Weight is one of the practical details passengers ask about most often, and it is also one of the details people sometimes hesitate to share. There is no reason to feel uncomfortable. We ask for an accurate figure because it helps us prepare the right pilot, wing and harness and assess the safest operating window for tandem paragliding in Tenerife.
This guide explains how weight affects a tandem flight in real life: not as a single number from a technical manual, but as part of the whole decision involving take-off, equipment, wind, mobility and landing. For the broader picture, read our guide to paragliding safety in Tenerife.
The published maximum passenger weight at Overfly Tenerife is 100 kg, and the usual minimum is around 30 kg. Passengers close to 100 kg should select the 12:00 slot online and enter their exact weight. Anyone above 100 kg should contact us before paying. The pilot always makes the final decision using the real conditions of the day.
What is the passenger weight limit at Overfly Tenerife?
Our usual published passenger range is approximately 30–100 kg. These figures are practical operating guidelines, not an automatic promise that every passenger inside the range can fly in every set of conditions.
At a glance
- Close to 30 kg: contact us before booking, especially when the passenger is a child.
- Within the usual range: book normally and enter the passenger's current weight accurately.
- Close to 100 kg: choose the 12:00 slot online and keep your WhatsApp number available.
- Above 100 kg: contact us before paying so the case can be assessed individually.
Important: the pilot retains the final decision. Weight helps us plan, but the go/no-go decision responds to the complete pilot, equipment, take-off and weather situation that actually exists on the day.
Why does passenger weight matter in tandem paragliding?
A tandem wing operates within a certified total flying-weight range. That total is not only the passenger. It includes the pilot, both harnesses, the reserve parachute, helmets, clothing, instruments and the rest of the flying equipment.
The complete load influences several practical parts of the flight:
- Equipment selection: the pilot must use a wing and harness combination suitable for the complete load.
- Take-off: the pair must accelerate safely on the available slope and continue moving until the wing carries them.
- Flight behaviour: wing loading influences speed, sink rate and the way the glider responds to moving air.
- Landing: the pilot needs an appropriate margin to manage the approach and finish the landing safely.
- Passenger fit: the harness and helmet must fit securely and allow the passenger to move as instructed.
For a clear, non-technical explanation of the forces involved, read how lift, thermals and flight control work in paragliding. The total load also includes the safety system; our guide to reserve parachutes on tandem flights explains that equipment separately.
Can I paraglide if I weigh more than 100 kg?
Possibly, but not as a general rule and never as an online guarantee. At Overfly Tenerife, 100 kg is the published maximum passenger weight. A small degree of flexibility may sometimes be possible when the pilot, equipment, take-off and conditions all provide an appropriate operating margin.
There is no responsible universal statement such as “everyone up to 110 kg can fly at midday.” Two sunny days can produce very different wind direction, airflow, turbulence, take-off behaviour and landing conditions. Passenger mobility and harness fit can also change the decision.
Contact us before booking: send the passenger's exact current weight, preferred date and any relevant mobility information. We will advise honestly, but the pilot can only confirm the flight after considering the complete operation.
When comparing operators, ask how they assess the complete load rather than looking only for the largest advertised number. Inés' guide to the questions to ask before booking a tandem flight will help you evaluate the wider operation as well.
Why should passengers close to 100 kg choose the 12:00 flight?
For passengers close to our upper limit, the 12:00 booking slot is usually the best starting point. Around midday, South Tenerife often offers more developed usable airflow than the earliest part of the day, which can provide a more practical take-off margin for a higher total load.
This does not mean that stronger wind is always better, that midday is automatically safe or that a weather application can confirm the flight. Direction, smoothness, gusts, thermal activity, cloud, take-off and landing conditions all matter. The team may still move the time, select another suitable authorised take-off, postpone the activity or cancel it.
A booking time is not a weather guarantee: our guide explains why tandem paragliding can be changed or cancelled even on a sunny day in South Tenerife.
What is the minimum weight for tandem paragliding?
The usual minimum passenger weight is around 30 kg (66 lb). For lighter passengers, particularly children, the decision also depends on whether the helmet and harness fit correctly and whether the conditions are suitable for a light passenger.
With Overfly Tenerife, children can fly from 6 years old, but age and weight are only two parts of the assessment. A child must want to participate, understand simple instructions and be able to run decisively during take-off. Our full guide to age, weight and mobility requirements for children and older passengers explains this in detail.
We avoid using a fixed rule such as “children always fly early.” Parents should provide the child's exact age and weight, and the team will coordinate the most appropriate available time according to the real conditions.
