Discover Your Wings: A Comprehensive Guide to Paragliding and Paramotor Training at FlyWithJordan

FlyWithJordan
Nov 4
6 min read

Posted on November 4, 2025 | By Jordan's Flight Team

Welcome to the skies with FlyWithJordan! If you're dreaming of soaring like a bird—whether it's the serene glide of paragliding or the powered adventure of paramotoring—you've landed in the right place. At FlyWithJordan, we're passionate about turning beginners into confident pilots and seasoned flyers into masters of the air. Our training programs are designed with safety, fun, and progression at heart, drawing on years of expertise to ensure every student feels empowered from takeoff to landing.

This blog post serves as your ultimate overview of our training offerings. Whether you're a complete novice curious about tandem flights or an aspiring pilot ready for full certification, we've outlined the key elements below.

Let's dive in!

Why Choose FlyWithJordan for Your Flight Training?

Before we get into the specifics, here's what sets us apart:

Expert Instruction: Led by certified pros with thousands of hours in the air, focusing on personalized coaching.
Safety First: We adhere to the highest international standards, with redundant safety protocols and ongoing risk assessments.
Community Vibes: Join a welcoming group of like-minded adventurers—post-training meetups and social flights included!
Flexible Learning: Programs adapt to your pace, weather, and goals.

Quinn's 5-Star Review

Jordan is the person you're looking for if you're seeking a hands on relationship to see you through your training. Unlike the other trainers I looked at before signing up, Jordan was always reachable and very realistic about the training.

The main difference that would make me commit again and again to Joran is his online class. Though it's not front in center when doing your research, it's this online coursework (about 30 hours if you do the entire program) that ensures you know everything about the material before every class. And ultimately it scales the value of what you're learning x10. Its here you learn about reading weather charts, proper handling/storage, physics of the wing, and so much more. Through this course you'll become an amateur meteorologist.

Though there's a lot of course work, you still get hands-on, in-air experience Day 1. It's a bit the best of both worlds.

Discovery Lesson

Want to check out our program and see if Paragliding or Paramotor is a good fit?

Overview: Take a single lesson and learn the basics. See what the gear is like and learn kiting on the ground.
Duration: This session begins 3 hours before sunset, perfect conditions for novice and newcomers.
What You'll Learn: Equipment, ground handling, kiting basics, and possibly a flight from the Training Hill
Prerequisites: Watch a few videos from our Online Course and you'll be ready.
Cost: $225 and this includes all gear and online content you will need.

Paragliding Training Program: From Ground to Glide

Paragliding is all about harnessing the wind with a lightweight wing and harness—no engine, just pure aerodynamics. Our program takes you from "What’s a paraglider?" to independent flight, emphasizing technique, weather reading, and aerial awareness.

Paragliding Training Program Levels and Structure

Paragliding Course

We break it down into progressive stages for smooth skill-building:

USHPA P1 Beginner Level: Training Hill Flights
- Overview: Start with Training Hill Basics from our Online Course. Once you're finished with a short series of lessons, you are then ready to visit for your first few coaching sessions at Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernardino.
- Duration: Typically 1-3 days for most students. Classes start 3 hours before sunset when the weather is appropriate. Classes typically held Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- What You'll Learn: Equipment intro, kiting/ground handling, basic forward launch technique, and your first radio assisted launches.
- Prerequisites: Training Hill Basics
- Booking: No need to make an appointment. Students are added to a student chat group called PG Planner. They simply check for good weather conditions and then indicate in that group that they will be attending classes.
USHPA P2 Novice Level: Flight Phase
- Overview: Advanced ground handling techniques and higher altitude flights with instructor supervision.
- Duration: Student usually complete this phase in about 2 weeks of coaching sessions.
- What You'll Learn: Launch techniques, Reverse kiting and launching, basic maneuvers from our flight phase syllabus, and proximity landings. This is the phase students are introduced to thermal flying!
- Equipment Provided: Students will have assistance purchasing their flight gear from the many reputable brands we carry as licensed dealers at FlyWithJordan. If shipping times create delays, school gear will be provided free of charge.
- Syllabus Samples: Big Ears descent technique, Coordinated Banked Angle turns, Speed Bar application, and Rear Riser turns.
USHPA P3 Intermediate Level: Flight Phase
- Overview: Longer flights, thermal soaring, and precision landings.
- Duration: Students typically complete this phase within 3-6 months. Thanks to our Unlimited Lessons, their visits do not cost them any additional money to attend.
- What You'll Learn: Advanced thermal techniques, advanced weather interpretation, and group flying etiquette.
- Prerequisites: Completion of Training Hill Basics and Novice Level
- Access: The P3 rating allows pilots entry into almost every established flying site in the U.S.
USHPA P4 Advanced Level: Flight Phase
- Overview: Field trips to other sites, advanced level flying and landing techniques.
- Duration: Pilots usually complete their P4 rating in 1.5 to 2 years. They are free to acquire airtime at any site they wish.
- What You'll Learn: Advance techniques and proximity landings

Locations and Logistics

Primary site: Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernardino
Season: Year-round, with peak flying in spring, summer, and fall.
Rides to Launch: Students may hike or pay for rides from a number of service providers at Andy Jackson Airpark.

