A catapult is used to launch the trainee at an height of a few meters above ground to get familiar with the handling of the glider.
Gradually, as the trainee gets more and more confident, more sandows are attached and flights get longer, up to 300 meters.
The training :
Carried out by a federal instructor or “animateur de club” (entitled by the French Hang Gliding Association)
It lasts at least 2 half-days
Availble in french, english and german language.
The student pilot’s car is used to tow the ultralight glider on the ground, and for tightening the bungees.
Attention to heavily built people
The size of the cockpit of the Swiftlight does not allow us to accept student pilots over 95kg and/or 1m85
Required flight experience:
– glider pilot license
– or hang gliding pilot license + ultra light 3 axis or airplane pilot license
– or hang gliding or paragliding pilot license, or ultralight pilot license, or airplane pilot license + twin-seater glider training course
– or beginner + twin-seater glider training course+ glider pilot theoretical exam
Insurance :
French Hang Gliding Association membership or “coupon journée Contact” (5€ validity 2 days)
Cost :
1) 150€ + ADPUL membership + insurance
2) Supplementary half-day according to the trainee needs: 75 €
Agenda:
During the scheduled training sessions, see our calendar
Booking:
Deposit of 75€ till (+25€ ADPUL membership for non-member trainees)
Bad weather conditions:
Training will be postponed to another time, deposit is not refundable
Membership:
1) If you aren’t yet a member of our association, apply
2) then you can fill the training course application form
Read more :
Here are the posts edited by ADPUL about the training courses
Testimonies:
The catapult setting is safe and simple, it feels like a winch launch and allows to fly a few hundred meters which is way enough to get familiar with the glider handling.
The pilot doesn’t have to worry about the sandow release nor about the flap handling.
The first flight on a new aircraft, especially when flying for the first time a flying wing, always have a part of apprehension, but being launched only a few meters high takes a lot of the stress away.
I think that from the first flight I was already grinning from ear to ear . I rediscovered feelings and a freedom I hadn’t felt for a long time.
Thanks to this experience made possible by the ADPUL I will be way more confident when flying my own Swift for the first time.
Sylvain G
I find that progress method very compatible to my hang gliding and 3 axis experience. Catapult launches make it easy to get familiar with the commands sensitivity and with landings.
Christian C
Preflight briefings for catapult launch courses are accurate and complete on all aspects.
Michel P
