Paragliding Basic Pilot Licence (PPL) Theory
Exam-Style Practice Pack with Answers
Study notes for every topic • 52 quick-check questions with explanations • a full 195-mark mock
exam (68 questions) laid out like the basic licence theory paper, with model answers and explanations
• original diagrams • 35 free "Watch & learn" videos
For South African student paraglider pilots preparing for the SAHPA basic licence theory test
Independent study aid. This pack is not affiliated with, produced by or endorsed by SAHPA, SACAA or any flight
school. All questions, answers, notes and diagrams are original and written for practice. It is not a copy of any exam
paper.
Always follow your instructor. Paragliding is a high-risk activity. This pack supports your training; it does not replace
it. Where your instructor, your school, your equipment manuals or current SAHPA/SACAA rules say something
different, they take priority.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 1
,Contents
• How the basic licence theory test works
• How to use this pack
• Part 1: Study notes, Watch & learn and quick-check drills (Sections A–F)
• Part 2: Mock exam (195 marks)
• Part 3: Mock exam model answers with explanations
• Part 4: One-page revision sheet
• Things to confirm with your instructor
How the basic licence theory test works
The basic licence theory test used in South African paragliding training is a written, open-book paper.
You answer in your own words, short and to the point, and some questions ask you to draw or label a
sketch. It is usually done during or straight after your course while it is fresh. The paper we modelled
this pack on looks like this:
Section Topic Marks Share
A General: logbooks, reporting, sites, SAHPA 20 10%
B Airflow, wind and turbulence 50 26%
C Aerodynamics 34 17%
D Flight, control and emergencies 67 34%
E Air law and right of way (must be passed) 9 5%
F Common sense and airmanship 15 8%
Total 195 100%
Pass mark: 85% (166 out of 195), and the air law section must be passed. That is high, because this is
flight safety, not a school test. Sections B and D together are 60% of the marks: get those solid first.
There are 52 questions, most of them split into parts worth 1–4 marks, with a few big ones (the pre-
flight check is worth 16). Roughly one clear point earns one mark, so a 4-mark question needs four
separate points. The mock exam in Part 2 follows the same sections, the same marks per section and
the same style of question.
Formats can change between schools and years. Ask your instructor for the current version and any extra requirements.
How to use this pack
Learn one section at a time. Read the study notes, watch one or two of the videos, then do the
quick-check drill without looking. Read every explanation, even for the ones you got right.
Write the mock exam like the real thing. Open book is allowed in the real test, but try it closed
book first to find your gaps. Write proper sentences and do the sketches.
Mark yourself honestly against Part 3. Each model answer shows where the marks are and explains
WHY, which is what keeps you safe in the air.
Aim for 90%+ on the mock before you sit the real paper, so you have a margin over the 85% pass
mark.
Check the flagged points (marked ⚑) with your instructor. Those are places where schools word
things differently or where the rules may have changed.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, Watch & learn and quick-check drills
Six sections, in the same order and with the same weighting as the theory paper. All notes are written
for paraglider pilots: wing, harness, reserve, launch and landing, the air you fly in and the rules you fly
under.
Section A: General: logbooks, safety reporting, sites and SAHPA (20 of 195 marks)
Your logbook
Your logbook is your flying CV. SAHPA and your instructor use it as proof of experience when you
apply for a licence or a rating upgrade, so a missing or vague log can hold you back.
Log every flight: date, site, wing, flight time, conditions (wind direction and strength, thermic or
smooth), what you practised and anything that went wrong. Get training flights signed by your
instructor or a pilot who watched you.
It is also your own learning tool. Reading back your notes shows patterns, for example "every bad
landing was in a crosswind", and it shows how current you are before a demanding day.
Rule of thumb: if it is not in the logbook, as far as licensing goes it did not happen. Some schools
only count flights over a minimum duration (one minute is common), so ask yours.
Accidents, incidents and reporting
Accident: an event during flying operations in which someone is injured (needing medical attention)
or killed, or equipment is seriously damaged.
