How a paragliding ground handling course in Portugal changes your flying
The Ground-Handling Programme is focused wing-control coaching on the Atlantic dunes and beaches of Sesimbra, 30 minutes south of Lisbon airport — for a single day, a few days or a full week. Ground handling is the most under-practised skill in paragliding, and the one that unlocks everything else. Every morning Behrooz reads the forecast and picks the best spot for the wind, and private transfers to the training sites and back are included.
Every session happens in real Atlantic wind — steady, gusty, cross and sometimes strong — on varied terrain: open dune faces, beach grass and sloped launches. Behrooz builds each day around the conditions and your goals: reverse launches, the cobra, wing control in strong wind, cross-wind inflations and reading exactly what your wing is telling you before you commit to a launch.
Behrooz, an active competition pilot with more than 20 years of flying, coaches every session himself. Expect four to six hours of active practice a day, with natural breaks, and a video review at the end of each day: you see your technique, understand what changed between your first and last inflation, and set a clear focus for the next morning. With a maximum of 6 pilots, coaching stays personal.
Sesimbra, the home of ground handling in Portugal
Sesimbra’s Atlantic coastline is one of the finest paragliding ground handling environments in Europe. Steady sea wind flows smoothly over open dunes and wide beaches with soft sand underfoot — consistent enough for serious repetition, varied enough to teach you how a wing behaves under real wind loading. With dozens of training spots and one for every wind direction, you can practise here all year round, most reliably from September to July.
Good ground handling pays off in every flight you make. Cleaner launches in light and strong wind, calmer reactions to collapses and turbulence, and confident top-landings all start on the ground — a few days on Sesimbra’s dunes change how you launch and land at every site you fly afterwards. It is also the ideal preparation for coastal soaring and parakite.
What's included
- Daily weather & site briefing
- Personal technique plan for every session
- Reverse launch & cobra coaching
- Strong-wind & cross-wind wing control
- Real Atlantic wind on varied coastal terrain
- Video review of every session
- Photos & video to take home
- Private transfer to every site, daily
- Personal technique notes to take home
- Theory sessions on bad-weather days
Before you come
A few things to prepare before you travel — so you can make the most of every session from day one.
Licence & documentation
Bring your national paragliding licence or IPPI card if you have one — a photo on your phone is fine.
Your equipment
Bring your own glider, plus your harness and helmet — training on the wing you actually fly makes every session count. Let Behrooz know what you’re bringing when you confirm dates.
Glider condition
Check your wing’s lines and fabric before you travel: ground handling loads the lines differently from flying, and worn lines fray quickly in sand. A visual check is enough; a full check if it’s been more than a season.
Physical prep
Ground handling is more physical than flying — hours of wing control in Atlantic wind are real work. Some light core and shoulder conditioning before you arrive makes your sessions noticeably more productive.
What to bring
Comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting sandy, sturdy trainers or light hiking shoes, gloves, sunglasses, sun cream and a windproof layer — the Atlantic light is strong and the coast is breezy even on warm days.
Getting here
Fly into Lisbon (LIS) — Sesimbra is 30 minutes away by car. Ask Behrooz about airport transfers when you confirm your dates; daily transfers to the flying sites are included.
Frequently asked questions
Why is ground handling so important in paragliding?
Ground handling is the foundation of every flight. Precise wing control on the ground gives you cleaner launches, calmer reactions in turbulence and more accurate landings — and it is the fastest way to build real confidence with your wing.
Will I fly during the ground handling course?
The focus is ground handling. When conditions allow and your wing control is ready, short coastal flights may be added.
How many days should I book?
Book a single day, a few days or a full week. Even one day makes a difference; a few consecutive days let you turn new techniques into habits.
When is the best time of year for ground handling in Portugal?
The programme runs all year. September to July is the most reliable period, with the most consistent wind; August, the month of summer heat waves, is the least reliable.
What equipment do I need to bring to Portugal?
Your own glider, harness, helmet and reserve — ground handling pays off most on the wing you actually fly. Radios can be provided free.
What ground handling skills will I learn?
Cobra and reverse launches, precise directional control, harness entry and wing control across a range of wind strengths — until your launches are consistent and automatic.
Is transport to the training sites included?
Yes — daily private transfer from your accommodation to the training site and back is included. No car needed.
How does payment work?
Payment goes directly to Behrooz — no booking platforms, no agencies and no deposit. You usually pay once your programme is over, and only for the days you actually fly.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation on all programmes. If you've already paid, you get a full refund — just send a WhatsApp message or email.
What happens if the weather doesn't cooperate?
Behrooz always has a backup plan and moves to wherever is flyable. On a day nothing can be flown, you aren't charged the day rate — only reasonable administrative or transport costs may apply.