Site etiquette

Most flying sites exist because a landowner said yes and a club keeps that agreement alive¹. One careless visit can lose a site for everyone. Good etiquette is also good safety: much of it is about keeping the launch and the landing field clear.

On your first days at a site, watch how the regulars do things. They brief newcomers, take turns on launch, land where the site expects and walk off the field quickly. This lesson shows you why.

Before you fly: rules and the briefing

Never fly a site that is new to you without a site briefing from the local club, your instructor or knowledgeable local pilots; some sites require a formal introduction². National air law comes first, then the site’s own rules³, and the BHPA tells its members to learn and follow club site rules⁴.

A good briefing covers the launch and the landing field, the site’s landing pattern, areas to avoid, the radio channel, seasonal closures for livestock or wildlife, and where to park. If something isn’t covered, ask. See also start with a briefing.

On launch

Many launches have room for only one wing at a time. When a queue forms, someone manages the launch line, and nobody hangs about in front of the launch⁹. Get ready to one side: kit on, checks done, wing bunched, so you step onto the launch only when it’s your turn and launch without fuss.

Before anyone launches, the air in front must be clear of traffic, including any pilot about to top-land or climbing up from below, and the launch area clear of spectators⁹. See traffic and people.

Leave pilots who are getting ready in peace. Chat, questions from passers-by and filming are a main cause of missed checks¹⁰. If you abort, clear the launch quickly so the next pilot can go.

In the landing field

Fly the site’s landing pattern. Patterns differ between sites: one US site uses a left-hand pattern with S-turns discouraged, another a left-hand pattern in light wind and a standard pattern in strong wind, and the BHPA tells pilots to fit in with any established pattern and to ask if in doubt¹¹. Some sites mark an area for losing height outside the field, so the field stays free for pilots who are landing¹².

After landing, clear the field. Check for traffic, gather your wing, walk off the landing field, then unclip and pack¹³. Never leave a wing parked or keep kiting in the field while someone is approaching¹⁴. In one Swiss case a hang-glider pilot on final had to stall early because a paraglider was being inflated in front of him¹³. Who lands first is in right of way.

Figure: Launch: one wing at a time, with set-up and the queue to the side and spectators back. Landing field: fly the site’s pattern, then walk off to the side to pack up. Schematic, not to scale.

Landowners, livestock and wildlife

The landowner’s wishes come first. Check with the local club before using any site, and follow the rules agreed with landowners, farmers and graziers¹.

The BHPA’s countryside code is a good model anywhere. Avoid all livestock, and don’t fly from a site where animals are about to give birth (in the UK usually late February to May; elsewhere, ask locally). Check with the farmer if animals may be startled, bring a dog only with the landowner’s permission and keep it under control, park considerately, use gates and paths, leave gates as you find them, and take your litter home¹⁵.

Sheep need special care. A pregnant ewe startled by a paraglider can lose her lamb even if the flock looks fine afterwards, and farmers often close fields at lambing time, so check club notices. If you land out, choose a field without stock, away from farm buildings; in standing hay, bunch the wing and trample as little as you can¹⁶.

Wildlife has seasons too. One US site bans flying below 153 m500 ft over a bank-swallow colony from mid-March to mid-August, and national parks may close landings while birds are nesting¹⁷. Read the site guide.

Radio at the site

Many sites, for example in the US, share one radio channel for safety and logistics¹⁸. Keep it clear: short calls (APPI’s format is name, location, altitude, subject)¹⁹, press the button a moment before you speak and release it after, and never leave a radio transmitting by voice activation or a trapped button²⁰. Whether you need a licence depends on the country and the frequency; see talking on the radio. If a rescue helicopter arrives, clear the area or land, and warn others²¹.

Helping each other

Help when you are asked, and in the way the pilot asks. USHPA’s foot-launch endorsement includes briefing and instructing a ground crew²², but schools disagree about holding a pilot on a windy launch: Flybubble argues that an anchor pins the pilot and makes the wing accelerate harder²³. Never grab a pilot or a wing uninvited.

Partner checks work: in 2024 they caught an open leg strap and a riser clipped to the speed bar, though a buddy check supports your own check rather than replacing it¹⁰. If someone has an accident, let an experienced pilot take charge, take a job, secure loose wings before a helicopter arrives, and stop launching²⁴; see responding to an accident.

Representing the sport

Walkers, farmers and spectators judge every pilot by what they see. Be friendly, and answer questions once your checks are done. Report accidents and incidents; the BHPA asks for reports ideally within 48 hours, because they help everyone learn⁴. Fly within your rating and the site’s limits⁴. In the UK, newly qualified pilots fly with a red streamer so others give them room²⁵.