What Are the Legal and Safety Requirements for Paragliding in Hong Kong?

Updated

Paragliding in Hong Kong is a regulated activity: anyone operating a paragliding school or a tandem (two-person) experience must hold a permit issued by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD). If you want to start paragliding legally and safely, the practical rule is to fly only with instructors and schools that hold a CAD permit, and to check the list of HKPA-certified instructors and schools before you book. Paragliding carries inherent risks, and the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association (HKPA) explicitly warns against patronising unlicensed schools or tandem operators that attract customers with low prices or free offers.

The legal position

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 means the legality question is not about whether you personally may fly, but about who is allowed to teach you or take you on a tandem flight. If the operator has no CAD permit, the activity itself is unlawful — regardless of how experienced the individual pilot appears to be.

Why "cheap or free" is a warning sign

The HKPA's safety guidance is direct on this point: do not patronise unlicensed paragliding experience schools or tandem operators that attract customers with low prices or free offers. The association frames this as a safety issue, not just a legal one — paragliding activities carry inherent risks, and an operator cutting corners on licensing is unlikely to be the one you want managing those risks.

A low price or a free introductory offer is therefore not a bargain to evaluate on cost. It is a signal to check the permit first.

How to verify an instructor or school

The HKPA publishes a list of paragliding instructors and schools that it certifies and that hold a Civil Aviation Department permit. Use that list as your starting point:

  1. Go to the HKPA website (hkpa.net).
  2. Find the learning-to-paraglide section, which covers pilot ratings, foreign ratings equivalence, and school/instructor information.
  3. Check the list of HKPA-certified instructors/schools approved by the Civil Aviation Department.
  4. Confirm the specific school or tandem operator you intend to book with appears there before paying or committing.

If a provider is not on that list, treat the CAD permit as unverified.

What else the HKPA site gives you

Beyond the instructor list, the site is structured around the information a new pilot needs:

  • Flying info — Hong Kong air law, the HKSOS app, and site guides covering locations such as Lantau East, Lantau West, Long Ke Wan, Ma On Shan, Pak Tam Au, Pat Sin Leng, Sai Wan and Shek O.
  • Weather — Hong Kong Observatory links, a wind summary, and weather warnings.
  • Learning to paraglide — pilot ratings, foreign ratings equivalence, and school/instructor information.
  • Safety — safety articles, a safety report submission channel, safety notices, minimum equipment (including helmets), right-of-way rules, radio usage, and guidance on specific situations such as accidental tree landings and emergency landings.
  • Overseas flying — information for visitor pilots.

A reasonable first sequence

If you are starting from zero, the order that keeps you both legal and safe is:

  1. Read the HKPA safety material and the CAD safety guidance on paragliding activities.
  2. Choose a school or instructor from the HKPA-certified list.
  3. Confirm that provider holds a CAD permit before booking.
  4. Only then arrange training or a tandem flight, and follow the equipment and site guidance for the location you will fly.

The site does not publish pricing, so cost is not something you can compare from the HKPA pages themselves — verify credentials first, then discuss price with a licensed provider.