Julio Rivera Armijos
Chief Pilot & Founder of FLYBYPARA (Since 1990)
Julio Rivera Armijos is a seasoned paragliding professional with a lifelong dedication to flight, exploration, and outdoor adventure. Since the early 1990s, he has committed himself full-time to paragliding, building an impressive global reputation through thousands of tandem flights, training sessions, and international tours.
With over 14,000 hours in the air and more than 24,000 flights across 800+ sites in 48 countries, Julio brings unparalleled expertise to every takeoff. His specialties include tandem flights, paragliding training, fly-guiding, thermalling, and cross-country and acro competitions, having participated in over 200 official events in 26 countries.
Julio is also an experienced guide for both flying and non-flying participants, combining deep cultural understanding with a passion for creating immersive, transformative travel experiences. His career includes organizing and leading SIV courses and cross-country paragliding tours around the world.
Recognized for his safety-first approach and technical knowledge, Julio holds multiple certifications from respected aviation bodies, including:
- SHV (Swiss Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association)
- FEDA (Spain)
- FAM (Andalusia)
- FAE (Spain)
- BHPA (UK – British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association)
Julio’s philosophy centers on continuous learning, adaptability to new routes and regulations, and offering truly personalized flight experiences. Proudly supported by the trust and enthusiasm of FLYBYPARA’s global customer community, he is more than a pilot — he is your trusted guide and mentor in the skies.