Where Are Velocity / BlackHawk Paragliders Made? (SOLVED)

So, where are Velocity Paragliders like the Edge, Core, Elektra, and Nitro made? Let’s settle an ongoing and somewhat ridiculous debate in the Powered Paragliding Community once and for all! Velocity Paragliders are (and have always been) made to the highest-standards in SOUTH KOREA! South Korea is well known (like Japan) for producing QUALITY products. For example, large companies like Samsung and LG are produced in South Korea. Sure, we pay quite a bit more to have our gliders made in South Korea, however, the unmatched quality of the final product and the ETHICAL treatment of the factory workers are important to us. Although we’ve been approached many times to have our products made elsewhere, BlackHawk owner Mike Robinson unequivocally refuses to go that route. Velocity gliders will never be made in a “sweatshop” where corners are cut to reduce price.

As many Pilots and beginners have noticed, this isn’t your average sport. There is a lot of information in the PPG Community that starts off as a “myth” and somehow gets blurred into the “truth” – especially on Social Media. Beginners will often read something opinionated or downright inaccurate, and without having a basis for comparison (fact checking), it’s easy to assume that the information is accurate. You might have heard the iconic humorous expression: “I read it on the internet so it must be true.” Over the years, we’ve seen countless competing Dealers and even Pilots who were under the assumption that our Paragliders were made in China. At first we thought this was a little funny, however, when potential customers started asking us about this when they called, we realized that this is a problem that needs addressed.

Where is YOUR Paramotor equipment made? You might be surprised to know that around 80% of glider Manufacturers DO in fact have their products made in countries like China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Sri Lanka! As we all know, where a product is manufactured makes a huge difference in overall quality. When you are researching the various options out there, make sure to ask the Manufacturer where all the components are made.

Why did BlackHawk and Velocity choose this specific company to make our gliders? BlackHawk has been in business for almost 2 decades now. As Manufacturers come and go in this sport, we wanted to make sure we went with a company who planned on sticking around to grow with us! The company that makes Velocity Paragliders is one of the largest, most established “Parachute Manufacturers” in the world. They were in the business of making Parachutes for many different applications when Powered Paragliding was still in its infancy. Their attention to detail, safety, and innovation was perfectly aligned with BlackHawk’s business model, so many years ago we flew the owners of the company out to our Headquarters in California. The relationship we established still thrives today and we couldn’t be happier with the quality of our Velocity products!

BlackHawk Paramotors USA takes a lot of pride in being a Domestic Powered Paragliding company. We go to great lengths to ensure ALL BlackHawk components are made to the highest standards. This includes our fully CNC’d engines from Spain, our Industry-leading gliders from South Korea, and many additional components which are made right here in the USA. Of course it would be a lot cheaper to have these components made in places like China, however, while other Manufacturers may go this route, BlackHawk refuses to cut corners. Quality always has, and always will take precedence over compromising our unwavering commitment to quality. This is one of the many reasons why BlackHawk sells more Paramotors than any other domestic Importer or Manufacturer!

We hope this article helps clear up some of the confusion as to where our gliders are made and why. If you are new to the sport, we highly recommend that you take your time doing your product research. We also recommend contacting Manufacturers directly to ensure the most accurate, up-to-date information. To help with this, BlackHawk has made several “Buyer’s Guide” videos which discuss some important considerations – regardless of which brand Paramotor you are interested in. You can find these videos below. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about BlackHawk and Velocity Paragliders USA. If you have any questions about this life-changing sport, BlackHawk is always here to help. CLICK HERE to contact us and remember: “Don’t believe everything you read online!”