Paragliding Pilot Retrieve

Stay Connected, Wherever You Land

As a cross-country paragliding pilot, you know one thing for sure: you don’t always land where you expected. Whether you touch down miles from base, in a tricky spot, or need urgent assistance, quick communication with your retrieve team is essential.

This app makes that simple. With just a few taps, it locks in your GPS position and lets you send a ready-to-go message, fast, clear, and stress-free. In normal flights, it’s convenient. In case of an accident, it could be vital.

How It Works

1. Switch on GPS
Make sure your phone’s GPS is enabled before starting.

2. Launch the app
Give it 20–45 seconds for a precise GPS fix. Your location is instantly shown as a Google Maps pin.

3. Pick your message
Tap “Select message.” From the list of 12 common situations (waiting for pickup, safe at base, making your own way back, or requesting help), choose what fits your situation. The selected text appears on the main screen, easy to change anytime.

4. Send without location
For simple updates like “Back at base”, hit “Send message.” Choose your messaging service, send it off, and add extra details if needed.

5. Send with location
Need your team to find you quickly? Send your chosen message with a GPS pin in Google Maps format, including precise latitude and longitude.

6. Customize messages
Want to write in your own words or language? Tap “Change message,” edit the template, and save it. Your personalized version is ready to go.

Why This App Matters

🚀 Fast and effortless – Just a few taps and your team knows your status.

📍 Exact location sharing – No confusion, no copy-pasting coordinates.

🌍 Fully customizable – Messages in your own style or language.

🛑 A lifeline in emergencies – If you’re injured or in trouble, the app helps you instantly alert your retrieve team with your exact location.

No matter where the wind carries you, into new valleys, deep terrain, or unexpected landing zones, this app keeps your crew connected to you at all times. Reliable in the routine, essential in the unexpected.

App Properties – Built for Pilots, Built for the Field

⚡ Minimal Data Use
This app is designed to stay ultra-light on data transfer—a big advantage when you’re flying in remote areas with spotty coverage. Each retrieve message is only about 150 bytes, small enough to slip through even a weak connection.

📡 No Internet? No Problem.
Out in the wild, mobile data often disappears when you need it most. While most messaging services fail without internet, SMS still works. And here’s the key:
- GPS doesn’t rely on internet, so your location is still accurate.
- SMS doesn’t require data, so your message and coordinates can still be delivered.
- This simple fallback means your retrieve team can find you—even if the network is barely there.

🎯 GPS Performance
The app is built for open spaces, exactly where we pilots land and fly. In these conditions, GPS reception is strong, with accuracy down to just a few meters. Indoors, however, GPS struggles, so the app is not intended for indoor use.

👉 Bottom line: Whether you’ve got strong signal, weak coverage, or no internet at all, this app keeps working. Light, reliable, and adapted to the realities of XC flying.

Recent changes:
Change any of the 12 messages to your liking and/or in your own language.