How Do I Start Paragliding in Hong Kong Safely and Legally?

Updated

Start by choosing a licensed operator. In Hong Kong, anyone running a paragliding school or offering tandem (two-person) paragliding experiences must hold a permit issued by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD). The Hong Kong China Paragliding Association (HKPA) publishes a list of HKPA-certified instructors and schools that hold CAD permits — that list is the practical starting point for finding instruction. Paragliding carries inherent risks, and the CAD's safety guidance warns against unlicensed schools or tandem operators that attract customers with low prices or free offers.

The legal requirement you cannot skip

Under Hong Kong legislation, operating a paragliding school or a tandem paragliding experience requires a permit from the Civil Aviation Department. Operating without one can lead to prosecution.

This matters for you as a customer in two ways:

  • For tandem flights: the operator flying you must be permitted. A cheap or "free" tandem offer is a warning sign, not a bargain.
  • For learning: the school or instructor teaching you must be permitted. Certification through HKPA is the signal that an instructor or school has met the association's standards and holds the required permit.

How to find a licensed instructor or school

  1. Go to the HKPA website (hkpa.net).
  2. Open the Learning to Paraglide section.
  3. Check School/Instructor Information for the list of HKPA-certified instructors and schools holding CAD permits.
  4. Confirm the specific person or school you plan to fly with appears on that list before you pay or book.

If an operator cannot show up on that list, treat it as a reason to walk away rather than negotiate.

What to understand before you commit

Pilot ratings and progression

HKPA maintains a Pilot Ratings system, which sets out the recognised levels of pilot qualification. If you have trained or flown abroad, there is also a Foreign ratings equivalence process for having overseas ratings recognised. Knowing the rating structure helps you judge what a school is actually offering you and what you will need to progress.

Sites, weather and airlaw

Paragliding in Hong Kong is site- and weather-dependent. The association publishes:

  • Site Guides covering locations such as Lantau East (Sunset Peak), Lantau West (Lantau Peak), Long Ke Wan, Ma On Shan, Pak Tam Au, Pat Sin Leng, Sai Wan and Shek O.
  • Weather information, including Hong Kong Observatory data, a wind summary and weather warnings.
  • Hong Kong Airlaw, covering the local aviation rules that apply to flying.

A Lantau webcam is also available for checking conditions. These resources are aimed at pilots, but reviewing them before you start gives you a realistic picture of where flying happens and how much conditions matter.

Safety material worth reading early

The Safety section includes safety articles, safety notices, a mechanism for submitting accident/incident reports, and specific guidance on:

  • Minimum equipment (including helmets)
  • Right of way
  • Radio usage rules
  • RC models
  • Accidental tree landing
  • Emergency landing

Reading the minimum equipment and right-of-way pages before your first flight will make your instructor's briefing much easier to follow.

A practical sequence

  1. Decide whether you want a one-off tandem experience or to learn to fly.
  2. Find a CAD-permitted, HKPA-certified instructor or school via the HKPA list.
  3. Ignore offers built on unusually low prices or free flights.
  4. Before flying, review the site guide for your location, the weather summary and warnings, and the minimum equipment guidance.
  5. If you hold an overseas rating, check the foreign ratings equivalence page to see how it maps to HKPA ratings.

The single most important step is the first one: verify the operator's permit status through the HKPA list. Everything else — site choice, weather, equipment — follows from training with someone licensed to teach you.