Incident: an event that did not hurt anyone but could have, for example a near miss with another
glider, a collapse close to the ground, or launching unclipped and noticing in time.
Why report both? Reports feed the SAHPA safety system. The National Safety Officer looks for
trends (a dangerous site, a common error, a gear defect) and the whole community learns.
Incidents are free lessons: the same mistake next time may be an accident.
Who gets the report? Tell your instructor (if you are a student) and the site or club safety officer,
who passes it to the SAHPA National Safety Officer using SAHPA's accident/incident report form.
Since 2023 SAHPA has been approved by the SACAA accident investigation division to investigate
fatal paragliding and hang gliding accidents itself.
Flying a new site, and opening a brand-new one
At an established site you have not flown: read the site guide and the site rating, check that your
licence level and sign-offs allow you to fly there, contact the local club or site safety officer, pay any
site fee, get a site briefing (launch, landing fields, hazards, airspace, local rules, landowner rules),
and watch the conditions and other pilots before you launch.
Every visit after that: check in with the site controller or most senior pilot, get the day's briefing
(conditions change), and follow the landowner's rules (gates, livestock, driving slowly).
A brand-new site nobody has flown: get permission from the landowner (and the local authority
where needed), check the airspace and any restricted areas, involve the club and the regional
safety officer so the site can be assessed and registered, have experienced pilots evaluate it in
suitable conditions, identify safe primary and alternative landing fields, map hazards (power lines,
fences, rotor areas) and plan access for emergency services. Only experienced pilots should do the
first flights, not new Basic pilots.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 3
, Sign-offs
A sign-off is written confirmation (in your logbook) from an instructor or safety officer that you have
been briefed on and shown competent at a particular site, condition or skill, for example a specific
site, ridge soaring or coastal flying.
For a newly licensed Basic pilot the sign-off system controls progression: you only fly sites and
conditions you have been signed off for, and you gather more sign-offs as your experience grows. It
protects you, and it protects the site from being closed after an avoidable accident.
SAHPA, SACAA and who does what
SACAA (South African Civil Aviation Authority) makes and enforces the Civil Aviation Regulations.
Paragliders fall under Part 94 (non-type-certificated aircraft).
SAHPA (South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) is the recreation organisation that
SACAA has designated for hang gliding and paragliding. It sets the training and operating standards,
runs the licensing process, approves schools and instructors, keeps the safety and accident system,
and represents pilots (sites, airspace, landowners, government).
Part 94 requires a recreational pilot to be a bona fide member of the designated organisation and
to follow its standards and code of conduct. In practice: no SAHPA membership, no legal flying.
Other bodies you may hear about: the Aero Club of South Africa (umbrella for air sports), the FAI
(world air sports federation) and CIVL (the FAI commission for hang gliding and paragliding, which
runs international competitions and pilot ratings).
Member benefits to quote: legal flying under SAHPA's standards, a recognised licence, access to
registered sites, safety information and bulletins, structured training and ratings, a voice in airspace
and site negotiations, competitions and records, and a community of pilots. Many pilots also cite
third-party liability cover; check the current membership terms, as cover details change.
Exam traps
Mixing up an accident and an incident: the difference is the outcome (injury or serious damage),
not how scary it felt.
Saying you report only to SACAA. For paragliding, the report goes through your safety officer to
SAHPA's National Safety Officer.
Forgetting the landowner when asked about a new site. Without permission there is no site.
Saying SAHPA "is" the CAA. SAHPA works under SACAA's regulations; it does not replace them.
Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
Paragliding ABC: do you need a licence to fly? (Fly With Greg): why pilots are licensed and trained
through a national body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBPgauAmWA
What's THE REAL RISK Of Paragliding? (Fly With Greg): why reporting and learning from incidents
matters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VNhJBzALS8
The Secrets of Pilot PROGRESSION! (Fly With Greg): how to progress step by step, the idea behind
sign-offs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwRd_6kN6Nw
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 4
Exam-Style Practice Pack with Answers
Study notes for every topic • 52 quick-check questions with explanations • a full 195-mark mock
exam (68 questions) laid out like the basic licence theory paper, with model answers and explanations
• original diagrams • 35 free "Watch & learn" videos
For South African student paraglider pilots preparing for the SAHPA basic licence theory test
Independent study aid. This pack is not affiliated with, produced by or endorsed by SAHPA, SACAA or any flight
school. All questions, answers, notes and diagrams are original and written for practice. It is not a copy of any exam
paper.
Always follow your instructor. Paragliding is a high-risk activity. This pack supports your training; it does not replace
it. Where your instructor, your school, your equipment manuals or current SAHPA/SACAA rules say something
different, they take priority.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 1
,Contents
• How the basic licence theory test works
• How to use this pack
• Part 1: Study notes, Watch & learn and quick-check drills (Sections A–F)
• Part 2: Mock exam (195 marks)
• Part 3: Mock exam model answers with explanations
• Part 4: One-page revision sheet
• Things to confirm with your instructor
How the basic licence theory test works
The basic licence theory test used in South African paragliding training is a written, open-book paper.
You answer in your own words, short and to the point, and some questions ask you to draw or label a
sketch. It is usually done during or straight after your course while it is fresh. The paper we modelled
this pack on looks like this:
Section Topic Marks Share
A General: logbooks, reporting, sites, SAHPA 20 10%
B Airflow, wind and turbulence 50 26%
C Aerodynamics 34 17%
D Flight, control and emergencies 67 34%
E Air law and right of way (must be passed) 9 5%
F Common sense and airmanship 15 8%
Total 195 100%
Pass mark: 85% (166 out of 195), and the air law section must be passed. That is high, because this is
flight safety, not a school test. Sections B and D together are 60% of the marks: get those solid first.
There are 52 questions, most of them split into parts worth 1–4 marks, with a few big ones (the pre-
flight check is worth 16). Roughly one clear point earns one mark, so a 4-mark question needs four
separate points. The mock exam in Part 2 follows the same sections, the same marks per section and
the same style of question.
Formats can change between schools and years. Ask your instructor for the current version and any extra requirements.
How to use this pack
Learn one section at a time. Read the study notes, watch one or two of the videos, then do the
quick-check drill without looking. Read every explanation, even for the ones you got right.
Write the mock exam like the real thing. Open book is allowed in the real test, but try it closed
book first to find your gaps. Write proper sentences and do the sketches.
Mark yourself honestly against Part 3. Each model answer shows where the marks are and explains
WHY, which is what keeps you safe in the air.
Aim for 90%+ on the mock before you sit the real paper, so you have a margin over the 85% pass
mark.
Check the flagged points (marked ⚑) with your instructor. Those are places where schools word
things differently or where the rules may have changed.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, Watch & learn and quick-check drills
Six sections, in the same order and with the same weighting as the theory paper. All notes are written
for paraglider pilots: wing, harness, reserve, launch and landing, the air you fly in and the rules you fly
under.
Section A: General: logbooks, safety reporting, sites and SAHPA (20 of 195 marks)
Your logbook
Your logbook is your flying CV. SAHPA and your instructor use it as proof of experience when you
apply for a licence or a rating upgrade, so a missing or vague log can hold you back.
Log every flight: date, site, wing, flight time, conditions (wind direction and strength, thermic or
smooth), what you practised and anything that went wrong. Get training flights signed by your
instructor or a pilot who watched you.
It is also your own learning tool. Reading back your notes shows patterns, for example "every bad
landing was in a crosswind", and it shows how current you are before a demanding day.
Rule of thumb: if it is not in the logbook, as far as licensing goes it did not happen. Some schools
only count flights over a minimum duration (one minute is common), so ask yours.
Accidents, incidents and reporting
Accident: an event during flying operations in which someone is injured (needing medical attention)
or killed, or equipment is seriously damaged.
