Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Found: Practical Visibility & Communications for XC Paragliding
Being seen, heard, and found is your responsibility—not your driver’s. If your team can’t see you or reach you, small hiccups turn into big days lost. This post gives you a pilot’s 3-layer system—visual conspicuity, electronic conspicuity, and uninterruptible comms—so you stay connected in the air and easy to retrieve on the ground.
The 3-Layer Model (so you don’t go dark)
Visual conspicuity — people can see you.
Electronic conspicuity — networks/devices can “see” you.
Team communications — your humans can find and coordinate with you.
Non-negotiables (read this out loud on launch)
Always fly with a satellite tracker. inReach/Zoleo/SPOT (or equivalent) every flight. Share your public tracking link with at least two local contacts (driver/guide/host) and two remote contacts at home. Do a test ping before launch and set presets for “Safe,” “Need retrieve,” and “Delay/OK.”
Create a WhatsApp group for the day. Tour or impromptu crew, one thread for launch → LZ. Pin radio channels, live-tracking links, and the lost-comms plan.
Have a local phone number. Roaming plans are good—until they aren’t. A local SIM/eSIM makes voice calls cheap, fast, and recognizable for drivers. Keep WhatsApp on your home number; default voice to the local line.
1) Visual conspicuity (air & ground)
In the air
Helmet/wing contrast helps your mates and retrieve spot you in gaggles and at distance.
Optional: small daylight strobe where allowed. Don’t aim at eyes; honor site etiquette.
On the ground
Hi-vis vest/windsock panel in the LZ; signal mirror + whistle if you land off.
Lock screen with ICE info + a QR to your live-tracking link (retrieves can scan).
2) Electronic conspicuity (what aircraft & apps “see”)
FLARM / FANET+ (gliders & PG mesh)
In glider corridors, FLARM RX/TX makes you visible to sailplanes; FANET+ shares position in the PG mesh and into OGN gateways (device-dependent). Even RX helps with awareness.
App/network visibility (data coverage)
XCTrack Live, Flyskyhy, Flymaster Live, Livetrack24, SeeYou Cloud FANET+/OGN gateways—great for team awareness & retrieves. Not a collision-avoidance tool.
One-map oversight (PureTrack)
Best choice is to use PureTrack (https://puretrack.io) so drivers and guides can see everyone on a single web map. Share that link in the day’s WhatsApp group and pin it.
3) Uninterruptible team comms (radio → data → satellite)
Primary: Radio
Use legal local channels (Ops / Backup / Vehicle). Keep calls short and plain:
“Jess 1700 AGL, +1.5, drifting 240°, heading school trigger.”
Secondary: Data (WhatsApp + live tracking)
One WhatsApp group for the day. Pin: channels and all live-tracking links(XCTrack/Flyskyhy/Flymaster/PureTrack).
Post landing pin + status within two minutes.
Tertiary: Satellite (continuity + SOS)
inReach/Zoleo/SPOT on your shoulder strap (sky view), tracking ON.
Presets: “Safe,” “Need retrieve (road ___),” “Delay/OK.” Share your public link with team + a trusted person at home.
Local number = fewer misses
Dual-SIM/eSIM: keep WhatsApp on your home number; add a local SIM for voice + data.
Call once at launch to confirm voice path; set the local SIM as default for voice.
Pin your local number in the group and save the driver/guide numbers.
Power & heat continuity
10–20k mAh battery, short right-angle cables, and auto-resume tracking in your app. Colombia heat is real—mount phones where they vent.
Procedures that make the tech actually work
Pre-flight Comm Card (say it out loud)
Ops CH __ | Backup CH __ | Vehicle CH __
WhatsApp group created; links pinned (XCTrack/Flyskyhy/Flymaster/PureTrack)
Local number pinned; driver/guide numbers saved
Sat tracker on body, tracking ON, presets tested
Check-ins: T-30 | first climb | first crossing | landing
Lost-comms: Backup → climb for view → WhatsApp pin → VOICE call → SAT “LC+PIN”
Hard deck: no radio/phone fiddling below ____ m AGL
Lost-Comms Tree (tight)
Switch to Backup CH (30 s)
Climb for line-of-sight; call on Ops
WhatsApp: drop pin + “No radio”
VOICE: call driver/guide on local number
SAT preset: “LC + PIN” if no data/voice
→ If still NO RADIO at time-out: go to agreed LZ/road rendezvous
Colombia / Piedechinche notes
Valley data is often good, but foothill shadows break coverage—don’t rely on data alone.
We run a radio net + WhatsApp + satellite on Skyout weeks; channels and gates are pre-briefed every morning.
Going deep? We require a satellite device for everyone flying with us. Key is stay with the group.
What to bring (quick matrix)
Phone-only (minimal): Android XCTrack / iPhone Flyskyhy / Naviter Navigator, power bank, radio, local SIM/eSIM.
Live-tracking vario-GPS: Flymaster Live/Tracker, FANET+ device (e.g., Skytraxx), PureTrack room link.
Continuity: inReach/Zoleo/SPOT clipped to shoulder; presets set and tested.
Fly with a bulletproof comms stack
On Skyout tours we set up your radio nets, confirm WhatsApp + live tracking, configure XCTrack/Flyskyhy, and verify your sat presets before you fly—so your day stays simple and safe.
See all Skyout weeks → https://www.skyoutpg.com/our-tours
Core Line: Colombia with the Pros (Feb 1–9) → https://www.skyoutpg.com/core-line-paragliding-pros-colombia
Fly Smarter, Fly Farther, Fly Safer
Jeff Sinason
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