We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to flying in the Canterbury region.

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The spectacular mountains, only a couple of hours drive away, provide beautiful flying options for all pilots.

There are numerous flying sites offering superb flying closer to the city too, with Taylor’s Mistake, our most popular, coastal, site only a 20 minute drive from town!

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations in New Zealand require that all hang glider and paraglider pilots (including visitors) must be current members of the New Zealand Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (NZHGPA) before flying.

Membership including visitor membership can be applied for on the NZHGPA website. You can also find helpful information for visitors here – NZHGPA Visiting Pilots Information.

It’s always good to check in with the locals before flying a new site. If you go to an established flying site and there are no local pilots flying there is probably good reason why they are not! Be sure to get in touch with local pilots on our Facebook, or WhatsApp to notify your intentions to fly or to ask about local flying conditions. As always: “if in doubt….. don’t fly”.

The CHGPC has worked hard to secure and maintain our sites for flying paragliders and hang gliders, so please respect our efforts and respect our sites. Our committee works hard to keep positive relationships with the landowners that kindly permit us to take-off and land at the designated sites on their land. Ensure you respect their property. We are only guests there. In the NZHGPA Operations Manual there are specific rules for when landing in, or uses another’s property.