Step 1
Meeting point
15 min before your time
We meet near Kélonia, at the northern entrance to Saint-Leu, fifteen minutes before the agreed time. The instructor checks your weight, confirms the flight and looks at the conditions of the moment. A shuttle then drives up to the take-off by the road through the hills, about ten minutes between the sugar cane fields.
Step 2
Briefing and equipment
All provided, nothing required
On the take-off, the instructor fits the seat, harness and helmet to your size: everything is provided. They show you the take-off position, the few running steps to give and how to sit in the air, then cross-check every buckle. The instructor keeps the controls from start to finish: no experience is needed.
Step 3
Take-off
800 m altitude
Take-off is at Les Colimaçons, 800 m above the lagoon, on a gentle slope facing the wind. The instructor inflates the wing, checks that it is fully open, then gives the signal: three or four strides are enough, never a jump. You stay on your feet until the instructor invites you to sit back.
Step 4
The flight
15 to 60 min in the air
Fifteen to sixty minutes in the air, depending on the flight you choose. The route crosses the sugar cane fields and the Mascarin botanical gardens, then reaches the lagoon and its coral reef. You can ask to hold the controls for a few moments; acrobatics are included from the Extra Long Flight upwards, on request.
Step 5
Landing
By the lagoon
You land at the edge of the lagoon, a few hundred metres from Kélonia. The instructor lines up the approach into the wind and sets the tandem down gently; all you are asked is to stretch your legs out and stay seated until touchdown. The debrief follows on the spot.
How long to allow
Allow one hour to two and a half hours on site, depending on the flight, including the transfer and preparation. Time in the air runs from fifteen to sixty minutes. The Maïdo Flight takes a whole morning: it starts early and the drive up to the take-off is long.
Where to come
We meet near Kélonia, at the northern entrance to Saint-Leu, fifteen minutes before the agreed time. Parking is free. Without a car, lines 30, 31 and 37 of the Kar’ouest network serve the area.
What to wear
- Closed shoes that stay on your feet: take-off takes a few running steps.
- A windbreaker or a light jacket. It is cooler at 800 m than by the lagoon.
- Sunglasses on a cord, or they will fly off at take-off.
Avoid sandals, flip-flops and skirts. The rest of the equipment is provided at the meeting point, helmet and seat included.
After the flight
You land by the lagoon, a few hundred metres from Kélonia. The instructor welcomes you on the ground and folds the wing, and the walk back to the meeting point takes a few minutes along the coast.
If you chose the photo and video option, you get your images then. The instructor films on a pole during the flight: you have nothing to hold and nothing to prepare before you come. Leave a little slack in your day too. If the instructor has any doubt about conditions, the flight is moved to another slot at no charge. The questions we are asked most cover the rest.
