Welcome to
Fly Sun Valley
Fly Sun Valley conducts paragliding
flights through exclusive cooperation
with the Sun Valley Company & the US Forest
Service.
© 2006 Fly Sun Valley
P.O. Box 6632
160 W. 4th Street
Ketchum, ID 83340
208.726.3332
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About Fly Sun Valley
Fly Sun Valley is the only fully insured and pemitted paragliding operation of the Sun Valley Resort, conducting flights in cooperation with the Sun Valley Company and through an exclusive commercial permit issued by the US Forest Service.
Fly Sun Valley offers tandem flights, flight instruction, equipment sales, guiding services, airborne weddings, aerial photography & video, air shows & demonstrations, etc.
Fly Sun Valley is owned and operated by Chuck Smith. He began flying paragliders in 1987 in Switzerland, initially utilizing "parapentes" as a descent tool for mountaineering activities in the Alps and later for climbs in the Rockies, Andes and Himalayas. He was involved in the formation of the American Paragliding Association, (APA) the original governing body of paragliding prior to its merger with the USHPA.
Chuck is a former factory test pilot for UP International and has worked in essentially every aspect of the sport of paragliding.
Additionally, he is a former US National Champion and national team member, holds numerous flying records and awards, (including the 5 Diamond Safety Award), is an USHPA Advanced Instructor, USHPA Tandem Administrator and has personally flown over 4500 safe tandem flights.
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Services:
Retail Product Sales
Instruction
Trips & Events
Tandem Instruction
Fly Sun Valley Blog
Ghana PG Festival Blog
Moto Ventures Blog
Team Pilots/Instructors
Our complete staff of expert tandem pilots is fully certified by the USHPA and includes some of the best pilots in the industry.
ABLE Pilot
Fly Sun Valley is delighted to announce that we are formally offering flights to people with disabilities in cooperation with Sun Valley Adaptive Sports. FSV is a principle member of the AblePilot Program and we have been working to develop equipment that makes it easier and safer to fly with passengers that are physically disabled. We hosted the first ever AblePilot paragliding clinic in August of 2011. This clinic was attended by five disabled American soldiers. A story about the clinic appeared on the front page of the NY Times on September 4, 2011. The on-line version also includes a video story. Fly Sun Valley is also very proud to be part of the "Higher Ground" program. This program serves recently injured American veterans returning from the Iraqi and Afghan wars. The purpose of "Higher Ground" is to make a healthy, positive, and lifelong impact on the rehabilitation of veterans. Look for the white tandem glider with the SVAS logo in the skies over Sun Valley!
Over Khumbu
In an expedition sponsored by Marmot, Chuck, along with six other mountaineers voyaged to the Khumbu region of Nepal, the home of Mt. Everest. The purpose of this trip was to launch themselves off the peaks of this notorious mountain range, to soar the skies around the roof of the world and to share the spirit of flight with the illustrious Sherpa people of the region. Go to the website, Over Khumbu to learn more. Also go to Apple.com for recent information on the film made about this expedition. The film, "Between Earth and Sky", documenting the expedition, is currently available on DVD. The film premiered at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival in May, 2004. "Between Earth and Sky" has become an international favorite as an Official Selection in over a dozen film festivals in five countries including the Maui Film Festival and Jackson Hole Film Festival, winning Best Adventure Film at the 2005 Boulder Adventure Film Festival and Best Cultural Documentary at the 2004 St. Hilaire Film Festival in St. Hilaire, France.
