Volandoo Weekly Flight Highlights: October 5, 2025

Welcome to Volandoo, the world’s premier platform for live tracking, social engagement, and logging paragliding and hang gliding flights. This past week, our community soared with remarkable energy, logging an impressive total of 1,786 flights across diverse terrains and flying styles. From thrilling cross-country (XC) distance challenges to tactical waypoint rounds, pilots demonstrated extraordinary skill and passion. Join us as we celebrate six standout flights that highlight the varied landscapes and flying disciplines making our sport so vibrant.

Eduardo Fernandes – Mastering Vale Do Paranã with a 192 km Free Distance Flight

Eduardo Fernandes delivered a breathtaking performance at Vale Do Paranã, completing a challenging free distance flight around three turnpoints totaling 192.3 kilometers in just over 4 hours and 23 minutes. Flying the high-performance Icaro Laminar, Eduardo expertly worked 27 thermals, showcasing endurance and thermal centering skills crucial for this region’s dynamic conditions. This flight not only pushed distance limits but also emphasized the strategic prowess needed for such an intricate course. Eduardo’s track is an inspiring example of combining tactical route planning with steady climbing efficiency.

Michele Tocci – Precision and Speed on a 190 km XC Challenge at Vale Do Paranã

Just behind Eduardo, Michele Tocci blitzed a 190 km free distance flight within 4 hours at the same Vale Do Paranã site. Piloting the agile Will Wing T3, Michele navigated 19 thermals in a disciplined and efficient manner, demonstrating remarkable speed while maintaining altitude gains. This performance underlines Vale Do Paranã’s reputation as a hotspot for XC pilots seeking both distance and tactical complexity. Michele’s flight embodies the thrilling balance between fast cruising and careful climbing that defines elite cross-country paragliding.

Jose Ignacio Robledo Municio – FAI Triangle Excellence at El Coronil

Turning to Spain, Jose Ignacio Robledo Municio completed a demanding FAI triangle flight covering 161.3 km from El Coronil. Flying the classic Alexander Schleicher Ask 16, Jose Ignacio demonstrated impressive efficiency with 19 thermals and a flight time exceeding 4 hours and 20 minutes. Navigating a triangular course is a notable achievement, requiring tactical decisions about start and turnpoints to optimize distance under FAI rules. Jose Ignacio’s flight is a textbook example of precision flying and endurance in competition-like conditions.

Bill Snyder – Triple Featuring Wharton Regional Airport’s Trusted Soaring

Bill Snyder showcased extraordinary consistency with three notable free distance flights around three turnpoints at Wharton Regional Airport, Texas. His longest flight reached 111.2 km in 2h 21m, flying the Willswing U2 hang glider, known for its balance of performance and handling. He also completed impressive 104.7 km and 101.5 km flights with thermal counts ranging from 16 to 28, highlighting his expert thermal utilization on multiple occasions. Bill’s repeated achievements in a short timeframe underscore his mastery of local conditions and endurance in XC hang gliding.

Ricardo Nunes – Navigating Ribeira De Nisa E Carreiras with Advance Omega Uls

In Portugal, Ricardo Nunes soared 105.5 km around three turnpoints at Ribeira De Nisa E Carreiras, demonstrating endurance and sharp soaring skills. Flying the Advance Omega Uls, a high-performance paraglider optimized for XC flying, Ricardo achieved this feat in nearly 4 hours while working 23 thermals—highlighting the technical finesse and patience required to maximize this scenic site’s updrafts. His flight is a powerful reminder of how equipment choice and pilot expertise converge to create XC success.

Maria Barragan – Dynamic Hang Gliding Flight at Wharton Regional Airport

Rounding out this week’s highlights is Maria Barragan, who delivered an impressive 95.4 km free distance flight at Wharton Regional Airport flying the Wills Wing Sport 2 hang glider. Completing the course in under 3 hours with 14 thermals, Maria demonstrated a fine balance between speed and altitude management in a highly competitive soaring environment. Her track spotlights emerging talent within hang gliding and the vibrant flying community thriving on Volandoo.

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These flights beautifully illustrate the diverse experiences Volandoo pilots embrace—from technical FAI triangles and multi-turnpoint distance flights to expert hang gliding XC in jetstreams. Dive into these tracks, get inspired, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in paragliding and hang gliding. Don’t forget to track your own flights and join the global conversation on Volandoo!