In this episode I sit down for a super fun chat with longtime instructor and one of the coolest cats around, Chandler Papas, the owner of Desert Wind Paragliding. Chandler shares his life-long journey into paragliding, the importance of good instruction, risk management, and cultivating gratitude for a safer and more fulfilling flying experience.
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Veteran Hang Gliding pilot Erika Klein shares her journey into the sport, the unique aspects of dune flying, and insights on safety, gear, and growing the sport. This episode offers valuable tips for beginners and enthusiasts alike- and if you haven’t hang glided will get you very keen to go prone!
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South African pilot and veteran sailor Ben Hodgson has been competing in some of the most well-known and intense hike and fly races around the world for a decade, beginning with the XBerg in 2017 and then advancing to the Bornes to Fly, X-Pyr and many others. Last year he was the main supporter for the wunderkid rookie Gabe Jansen in the Red Bull X-Alps after they met competing in a hike and fly race in Brazil.
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Join us as Czech pilot and last year’s Czech hike and fly national champion Jakub Rott shares his journey through paragliding, speed flying, skydiving and hike and fly competitions across the globe. Discover insights on safety, training, and the joy of flying in diverse terrain, along with some fantastic tips for aspiring pilots.
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This episode features one of Valle De Bravo’s most loved and successful pilots, Estefano Salgado. Estefano is a world-class trained chef who supported the Fra 4 team of Tanguy Renoud-Goud in the 2025 Red Bull X-Alps, is one of (maybe the only?) North American pilots to win a World Cup in recent history, is an elite instructor/guide for ParaglidingGuides.com and is a wicked story-teller! In this episode Estefano discusses his experiences in competitive paragliding, putting control theory into use, team management, and the importance of training and mentorship in the sport.
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In this wide-ranging conversation with Advance test pilot and former Swiss Champion Michael Maurer we discuss various aspects of paragliding, including the challenges and dangers of being a test pilot, the influence of family on flying careers, the importance of competition, and the pursuit of flow in flying. We also touch on advancements in paragliding technology, the future of the sport in Switzerland and across the world, and the significance of training and preparation for competitions. Michael shares personal anecdotes about his experiences and reflections on his career, emphasizing the balance between risk and learning in the sport.
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Two weeks ago at the World Championships in Costelo, Brazil a competition pilot was killed. This tragedy sparked an immediate and fiery response on social media calling for a top-down change at CIVL, the governing body of Category 1 competitions. Interestingly, two years ago during the World’s in France there were over a dozen incidents, many which lead to serious injuries…but the blame was more sequestered to the pilots ability and decision-making, not the organization. Last week Chrigel sent me an 8 minute voicemail during a training session laying out his own personal thoughts on this charged debate. So we made an effort to sit down immediately and discuss it all without all of the online emotion.
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Serge Durrant, a former Top Gun fighter pilot turned paraglider, discusses his journey from aviation to adventure sports. We explore themes of mentorship, risk management, and the importance of community in high-stakes environments. Serge shares insights on overcoming fear, the competitive nature of flying, and the mental techniques that have helped him succeed in hang gliding, flying F-18 fighter jets, and paragliding. The conversation highlights the parallels between aviation and paragliding, emphasizing the need for grit and the value of learning from mistakes.
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Jeff Ayliffe hails from South Africa and has been under some sort of canopy for a great deal of most of his action-packed years, beginning at the age of 5 when he became obsessed with skydiving. Jeff shares his journey from a young skydiving enthusiast to a veteran member of the national team. He recounts personal stories, including the thrill of formation flying and some terrifying, and sometimes tragic moments when things went wrong.
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Gavin McClurg, an accomplished extreme sports athlete and Patagonia ambassador, discusses his experiences with risk, flow, and mentorship in extreme sports on the Exit Point Podcast. He covers his history in ski racing, close calls in kayaking, and confidence-building from sailing around the world, emphasizing his expertise in paragliding.
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