freeflightbrighton.co.uk

What It Is

Freeflight Brighton is an advanced paragliding training provider based in Brighton, UK, with a focus on its Pilot Pro Course (PPC). The course is designed for pilots who already hold a BHPA Club Pilot rating, or an equivalent international qualification. Its aim is to help them build experience, develop cross-country flying skills, and ultimately pass the BHPA Pilot exam.

Core Dimensions

• Course Focus and Instructors: The provider specializes in advanced paragliding training. Chief Flying Instructor Rob Chisholm has been teaching since 1994 and brings extensive experience. The organization is also a long-standing dealer for Gin paragliders.
• Teaching Format: The course uses a hybrid model combining in-person practical training with online coaching. Offline, it offers four guided flying sessions per month in small groups of 3–8 people. Online, theory lessons and Pilot exam preparation are conducted via Zoom. The provider also uses Discord for booking and communication, and requires students to submit flight plans. Its original RTV development blog system allows students to record flight logs, which instructors then analyze one-on-one.
• Certification and Content: The core goal of the course is to obtain the BHPA Pilot rating. The content covers advanced skills such as finding and thermalling in lift, weather forecasting, including interpreting pressure charts and V.M.C. conditions, and cross-country flight planning.

Pricing

The course uses a subscription model: both the 6-month and 12-month PPC options cost £200 per month, requiring 6 and 12 payments respectively. A single trial lesson costs £200. It is worth noting that equipment rental is not provided, so students must bring their own paraglider. Radio rental, if needed, costs an additional £35 per session. Students who enroll in the long-term PPC can receive discounts on new equipment purchases.

Pros and Cons

• Pros: Highly experienced instructors; a rigorous teaching system, similar to a university application process with an interview requirement; small-group teaching helps ensure quality; the RTV system and weekly weather videos provide ongoing learning support; equipment purchase discounts are attractive for progressing pilots.
• Cons: High entry requirements, as students must bring their own equipment and already hold a Club Pilot rating; heavily dependent on weather, with theory lessons replacing flying when conditions are unsuitable; booking and communication rely on Discord, which may be inconvenient for users in China.

Who It’s For

Best suited to intermediate and advanced pilots who have already obtained a Club Pilot rating in the UK, want to break through to cross-country flying, and hope to earn BHPA Pilot certification. It is not suitable for complete beginners or students who cannot provide their own equipment.

Access from China

The website itself can be accessed directly, but its core booking and communication system relies on Discord, which is blocked in mainland China. As a result, the actual user experience is “partially restricted,” and a proxy is needed to fully participate in course interactions and bookings.