From Dream to Design: The Story of the Para Controller Mini
If you discovered Para Sim through Andrea Bandarra’s YouTube channel, you may already know part of this story. But let’s rewind four years—back to the very early days of Para Sim—when Andrea designed and built the very first Para Controller Mini, which played a key role in our simulator’s development.
The video below takes you inside Andrea’s creative process as he designs and builds a smaller version of his paraglider controller. Using surface-mounted technology (SMT), he manages to create a compact, functional device perfectly suited for Para Sim. You’ll see every step—from design and assembly to the first test flights.
At the 8:00 mark, Andrea puts the Para Controller Mini through its paces. He tests it both on an acro wing and in a paramotor setup, using the toggles for brake control and the controller to engage the speed bar—all while pulling off smooth acro maneuvers.
We’re incredibly grateful to Andrea for his collaboration and creativity. The Para Controller Mini is not just a piece of hardware—it’s part of the story of Para Sim itself.
“C’mon, surely I’m not the only one who finds this super cool”
Andrea has always dreamed of flying. As a kid, he built and flew model aircraft, and that passion naturally grew into paragliding. Together with his partner Gemma, Andrea now runs a YouTube channel dedicated to all things free-flight—paragliding, groundhandling, and even paramotoring. Beyond YouTube, they also host groundhandling retreats, helping other pilots refine their kiting technique while continuing to experiment with new paragliding concepts and designs.
Opensource project here: https://github.com/andrebandarra/para-controller-mini
Shop Para Controller Mini; NEW colours in-store now: Shop Para Controller Mini - SOLD OUT
Subscribe to Andre Bandarra’s YouTube Channel
Learn more about Andre’s Ground Handling Courses Here
