Supair

What Supair does

Supair is a French designer and manufacturer of paragliding equipment, founded by Pierre Bouilloux in 1979 in Annecy and operating since 1982 under the SUPAIR brand. The company produces a complete ecosystem of certified paragliding gear spanning gliders across the full EN-A through EN-D safety spectrum (from beginner Birdy/EONA to performance WILD 2 and the new 2026 SAVAGE 2), harnesses segmented by use case (cross-country Delight 5, hike & fly Strike 3 and Altirando Lite 2, progression, acrobatic Acro 4, and tandem Walibi 3), rescue parachutes for solo and tandem use (Fluid Light, X-Lite), and a full accessories line including helmets, hardware, and bags. Core technical differentiation rests on integrated product development — gliders and harnesses are co-designed to ensure interoperability — plus proprietary features such as the BUMP'AIR foam protection system, DYNEEMA rescue lines, and 2.5-line ultralight glider construction; approximately one-third of the ~30-person team is dedicated to R&D, and designers are themselves active pilots across relevant disciplines. All products are manufactured in Europe and individually quality-checked at the Chavanod PARC ALTAÏS headquarters before shipment.

The company operates as a privately held SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) under SUPAIR S.A.S. with registered capital of €185,424, with no institutional funding evidenced and no parent company. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of proprietary paragliding equipment to a global network of professional and passionate retailers across 30+ countries, supplemented by wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in Switzerland (Supair paragliding Switzerland Ltd., Satigny) and Germany (Supair paragliding GMBH, Penzberg) that serve DACH markets directly, and a B2B professional portal for registered partners. The customer base is fragmented across cross-country, hike & fly, beginner/training, acrobatic/competition, and tandem operator segments; notable brand validation includes the Gradient-acquired WILD glider achieving 2nd place at the 2017 X-Alps competition. Pricing is published in EUR, CHF, and USD with retailer recommended retail prices (e.g., STRIKE 3 at €1,990 RRP). The 2017 acquisition of Gradient was retained as a distinct sub-brand, providing entry into the high-performance glider segment without diluting the core Supair identity.

Name

Supair

Legal name

SUPAIR S.A.S.

Website

https://supair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Supair is a French designer and manufacturer of paragliding equipment — certified gliders, harnesses, rescue parachutes, and accessories — serving pilots across all skill levels. Founded in 1979, the company distributes globally via a curated retailer network with regional subsidiaries in Switzerland and Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paragliding Equipment

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Paragliding, Skydiving & Airborne Adventure Sports (THAJABAJ)

Keywords

• Paragliding equipment manufacturing
• Paraglider design and production
• Flight harness manufacturing
• Rescue parachute systems
• Hike and fly gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Chavanod

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Paragliding Equipment Sales: Direct sales of proprietary paragliding equipment including gliders, harnesses, parachutes, and accessories through a global network of professional retailers and B2B channels

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Supair designs and manufactures paragliding equipment, including gliders certified EN-A through EN-D, harnesses for cross-country, hike & fly, progression, acrobatic and tandem use, rescue parachutes for solo and tandem pilots, and accessories such as helmets, hardware, bags and spare parts. The company sells its products exclusively through a global network of professional paragliding retailers and flight schools, supported by regional subsidiaries in Switzerland and Germany and a B2B portal for registered partners.

Product overview

Supair is a paragliding equipment manufacturer with a comprehensive product portfolio spanning four main categories: Gliders (voiles), Harnesses (sellettes), Parachutes (parachutes), and Accessories. The company produces paragliders across all EN certification levels (EN-A through EN-D), including beginner models like Birdy and EONA, intermediate options like LEAF 3, advanced performance gliders like SAVAGE 2 and EIKO 2, and competition-grade gliders like WILD 2. Their harness lineup includes cross-country harnesses (DELIGHT 5), hike & fly harnesses (STRIKE 3, Altirando Lite 2), progression harnesses (Access 3), acrobatic harnesses (Acro 4), and tandem harnesses (Walibi 3). Rescue parachutes include solo options (Fluid Light, X-Lite), tandem parachutes, and both round and square designs. Accessories include helmets, hardware, bags, and spare parts. Founded in 1982 near Annecy, France, Supair has grown from a harness specialist to a comprehensive paragliding equipment manufacturer, now with approximately 30 employees including a dedicated R&D team. The company acquired the Gradient brand in 2017 to strengthen performance glider expertise, and operates subsidiaries in Switzerland and Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gradient: High-performance paraglider brand acquired by Supair in 2017, strengthening expertise in performance gliders.