Weight is not the only physical requirement
Two passengers with the same weight may require different decisions. Height, body proportions, harness fit, take-off mobility, a recent injury and the available terrain can all matter.
What the pilot needs to know
- You can walk and run in the direction indicated during take-off.
- You can continue moving until the pilot tells you to stop.
- You have told us about any recent injury or reduced mobility.
- Your current weight has been entered accurately and not rounded down.
- The helmet and tandem harness can be adjusted securely for your body.
- You feel well enough to participate in an outdoor aviation activity.
You do not need to be athletic, but you do need to participate in the take-off. Accurate information gives the team a chance to prepare properly rather than discovering an avoidable problem once everyone is already at the launch site.
Does weight determine which tandem flight I can choose?
Not by itself. Passengers close to the upper limit can choose any of our tandem flight options. The weight assessment is separate from the experience you prefer, although the pilot may adapt the route, duration or plan if the conditions do not support the intended flight that day.
Weight also does not determine airtime on its own. It can influence speed and sink rate, but the actual duration depends mainly on the selected experience, available lift, route, wind and operational decisions. There is no simple formula in which a lighter passenger always flies longer.
For practical preparation that applies to passengers of every size, read our essential tandem paragliding tips for first-time flyers.
How is the final decision made on the flight day?
Before take-off, the team reviews the passenger details, the available pilots and equipment, the authorised take-off options and the weather actually observed. The helmet and harness are fitted individually, and the passenger receives a clear briefing on how to move during take-off and landing.
The pilot then makes the final go/no-go decision. Depending on the situation, the team may change the time, use another suitable take-off, reorganise the pilot and equipment, postpone the activity or cancel it. A booking never obliges a pilot to take off without an appropriate margin.
The aim is not to operate as close as possible to the largest theoretical number. The aim is to preserve an appropriate margin for the real passenger, pilot, equipment, take-off, flight and landing that exist on that particular day.
For the complete passenger journey — from choosing a flight to take-off and landing — read our step-by-step guide to trying tandem paragliding for the first time in Tenerife.
Before you book: a simple weight checklist
- Enter the passenger's current and accurate weight.
- Choose the 12:00 slot when the passenger is close to 100 kg.
- Contact us before paying when the passenger is above 100 kg.
- Contact us when a child or adult is close to the 30 kg minimum.
- Tell us about reduced mobility, a recent injury or any concern affecting the take-off run.
- Keep the booking telephone available on WhatsApp in case timing needs to change.
Frequently asked questions about paragliding weight limits
What is Overfly Tenerife's maximum passenger weight?
The published maximum passenger weight is 100 kg (220 lb). Final suitability still depends on the pilot, equipment, take-off, passenger mobility and the conditions observed on the day.
Can I fly if I weigh more than 100 kg?
Possibly, but only after individual assessment. Contact Overfly Tenerife before booking. A small degree of flexibility may sometimes be possible, but there is no guaranteed alternative maximum and no particular flight time can confirm acceptance in advance.
Why should I choose the 12:00 slot if I am close to 100 kg?
The 12:00 slot is usually the best starting point because South Tenerife often has more developed usable airflow around midday. It is not a guarantee: the team may still adjust, postpone or cancel the flight according to the real conditions.
What is the minimum passenger weight?
The usual minimum is around 30 kg (66 lb). For a child or any passenger close to that limit, age, size, harness fit, mobility and the expected conditions must also be assessed.
Can a passenger close to the weight limit choose any tandem flight?
Yes. A passenger close to the limit can choose Standard, Performance or Acrobatic. Weight is assessed separately from the preferred experience, and the pilot may adapt or decline the plan if the complete operation is not suitable that day.
Does clothing count towards the weight limit?
All carried weight forms part of the total flying load. Normal clothing is expected, so passengers should provide their current body weight accurately. The pilot also accounts for the harnesses, reserve parachute and other equipment.
Does a heavier passenger need stronger wind?
Not in such a simple way. Suitable airflow can help the take-off, but excessive, gusty, turbulent or incorrectly directed wind can make flying unsuitable. The pilot assesses direction, strength, smoothness, take-off and landing together.
Does passenger weight affect airtime?
Weight can influence speed and sink rate, but airtime depends mainly on the selected flight, available lift, route, wind and operational decisions. Passenger weight alone cannot predict the exact flight duration.
Unsure about your weight or mobility?
Send us the passenger's exact weight, preferred date and any relevant mobility information before paying. We would rather give you a clear answer in advance than create uncertainty at the take-off.