General rules at Les Deux Alpes resort
Common sense is the basics behind all the rules :
- Fly far from animals and people (bikers, hikers, paraglider pilots and passengers and other persons who do not expect you and can get scared). More wordy about that on the Ethics page.
- Stay far from infrastructures
- Stay far from helicopters
- If you happen to land at the same time with a paraglider (solo or tandem), keep a safe and respectful distance. Change your swoop plan if required.
- If happen to land cross-course with a paraglider, keep right (northern half of the landing area). This often happens on first morning flights so be attentive on your approach.
- Always pack your wing in the fastbag before taking a lift. Lines and fabric can get stuck into lift mechanism. Also, mechanical lubricants would be an unpleasant surprise on your new shiny wing.
About flying location
General information
Learn all the available information before you arrive. Any pilot you meet on the lift would be happy to fill you with info but do your homework in advance.
First thing check the landing area. It is located at the base of Venosc gondola. Usual approach pattern is from East to West. Be careful as in the area of the windsock the field is slightly rising, and because of local thermal patterns the Eastern half of the landing field can give a “sink” on the landing (in the second part of the day). Try to plan your landing to the windsock line when the thermals start developing where you will get more reliable flares.
On the first flight in the morning East wind (tail) can make some pilots uncomfortable. Later it normally changes to 0 or West.
In the evening it's almost always downwind. Be especially attentive with your flare. In several weeks of summer the sun goes down in such an angle that the last ray fall straight into the landing making you virtually blind on last meters of flying. Be prepared to this.
Do not forget to warm up before launching — pulled muscles on the launch is a very popular injury that can ruin your vacation.
Remember that on a good day there will be many pilots on the mountain, and since speedflying is a self-reliant sport, you have to organize your flight on your own. If you fly a small wing, it is wise to launch before slower/lighter pilots to avoid crossing each other in flight. If that’s not possible, give them several minutes of distance to avoid simultaneous approach when possible.
On a good sunny day thermals are quite strong. Do not underestimate their influence. Generally we now fly until 13:00. Monitor conditions on every flight, chat with other people and do not let your “hunger to flying” push you in turbulent conditions.
Main launch
The main Diable launch (little windsock under the top of the Diable lift) should not be regarded as a simple one. The ground is not smooth — there are marmot holes and grassy bumps that make running difficult. Walk the actual line of your run and choose the best path. This applies for any new launch, however people tend to forget about it in a popular place. In the morning on the first run downwind is an often occasion, but do not worry: once the sun starts heating the valley, the downwind stops and you’ll be able to launch safely.
South launch
Generally not recommended for smaller wings (8 and smaller) as to flat parts after launch. With facewind conditions here be especially careful since South and SE wind comes here crossing a big massif (Ecrins) and is very turbulent and unpredictable. It's especially dangerous since your friend can have a nice flight, report you good conditions - and right after him you can have the worst flight in your life.
Check more info for each line, on the dedicated page.
Festival factor
Since many pilots are present on the location, a “party factor” is a serious issue. What is it? It’s emotional influence of many pilots present in one place. When you come to the launch and see 40 wings on the ground, it’s very easy to forget we all fly small wings and do dangerous stuff. Notice this “chill feeling” when you first come on the launch and notice how it influences your decision-making. For example: you’re normally launching with some facewind, but you arrive on the first lift and see people taking off with slight tail wind. Fight the urge to do as everyone does and wait until you have conditions you’re used to. Do not push yourself to new things just under the influence of other pilots around you.
As sorry as we are to say that, it has to be said: not every advice is a good one. Be cautious to things that unknown people tell you. If in doubt, ask a trusted person. If a guy you’ve just met on the lift invites you for a hike’n’fly tomorrow morning, ask yourself: why? And the answer is: because he is just happy to be here and wants to share it. That’s all. Not because he cares about your progression or because he wants to teach you a new skill. Most probably he’s going to fly away first and maybe he won’t even wait for you on the landing to make sure you’re fine. If you don’t feel ready for some new line — don’t do it or ask someone you trust to guide you. There are some really challenging launches around and you can find yourself in a dangerous situation. Don’t just jump on a train with random people hoping that they care about your skills.
Be prepared to an emergency
Learn the local geography to talk the same language with your friends and rescue team.
Make sure your phone is charged and works locally. If you’re in the roaming and you keep your phone switched off not to go in debt — you don’t have a phone. Get a proper roaming or buy a local SIM card. If you’re flying in a group, radios are a very good idea. It’s fast and accessible and can work from places with no mobile network (some of the lines do not have coverage).
Always make sure someone knows which line you’re flying. Organize a little group with another lonely pilot on the mountain or send messages to a ground-support friend. Someone always has to know where to look for you in case you’re missing on the landing.
Emergency number is 112 that would work from any phone. It is preferable to have a French-speaking person calling the rescue as the doctor will be asking a lot of questions.
If you saw someone crashing while you’re flying, do not try to land close to the victim. The best way is to try to see if the victim is moving/badly injured and to remember the place of the crash as well as possible. Try to remember the color/model of the wing as well so that the pilot could be identified fast. Then land safely and call the rescue.
Hélicoptère
rescue helicopter is a powerful thing creating huge turbulence. If you see the heli approaching our flying zone, drop a message in the Telegram group and warn as many people as you can. That’s when the radio is extremely useful: you can hear a warning from your friend even a moment before your launch.
Be prepared that you might lose several flights or even a day because of a rescue operation. Your flight is not worth even a minute of delay in their work — remember about that. If the Heli is approaching you and planning to land nearby — be sure that all the wings are packed and no clothes can be blown away and sucked into the helicopter turbines.
Personal security
Be attentive as to your physical condition and your gear. If you come from the land of hike-and-fly and you're not used to many long flights per day, you're going to experience mental tiredness sooner than physical. Make sure you stop flying when you are tired.
