Before booking your tandem flight: FFVL figures, the real causes of accidents, and why supervised tandem flying remains one of the safest forms of aerial discovery. Article written by a DEJEPS instructor.
DEJEPS · FFVLParagliding is scary. The media covers accidents, never the millions of incident-free flights. Before booking your baptism, it is legitimate to want to understand the real risks.
This article does not downplay anything: we look at the official FFVL figures, identify the causes of accidents, and explain why. The tandem flight with an instructor remains one of the safest forms of aerial discovery — comparable to any guided mountain activity.
At Ailéments, since 2013, we have accomplished more than 6,000 volumes without serious accident. No secrets: DEJEPS instructors, FFVL-certified school, equipment serviced by Aerotech, and strictly controlled weather the previous evening.
Read, compare, ask your questions. Our role is to give you the real information to decide with confidence.
To assess a risk, you need numbers. Here is the official data from the French Free Flight Federation (FFVL) – the only reliable source in France.
The pilot flies alone, managing their take-off, thermals, and landing. Human error and the Misjudgement of conditions sont les principales causes d'accidents.
Statistically, the majority of serious accidents involve Solo flights in demanding conditions (High mountains, strong thermals, cross-country).
A two-seater is a State-certified instructor (DEJEPS) He'll be piloting. He chooses the site, the conditions, the equipment. You're a passenger, with no technical responsibility.
Accident statistics for initiations in vocational schools are extremely weak — comparable to supervised mountain activities such as via ferrata or indoor climbing.
Tandem paragliding offers comparable or lower risk to mountaineering, off-piste skiing, aggressive mountain biking.
By km travelled, paragliding is less risky than a road motorbike. The risk is measured, manageable, and professional oversight drastically reduces it.
According to FFVL reports, accidents have 4 main causes. None of them concern supervised tandem baptisms by a professional monitor.
Solo flights in progress, incorrect execution of a manoeuvre, poor management of an in-flight incident. Affects only autonomous drivers who go beyond the scope of their school.
In a tandem flight, the DEJEPS instructor manages the entire flight. No piloting errors from the passenger are possible.
The pilot underestimates a strong wind, violent thermals, a change in air mass. Number one risk factor on a solo flight.
In a professional school, weather analysis is rigorous: flight decision made the evening before at 8pm by text message. In case of doubt, the flight does not take place.
Poorly maintained canopy, old harness, unserviced reserve parachute. Edge cases who never get into vocational school.
At Ailéments, the equipment is reviewed annually by Aerotech, specialised on-site workshop. EN/LTF standards systematically respected.
Acrobatics, extreme flights, pushing boundaries. Conscious choice of pilot, not an accident sustained.
No risk on your first flight: we fly in comfortable weather conditions, with no extreme manoeuvres (unless requested by yourself, and within strict limits).
Everything changes when you fly with a DEJEPS instructor. Here are the 3 pillars of safety in a professional school.
Le DEJEPS Paragliding (State Diploma of Youth, Popular Education and Sport) is awarded by the Ministry of Sport after 1,200 hours of training.
It guarantees: pedagogy, passenger management, reading of conditions, in-flight decisions. A mountain guide For the sky.
Tandem paraglider approved to standard EN/LTF, adapted harness, reserve parachute serviced every 6 months.
At Ailéments: Aerotech, the on-site specialist workshop, checks all equipment. No sail flies without a current inspection clearance.
The monitor selects the site according to the day's weather: Gréolières (1,800 m), Gourdon, or Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
Vent, masse d'air, thermals: if a single variable is not favourable, the flight is postponed. Fee-free report.
Not all training providers are equal. Here are the criteria that distinguish a professional school from a provider to avoid.
FFVL Label : only guarantee of compliance with federal standards (consult the list on the FFVL website).
Professional card from the monitor, referenced Ministry of Sports.
Professional Indemnity Insurance Individual accident cover is included in the price of the baptism.
Full briefing Before the flight: safety, signals, take-off, landing.
Weather validation The evening before with confirmation by text message.
Equipment check Helmet, harness, straps checked before each flight.
No FFVL label, no visible professional card, price too low, refusal to present equipment or insurance.
