Paragliding
Tourist Resources
Paragliding
Why the Azores
The Azores offer excellent natural conditions for paragliding, attracting free-flyers from all over the world.
The combination of land and sea provides breath taking scenery, allowing pilots to appreciate the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and the exuberance of Azorean nature from above.
The temperate maritime climate of the Azores and the diversity of microclimates found on the archipelago's nine islands contribute to a favourable environment for paragliding, especially in spring and summer when wind conditions are more stable.
These factors make the archipelago a promising destination for paragliding, combining safety with an unrivalled visual experience.
Safety
Free flight activities (hang gliding, paragliding, paramotoring or similar) are dependent upon reading the following information and completing the visitor form.
Given the size of the islands, most of the flight locations are within or near controlled airspace and, therefore, some of them require coordination with local Air Traffic Control.
For more information on safety conditions and official flight sites for free flight activities, we recommend that you visit the wbsite Clube de Asas de São Miguel.
Warnings
Do not fly without first contacting local clubs or pilots;
No flying within the controlled airspace zone (CTR);
It is mandatory to fly with insurance and a pilot's licence, validated by the official authorities of the country of origin;
Do not enter properties, with or without a vehicle, without authorisation;
Do not take off or land whenever there are livestock or agricultural crops;
No flying on beaches during the bathing season;
The radio frequency for communication between pilots is 143.950 mhz;
We recommend flying with a GPS and/or compass.
Licence
To practice free flight in the Azores, visiting and local pilots must have a flight licence validated by the official authorities of their country of origin and an insurance policy.
Flight Licences in the Azores are issued by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), which is the Aeronautical Authority with competence in the coordination, supervision, oversight and inspection of all activities related to civil aviation throughout the national territory.
Flight Locations
List of official free flight sites in the Azores, with technical information on take-off and landing points, as well as the different levels of difficulty and access:
