What if what you love most about flying isn't the glider- but who you become when you fly it?
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The Wanderbird Academy helps you figure out who you want to become as a pilot
and how to actually get there.
Sooner or later, every pilot reaches the same point.
You fly. You get better.
But somewhere along the way you stop knowing exactly what should be next.
New Equipment, more knowledge, another guided trip?
Most of the time, what's missing is clarity about who you are as a pilot and where you want to go.
It's time to answer these questions clearly.
Most pilots come to Wanderbird because of a flight that felt exactly right.
Safe, clear, alive.
And then the question: how do I get more of that and why does it matter so much when I'm back on the ground?
Whether you come with a specific goal or just a feeling you can't quite name yet – if flying means something to you, you're in the right place.
A Thought about Thermals
“I think of development as something that should feel like a steady, continuous climb. Like a perfect thermal—smooth, clear, effortless. But reality rarely looks like that. You enter lift. You climb. You feel aligned. Then the climb slows. You drift out of the core. You sink. You search. You question. Sometimes you circle in weak lift not sure where to go. You don’t know if it’s time to leave and find something new, or patiently make it through the inversion layer. Sometimes you fall out completely and don’t know where the next entry is. This is where development really happens. Not in strong lift. But in consciously gaining oversight. Over the years, I’ve learned something: Good pilots don’t climb in their development spiral because they are lucky. They climb because they understand how, when and where to circle. They understand the cycle itself. Development is not random. It’s a conscious loop.”
Paul Guschlbauer
Insight
It's not what you think
Most pilots who feel stuck thinking they need more thermal skills.
More gear. More courage.
They don't. At least not in the first place.
What's missing is clarity.
How do you see yourself in the air?
What does progress actually mean to you?
What level are you operating on?
Without vision, you fly more but get nowhere. You buy gear that doesn't change anything. You take courses that don't stick.
You circle, but don't climb.
How Development really works
Real progress needs three things: knowing where you stand right now, knowing where you want to go, and a way to get there that connects you, your gear, and the conditions around you.
As Chrigel Maurer put it in our recent podcast: You can have all the skills, but your mindset is what decides in the end.
Who is this for?
The Academy is for licensed pilots who want to develop consciously. Not for quick fixes.
If you're willing to invest real time and energy into your growth, you're in the right place.
What you bring
A solid foundation. You can fly.
You've got the basics.
What you want now is direction and the theory you need. A clear sense of where you're going and how to actually get there.
What you'll do
Structured Course at your own pace,
live coaching calls with Paul and François and a community of pilots committed to the same path.
Real work, steady progress and development that builds on itself.
Development works like a Thermal
You don't fly in a straight line upward. You circle and you lose altitude sometimes. You search for the next climb, but if you do it right, you come out higher than when you started.
That's exactly how pilot development works.
This isn't a loop.
You move upward, a little further with every cycle.
Step 1 – Where you are
Understanding who you are right now. What drives you? What holds you back? Where do you want to go – not just as a goal, but as a pilot and as a person?
Step 2 – What you do
Flying with awareness. Planning every flight, executing, analyzing, but not to be perfect, to understand what happened and why.
Step 3 – Who you become
Development that compounds. After each cycle you're a different pilot. Not because you have more technical knowledge, but because you know yourself better.
Where This Work Comes From
I've been flying paragliders professionally for over 20 years.
7× Red Bull X-Alps finisher, 4× podium. Solo flight Alaska–Patagonia.
More hours in the air than I can count.
What interests me more than my own flights: what changes when pilots stop asking "how do I fly better" and start asking "who do I want to be as a pilot."
That's the question behind the WANDERBIRD Academy.
Paul Guschlbauer, Founder of WANDERBIRD Academy
Meet François Montuori
François brings the technical depth. As a high-level competition pilot and coach, he leads the weekly technique and analysis call, where we look at your actual flights, your decisions, your lines and answers your questions in the community forum.
Mentored Program
WANDERBIRD Academy Pro
Structured video course, self-paced
2× weekly live calls – 1× with Paul, 1× with François
Personal track analysis of your actual flights
Community of committed pilots working on the same questions
3 months of active support, no fixed start date
After 3 months, you can stay on. Because development doesn't stop.
The next step is personal
If the Academy could be right for you, here's how we get there:
1. Talk to Paula (that's her right there), our Academy manager. Book a short call by clicking [Start here] – 15 minutes to understand where you are and what you're looking for.
2. If it's a fit, you'll have your personal consultation with Paul to assess your situation and help you find your path.
Honest, direct, beneficial, whether you join the Academy or not.
Spots with Paul are limited. That's why we take the time to make sure each conversation matters.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I start?
How much time do I need per week?
What if I can't fly for a month?
What's the difference between this and a flight school?
Is the program available in German?
Is this for me? I'm not an elite pilot.
What happens after I click 'Start here'?
I've only been flying a short time. Too early?
What if I'm just looking for quick tips?
