Sports and recreation
Paragliding
Estimated population-level acute risk associated with recreational paragliding.
Base risk estimate
16 micromorts per hours
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Based on BHPA-registered UK pilots flying 2012–2019. Rate reflects all experience levels and conditions across British paragliding.
Limitations
UK-specific pilot population. Risk varies significantly by pilot experience (Swiss data shows 62% of fatalities involve pilots with <100 total hours), weather conditions, site type, and whether acrobatic maneuvers are involved. The per-hour rate is high relative to ground-based sports because accidents during flight are often fatal.
Source notes
Wilkes et al. (WEM 2022) analyzed BHPA (British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) data 2012–2019 and reported 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3–2.3) fatalities per 100,000 flying hours. Converting: 1.6 per 100,000 hours = 16 micromorts per flying hour. This is the most rigorous published per-flying-hour fatality rate for paragliding.
Last reviewed
5/31/2024