Kössen Super Paragliding Testival: Over 600 Pilots Gather for Europe’s Biggest Gear Test Event
When forecasters were calling for rough weather ahead of the Kössen Super Paragliding Testival, manufacturers were already wondering if the event might be cut short. Instead, four days of solid flying conditions unfolded — exactly what this legendary venue tends to deliver.
“We had over 600 pilots register and nearly 90% turned up. It’s been genuinely excellent,” said Leo Dagn, taking on the organiser role for the first time this year. “The forecast looked rough at the start of the week but Kössen has come through again. It’s almost always flyable here, even after short spells of rain.”
Erwin Voogt flying a MacPara Elixir at Kössen
Among the EN-B offerings drawing the biggest crowds were the new Fast Pack Bag-ready Vibe GT from Ozone, the Gin Bandit 2, and AirDesign’s fresh Vivo 3 with its 2.5-line layout and rear-riser steering. Nova also brought their new Nexo — a full-weight, low EN-B designed with schools and progressing pilots in mind. In the EN-C class, both the Advance Tau DLS and BGD Tigra pulled in steady queues.
Supair’s new Delight 5 pod harness was on the stand too, and across the event no fewer than 28 brands were represented. The Cross Country team flew 37 different wings over the four days, from high-performance race machines to lightweight singleskin setups like Skywalk’s 1.05kg Pace.
A chance to compare harnesses side by side
The testival offered a rare chance to compare harnisses as well as wings. The team ran test flights in Supair’s Delight 5 and Neo’s Stringpack 2.0, while Nearbirds’ Vyra — fitted with a 1.95m inflatable fairing — caught plenty of attention. According to its creator Volodimir Perevalov, the Vyra is “almost ready” for market.
Although a rain band rolled through on Friday, organisers convinced the lift company to keep the gondola running until 6pm as compensation — keeping pilots in the air longer. “Obviously the first year is always demanding because there are so many new processes and regulations to navigate,” Leo noted. “But the app-based flight registration is the right direction.”
This year, all pilots had to log their flights via a dedicated app — opening their flight before heading to launch, then closing it before leaving the landing zone. Anyone who forgot to close received a call from Leo himself. Out of 500 pilots, only a handful missed this step, which he described as entirely reasonable for a first-time system.
Fly Kössen is Europe’s oldest flying school and hosted the very first Hang Gliding World Championships in 1976. The Super Paragliding Testival remains the largest event of its kind in the region, drawing pilots from across Europe to the Unterberghorn site at 1,480m altitude.
Erwin Voogt executing wingovers in the BGD Tigra EN-C
The launch sits just a short walk from the top of the gondola, offering over 1,000m of descent to a landing field next to the legendary Fliegerbar. Valentina Pötsch, a Nova pilot, summed up the atmosphere: “It’s such a great vibe — like one big family gathering. Everyone’s here. You can relax, watch the landings, feel the energy and catch up with people.”
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Source: Cross Country Magazine