When it comes to different types of paragliding, Aaron Durogati can do it all. He’s won multiple World Cups, finished the Red Bull X-Alps, won the Dolomitenmann, flown 312km FAI triangle in the Karakoram mountains, had climb&fly adventures in Patagonia and regularly pulles a few helicopters before dinner. Read about his beginnings in paragliding, his development and achieving his biggest goal.
How long have you been flying?
I did my first flight when I was 6 years old, together with my father in a tandem. And then I started paragliding by myself at the age of 15. Since then, I have to say I’ve spent most of my time flying.
Would you categorize yourself as a beginner, cross-country pilot, or a competition pilot?
Well, I am not a beginner anymore, nor a newcomer J My background is definitely in competition flying. When I was a kid, I was dreaming about that, hike&fly was not even a sport at that time. I was reading about Jimmy Pacher and World Cup, so, since a little kid I had a dream to become a World Cup winner. But then little by little hike&fly grew as a sport and I found myself quite good in it. I like to be very active, and I started to get a little bit bored with the competitions. You spend a lot of time on buses and just waiting, but in hike&fly is action all the time. That is what I like a lot. So little by little I moved more towards that and now I am at a stage where I basically do everything. But mostly I like to combine things: adventure in the mountains and flying down.
What is your biggest flying achievement so far?
I think it’s my childhood dream coming true, winning the World Cup. I managed it twice, in 2013 and 2017. Winning it the second time was still super great, but the first time was really amazing, this dream of my coming true.
How would you describe yourself as a pilot?
I think I’m a very balanced pilot, at least when I am in a good shape. I had a period when my glider was not as good as from the other pilots. At this time, I really attacked a lot because the performance was worse, and I couldn’t just fly with others. This really helped me a lot. I think sometimes it is good for a pilot not having the best glider, because sometimes you can grow up a lot with having less performance, because it will take you out of your comfort zone and you will have to have a different strategy. I learned a lot when I was flying with a less performance glider. That happened in 2012 on the Boomerang X. A year after, on the Boomerang 9, I was at least the same or even better, and then I won the Superfinal. And it was the same in 2017 when I won. I had Boomerang 10 before, then got a new glider and I found everything super easy.
What is your favorite place to fly and why?
I would say I really like my home place, but there are plenty of places I like. South America is okay, but it is not something I am dreaming about. Nova Gorica and Tolmin (Slovenia) are for me really one of the best places to fly, and Bassano as well for the competition.
In Slovenia I learned to use the speed bar. It’s a funny story actually. When I was young, in 2006, I did a Slovenian championship. I was flying a proto from Nova at the time, and at the first task a girl passed me on the bar. And not only a girl, a girl with a D glider! So, I thought, okay, something is wrong with me. And literally, there in this competition I learned how to use the speed bar and became faster and faster every day. I went back in Italy for a competition a week later and I won my first task. All because of a girl in Slovenia 😊
How do you prepare for your flights?
To me, the mental part is quite important. I have to be balanced. When I was in Brazil, chasing a record flight with Primož Suša, I planned a lot. I do that when I fly with someone else: plan, look at the maps, check the weather and so on. If I am by myself, I don’t do much of planning. But I focus more on myself, to be ready for it.
How do you use your instruments in the air?
I use them quite a lot, but I also try to use them very little. For example, I used to switch off the display and vario before the task start. Just to get better feeling. 10 minutes before the start I turned it on again and got like a boost out of it. But I don’t do that that often lately. Once I am in competition, I look a lot at the instruments and use many data.
In regular flying I mostly use the thermal assistant. Since this function appeared, I find it really nice. I think I have an okay feeling in a thermal and I am climbing very well, but I don’t think I am good in feeling the thermal but figuring out where the best climb is. Thanks to the instrument and other pilots.
Do you analyze your flying?
In regular flying I mostly use the thermal assistant. Since this function appeared, I find it really nice. I think I have an okay feeling in a thermal and I am climbing very well, but I don’t think I am good in feeling the thermal but figuring out where the best climb is. Thanks to the instrument and other pilots.
What was the greatest advice you received?
I think the best advice, or more like a rule, was from my father. First one was to enjoy and the second: “It’s better to be on the ground and wishing to be in the air, than in the air and wishing to be on the ground.” This is a rule that I still follow. There were some occasions when I went a little bit over the limit and I was wishing to be on the ground, but in general it is something I at least think about.
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