How to Overcome the Fear of Paragliding: Advice from Our Pilots

Your friends have booked a paragliding flight in Alanya. You want to go too — but a voice inside keeps whispering, "What if I fall?" This article is for exactly that voice.

We have been flying tandem passengers for years, and we have taken thousands of people into the sky. Guess how many of them told us they were frightened before their first flight? Close to eighty percent. And afterwards, the share who said "Why did I wait so long?" was just as high.

Understanding Where the Fear Comes From

A fear of heights (acrophobia) is a survival mechanism. Your brain is trying to keep you away from danger. But here is something most people do not expect: in paragliding, that fear usually does not trigger at all.

Why not?

On a balcony or at the edge of a cliff, your feet are on solid ground and your brain generates a "I could fall from here" signal
In paragliding you are gliding through the air — there is no fixed reference point below you
Your brain reads this as flying, not as falling
Many people with acrophobia tell us they felt calmer in the air than on the ground

So the fear is really about the moment of take-off. Once you are airborne, an entirely different feeling takes over.

Breathing Techniques: Five Minutes Before Take-off

Our pilots share these with their passengers before every flight.

The 4-7-8 Breath

Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds
Repeat 3-4 times

✅ Your heart rate slows ✅ Muscle tension eases ✅ The feeling of panic comes back under control

Grounding (5-4-3-2-1)

While you are waiting at the take-off point:

Notice 5 things you can see (the sea, the mountain, the wing, your pilot, the sky)
Notice 4 things you can touch (helmet, buckled harness, grass, wind)
Notice 3 things you can hear (wind, birds, your pilot's voice)
Notice 2 things you can smell (pine, sea salt)
Notice 1 thing you can taste (the wind on your lips)

This keeps you in the present moment and breaks the anxiety spiral.

Gradual Exposure

If your fear runs deep, you do not have to go straight to a tandem flight.

A Step-by-Step Plan

Watch videos — Alanya tandem flight footage lets you get used to the view first
Visit the take-off site — drive up to Yunus Hill without flying, and just look at the view
Meet a pilot — ask questions, look at the equipment, learn how the safety systems work
Choose a shorter flight — start with a 15-20 minute flight
Fly without acro — ask for a calm, straight glide on your first flight

Why You Can Trust Your Pilot

Tandem pilots are not ordinary hobbyists. Here is the profile of a FlyNow pilot:

✅ A minimum of 500+ flight hours of experience
✅ A licence approved by THK (Turkish Aeronautical Association) or SHGM (Turkish Civil Aviation Authority)
✅ Equipment inspected at least twice a year
✅ A meteorological assessment every single day
✅ A reserve parachute on board on every flight
❌ No flying in risky conditions, ever
❌ No tandem permission for inexperienced pilots

Your pilot has been up in that sky thousands of times before you. And on a tandem flight the controls are entirely theirs — the only thing you have to do is run a few steps at take-off.

Real Stories: People Who Beat the Fear

Elif, 34 — Istanbul

"I could barely get into a lift. When my friends planned paragliding on our Alanya holiday I said 'Not me' straight away. But after talking to the pilot I gave it a chance. I closed my eyes at take-off, and when I opened them ten seconds later... I cried. Out of happiness. It was the most beautiful view I have ever seen."

Dmitri, 28 — Moscow

"I did a parachute jump during military service, but paragliding scared me because I was not the one in control. Trusting the pilot was the hard part. After the flight in Alanya I understood that tandem is actually safer — the pilot is in control every second."

Ayşe, 52 — Ankara

"I flew for the first time at 52. My children gave it to me as a gift. I was worried because of my heart condition, so I got my doctor's approval. The flight was so calm it felt like walking above the clouds."

Why the Fear Disappears in the Air

The science behind it:

Endorphins: within 30 seconds of take-off, your brain releases a strong wave of them
Flow state: a new, intense experience occupies the brain completely — there is no room left for fear
No reference point: at 700-800 m above the ground, the "balcony effect" simply does not occur
The wind: cool air on your face calms you and pulls you into the moment

Many passengers say they had forgotten their fear entirely within a minute of take-off. Some even ask whether we can go higher.

Practical Advice for a First Flight

Do ✅

Choose the morning — the wind is calmer
Eat a light breakfast — do not fly starving or overfull
Wear comfortable trainers
Talk to your pilot before take-off
Say out loud that you are frightened — your pilot will fly accordingly

Don't ❌

Do not drink alcohol before flying
Do not wear heels or flip-flops
Do not hide your fear — your pilot needs to know
Do not decide under social-media pressure
Do not come without sleeping — being rested matters

Take the First Step with FlyNow

We work with the most experienced pilots flying in Alanya. We understand your fears, because we all had a first flight of our own once.

Message us on WhatsApp and tell us what worries you. You may be one message away from the best experience of your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am afraid of heights. Can I still do a tandem flight?

Yes. The large majority of people with a fear of heights do not feel it in the air, because there is no fixed ground to look down from. Your pilot is right behind you and in full control.

What happens if I have a panic attack during the flight?

Your pilot is prepared for that. They will calmly take a landing approach and bring you down safely. They are also in constant radio contact with the ground crew.

What am I supposed to do at take-off?

Listen to your pilot's instructions. Usually a few running steps are all that is needed. Hesitating or pulling back makes it harder for the wing to inflate — your pilot will tell you exactly what to do.

Can I cancel at the last moment because of fear?

Of course. Nobody is ever made to fly. That said, in our experience more than ninety percent of guests who make it as far as the take-off point do fly, and are glad they did.

What is the best time of day for a first flight?

Between 09:00 and 11:00 the wind is usually lighter and the thermals have not yet built up. These are the ideal hours for anyone who is nervous.

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