⭐ Paragliding and Hang Gliding in Rio: Is it Safe? A Transparent Risk Analysis

Let's clarify this right away. You're wondering: "Is this safe?" The short answer: yes, it is specifically safe, but only when done with certified professionals, world-class equipment, in the right weather, and—critically—respecting the Safety Protocols and Golden Rules defined previously.

The biggest risk in our sport is usually not equipment failure; it's human error, the wrong choice, and a flawed analysis of the weather and winds, without technological assistance, among other nuances.

That's why at QueroVoar.net Paragliding and Hang Gliding in Rio, our entire philosophy is built with safety and excellence first. This means:

• Certified Instructors: It's me (Daniel Sena), and 3 other pilots who are not weekend adventurers or first-timers. We are licensed professionals by the CBVL (Brazilian Free Flight Confederation) and ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) with thousands of tandem flights completed with 100% success.

Each pilot can perform up to 5 flights per day throughout the year, subject to availability. Our pilots have an abundance mindset and prioritize safety, comfort, and confidence in the efficient and safe execution of the experience. We strive to use appropriate, encouraging, and effective communication, directing intention and attention during takeoff and other necessary behaviors during flight. This moment is truly critical and must always be executed with clarity and intention in all movements.

• Inspected Equipment: All our paragliders, hang gliders, screws, cables, harnesses, carabiners, and emergency parachutes are certified and regularly inspected every 6 months or according to usage classifications, whichever comes first.

• Obsession with Weather: We are Amateur and Professional Meteorologists. If the wind is unfavorable or there is another impediment, we don't fly, period. We prefer to reschedule your flight for a better day, or easily refund you, rather than take a single necessary risk of dying and interrupting the flow of all the abundance in our lives.

• Safety Protocol: These are criteria defined by the pilots of the São Conrado Free Flight Club, who meet as members and are guided by statutes, regulations, and ethics to mitigate the risks inherent in flying.

We monitor the weather 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have several weather stations positioned at strategic points to help us understand and evaluate the weather and forecast based on exact data such as wind direction, intensity and duration, current atmospheric pressure, historical variation and trends of high or low pressure, temperature, variation, among other information.

In addition to the intermediate stations, we have several online cameras 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to complement the weather analysis always in real time.

This is how the take-off and landing flags were created. These are the flags:

Green Flag (implied) when the wind at the ramp has a defined, favorable direction and a constant, moderate, and defined speed, among other criteria, including wind conditions at landing.

Yellow Flag (implied) when the wind at the ramp is constantly changing direction, still favorable, and with a speed within the parameters, among other criteria, including wind conditions at landing.

Red Flag (implied) when the wind is not favorable for paragliding, either at takeoff or landing, among other safety criteria.

All flags are manually raised by the ramp inspectors of the São Conrado Free Flight Club from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, based on the reading and interpretation of data from implications and considering the important interpretation of the on-site weather, both in the takeoff and landing areas.

The inspectors have been trained and receive constant training to improve and reinforce the procedures and protocols to be followed operationally, as needed by the São Conrado  Free Flight Club. Some of the inspectors are even pilots and have been working in the field for many years, accumulating vast experience and knowledge about the local climate.

• Golden Rules: For each flight we conduct, we are aware of the inherent risks of flying, so we recommend hang gliding for people weighing up to 65 kg under green flag conditions for takeoff and landing, provided there are no observed impediments.

For paragliding, we recommend it for people weighing up to 100 kg, allowing takeoff under green or yellow flag conditions for takeoff and/or landing.

During yellow flag conditions, we recommend paragliding to mitigate the risks of failure, whether taking off, flying, or landing.

We have a body scale at the São Conrado Free Flight Club to verify, guide, and perfectly accommodate the experience of freedom for the first time.

Did you enjoy this post? Leave your comment or suggestion.