For the pilots who already speak the language.
SIV over Lake James. Thermal coaching at Tater Hill. Cross-country chase weekends down the Sequatchie. Competition prep for the Tater Hill Open and the Sequatchie Valley Open. We run small clinics with an instructor-to-pilot ratio that makes the airtime count.
Pick the skill you came to sharpen.
SIV Maneuvers — Lake James
Simulated incident-in-flight training in the textbook setting: tow to altitude over open water, work the wing through asymmetric collapses, frontals, B-line stalls, full stalls, spirals, and the recovery for each. Reserve toss optional but rehearsed in the hanging harness on day one.
- 3 days · ~6 tows per pilot per day
- Boat support, flotation harness, radio coaching
- Pre-clinic gear inspection + reserve repack option
- Prerequisite: P3 or strong P2 with instructor reference
Thermal Camp — Boone, NC
Three days at Tater Hill (5,000′ ASL, west-facing, flatslope launch). We focus on reading thermal sources off the south-facing slopes, joining gaggles cleanly, and centering climbs efficiently. Convergence days here are unreal.
- 3 days · in-air radio coaching
- Daily weather/forecast briefs
- IGC track review after each flight
- Prerequisite: P2, ~30 hours, comfortable on a low-B wing
XC Chase Weekend
Two days flying point-to-point with a Ridgehawk chase driver. Henson Gap to Whitwell to Dunlap on a south wind. We work waypoint planning, glide calculation, and the unsexy art of choosing a landing field at 800′ AGL.
- 2 days · 1 chase vehicle, GPS retrieves
- Daily task setting and debrief
- IGC scoring on Airtribune-compatible task
- Prerequisite: P3, ≥3 cross-country flights logged
Mountain Site Intro Weekend
Two-day site introduction at Lookout Mountain Flight Park. Concrete radial ramp launches, the 20-mile NW ridge, optional tow operations. Site briefings and radio coverage from the LMFP staff plus a Ridgehawk instructor.
- 2 days · LMFP day fees included
- NW ridge protocol and traffic patterns
- Optional aerotow (P3 with tow sign-off)
- Coordinated with LMFP; max 4 pilots
Competition Camp
Five days of competition-mode flying. Start-cylinder discipline, leading-pack tactics, glide-vs-climb decisions, end-of-day glides on a C/D wing. For pilots registered or registering for Tater Hill Open or Sequatchie Valley Open.
- 5 days · 1 task per flyable day
- FlySkyHy / XCSoar setup support
- Daily debrief with track replay
- Prerequisite: P4, ≥150 hours, low-end EN-C minimum
Big-Mountain Expedition — Roldanillo, COL
10 days in Roldanillo, Colombia — one of the most reliable flying valleys on earth. We co-host with a Bogotá-based partner school, run by our senior instructor Diego. Tropical convergence, 90-mile XCs, and a guide who's flown this valley since 2008.
- 10 days · 8 flying days planned
- Local guide, retrieve, daily task
- Prerequisite: P4, low-end EN-C, valid passport, travel insurance
- Runs every January & February
Yes, you induce collapses on purpose.
SIV — Simulation d'Incident en Vol, "in-flight incident simulation" — is the single highest-leverage clinic in a paraglider pilot's career. You go to altitude over water (with a rescue boat, flotation, and radio). You and your instructor work the wing through the situations that cause accidents: asymmetric collapses, frontals, deep stalls, spins, and spirals. You recover from each one, deliberately.
Most pilots never throw their reserve in an SIV. You don't have to, and most maneuvers aren't "unrecoverable." But you'll rehearse the reserve toss in a hanging harness on day one, so if a real one comes, you're ready.
We run SIV over Lake James, NC. Boat tow to ~3,000′ AGL, 4–6 tows per pilot per day, three days total. Bring your everyday wing — we want you trained on the one you'll fly tomorrow.
You'll fly with one of three pilots.
Maren Holcombe
Started flying at Lookout Mountain in 2009. Three Tater Hill Open finishes, one Pre-PWC top-10. Teaches the P2 program and the SIV clinic.
Diego Salvatierra
Bogotá-trained, 12 years on a Niviuk and now an Ozone Zeno 2. Runs the Roldanillo expedition and the competition prep camp.
Wes Calderón
Charlotte native, started at WNC Paragliding. Repacks reserves for the school and most of the local club. Runs tandem ops and the mountain site intros.