Meet The team
Get to know our team of professionals who will be flying with you in Costa Rica
our team of professionals are ready to get you safely in the air on a tandem Tour or as your own pilot on a paragliding course or tour.
We believe of all things, that flying should be an enlightening and life changing experience, whether you're a passenger or learning with us. We've created a business built around making sure our clients see the world from a new perspective and feel the joy and freedom of flying in a safe space and environment.
OUR TEAM
We're a small team who love all things to do with flying and exploring. We care a lot about our clients, so your time spent flying with us will be personalised and exclusive. There are no frills here, just dedication to flying, safety and having fun.
With more than 20 years of combined experience and over 10,000 hours of air time, we’re the most experienced Costa Rican flying school and tandem company.
Zion Susanno
Owner and Founder of Zion Paragliding, APPI Paragliding Instructor and APPI Pro Tandem
XC and Paragliding World Cup Pilot
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Zion has been flying since the age of 15, giving him a total of 12 years flying, over 10,000 flying hours and has flown with more than 2000 passengers in tandem. Zion is a qualified instructor through APPI, which offers the highest standard of instructor training international. As an instructor and a Costa Rican, you are in the best hands when it comes to local flying knowledge combined with expertise for teaching and in-air guidance. Outside of teaching and flying tandems, Zion enjoys XC paragliding, competing and hike and fly missions - what can we say except the guy loves to fly and that’s why he’s the World record holder for the fastest ground speed on a paraglider, and longest distance and triangle in Central America.
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Owner and founder of Zion Paragliding
APPI Paragliding Instructor
APPI Pro Tandem Instructor
Number 1 ranked pilot in Costa Rica
First Aider
Bilingual in Spanish and English
Second to none local knowledge of flying sites and weather
William Pardis
Advanced Paragliding and Tandem Instructor, and Tour Guide
XC and Paragliding World Cup Pilot, All Round Adventurer
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Will, a dual national of the USA and Philippines, learned to fly in 2015 and has been hooked ever since. In just 6 years will has racked up over 2000 flying hours and gone from a novice, to tandem instructor, competition pilot and is now a serious hike and fly pilot, hoping to make it into the X-Alps one day. Will has been working with Zion since 2018 and has extensive knowledge of flying in Costa Rica. Will’s precision in flying and his calm, laid back demeanour, translates in the sky to a relaxed flight when under his guidance.
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Holds USHPA Advanced and Tandem Instructor Ratings in the USA
World Cup Competitor
Gin Gliders R&D Test Pilot
Number 1 ranked pilot in the Philippines
First Aider
Billingual in English and Filipino
Chase Kabish
Tandem Instructor
Professional Tandem Instructor, XC pilot and Base Jumper
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Chase has been flying for 8 years accumulating over 2000 flights, of which, more than 850 are with happy passengers. He is a certified USHPA tandem instructor in the USA giving him professional training specific to providing passengers with comfortable, safe and exhilarating paragliding flights. With a diverse background Chase has flown in 15+ countries around the world with an affinity for South America, Peru being the country where he began his paragliding career.
Outside of flying paragliders he enjoys skydiving and BASE jumping. Travel is a huge part of his life allowing him to explore new cultures and try new flying sites. Ever since he began flying he wanted to share the experience with others which is why he dedicated his training specifically to tandem paragliding, guaranteeing you’ll have an excellent experience strapping in and flying with him
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Holds USHPA Tandem Instructor Rating in the USA
BASE Jumper
Advanced knowledge of flying in Dominical
Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese
First Aider
Matthew Pardis
Tandem Instructor
Professional Tandem Instructor, and XC Pilot
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Matt, is a dual national of the USA and Philippines and William’s younger brother. Matt learned to fly in 2020 with Zion and never looked back, dedicating himself to 3 years of intensive training to receive his tandem license. Matt might be the new kid on the block but his three years of training have taken him to four continents around the world and gained over 2000 hours of airtime. Matt fly’s most days making him current and consistent in his abilities, not to mention one of the friendliest guys you will fly with.
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Holds USHPA Tandem Instructor Rating in the USA
First Aider
Billingual in English and Filipino
Angel Pardis
Shuttle and Logistics Manager
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Angel joined the team in 2022 as our shuttle and logistics manager and take-off assistant and you guessed it, she’s the sister of William and Matt. Angel will be on hand throughout your tandem paragliding tour to assist with questions, help set up equipment and make sure you get safely off the ground, assisting pilots with take-offs where necessary. She is the friendly face that drives the shuttle vehicle to the landing and meets the passengers and pilots there, making sure the team gets back to the meeting point at the end of the tour.
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Shuttle and Logistics Manager
Excellence In Customer Service
Fluent in English and Filipino
Aspiring Paragliding Pilot
