I’ve got a head cold and hoarse throat this week which makes interviewing pretty hard, so we’re diving back into the archives to bring you a show that was great then, and better now and an excellent tune-up before spring. “Mastering Autonomy” with Manu Bonte. And a couple important topics in the show opener that I’ve been meaning to hit for weeks. Enjoy!

Manu Bonte is an APPI Master Instructor and has been guiding cross country instructional tours around the world for over 10 years. A Mechanical engineer, Manu has worked as a test pilot for 8 years in the development team of the French paraglider brand Nervures. Manu is also a journalist and author of the book Parapente Sauvage. The “Flying Frog” is internationally known for his amazing pictures and adventurous journeys around the globe. Manu is president of the educational committee of the APPI, an international education training program that has more than 10,000 members in 134 countries. In this episode we learn about how Manu approaches building autonomy with his students; the importance of the mental side of the sport; finding the equilibrium between motivation and safety; chasing the aesthetic over personal bests and kilometer counting; how to get pilots in a positive state of mind; teaching people to avoid making stupid mistakes; the extreme risk of social media and external motivation and flying; how to free the unconscious mind; the three things that lead to accidents; switching to “autopilot”; where “happiness” lies in flying and a TON, TON more.

Some great resources from the talk:

An excellent tool to analyze your flights
https://xcanalytics.fr/en/

https://www.fai.org/page/risk-assessment

Here is the major accident analysis over last 12 years (in French)
https://vimeo.com/382900263

APPI (Association of Paragliding Pilots and Instructors) is an association based in switzerland that was founded in 2009.
http://appifly.org/
http://www.appifly.org/?What-is-APPI

The main goal of APPI is to offer to pilots and instructors a worldwide united education system. Many pilots travel, and APPI gives them the confidence to find consistent,  quality education in certified APPI schools all around the world. APPI allows those traveling pilots to progress in the same education system wherever they travel.

APPI has 10.000 members in more than 134 countries
http://appifly.org/?APPI-Worldwide&lang=en

APPI quality is based on:

A: a well documented education system

http://appifly.org/?APPI-Education-System&lang=en#education
click on any level to have details

APPI education system also features:
-Pilot manual
-Pilot Logbook where the contents of each level are described. So far this logbook is available in English, Spanish, French, Serbo Croatian, Macedonian, Greek, Persian, Russian, Turkish…. Chinese and Arabic are in progress
-Online theory training with a pool of 500 question carefully elaborated and regularly updated
-Online Theoretical exam virtual room
-Evaluation forms for practical exams
-Instructor manual

The education system is regularly evaluated and updated by a cosmopolitan pool of master instructors: the APPI Pedagogical Committee. This allows the  system to be in perpetual evolution and incorporate the latest knowledge, which is a major issue when we consider the fast evolution in glider design and its impacts on piloting.

B: a network of APPI certified professional pilots:

The network of tandem pilots, instructors and schools provides a consistent and guaranteed level of quality

C: field pedagogic actions:
those actions are performed:
-by APPI instructors inside APPI schools
-by APPI master instructors for experienced pro pilots (tandem, instructors, technicians) seeking validation or updating of their competence in the APPI system. They are evaluated and validated at the level they deserve in the APPI system.

Actions oriented towards Pro pilots are called Pro-workshop, here is the schedule of coming events, as well as a resume of actions that have been held in the past

http://appifly.org/?APPI-Workshops&lang=en

D: a quality control system based on 2 points:

-Each key level (advanced pilot, tandem pilot, instructor) requires validation of two different instructors or master instructors. Name of validators is recorded into the APPI system and they may be held responsible for the actions or behavior of their rated pilots in case it is due to a lack in the education process.

-Each member of APPI, whether he is a simple pilot or a master instructor, can report any incidents or unsafe behaviors he may witness.

The Disciplinary & Safety Committee will investigate and evaluate possible actions to take in these instances.