Take your time to prepare on the launch and check your gear nicely.
Do not fly with headphones. In an air space this busy it can be deadly. You can miss the noise of a heli approaching or warning of another pilot.
Always fly with glasses - air is full of insects, especially in July and August, and on the landing pieces of dry grass can damage your eyes.
General rules at Les Deux Alpes resort
Common sense is the basics behind all the rules :
- Fly far from the groomed slopes
- Fly far from animals and people (bikers, hikers, paraglider pilots and passengers and other persons who do not expect you and can get scared). More wordy about that on the Ethics page.
- Fly far from infrastructures (lifts and buildings).
- Stay far from helicopters
- If you happen to land at the same time with a paraglider (solo or tandem), keep a safe and respectful distance. Change your swoop plan if required.
- Always pack your wing in the fastbag before taking a lift. Lines and fabric can get stuck into lift mechanism. Also, mechanical lubricants would be an unpleasant surprise on your new shiny wing.
Let’s talk about your skiing level
Speedriding is more than just “flying with skis”. Even though you might be using your skis to only launch and land, you’re dealing with off-piste terrain with whatever snow conditions you’re lucky to have. And let’s be honest here, days with good snow could be counted on one hand. You’ll be dealing with crust, icy bumps, brown spots of dirt – you have to be able to ski that all. Also in case of a failed launch (or other reason that makes it impossible to fly the line) you need to ski back to the lift.
Have a decent level of off-piste skiing and make sure you’re able to get around where you fly.
Before you fly them, it’s a good idea to ski Diable and Pierre Grosse lines to check your skiing level. If these places get you in trouble – think about working on your skiing level before you speedride them.
Gear
DVA is a must. In case of serious trouble it will save you or your friend’s life.
A transceiver, a probe and a shovel must be a usual part of your gear together with your skis.
Have adequate off-piste skis but maybe don’t come with your favorite pair for powder days – it's quite often that there are rocks, especially in the beginning and end of the season.
About flying location
Learn all the available information before you arrive.
Any pilot (Paraglider or Speedrider) you meet on the lift would be happy to fill you with info but do your homework in advance.
First thing check the landing areas. Check more info for each line.
Visit it physically (by walking or skiing) before riding a line. Following a friend is NOT a good plan.
Even if Speedriding is often more forgiving in terms of danger, the basics must be followed.
Check your landings in advance !
Where possible, ski your whole line before Speedriding it to be familiar with the terrain. Where not possible – be especially attentive to how much you stay in contact with the snow. If you get caught somewhere without a wing – make sure you’re able to get out.
Main Diable line is the most popular place on the mountain since the rotation is fast and the weather is much more stable than on the Pierre Grosse altitude. Make sure you give enough space with other Speedriders not to cross on the line and not to have trouble on the landing.
Since the Diable landing area is rather small, pack fast and clear the space.
Personal security
First and foremost: since all the riding is done off-piste, you need your avalanche set and you need to know how to use it. Yes, the resort is trying to keep the terrain as secured as possible, but conditions may change during the day and slabs may form. Backcountry lines are NOT secured and require full understanding of snow conditions. Consult more experienced people as to current situation. In certain areas is a good idea to also have skins and/or crampons to be able to walk out in case of a failed launch. It is not nice to rely on a helicopter if you’re 30 mins away from the lift and just can’t relaunch.
Be attentive as to your physical condition and your gear. If you come from the land of hike-and-fly and you're not used to many long flights per day, you're going to experience mental tiredness sooner than physical. Make sure you stop flying when you are tired.
Take your time to prepare on the launch and check your gear nicely. If you tumbled in your wing at some point – check your lines attentively, ski edges can do a lot of damage.
Do not fly with headphones. In an air space this busy it can be deadly. You can miss the noise of a helicopter approaching or warning of another pilot.
Footlaunch in winter season is almost never a possibility. Sometimes in the end of the season it is doable, but generally forget about it.
Be prepared to an emergency
Learn the local geography to talk the same language with your friends and rescue team.
Make sure your phone is charged and works locally. If you’re in the roaming and you keep your phone switched off not to go in debt — you don’t have a phone. Get a proper roaming or buy a local SIM card. If you’re flying in a group, radios are a very good idea. It’s fast and accessible and can work from places with no mobile network (some of the lines do not have coverage).
Always make sure someone knows which line you’re flying. Organize a little group with another lonely pilot on the mountain or send messages to a ground-support friend. Someone always has to know where to look for you in case you’re missing on the landing.
Emergency number is 112 that would work from any phone. It is preferable to have a French-speaking person calling the rescue as the doctor will be asking a lot of questions.
If you saw someone crashing while you’re flying, do not try to land close to the victim. The best way is to try to see if the victim is moving/badly injured and to remember the place of the crash as well as possible. Try to remember the color/model of the wing as well so that the pilot could be identified fast. Then land safely and call the rescue.
On the launch: rescue helicopter is a powerful thing creating huge turbulence. If there is a serious crash and a heli is going to pick the victim up on the spot, drop a message in the Telegram chat and warn as many people as you can. That’s when the radio is extremely useful: you can hear a warning from your friend even while riding.
Hélicoptère
rescue helicopter is a powerful thing creating huge turbulence. If you see the heli approaching our flying zone, drop a message in the Telegram group and warn as many people as you can. That’s when the radio is extremely useful: you can hear a warning from your friend even a moment before your launch.
Be prepared that you might lose several flights or even a day because of a rescue operation. Your flight is not worth even a minute of delay in their work — remember about that. If the Heli is approaching you and planning to land nearby — be sure that all the wings are packed and no clothes can be blown away and sucked into the helicopter turbines.
Fly safe !
L2A Speedfly team