Paragliding competition proposal suggests measured airspeed limits

A new proposal has been introduced to change how speed is regulated in competitive paragliding. Instead of relying on indirect equipment restrictions—such as limiting speed system travel or banning trimmers—the proposal suggests measuring indicated airspeed (IAS) directly at the wing.

Under this concept, meet directors would set a ‘max_airspeed’ parameter for each specific task, similar to how turnpoint radii are established. This value would be recorded in the IGC header of flight logs to ensure permanent verification. Proponents argue that current equipment-based rules fail to prevent fraud and do not address the core safety concern: how fast pilots are flying through air during turbulent or strong conditions. The proposal aims to shift the focus from hardware limitations to real-time, verified flight data.