Products and services

• STRIKE 3 Hike & Fly Harness Ultralight hike & fly harness (under 1 kg) for demanding climbs and ambitious cross-country flights, sold through Supair's professional retailer network and B2B partners. Includes carabiners, carbon seat plate, removable back reinforcement, 3-stage accelerator, rescue parachute handle, DYNEEMA rescue lines, storage bag and repair kit.
• DELIGHT 5 Cross-Country Harness Cross-country harness providing balance and comfort for long flights, aimed at pilots seeking endurance and confidence in demanding conditions. Sold via Supair's network of professional retailers worldwide.
• SAVAGE 2 EN-C Glider EN-C certified 2.5-line ultralight paraglider for cross-country, bivouac and hike & fly pilots, sold via Supair's professional retailer network.
• WILD 2 EN-D Glider EN-D high-performance paraglider designed for hike & fly competitions, combining lightweight design with high performance for ambitious pilots. Pairs with the ALP harness and X-Lite parachute to form a 5.5 kg adventure package.
• ALP Ultralight Harness Lightweight, high-performance harness designed for adventure; combined with the WILD 2 glider and X-Lite parachute forms the 5.5 kg complete adventure package for committed hike & flyers.
• X-Lite Ultralight Rescue Parachute Ultralight rescue parachute designed for hike & fly applications, compact and lightweight for traveling pilots. Part of the 5.5 kg adventure package with WILD 2 and ALP.
• BIRDY EN-A+ Beginner Glider EN-A+ beginner-friendly glider described as a 'Swiss Army knife' that accompanies pilot progression from training through to more advanced flying.
• LEAF 3 EN-B Glider EN-B glider for intermediate pilots, successor to LEAF 2 with improved performance and handling characteristics.
• LEAF 3 Light EN-B Glider Lightweight version of the LEAF 3 EN-B glider for intermediate pilots seeking reduced weight for hike & fly and travel.
• STEP X EN-B+ Semi-Light Glider EN-B+ semi-light glider that bridges the gap between Supair's standard and lightweight designs for pilots wanting balance between performance and pack size.
• SORA 2 Plus Tandem Glider Tandem paraglider for professional instructors and flight schools; an improved version of the original SORA which became a reference for tandem instruction after 2014.
• Radical 4 Performance Harness Performance harness designed for sport pilots seeking a balance of weight and comfort, part of Supair's fourth-generation Radical line launched in the 2021-2022 generation.
• ACRO 4 Acrobatic Harness Acrobatic harness designed for aerobatic paragliding maneuvers, developed alongside Supair's dedicated Acro pilot team founded in 2007.
• Walibi 3 Tandem Harness Tandem harness designed for two-seater paragliding flights, used by tandem operators and flight schools for instruction and tourism flights.
• Altirando Lite 2 Hike & Fly Harness Second-generation hike & fly harness known for lightweight design and compact pack size for pilots climbing to launch on foot.
• EVO LITE 2 Modular Harness Second-generation modular harness with adjustable configuration options for different flying styles and pilot preferences.
• Fluid Light Solo Rescue Parachute Lightweight rescue parachute designed for solo pilots, part of Supair's solo parachute range sold through the professional retailer network.
• Fluid Light Evo Solo Rescue Parachute Evolved version of the Fluid Light solo rescue parachute with improved deployment characteristics, sold via Supair's retailer network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 years of product innovation and market presence
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Supair paragliding Switzerland Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Regional subsidiary established to directly represent Supair and its products in the Swiss market. Located in Satigny, the subsidiary handles sales, distribution, and customer support for Swiss partners and flight schools.
• Supair paragliding GMBHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Regional subsidiary established to directly represent Supair and its products in Germany and Austria. Located in Penzberg, Germany, the subsidiary manages sales, distribution, and brand support for German and Austrian partners.
• GradientcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Supair acquired the Gradient brand in 2017, strengthening its expertise in high-performance gliders. The WILD model, flown by Benoît Outters, achieved 2nd place at the X-Alps competition following this acquisition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U-Turn GmbH: German paraglider and harness manufacturer with comparable product range and European distribution overlap with Supair.
• Advance Thun AG: Swiss-based manufacturer of paragliders, harnesses, and rescue parachutes across the full EN certification range. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Supair in the European market with comparable product breadth and dealer distribution.
• Skywalk GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of paragliders, harnesses, and rescue equipment with global distribution. Direct competitor across EN-A to EN-D categories with similar dealer-driven GTM.
• Gin Gliders: Korean-based paraglider and harness manufacturer with strong performance/competition presence and global distribution. Competes directly with Supair in hike & fly and XC segments.
• Ozone Gliders: Leading UK/French paraglider manufacturer known for performance and competition gliders. Competes with Supair across EN-B through EN-D segments and shares similar global dealer distribution.
• Niviuk: Spanish paraglider and harness manufacturer with global distribution and strong presence in performance and competition categories. Competes with Supair across multiple product tiers.
• Nova Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH: Austrian manufacturer of paragliders, harnesses, and accessories. Direct competitor in the European paragliding equipment market with similar product portfolio and dealer network.

Emerging players

• Woody Valley: Italian paragliding harness specialist with global distribution. Focused primarily on harnesses (vs. Supair's broader range), making it a partial competitor especially in the harness segment.
• Flow Paragliders: Slovak-based paragliding equipment manufacturer with growing presence in the EN-B to EN-C segments. Smaller and more emerging than Supair but competing in overlapping categories.
• Da Vinci Paragliding: European paragliding equipment manufacturer offering gliders and harnesses. Smaller competitor with overlapping product lines in the EN-A to EN-C categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Supair_paragliding
• Facebookfacebook.com/supairparagliding
• Instagraminstagram.com/supair_paragliding/?hl=fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/supairparagliding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Supair