Axel Coste
Hometown: Chamonix, France
Profession: Pro paragliding pilot (test pilot, content creator, coach)
First flight: 2018
How did you start to fly?
Before paragliding, I was a trail runner, but after many injuries on my knee I decided to learn how to fly in a school in Annecy, so I can hike up and fly down to preserve my knees. I discovered all the potential of flying and became completely addicted to this new sport. And then 3 years later, I was competing against the best pilots in the world.
Tell us your favourite…
- Wing: Session
- Practice: Acro
- Spot: Organya
What other ways to fly, passions do you have, or activities do you enjoy?
I love every discipline of paragliding like speed flying, speedriding, soaring, bivouac, but also mountaineering, rock climbing, kite surfing and BASE jumping. The best is to mix all these disciplines.
Tell us the best advice you have on:
- Learning to fly: Choose the right people, spend thousands of hours ground handling; you will learn a lot
- The gear: Choose the right gear for your skills, take care of your equipment, and have a good rescue, it can save your life.
- Progressing your skills and overcoming challenges: Take your time, practice as much as you can, volume is the key. Visualization and a good mindset are really important too. Be safe.
Please tell us more about the current … that you’re working on:
- Mission/project: Working on a new parakite with Ozone for soaring and speedflying to have the best gear in each discipline. Different adventures like bivvy flying or combos (mixing sports)
- Goal: Have fun and be creative in the different disciplines I do
Why is flying important to you, and what does flying mean to you?
For me, flying is freedom and happiness, and it offers so many possibilities to discover the world or just have fun at your home spot. It also gives me the opportunity to meet amazing people all around the world.
Flying accomplishments (competitions, projects, records, airshows, etc.):
- Vice Acro World Tour Champion 2022
- Winner of the World Acro Cup 2022
- 3rd place Acro World Tour 2023
- Currently flying the smallest parakite in the world
- Creator of new acro tricks
Do you have any goals, dreams or plans for the next 1-2 years that you want to share?
- Continue to push the limits and my creativity in acro paragliding
- Go for bigger adventure of bivouac in different countries.
- Share my knowledge and experience to help other pilots
- I would love to make a movie if I have the opportunity.
- Be safe and continue like I've been doing for many years.
