🎯 Crack Your First 100km XC Flight: Essentials That Actually Matter

Para Clinics Aotearoa • May 25, 2025

Breaking the 100km barrier in paragliding is a dream for many pilots. It’s one of those magic numbers that sounds impressive and feels just out of reach—until it isn’t.

We’ve seen it time and again: pilots chasing this milestone thinking they need better gear, more tech, or some magic XC formula. The truth? None of that matters as much as mindset, timing, and patience.

If you’re hovering in the 40–80km range and wondering what it takes to go triple digits, here’s what actually moves the needle.

🪂 1. Fly the Gear You Know

Don’t get sucked into the “gear = progress” myth. Upgrading your wing, harness, or app won’t help if you don’t yet fully understand what you’re flying now.

• EN-A and EN-B wings can absolutely do 100km. It’s been done countless times.

• Your open harness is fine. Your phone app is fine. Your compass and stopwatch? Still fine.

• Familiarity builds flow. Stick with what you know, and fly it well.

💡 You’re far more likely to succeed on gear you trust than on something “better” you’re still figuring out.

🌤 2. Launch Late, Climb High

The temptation to launch early is real—but resist it. Let the day cook.

• Peak thermal activity is usually between 1–4 p.m. in summer conditions.

• Use the early part of the day to observe conditions, study the sky, and watch others.

• You want strong, established climbs and a sky that’s working consistently.

Patience is power. Launching late often means faster climbs, fewer low saves, and a smoother path to goal.

🛰 3. Pick the Right Weather Day

This is the biggest difference-maker. Even top-level pilots can’t force a long flight on a poor day.

• Look for classic XC setups: good lapse rates, light winds, high base.

• Forecast trumps tactics every time.

• Use tools like Skew-T, RASP, or XC Skies—or get a mentor to help interpret them.

💬 Pro tip: Chat with someone who’s flown the route before. Local knowledge matters.

🕊 4. Slow Down to Go Far

XC flying is less like sprinting and more like endurance hiking in the sky.

• Take every thermal to the top. Climb to base—even if it feels slow.

• Keep glides short. Top up often. Don’t go into the blue hoping it’ll work out.

• Low? Reset. Take the time to climb back up. The best pilots do this constantly.

Your distance will grow with efficient climbs and disciplined patience, not by rushing bar-on through marginal lines.

🪂 5. Use Less Brake on Glide

One of the most common inefficiencies we see is over-controlling during glides.

• Fly with hands up unless you need to correct.

• Gently explore speed bar use when conditions allow.

• Learn to fly with C-riser control on 3-liners when it’s safe to experiment.

The goal is relaxed but active flying—tuned-in, not tense. Let the glider fly.

✅ XC Action Checklist

Here’s your five-step game plan before your next attempt:

☑️ Commit to flying your current gear—no new upgrades yet.☑️ Choose a strong XC weather day and launch later than usual.☑️ Climb to cloudbase before committing to long glides.☑️ Keep brake input light and stay efficient on transitions.☑️ Debrief the flight afterward—what worked, what didn’t?

🧠 Final Tip: It’s Awareness, Not Aggression

Your first 100km isn’t about brute force or pushing hard. It’s about staying connected to the air, flying smart, and repeating good decisions over and over.

This milestone is less a test of speed, and more a test of consistency, patience, and mental discipline.

At Para Clinics, we believe your mindset is your greatest gear. If you train that, the 100km flight will come—not as a lucky break, but as a natural next step.

Want to prepare for your first 100km XC with support? Check out our Guided XC Flights and XC Mindset Theory Modules—designed to help you fly further, safer, and smarter.

📩 Questions about gear, conditions, or mentorship? We’re here. Reach out anytime.

Go the distance,

— Para Clinics Team