Safety Training and Control Courses with FlyÀger (SIV)

FlyÀger work together with the local paragliding and hang gliding school, Entrenúvols, to offer Safety training (SIV) and Control courses to all levels of qualified paraglider pilots.

About safety Training:
Our safety training courses are designed for pilots to learn to fly actively in turbulent air (thermal flight), to control the wing to prevent incidents or to control the result if an incident has occurred. It is also the basis of the acrobatic flying.
Our courses are aimed at pilots with 50+ flights through to experienced pilots or those wanting to practice acrobatics.
These courses are designed to improve flight safety by providing the pilot with the practical knowledge necessary to understand, control and resolve any abnormal condition in flight.
The Acro course is designed for pilots with experience and that have full control of the glider and want to learn to perform aerobatic manoeuvres safely.

Courses:
We offer four different courses:

• Basic Safety Training and Control
• Paramotor Safety Training
• Advanced SIV
• Acrobatics course

It is not the aim of the safety courses to to practice extreme manoeuvres nor to lose control of the glider.
Our goal is to increase flight safety and awareness through active flying techniques, proper control of incidents in flight and the correct use of reserve parachutes as a last resort.

The first two courses, Basic Safety Training and Control and Paramotor Safety Training, share a similar syllabus. It is essential that any pilot undertaking these courses is qualified to fly a paraglider or paramotor.

The Advanced SIV course is where we will see and practice the incidents and situations which can occur during 'normal' thermic flight paragliding. It is aimed at qualified and experienced pilots and those who want to progress into acrobatic flying.

The Acrobatics course is for experienced pilots who have mastered the techniques of Advanced SIV course and who wish to learn to perform aerobatic manoeuvres safely.

Dates:
The 2011 Calendar will be published here soon. Courses run from April through until September.
If you are at least 5 pilots we can arrange dates to suit you!
Contact us to talk about it!

Team:
Entrenúvols is run by a team of pilots lead by Jordi Marquillas, an experienced paraglider, paramotor and SIV Instructor as well as test-pilot for glider certification testing. Jordi speaks fluent English. His calm, reassuring manner makes him an ideal instructor when dealing with pilots in sometimes stressful situations.
Jordi has extensive experience in operating and guiding safety courses and acrobatics training. Being a test pilot for Aérotests, gives him a deep insight into paraglider performance and reactions and allows him to keep abreast of the latest trends in glider design.
The team of instructors at Entrenúvols are all qualified and experienced to tow to over 800m above the water.

History:
Entrenúvols began offering safety training and control courses on a regular basis in 2003 in Annecy and from 2004 at their own SIV centre in Pobla de Segur just 30 minutes drive from Àger.
The centre has become recognised as in an ideal area for safety training courses and has reached the attention of foreign schools, Aérotests (approvals laboratory responsible for the EN standard, part of the FFVL) and paraglider manufacturers.
The centre is used during EN certification testing and quite logically is ideal for the practice of safety training.
In 2008 they invested in improving infrastructure, acquired a new boat and using all their experience designed a new type of winch.
The result was very good!
They became more independant of the meteo conditions (the site generally has little wind or slight back wind) thanks to the speed of the boat and the way the winch functioned,
Unfortunately though, the 2008 season ended in a traffic accident that destroyed the boat!
In 2009 the boat was 're-launched'. During the year in conjunction with Oscar Atillo and Raul Rodriguez (SAT team) and with the support of the local and national federations, Entrenúvols organised the 'Revoluttion 2009'; the 1st Acrobatics Championships in Spain. The success of the event led to the Revoluttion 2010 event won by Horacio Llorens.

Location
The SIV centre is located at the Sant Antoni reservoir near La Pobla de Segur (Pallars Jussà), 30 minutes from our base in Àger.
The reservoir is approx. 11Km long and 2 - 3km wide. Our courses are run from the widest part in a zone 4-5 Km long and 3 Km wide. The area is characterised by wide open landing areas on the shores of the reservoir and a constant breeze that enables us to fly most days during the season and for many hours a day.
As it is not a 'normal' flying area it is possible to winch with the boat without impacting on other flying activities.
On the other hand, it is a tourist area with a bar right beside the beach where you can eat, drink and relax.

View FlyÀger in a larger map

Infrastructure:

• Motor Boat
• Payout winch with 1500m cable.
• Classroom with projector and screen to view video footage
  
  

• We don't need to drive to take-off! We launch from and land back at the beach.
  There is no need to pack the glider after each flight and drive for 30-40 minutes to a take-off filled with people.
  
  
• Between flights we leave the glider bunched in a 'cauliflower' and relax until we play again. This enables us to relax more, have more extensive briefings, and if the learning curve / stress permits, to make more flights.
  
  
• We are able watch the all flights of all the other pilots. Watching what others are doing and discussing amongst the group is very important since it helps all pilots, not just the 'student' to understand what is happening. Observation and discussion is an important part of learning.
  
  
• The instructor is with the 'other' pilots all the time and so can answer any questions and comment on the flight in 'real-time' during the flights.
  
  
• We are much less dependent on the weather. We are in an area where we can fly a lot. The airflow at the lake is very regular and constant with very little thermic turbulence.
  
  
• The flying season at the lake is from April to September.
  
  
• In addition, pilots will acquire a new skill - winch launching - which is often used in flatlands or areas with no accessible mountains.
  All pilots will be thoroughly briefed prior to the first flight. A formal 'tow-rating' is not required prior to the course.
  
  
• We offer refresher flights after a course has finished.
  
  
• Oh, and don't forget your swimming suit! We take-off and land at the beach, so you can relax in the water while you wait.
  
  

The system has interested many people, including some major French schools, such that after the 2005 season they stopped running SIV courses in Annecy and now come to teach their courses at our center.
During 2006, Aérotests, the French laboratory entrusted with the EN certification became interested in the centre. During the same year, our instructor Jordi Marquillas joined the staff of Aérotests as a test pilot.

Marc Boyer from France teaching his students at the Entrenúvols SIV centre

Marc Boyer wagga training at the Entrenúvols SIV centre (In French)
Warning: No paraglider pilots were harmed during the making of this video ;-) !!

Combined Week:
We offer a 'combined' week to include a safety training course at our lakeside centre plus cross-country flying with guiding from Àger once the course is finished.
Please contact us for more details.

The boring stuff:
The course takes place over water, with all necessary safety measures and is guided by instructors certified by the Federació Aèria Catalana (FAC) and the 'Escola Catalana de l'Esport'.
The courses were developed by Entrenúvols who are recognised and regstered by the Federació Aèria Catalana and the Real Federación Aeronaútica Española (RFAE) as a paragliding school.