Incident: an event that did not hurt anyone but could have, for example a near miss with another
glider, a collapse close to the ground, or launching unclipped and noticing in time.
Why report both? Reports feed the SAHPA safety system. The National Safety Officer looks for
trends (a dangerous site, a common error, a gear defect) and the whole community learns.
Incidents are free lessons: the same mistake next time may be an accident.
Who gets the report? Tell your instructor (if you are a student) and the site or club safety officer,
who passes it to the SAHPA National Safety Officer using SAHPA's accident/incident report form.
Since 2023 SAHPA has been approved by the SACAA accident investigation division to investigate
fatal paragliding and hang gliding accidents itself.
Flying a new site, and opening a brand-new one
At an established site you have not flown: read the site guide and the site rating, check that your
licence level and sign-offs allow you to fly there, contact the local club or site safety officer, pay any
site fee, get a site briefing (launch, landing fields, hazards, airspace, local rules, landowner rules),
and watch the conditions and other pilots before you launch.
Every visit after that: check in with the site controller or most senior pilot, get the day's briefing
(conditions change), and follow the landowner's rules (gates, livestock, driving slowly).
A brand-new site nobody has flown: get permission from the landowner (and the local authority
where needed), check the airspace and any restricted areas, involve the club and the regional
safety officer so the site can be assessed and registered, have experienced pilots evaluate it in
suitable conditions, identify safe primary and alternative landing fields, map hazards (power lines,
fences, rotor areas) and plan access for emergency services. Only experienced pilots should do the
first flights, not new Basic pilots.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 3
, Sign-offs
A sign-off is written confirmation (in your logbook) from an instructor or safety officer that you have
been briefed on and shown competent at a particular site, condition or skill, for example a specific
site, ridge soaring or coastal flying.
For a newly licensed Basic pilot the sign-off system controls progression: you only fly sites and
conditions you have been signed off for, and you gather more sign-offs as your experience grows. It
protects you, and it protects the site from being closed after an avoidable accident.
SAHPA, SACAA and who does what
SACAA (South African Civil Aviation Authority) makes and enforces the Civil Aviation Regulations.
Paragliders fall under Part 94 (non-type-certificated aircraft).
SAHPA (South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) is the recreation organisation that
SACAA has designated for hang gliding and paragliding. It sets the training and operating standards,
runs the licensing process, approves schools and instructors, keeps the safety and accident system,
and represents pilots (sites, airspace, landowners, government).
Part 94 requires a recreational pilot to be a bona fide member of the designated organisation and
to follow its standards and code of conduct. In practice: no SAHPA membership, no legal flying.
Other bodies you may hear about: the Aero Club of South Africa (umbrella for air sports), the FAI
(world air sports federation) and CIVL (the FAI commission for hang gliding and paragliding, which
runs international competitions and pilot ratings).
Member benefits to quote: legal flying under SAHPA's standards, a recognised licence, access to
registered sites, safety information and bulletins, structured training and ratings, a voice in airspace
and site negotiations, competitions and records, and a community of pilots. Many pilots also cite
third-party liability cover; check the current membership terms, as cover details change.
Exam traps
Mixing up an accident and an incident: the difference is the outcome (injury or serious damage),
not how scary it felt.
Saying you report only to SACAA. For paragliding, the report goes through your safety officer to
SAHPA's National Safety Officer.
Forgetting the landowner when asked about a new site. Without permission there is no site.
Saying SAHPA "is" the CAA. SAHPA works under SACAA's regulations; it does not replace them.
Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
Paragliding ABC: do you need a licence to fly? (Fly With Greg): why pilots are licensed and trained
through a national body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBPgauAmWA
What's THE REAL RISK Of Paragliding? (Fly With Greg): why reporting and learning from incidents
matters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VNhJBzALS8
The Secrets of Pilot PROGRESSION! (Fly With Greg): how to progress step by step, the idea behind
sign-offs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwRd_6kN6Nw
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with or endorsed by SAHPA | Page 4
