If you like to fly, book a trip to Costa Rica and take a tour with Nick Crane. It truly was an exceptional experience in every way. Some guides know particular sites within a country in which to fly. So, they take some pilots to the sites for a couple weeks a year and there is nothing wrong with that if that is what interests you. Nick is different in that he spends many months in Costa Rica every year. He is familiar with Costa Rica, not just several of its flying sites and a few hotels and restaurants. Pilots go there to fly and you can pretty much fly as much as you want as the weather is lovely. Nick knows many if not all the sites in Costa Rica so if it is flyable, you will have an opportunity to fly because he will get you to launch. With regard to flying, Nick is a rare combination of knowledge, skill, and patience. It was a true pleasure to fly with him. The transportation and accommodations were taken care of and I have absolutely no complaints; solid vehicles and clean/comfortable rooms. We ate at local restaurants where the food was inexpensively priced, but the portions and flavors were pleasing to even those who might be a bit picky about what they eat. Nick is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics and was always willing to point out various species of wildlife, birds, and flora, all of which were plentiful. In summary, it was a fantastic week of flying in Costa Rica. I had a total experience by directly interacting with the culture and avoiding tourist areas, enjoying the beautiful scenery, learning about the many facets of Costa Rica, catching some rays of sun, swimming in the Pacific, and of course, getting lots of flights that will not be forgotten anytime soon. My thanks are extended to Nick for a great week. He will be seeing me again.” JG P-2 Pa

This autumn 2014 I had the pleasure of joining Keith Johnston of Cloud Nine Paragliding, Austria and Nick Crane of Paracrane Tours for their joint venture 10 day paragliding trip of the Alps.
Let me start off by saying this was my first time visiting Europe. I was a bit apprehensive of the logistics of finding my way around, both on the ground and in the air. I wanted to maximize my flight time and minimize the stress of traveling, which is why I opted to pony up and pay for a guided tour. I'm happy to say it was money well spent!
From the very start I knew I was in good hands. Keith and Nick managed to keep both an easy going attitude and a professional approach to the whole tour. The travel was efficient and organized, the accommodation was clean and comfortable and the guiding was top notch. Not to mention the flying! I've flown in the American Rockies, Costa Rica, Valle De Bravo, Nepal, Peru, and New Zealand. None come close to the jaw dropping beauty of flying in the Alps!
I'm absolutely certain I wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the airtime I did (20 hours) had I been traveling on my own. Both Keith and Nick were constantly checking the weather and making adjustments to the itinerary as needed to keep us in flyable conditions. The local knowledge and site briefings payed big dividends in extending my flights. It was so nice not to have to worry about where I was going to stay and how I was going to get there when I landed. All I had to concentrate on was flying (which was stress free thanks to the in-air guiding). We had a sizable group (6 people) of varying skill sets so it was nice to have two guides on hand. Nick is a certified instructor, so he would often stick close and help the beginners with the fundamentals while Keith would take the more experienced pilots on XC runs using his intimate site knowledge to keep us aloft along the way.
All and all I had a great time in the Alps and I wouldn't change a thing if given the chance (except spending more time there of course!) I feel like I got to see the best the of what the Alps have to offer and walked away with some new friends to boot.
Cheers guys, we'll be seeing you again!
J
DSC02329DSC02817low
AUSTRIA 2014!

“We hired Nick Crane to be our guide in Costa Rica. Nick's been traveling to CR for years and has the place totally wired. He's also an instructor, a tandem dude, a Chiropractor, and very importantly, he has the essential four wheel drive vehicle that's required to get to the top of the jungle flying sites.
Nick did a great job, especially considering that our diverse little group consisted of me, a P4, K, a P2 that hadn't flown in 12 months or more, and C, a teenager with a lot more interests than just jumping off of cliffs and mountains. Flying was the main focus of the trip, and Nick got us as much airtime as we wanted, but he also made sure that we stayed in nice hotels, ate great food, toured the rain forest by horseback, foot, and zip line, saw the crocodiles, sloths, monkeys, and exotic birds, and had plenty of time to play on the beach. He also helped K a bunch with her kiting and flying by giving her private lessons and even took C on a tandem flight.
I think Nick has a great little niche in the paraglider adventure travel biz. While most tour operators cater to big air pilots, Nick's CR tour is perfect for recreational pilots and families that want to do more than just crank and bank in the strong stuff. Thanks Dr. Nick!”
JCB P-4 NM

I am an H 3, P4 and sailplane pilot flying since the eighties and have gone on many paragliding trips. This one was one of the best.
Nick speaks Spanish well, is very knowledgeable about the sites and has pioneered many. He knows where to go depending on conditions. His guidance was invaluable. All was well organized, the accommodations were completely adequate, the food was good. We flew every day. I learned a lot under his instruction and always felt secure. I will do it again!
Thank you Nick.
G P P-4 OR

I wanted to send you a quick note to tell you again how much I enjoyed the trip. I personally like small groups, it makes things go smoother, and I can get to know the people better. But it all went too fast. The sites were beautiful, the accommodations were great, food was excellent, the company even better, it was just a really great trip. Thank you so much for making it all so wonderful. I usually like to go somewhere different each time I travel but I think I would like to do your tour again, if not next year, the following year, but maybe for 2 weeks. You've got a good thing going there Nick, and I have no doubt your weeks will be in demand in the future.
DV P-4 CA

I am certainly planning on signing up for another tour with you this year.  If you end up guiding a tour in Brazil (or any other place), I would be interested in that as well. 
D.S. VT

I sure wish I was waking up tomorrow to fly to the beach with you!  It was a great time and all of want to go back in the early winter and then maybe again in March.
 Thank you for awesome trip.. We are still reeling with the memories!!!
D.B, NJ

Hope that all is well up there.
I just wanted to reiterate my heartfelt thanks for all that you have done for me. It has been a dream trip to come down here and get to do so much flying. Thanks for sharing Nick.
K.B. OR

Just want say again how much I appreciate you and the tour. I just finished my log and I got over 10 hours of flying time which as you know is big for me having gotten only a couple of hours of actual fight over the past several years. I know I couldn't have gained so much experience and reached the level of comfort I now have without having come to Costa Rica to fly with you.
C.P. OR


Chestnut mandibled toucan