Who we are at Paraglide Brazil

Dustin Martin, multiple hang gliding world record holder and passionate paraglider pilot, first flew in 1994, and discovered Brazil in 2004; and has since gained a language and region of friends.  This local knowledge and these connections are the framework behind our successful tours.  In addition to guiding, he runs a one-man paraglider repair and inspection shop full time, produces pg and hg harnesses, and manages to also have an entire zipline harness production business behind the scenes.  Safe to say we can take care of most minor issues with customer gear while on tour, and you can rest easy knowing we have the knowledge to do it. Through twenty years of in-air guiding, Dustin has developed a set of skills that enables clients to achieve personal bests while making breakthroughs in their skillsets.

Jeff Shapiro is an Ozone team pilot, professional climber, and pilot who has devoted his life to the mountains.  Over the last 30 years of his climbing-related life, he finds the greatest rewards in attempting new routes in the greater ranges.  Jeff is also a world class hang glider pilot, wingsuite BASE jumber, and a professional paraglider pilot.  When he's not climbing or flying, he's a philanthropist, conservationist, and a master falconer.  In recent years, he's become dedicated to passing on what he's learned to the flying and climbing communities with a contagious passion for life.

I'm fortunate to call Jeff a friend, and those who know him definitely know that he brings immeasurable value and wisdom to any adventure, particularly a guided XC course, which is one of his many specialties.  

Chuck Woods is a master rated pilot in both hang gliding and paragliding with approximately 7000 hours of total airtime.  He's flown for 47 years as of 2025, and instructed for 30 of those. He brings patience and a calm knowledge to our tours that's priceless. He runs his own tours in Europe and for the past few years has agreed to guide with us in Brazil, specifically on our tours to Rio Grande do Sul. He has valuable local knowledge of the sites and weather patterns in and around Sapiranga, and is one of the better instructors I've had the pleasure of knowing.  Our last tour together in Sapiranga was an incredible experience, with lucky weather and an amazing group of friends, and I attribute that success to Chuck's presence and his unique abilities with beginner and novice pilots at new sites.

Ederson Rorato not only owns a Brazilian tour/transportation company, but is a hang glider pilot with decades of experience at the highest level of competition.  I place complete trust in Ederson after competing with and calling him my friend for over 20 years. He is the best there is at finding pilots no matter where they land.  We travel in style with Ederson in his Sprinter, and when it's time to switch sites or do a little beach flying, Ederson's regional knowledge and weather expertise is the deciding factor.  We couldn't do it without him.