Safety and Certification

Flight training equipment is constantly checked for airworthiness and is from the best brands in our sport. All students begin their training on gear that is rated and certified for beginner pilots.

Weather: Paragliding is a weather-dependent activity. Students are taught from the very beginning of the course how to check for appropriate conditions for training. As an extra layer of protection, our chat group PG Planner exists to coordinate training sessions and ensure that students are selecting appropriate conditions for their skill levels.

Paramotor Training Program: Power Up Your Paragliding

Ready to add propulsion? Paramotoring combines paragliding wings with a backpack motor for anytime, anywhere flying. Our program builds on canopy fundamentals but adds engine mastery for ultimate freedom. We provide foot-launch as well as trike and wheel assisted motor training.

Paramotor training begins at Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernardino. After several days of basic canopy skill building, the motor flight phase is conducted in Winchester, California.

Paramotor Training Program Levels and Structure

Paramotor Training Course

Mirroring paragliding for familiarity, with motor-specific twists:

Canopy Basics Phase Beginner Level: Training Hill Basics (same as Paragliding for this level)
- Overview: Start with Training Hill Basics from our Online Course. Once you're finished with a short series of lessons, you are then ready to visit for your first few coaching sessions at Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernardino.
- Duration: Typically 1-3 days for most students. Classes start 3 hours before sunset when the weather is appropriate. Classes typically held Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- What You'll Learn: Equipment intro, kiting/ground handling, basic forward launch technique, and your first radio assisted launches.
- Prerequisites: Training Hill Basics
- Booking: No need to make an appointment. Students are added to a student chat group called PG Planner. They simply check for good weather conditions and then indicate in that group that they will be attending classes.
Canopy Basics Phase Novice Level: Solo Flights
- Overview: Forward and Reverse launch techniques.
- Duration: 5-7 training sessions
- What You'll Learn: Reverse kiting, approach patterns, and descent techniques.
- Prerequisites to Advance: Students must be able to launch and land safely before going on to motor phase
Powered Flight Phase: Introduction
- Overview: Students purchase their motor unit with assistance. We are dealers for Parajet and Miniplane. Assembly and hang checks are conducted before flight phase.
- Duration: 2 days
- What You'll Learn: Procedures for starting and maintaining your motor unit as well as how to make adjustments to hang points and harness.
- Prerequisites: Canopy level solo flights, about 20-25 total flights until proficiency is achieved.
Powered Flight Phase: First Flights
- Overview: Students learn kiting with their motor unit and then perform their first powered flights.
- Duration: 1 day
- What You'll Learn: Forward and Reverse Launch, throttle control, abort procedures, and landing techniques.
- Prerequisites: Safe kiting and launching/landing skills.

Locations and Logistics

Open fields in Winchester which provide nearly unlimited landing options, perfect for novice motor pilots.
Timing: While the Canopy Basics phases are conducted 3 hours before sunset at Andy Jackson Airpark in San Bernardino, the Motor Flight Phase is conducted at sunrise in Winchester, California.

Safety and Certification

Motors mean extra checks—pre-flight inspections are non-negotiable. Certifications align with USPPA standards, including testing and ratings.

Gear, Costs, and Next Steps

Equipment: Motor units are not provided for training. Students get assistance purchasing what works best for their particular needs and goals.
Training Costs:
- Paragliding $2700 total tuition if paying per class. Student receive a $200 discount on tuition if they pay $2500 before classes begin.
- Paramotor $225 per Basic Canopy Training session (usually 4-7 days). Then the Paramotor Transition is $500 for 2 days of motor instruction. This also covers the assembly and introduction to their motor unit if purchased through FlyWithJordan.
Getting Started: Book a discovery call or tandem via our site.

Of course we offer tandems for both Paragliding and Paramotor. They are a great way to see the magic of flying this way for yourself.

Ready to Fly?

At FlyWithJordan, your wings await—let's make the sky your playground. Have questions? Chat with our AI assistant, trained on this very guide.

-The FlyWithJordan Team