FEMALE FLIGHT FOSTERING

Finding camaraderie through women-specific events

by LISA VERZELLA

: It’s not easy to find flying programs, tours, or coaching geared specifically for female pilots in the U.S. or abroad. But a few significant options have emerged in recent years, hopefully starting a trend that will increase safety, skills, and participation for decades to come. These top-quality international and U.S. paragliding opportunities are attracting notice, popularity, and rave reviews.

The first program of note is in the beloved wintertime getaway for northern hemisphere pilots—Colombia. Much has been written about the tours, competitions, and gatherings in this verdant, warm mecca, but a newcomer on the block is gaining attention and rave reviews: the FLYT Paragliding Wellness Retreat.

FLYT, meaning “flow” in Norwegian, encompasses the purpose behind all the adventures the organization offers. Headquarters for the events are located at the mountaintop paradise of Casa FLYT, which provides pilots with fabulous lodging and meals. The week-long program, arranged and guided by U.S. paragliding pilot Rachelle McEwen, incorporates flying with daily breathwork, yoga, and a hearty but healthy menu.

One particular event, now in its second year, is the Ladies Paragliding Fly-In, which I attended this past January. This all-female guided and mentored retreat begins and ends each day at the beautiful, modern lodge situated along a 5,000foot MSL ridgeline on the northeastern side of the Valle de Cauca.

The event’s flying sites are located north of the crowded Roldanillo launch, providing lower stress and a more flexible flying window. Rachelle acts as both guide and mentor, partnering with an additional invited coach to give full attention to each participant.

I had a spectacular time at this fly-in. Each day began with bird calls that eased us out of sleep, along with the 6 a.m. light. Shortly after, Rachelle led a breathwork and stretching session, focusing the mind and body for the day’s upcoming adventure. After a hearty breakfast and thorough weather briefing to decide the day’s locale, task, and timing, we would venture out for a full day of exploring the air.

This year’s invited flying coach was X-Alps competitor Eli Egger, who is also the owner of Flugschule Aufwind, where she also serves as a flight instructor. Eli has been consistently crushing comps worldwide. Her knowledge, skill, patience, and respectful attitude were invaluable during our week of cross-country flying.

Flying with an all-female group took my experience a level deeper than my typical involvement in predominantly male gatherings, of which I’ve participated in hundreds over my 35 years of flying. The focus was more on collaboration than competition, and we felt free to express our anxieties, fears, and concerns without being judged or thought weak. The conversations often centered on women-focused topics like diaper use for long XC flights and how to encourage other gals to enter the sport, move up the ranks, and take on leadership.

A growing number of clinics and tours offer similar experiences for female pilots, where the focus is on fun, collaboration, learning, and growth. Egger’s Austrian paragliding school is one such place with over 50% of instructors being women. Other European programs include a German league that dedicates one of its comp- new-comer trainings specifically for women. British-based RISE Paragliding offers a Ladies Week SIV clinic, in Oludeniz, Turkey, for individual/acro training. Before COVID, the Australian program Altitude with Attitude, run by Kirsten Seeto, created events for women focused on owning every aspect of paragliding, from kiting and flying to gear selection, weather, site choice, and logistics.

The Federacion Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) has a Women With Wings (WWW) program, encouraging female participation in non-motorized air sports at all levels. Inclusive of paragliding, hang gliding, sailplane soaring, and hot-air ballooning, this program highlights women’s records, achievements, and champions on a global scale. The website www.fai.org/women-wings also has an events tab, though the only current listing is sailplane comp results. At this point, I see the WWW as an inspirational source rather than a concrete program. Coaching and educational events for women in the U.S. are primarily offered via fly-ins. California veteran paraglider pilot Milly Wallace is the mastermind behind one of the longest-running female events, the Paragliding Pixies Fly-In. Also a talented seamstress, instructor, tandem and test pilot, Milly began the Pixies gathering in 2017 at the Point of the Mountain in Draper, Utah. In addition to sharing the air with dozens of others, she organized a successful world record attempt for the largest number of female paraglider pilots kiting in unison. The fly-in has since migrated to Torrey Pines, California. Every Pixie gathering includes mentoring, GPS courses, ground handling instruction, mountain flying, thermaling coaching, and one-on-one assistance. Milly also brings in a few volunteer mentors each year. She humbly notes, “The best part is the girls helping each other and sharing their skills.” When not flying, participants can enjoy other fun activities, like yoga and flying-themed rock painting. The 2023 event will be at Torrey Pines Gliderport and the surrounding San Diego mountain flying sites from August 4-6.

An early attendee of the Pixie party, pilot Lindsey Ripa Burns was so inspired that she created her own female-focused event, the Swifts Fly-In. This heavily-attended gathering, which attracted both new and old, male and female pilots from across the country, was initially held in Villa Grove, Colorado. It has since moved, along with Lindsey, to become a Labor Day tradition in Monroe, Utah.

The Swifts Fly-In features group flying at all lev- els, both local and XC. Past events have offered mentorship connections and Q&A sessions with prominent women pilots. This year’s gathering will additionally offer some low-key, friendly guiding, according to Lindsey.

On the West Coast, California paraglider pilot Sarah Lockwood has organized a ladies fly-in in Santa Barbara, California, and, a first for this year, at Woodrat, Oregon. With significant others/partners welcome to join, event participation is for “female, female-identifying, and non-binary identifying pilots.” Sarah firmly believes in the positive effects of increasing female representation in the flying world and fosters that through mentorship and support.

Both the Woodrat Fly-In, scheduled for July

7-9 this year, and the 2nd annual Santa Barbara Fly-In, November 3-5, offer many opportunities to encourage this growth. The event website states, “Our goal is to create an accepting and encouraging space where women feel empowered to ask questions, push themselves, and unlock the amazing gifts that paragliding has to offer” — with a plan to “send it” if the weather permits, of course.

On a larger local scale, USHPA has formed a new committee, chaired by Violeta Jimenez, to support women in paragliding and hang gliding.

This group will focus on topics such as increasing female membership, highlighting events and opportunities in mentoring and education for women pilots, and encouraging the proliferation of female guides and solo/tandem instructors throughout the U.S. There is strength in numbers. Encouraging these programs and developing more will hopefully be effective in bringing new members to USHPA and improving representation within our organization. Gals, get friends involved and request women-led tours, guides, and tandem flights! Guys, encourage and empower the women around you to begin, continue, or level up! We can all play a role in spreading the word and promoting the gift of flying to everyone.