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Adventure paragliding trips and tuition for all levels of pilot

About Us

Free Flight Academy – A European team of experienced instructors and XC guides dedicated to paraglider pilot progress and confidence building

Lee Tryhorn

BHPA Chief Flying Instructor & School Owner

Lee has been flying & teaching paragliding since 2005. His main drive is Acrobatic paragliding which has given him a passion for teaching security in flight and glider control clinics. He is a senior instructor with the BHPA and with a naturally calm and patient personality he specialises in progressing low air time & low confidence pilots. Lee has a high level of experience in running trips abroad and enjoys opening up new paragliding experiences for pilots. Lee is also an experienced tandem pilot and SIV instructor.

Fiona Tryhorn

The Boss :)

Qualified in 2011, Fiona is still a relatively low airtime pilot however her organisation skills are second to none. If you need a speedy response it is likely to be her who contacts you first and she can be found on all the European trips, driving and taking photos & video of the action on the hill.

Akis Altis

Senior XC Guide & Tandem Pilot

Akis is a very talented XC pilot from Greece. He has a wealth of flying experience and is also a skilled tandem pilot. Fluent in 5 languages he gets on with everyone and is particularly handy at translating menus in far flung locations. Recently he has spent a lot of time living and flying around Colombia and most of South America, so you will find him acting as the fixer on many of our long haul tours.

Paragliding Courses

Our courses include covering all the essential basics of safety in flight, how to search for thermals for lift and how we use the lift to climb.

SIV / Acro Course - Spring 2020

  • Apr 25th to May 2nd
  • May 2nd to May 9th
  • May 16th to May 23rd
  • May 23rd to May 30th

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Acro with Jack Pimblett - Oct 2019

  • Oct 4th to Oct 9th

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SIV / Acro Course - Autumn 2019

  • Sep 28th to Oct 5th - 1 place remaining
  • Oct 5th to Sep 12th - 3 place remaining

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Paragliding Adventure Trips in Europe and Beyond

Macedonia - 2020

  • Jun 27th to Jul 4th - Sold out
  • Jul 4th to Jul 11th - 1 place remaining
  • Jul 11th to Jul 18th - 1 place remaining

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Italy, Abruzzo - June 2020

  • Jun 6th to Jun 13th - Sold out
  • Jun 13th to Jun 20th

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Colombia - 2020

  • Jan 25th to Feb 8th - 1 place remaining
  • Feb 15th to Feb 29th - Sold out

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South Africa - January 2020

  • Jan 4th to Jan 18th

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Morocco - November 2019

  • Nov 2nd to Nov 9th - Sold out
  • Nov 9th to Nov 16th - Sold out

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Testimonials

Thank you guys for a hugely enjoyable trip to the Dominican Republic. It was 2 weeks of pure pleasure: great flying in stunning locations with a lovely group of people, and all very professionally run. Keep up the good work!
Mark Winstanley
Rarely do people fit perfectly to their chosen profession, but when they do, they are the best. Lee is one of these mavericks - he is a highly competent pilot, clear and patient teacher, and an inspirational and fun motivator. Head out and fly with him - you will not regret it!
Simon Sandoval
My recent trip with Free Flight Academy to The Dominican Republic was excellent. It was well-researched, professionally organised and a wonderful experience and above all great fun. I would like to thank both Lee and Akis for all their hard work and dedication. I have no hesitation in recommending these guys to anyone who has a taste for adventure.
Clive Allen
Lee has a really calm, jovial manner; great for building confidence in his students. He is also really good at picking up on your flying style and areas to work on, so his debriefs are really informative. I have no idea how he spots tips for everyone -must have eagle eyes. He will make sure you get the most out of your holiday. I'm Looking forward to my next trip.
Caroline Williams
I can honestly say, in my opinion, Lee is undoubtedly one of the best paragliding instructors/tour guides in the world. His boundless enthusiasm for the sport, mixed with his immense knowledge of paragliding makes for a potent mix. Be warned, these skills and his addictive charm will have you travelling the globe in the search of white fluffy clouds.
Justin Clarke
Out of all the guided weeks I have been on, the trip to Croatia with Free Flight Academy was the most amazing experience to date. Lee’s knowledge, experience and his amazing passion for teaching creates the perfect recipe for any pilot looking to progress in this sport, no matter how many hours they have..... and on the subject of hours, I managed to clock up 11.5 hours of the most beautiful flying I have ever experienced!
Chris Lee
I had an amazing weeks flying in Croatia with Free Flight Academy. Lee’s passion and knowledge gives him a natural talent for instructing and he is always positive and encouraging no matter what. I was zero hours post CP and came away with 5.5 hours airtime and most importantly, a massive confidence boost thanks to Lee’s cool and calm teaching style
Claire Thompson
The SIV in Turkey has been one of the best flying experiences I have had and I feel so much more confident in the air! I highly recommend every pilot do an SIV and to do it with someone like Lee. Lee genuinely cares about the pilots under his wing, and is keen to see them progress in their flying, in a safe but extremely fun environment. The team he has put together with Free Flight Academy is fantastic. I always feel well taken care of on their trips, leaving me to focus on enjoying my flying.
David Coultous
Lee Tryhorn always has time and patience for low and mid-range pilots and through Free Flight Academy he has personalised the training to small groups, which maximises the time spent on pilots. Lee clearly loves this sport and wants every individual pilot he trains the same opportunity to feel the wonderful benefits it can bring. If you have not met Lee in the paragliding world you are missing out!
Andy Wilkinson
I’ve just got back from a trip to Italy with Free Flight Academy and the coaching was first class in every way. Tailored to the individuals needs it was timed perfectly and right on the money every time. The best thing however was the shear enthusiasm, drive and patience that Lee and Akis have by the bucket load. Their enthusiasm and love of the sport just washes over everyone in an infectious wave that will have you dreaming of thermals and cold fronts - all that on top of three flights a day at uncrowded sites!
Martyn Wimpenny

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