Pro-workshops TANDEM and INSTRUCTOR , Tucuman Argentina, 08-29 November 2022 Manu Bonte (10914)
31 December 2022EDUCATION | paragliding Speed Riding winch
This double program of pro-workshops has a special history. It is the result of an ambitious cooperation agreement that was signed between the Argentinian Free Flight Federation "FAVL" and APPI at the end of 2021. The FAVL Board put a lot of energy into making this program possible despite the uncertainties that remained regarding sanitary regulations. The organization was orchestrated by Sergio Bujazha and his team from "Loma Bola Vuelo y aventura".
Tucuman hosted the 17th World Paragliding Championships in 2021. The site of Loma Bola is therefore renowned for its flying conditions and has proven to be excellent for APPI professional training. First of all the weather gods were generous in giving us 20 flying days in a row. The 21 professional tandem pilots and 11 paragliding instructors from Argentina, but also from Bolivia, Ecuador and Guatemala, were able to show the extent of their talent and add some strings to their bow.
The classroom was hosted in an old university with large spaces, away from the city and high enough to offer a relatively fresh air. It was located in the heart of a huge park with century-old trees and many species of birds and animals that had a magical feel to it.
The teaching team was composed of instructors Mariela Guzman Livingston (Argentina), Martin Vallmitjana (Argentina), and master instructors Pablo Lopez (Argentina) and Manu Bonte (France).
The latest developments of the APPI platform allowed the participants to prepare themselves in an optimal way before the seminar. The participants' thirst for updating their knowledge is to be commended: many of them already held a national professional rating. Those who obtained the APPI international rating now have new professional opportunities outside their country.
This seminar was an opportunity for many pilots to refresh their piloting skills with the mandatory SIV certification. Pablo Lopez, SIV Master Instructor, acro legend and founder of the SAT team, offered such a training before the workshops. The participants were able to improve their technical skills on this essential point.
During the 8 days tandem workshop, essential and advanced knowledge was shared.
Four main topics:
-Equipment and material from the perspective of ageing control and airworthiness assessment.
-Aerodynamics and piloting: evolution of paraglider design and consequences on piloting,
-Weather (advanced forecast), safety, mental, performance and regulations,
-Tandem flight: techniques and safety procedures.
11 pilots obtained the APPI tandem PRO qualification, and 2 a tandem non commercial ratig.
The 12-day instructor seminar was also very intense. The ratio of 4 teachers for 11 participants was a key point of success: it allowed an efficient and very personalized supervision. The experience of each member of the teaching team and their knowledge of APPI teaching methods and tools were decisive. The high proportion of field time (50%) allowed participants to acquire real experience in the education field, using APPI pedagogical tools in real cases. The integration of real students was very precisely supervised by the staff according to the real level of the aspiring APPI instructors, and added a real plus to the program.
6 participants certified APPI instructors, 4 of them have demonstrated a real potential of master. 3 participants certified APPI assistant instructor.
In the APPI pro-workshops, the trim of the gliders used is systematically checked. Some of them were clearly out of the permissible tolerances even though they had been overhauled by local workshops.
APPI also has a "check and repair" training program for maintenance shops.
With these seminars APPI continues to contribute to the safety and professionalism of tandem pilots and instructors.