For visiting pilots
Paragliding in Latvia!
For visiting pilots
[12.04.2025. edition]
To fly in Latvia you should be aware of and follow the rules:
1) Be at least 16 years old
2) Be ready to show the following documents
- pilot licence (with photo, or pilot licence and personal identification document)
- IPPI card with the qualification of at least SafePro Para 4 (excluding powered paragliders and trikes pilots), for tandems - SafePro Para 6
- liability insurance (for the amount of at least 30,000.00EUR)
3) If the take-off is planned by the winch, the pilot should prove to the winch operator in charge the skills to do the take-off and it is Mandatory to sign the Declaration of Personal Liability upon the request of the winch operator.
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The winch operator should have a valid winch operator's license issued by LPF or a certificate of compliance with the winch operator's B rating from a competent authority of another State which should be applied in advance to [email protected] The winch operators have the right to decline the winching of the pilot and is not obliged to give any explanation. |
4) It is mandatory to show the documents at any time to the officials of the Border control, Police and Civil aviation agency as well as to the officials (the authorised representatives) of the Latvian Paragliding Federation (LPF):
Board of LPF https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=kontakti
Examination Commission https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=eksamens
Licensing Commission (also recognize the documents of any aviation personnel related to the paragliding and issued in another country than Latvia, if needed, the contact e-mail [email protected] or on WhatsApp +37129209607 (LAT, ENG, RUS)) https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=eksamens
The person responsible for the supervision of training providers (schools) https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=apmaciba
The person responsible for the organisation of exams https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=licences-atjaunosana
Authorised regional representatives https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=kontakti
Organisers of competitions during competitions (announced by the publishing of the Local regulation) www.paragliding.lv (at the right side you can find the list of the competitions, or contact LPF directly [email protected])
Training providers (schools) during training operation https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=apmaciba
Winch operators https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=vincotaji-ar-pieredzi
Paraglider pilots-instructors https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=apmaciba
5) Please respect the airspace rules - airspace map and NOTAMs https://airspace.xcontest.org/app/overview and https://www.airspace.lv/lgs
6) Pilots are not allowed to fly in the following circumstances:
- at night (the period between the end of civil evening twilight and the beginning of civil dawn. Civil twilight ends in the evening when the centre of the sun's disc is 6° below the horizon and begins in the morning when the centre of the sun's disc is 6° below the horizon)
- below the altitude referred to in point 5005(f) of the SERA Annex to Regulation No 923/2012
- if the requirements of paragraph 7) of the Manual are not met
- when paraglider pilots are found to have inoperative communication equipment during the preparation for flight or the flight of the paraglider
- thunderstorm activity is observed in the area where paragliding operations are conducted
- during precipitation
- paragliding flights in restricted areas
- closer as mentioned in Annex to Regulation No 923/2012 SERA 5001. "Minimum visibility and distance to clouds in visual meteorological conditions".
7) Pilots are responsible for their equipment:
- the equipment has been serviced by the equipment manufacturer's maintenance documentation (when using uncertified equipment, the paragliding pilots are fully responsible for its technical compliance for safe and non-hazardous paragliding flights, including civil paragliding flights)
- have a radio for the rapid exchange of information with the winch operator and with the LPF designated contact person referred to point 9) below
- equipment appropriate for the number of persons: Helmet; Life jackets if the paragliding, powered paragliding or trike is planned to be flown over the water; A certified harness; Reserve; An altimeter (except for training flights where the use of an altimeter is at the discretion of the paraglider instructor pilots); A two-way communication radio operating on the aviation frequency when a paragliding flight is planned in controlled airspace or a crossing of an external border of the European Union is planned; Paragliding pilots shall carry a transponder if the pilot is to be flown in areas of airspace where the use of a transponder is mandatory; Have a flight plan agreed with the Latvian Air Traffic Service if the paraglider flight is planned in controlled airspace or is planned to cross an external border of the European Union.
9) to ensure the reachability of paragliding pilots to communicate with airspace users, Latvian Air Traffic control, the National Armed Forces or the State Border Guard, the pilot should follow the special procedures:
(1) in case the LPF contact person receives information relevant to paragliding pilots from airspace users mentioned above, the contact person shall contact winch operators and powered-paragliders and trikes pilots who have applied for paraglider flight activity;
(2) winch operators are obliged to:
- inform the LPF contact person of the location and period of the winching before the start of the winching by sending the information to the contact person by ph.n. +37122442307 via SMS or WhatsApp message
- after receiving the information from the contact person, inform the paragliding pilots within range of the current information on the use of the airspace
- if paragliding pilots are not within range, immediately inform the LPF contact person
(3) when winching in flexible airspace use hazard areas – only with the permission of the contact person who is in charge of opening the zone for paragliding following the specific and approved procedure
- Contact person for paragliding zone EDV3 Rumbula - Dzintars Reiniks, ph.n +37129345513
- Contact person for paragliding zone EDV4 Spunciems - Māris Vancans, ph.n. +37128366772
(4) powered paraglider and trike pilots are required to inform the LPF contact person by ph.n. +37122442307 of the flight plan before commencing the flight by sending the flight information (take off, planned route/area of flying) via SMS or WhatsApp message
(5) where paragliding operations are to be conducted as part of an air show, the organiser of the air show shall obtain a permit for the organisation and conduct of the air show by the legislation governing the organisation and conduct of air shows and a permit for the use of airspace by the rules governing the flexible use management arrangements, the structure of airspace and the arrangements for changing it
(6) in case of an accident: A report of an accident, especially if third parties are involved (including an injured third party, emergency medical assistance, police, rescue services), must be sent by the pilot involved within 24 hours to LPF at [email protected] using the following form: 1. Information about the pilot – name, surname, date of birth, licence number, Safe ParaPro level, airtime (h); accident location – city, place, coordinates; date and time of the accident; accident weather conditions – weather forecast, actual weather conditions; information about the paraglider, reserve, harness, instruments in use in the flight; was the pilot flying in a group, if yes – who was the group leader or instructor and how the flight were organized; description of the accident site; consequences of the accident; medical report of injury; condition of the flying equipment after the accident
(7) pilots should follow the rules of Anti-doping policy in aviation https://paragliding.lv/index.php?page=aktuali-sacensibu-pilotiem-par-dopinga-lietosanu (in Latvian only)
(8) if there is a possibility the pilot will cross the internal border of the EU (flying from Latvia to Lithuania or Estonia), the pilot is obliged to inform Latvian State Border Guard.
Latvian State Border Guard Aviation and Special Operations Board contact information: Phone: +371 67209726, +371 67209730, +371 29337238;
Email: [email protected].
(9) All pilots should use SafeSky app during any flight. The pilot should have the licence number of the pilot as the identification name during the SafeSky app working time.