Safety

Rio has a relatively high crime rate. Keep situational awareness when checking your phone on the street.

Uber Black is generally considered safe. Keep windows down. Cause thief may grab your phone while you are waiting for traffic lights. (Not Uber X or Uber Comfort)

Uber is relatively cheap here compared with San Francisco.

Prerequisite

USHPA P2 license or above. Reserve is mandatory.

Fly site info

Club website: https://cscvl.com.br/ 

Launch site: Rampa de Voo Livre da Pedra Bonita – CSCVL

Landing zone: Hang Gliding & Paragliding Rio de Janeiro

Altitude difference: ~1700 feets

Glide ratio: 2.7:1 to 3:1

Documents

• USHPA license, digital is fine.
• 50 Reais for club daily usage. You can pay either by card or cash. You can fly at maximum 5 times a day.
• 25 Reais to the driver to drive you. up. Cash only.
• Tips in cash for the instructor (if you hire one)
• Pay the driver to drive you up. 25 Reais. Cash.

Launch procedure

• go to the CSCVL club at the landing zone first. Show your license, register for daily usage. 
• Pay daily usage fee. They will give you a ticket. Keep it cause you need to give it to the staff at the launch site. 
  • You need to print one ticket for each lap. Before you go up again, remember to print the ticket at the office again.
• The landing zone is the green area next to the club. You can practice kiting here before going up. There is no kiting area at tha launch site.
• There are many instructors at the club looking for clients. Only a handful of them can speak English. Only a few can speak English fluently. Following instructors are those I met that can speak English fluently: Bruno, Delton, Lukas,
• Find a driver to drive you up in front the club. You don’t need reserve one beforehand. Walk in is fine.

Launch site

It takes around 20 minutes to drive up. Then you need to hike for a few minutes.

There is toilet at the launch.

The launch area has two levels. The upper level is for hang gliders. The lower level is for paragliders. 

The ramp is covered by fake lawn and is steep and short. The staff at the ramp will check your ticket and help you do preflight. They will also lift the center of your wing for better inflation.

• You need a very solid launching technique. There is no much room for bail out.
• Wait for the cycle. Take your time.

The staff at the launch controls the traffic. Follow their command to wait for your turn to launch.  

Landing approach:

• Check their club website for landing approach https://cscvl.com.br/ 
• The green area is for paraglider. The beach is for hang glider. 
• However, if necessary, paraglider can also land on the beach. 
• The green area is small. The beach is lengthy. 

Weather prediction: 

https://www.windguru.cz/1253403  OR windy 

When using Windy, make sure to check the wind at altitude of 600m.

Ideal launch wind direction: E, NE, SE

• I did see paraglider and hang glider launches when the prevailing wind is N. The launch ramp is in the middle of the mountain thus the backwind is blocked by the mountain top. At the launch, you may experience E wind even when the prevailing wining is N or W.

Local instructor: Delton whatsapp: +55 21 98193-9806 

• He speaks English. Patient, professional and kind.
• I asked him for site intro and radio coaching. 
• You decide how much you pay him.
• For your reference, a tandem flight is 900 Reais.