San Fransisco Bay Area Paragliding Right of Way Rules
When we’re paragliding here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re hardly ever alone. On a busy day at Mussel Rock there can be as many as 40 other paragliders in the air. To keep yourself and others safe, it’s important to follow right of way rules. This article is applicable for pilots flying in the Bay Area and anywhere else in the United States. In other countries, there may be slight variations to the rules.
On the Ridge
The paraglider pilot with the ridge on the right has the right of way. This is easy to remember because the three Rs rhymes. If you’d like to overtake a slower paraglider on the same ridge at about the same height, you do so on the ridge side. Having said that, it’s a good idea to make sure that the pilot of the slower glider knows what you’re doing. The slow pilot might drift towards the ridge and put you in a situation without many options. If the lift band is narrow, most pilots will do this intentionally before making a turn in the opposite direction.
In Clear Air
When flying in clear air well away from a ridge, a different set of rules apply. If two pilots are on a converging course, the pilot on the right has the right of way. It’s very similar to driving right of way rules when two cars arrive at a stop sign at the exact same time. What if both pilots are flying directly at each other? In this instance, both pilots need to make a turn to the right.
In a Thermal
When you’re coring a thermal with your vario beeping happy noises and you’re focusing on staying in the lift and thinking about where to go next, the last thing you want to do is worry about dodging other pilots in the same thermal. If you’re joining a thermal with other pilots, you must turn in the same direction as everyone else. If you find a thermal and you’re the only one in it, you’re the leader of the thermal and everyone will fly in the same direction. Having said that, this rule is often thrown out in competitions when the organizers simply tell you the direction you should be turning in all thermals.