If the issue indicates action against an individual, the disciplinary committee may take action to bring the individual into compliance with the APPI standards. If those actions are unsuccessful, sanctions may been taken up to expel the individual from APPI.

If the incident suggests a change to the training protocol, the Disciplinary Committee will engage the Pedagogical Committee to have the training protocol be revised and evolve.

System update:

The APPI system is driven by a competent and cosmopolitan pedagogical committee:
14 experts showing different backgrounds.

The diversity of countries and expertise enriches our understanding of global issues. One thing they have in common is that all travel the world for their professional paragliding activity.

This committee also relies on a network of well known and respected specialists who help on specific topics.
APPI Hall of Fame shows Francois Ragolski, Theo De Blic, Tim Alongi, Franck Coupat (Attaka speedriding school), Kari Castle, Charles Cazaux, Seiko Fukuoka, Pablo Lopez, Bruce Goldsmith, David Eyraud, Fabien Blanco, Mendo Veljanovski, Jordi Marquillas, Marko Hrgetik, Dale Covington, Avi Malik… Among others

APPI and National federations:

− The purpose of APPI is to create a consistent high level of training worldwide, and to build bridges with existing national federations.

− At APPI we are convinced that a strong local federation of pilots in a country is critical for paragliding development, and is key for airspace regulation, national competition, and many other issues.

− APPI’s goal is to promote and strenghten paragliding worldwide.
If we can help any federation or local authority with our experience and training program to build a synergy, we do so enthusiastically.

On the field how does it work?

Some countries use the APPI system as their official system. They like the quality of the contents, the fact that its a ready to use solution with documentation and educational support. Also they like the possibility to call external experts to validate the pros levels which eliminates conflicts of interest.

In some countries where an historic educational system exists APPI certifications are recognized besides the local historic system. APPI functions in a supportive role, and is mainly used when local pilots travel abroad, or for an easy integration of incoming foreign pilots.

There are countries that do not recognize APPI yet, and we work on building a trustfull relationship with them.

APPI and FAI

APPI is recognized by FAI as a trustfull entity. FAI asked APPI to work on the renewal of Parapro system (Safe pro 2017), FAI allows APPI to issue FAI IPPI levels in certains countries, standart procedure requires local NAC autorization.

Pilots that are APPI certified have their certification recognized in countries that recognize APPI certification.

Insurance:

We are working on providing worldwide insurance at a decent rate and very good coverage to all our pilots and professional pilots. We have already succeeded for European citizens (even living abroad) and European residents. Our insurance company is working to extend the offer worldwide

Manu Bonte

President of APPI educational committee

Show Notes:

• Finding the equilibrium between motivation and safety
• Becoming autonomous
• Teaching people to avoid making stupid mistakes
• Mental, mental, mental- you gotta feel good in the air
• Identifying behaviors that betray nervousness
• disconnecting the piloting from the vision- going into autopilot
• improving technique for thermalling
• work on strategy- identify the simple rules and follow them- free your unconscious mind!
• The four cores: Mental, technical, energy, and strategy
• The three things that lead to problems- 1) external motivation. 2) ego. 3) incorrect vision of progression- exposing yourself to too much risk. Work the technique, improve your mental skills, pound the fundamentals and you will get good, you don’t need to push hard to get good
• Paragliding is dangerous. Accepting that it is the first step in the right direction.
• What makes a good paragliding pilot? What makes a great flight?
• Adapt- manage your level of exposure
• Connect your happiness to improvement, not numbers
• Your goal should be to fly safely and making smart decisions.  Fly for the aesthetic. If your stories include tons of low saves and surviving sketchy decisions then that’s not cool. Who’s the better pilot- the pilot who flies all day without a low save, or the pilot who has 5 low saves?
• The importance of Analyzing your flight to find weaknesses. There are four parts: climbing, transition, the line, and the searching.
• How to exit a thermal
• The importance of Margin
• Are you having fun or are you looking for recognition?
• Aligning probability with risk and the severity of the consequences
• APPI and creating a syllabus and education system for the world

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:41 — 66.9MB)

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