If a school Refuses to answer your technical questions, it's a warning sign. A transparent professional explains everything to you.
FFVL approved school since 2013. DEJEPS Tutors with 19 years of experience. Revised material Aerotech on-site. Professional liability insurance + personal insurance includes.
More 6,000 deliveries completed Since 2013, no serious accidents. 5/5 from over 1070 reviews Google. You are in professional hands.
Any questions before booking? Contact us you call the 06 87 68 71 90 — Pierrot or the team will answer you directly.
Book with confidence
These are two variables that the instructor checks at 100 % before and during each flight. Understanding these factors means understanding why a supervised first flight is safe.
Wind (speed, direction, gusts), air mass (stable/unstable), expected thermals, atmospheric pressure, visibility. The instructor consults 3-4 professional weather sources before each flight.
Confirmation SMS sent to each client the evening before. In case of doubt: free postponement. Better a postponed flight than a borderline flight. This has been our golden rule since 2013.
Fitted to every tandem seat. Manual mechanism operated by the instructor in case of a serious incident. Inspected at least every 6 months. Used statistically less than once in 10,000 flights.
EN (European) and LTF (German): mandatory tests for stall resistance, spiral behaviour, and exit from extreme manoeuvres. Ensure predictable behaviour sailing in 99 % situations.
Now that you know tandem skydiving is one of the safest outdoor activities, here are our 4 best-selling packages. Transparent pricing, DEJEPS supervision, serviced equipment.
Statistics, regions, ages, weather, comparisons, insurance, certifications, recent causes.
According to the data FFVL, on counts on average 10 to 15 fatal accidents per year In France, out of approximately 25,000 registered participants. The fatal accident rate remains rare and primarily concerns solo flights in demanding conditions, not a tandem baptism supervised by a qualified instructor.
Regions with high participation (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central) account for a higher proportion of incidents relative to the number of flights. The cause is not geographical but linked to Technical difficulty of some sites (high mountains, powerful thermals).
Sites supervised by FFVL schools are selected for their safety.
Le Tandem skydiving is accessible from 4 years old With parental consent, minimum weight 25kg. The child is securely attached to the instructor, equipped with a suitable harness and helmet.
The weather conditions are selected for smooth flights. No serious accidents are documented for children's flights under the supervision of DEJEPS instructors.
The monitor is trained to anticipate and react. If conditions deteriorate, it Shorten the flight and proceed immediately to landing.
Christenings rarely last more than 30 minutes, which limits exposure. If in doubt, the flight will not take place and will be postponed free of charge.
parapente offre une risk comparable to mountaineering or off-piste skiing — or even less in tandem flight with an instructor. A first flight remains one of the safest forms: professional instructor, EN/LTF approved equipment, strictly controlled conditions.
No. The'Professional Indemnity Insurance from school and the'Personal accident insurance are included in the price of the introductory session at Ailéments.
Always check with the school before booking that these two insurances are in place.
Ask for it Professional card number (referenced by the Ministry of Sport) or consult the list of accredited schools on the FFVL website.
A DEJEPS monitor must be able to present their card on demand. Ailéments is listed with the FFVL All monitors are state-certified.
The FFVL reports point to Four main causes :
50 % Pilot error and lack of training 25 % poor assessment of weather conditions 5 % hardware issues (rare) · 20 % Voluntary risk-taking in solo flight.
None of these causes concern tandem skydiving supervised by a professional instructor.
4 key points to help you decide on your baptism with confidence.
10-15 fatal accidents/year in France on 25,000 practitioners — concern almost exclusively the One-way flight. Bungee jumping is statistically safer than riding a motorbike.
In tandem, the instructor DEJEPS Handles everything (website, weather, sailing, piloting). You are a passenger, with no technical responsibility. No passenger piloting errors possible.
Criteria to check: FFVL label, Professional card instructor, third-party liability and accident insurance, equipment checked (Aerotech to Ailéments), weather briefing at 8 pm.
25 % accidents = poor assessment of conditions. In vocational schools, the weather is analysed on 3-4 professional sources, validated the previous day at 8pm. Doubt = flight postponed at no extra charge. Our golden rule since 2013.
