufficiently long period after you’ve obtained your pilot’s licence. This is so that the young pilot can discover new spots, more active conditions and make his first small mistakes with equipment that he knows and masters well!
But also!
- 4 tandem flights at a preferential rate of CHF 150 instead of CHF 190. Let your friends and family discover what you experience during your training with Fly Riviera and invite them to join you for a tandem flight with a professional during your flying days.
- Priority registration for school activities: solo flights, Hike and Fly excursions, groundhandling sessions, etc.
- Attractive prices on flight accessories.
- Super Package with second-hand equipment: you can buy second-hand equipment from Fly Riviera at an adapted price (depending on available stock).
The general terms and conditions that apply to the modules can be found on the GTC page.
Training without a Super Package
Equipment rental
You can rent your equipment from Fly Riviera.
Once you have completed the initiation course (green module above), you can hire the equipment when you join the school to fly.
This training system is intended for :
-
- Students from other paragliding schools who occasionally fly with Fly Riviera.
- Students who, after their initiation course, only have a short time available and are not looking to obtain their pilot’s licence.
The rates are as follows:
- Glider rental: CHF 25 / flight
- Rental harness (with rescue): CHF 15 / flight
- Harness and glider rental: CHF 40 / flight
- Rescue parachute rental (ventral): CHF 10 / flight
- Training flight: CHF 30 / flight
Training and rental fees must be paid on the day of the flight, to the instructor in charge.
This training system does not allow you to obtain a Swiss pilot’s licence, as the follow-up of the training is not included.
The general terms and conditions that apply to the modules can be found on the GTC page.
Formation avec du matériel externe
You can do the training with your own equipment.
After completing the initiation course (green module above), Fly Riviera proposes the black module to complete your training with equipment other than that of Fly Riviera. You will then be able to use your own equipment from the 2nd solo flight.
The black module includes:
- Up to 60 flights included for the final exam.
- Including 1 autonomous flight ( required to register for the practical exam).
- Take advantage of more than 10% discount! CHF 1,600 instead of CHF 1,800.
- Additional flights at CHF 30 per flight.
- Additional autonomous flights at CHF 60 per flight.
Requirements for equipment external to the school:
- The equipment must be in excellent condition and of recent generation. In the interests of student safety, we do not accept students flying old equipment or equipment that has already been flown a lot. It is important to train with equipment that will still allow you to fly for a sufficiently long period after obtaining your pilot’s licence. This allows the young pilot to discover new spots, more active conditions and to make his first small mistakes with equipment that he The wing must have passed a full inspection of the day, carried out by a recognised Swiss inspection centre. It must be registered with FSVL numbers. FSVL numbers can be installed by Fly Riviera for 100 CHF: personalised numbers & installation included.knows and masters well.!
- The equipment must be adapted to the student’s abilities and body shape.
- The wing must have passed a full inspection of the day, carried out by a recognised Swiss inspection centre. It must be registered with FSVL numbers. FSVL numbers can be installed by Fly Riviera for 100 CHF: personalised numbers & installation included.
- The reserve parachute must be packed of the day by Fly Riviera or a recognised Swiss control workshop.
- For equipment purchased new, the student must be able to provide:
- a certificate of reserve parachute installation. The installation must have been carried out by a qualified instructor.
- a wing pre-flight certificate. The glider must have been preflown by a qualified instructor.
These checks are the responsibility of the student. Fly Riviera reserves the right to refuse to train a student if we consider that the equipment is not conform or adapted.
A fixed amount of CHF 350 is included in the black module for:
- The treatment of the documents provided by the control centres.
- The follow-up of the training, which is obligatory to carry out the complete training, the autonomous flight and the validation to pass the final exam.
- The “YouFly” training program.
Tarif : CHF 1’950
(validity 1 year)
The general terms and conditions that apply to the modules can be found on the GTC page.
Probably the best school in the region, Fly Riviera is clearly THE place to learn and perfect your paragliding! Sylvain and his team are super friendly, professional and experts in what they teach. The landing area is really nice, with a little refreshment bar that’s a real treat 🍻 The prices are just right 💸
It flies as soon as conditions allow, all year round and during the week!
I highly recommend it 😍
An absolutely fantastic team, a variety of flying sites, a school that flies all week, really, Fly Riviera is top!
Flying with a French licence and foreign to the Swiss sites, Flyriviera integrated me, guided me and followed me personally in a great atmosphere. Thank you for everything!
My first slope school and pedago tandem session were absolutely brilliant. Thanks to the whole team.
