Who we are
MAURICIO FLEITAS
Founder and owner of Whale Tail Paragliding & Adventures – Paragliding Instructor – Professional Tandem Pilot – Adventure Guide, with 20 years of experience flying.
@fleitas_mauricio
Mauricio began paragliding in 2006 and quickly turned it into his passion. Since then, he has devoted his full life to sharing the art of paragliding with others.
He has an excellent safety record with over 6,000 commercial tandem flights without any incidents.
Mauricio has participated in various international competitions in India, Nepal, France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
He lived for five years in the Himalayas, Nepal, working as a professional tandem pilot for several paragliding companies and hiking in the high mountain regions.
A true nature lover, world traveler, and adventure guide, Mauricio has visited over 62 countries and speaks fluent English, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
He holds certifications from several international paragliding organizations:
1. USHPA Advance Instructor and Pro tandem Pilot
2. FEDEVIP (Advanced Instructor and Advanced Tandem Pilot)
He is also the creator and founder of “Boulder Paragliding”, a paragliding school based in the Rocky Mountains, USA, which he led for 10 years, training dozens of students and performing countless tandem flights during that decade.
Currently, Mauricio is the owner of “La Ballena” Paragliding Launch in Uvita, Costa Rica, where he lives year-round in a self-sustainable and eco-friendly way. The site hosts paragliding activities, side by side tours in the jungle, and birdwatching excursions.
When he’s not flying solo or sharing the sky with others, you can find him surfing, kitesurfing, or traveling across the continent on his adventure motorcycle.
Alfredo Zingg
Cross Country & ACRO Paragliding pilot, Surfer, Skydiver. Adventure motorcycle rider, Kiteboarder.
He has been flying since 2009 and loves cross-country and aerobatic paragliding. Alfredo is a pro paragliding pilot recognized by the FAI as the world top 100 best pilots in cross-country in 2026. He actively travels and competes around the world as part of the Swiss paragliding Team. He has been training aerobatic paragliding in the off-seasons and can perform some of the most technically advanced maneuvers, making him a skillfull and complete paragliding pilot. He brings technical knowledge, top skills and friendly admosphere to the team
También ha entrenado parapente acrobático durante las temporadas bajas y puede realizar algunas de las maniobras técnicamente más avanzadas, lo que lo convierte en un piloto de parapente completo y altamente habilidoso.
Aporta conocimiento técnico, habilidades de alto nivel y un ambiente amigable al equipo.
Cuando no esta volando lo podras encontrar en el mar cazando olas para surfear.
JUSTIN NEWMAN
Paragliding Pilot · Surf Instructor · Builder · Adventurer
Justin Newman has been a passionate pilot for nearly 20 years. He earned his USHPA certifications while living in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Lake Tahoe, where he spent two decades flying high-altitude sites, snowmobiling through the backcountry, and racing dirt bikes and side-by-sides across the Nevada desert. He also provided support and retrieval for some of the top paragliding pilots in the United States.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Justin grew up by the ocean, where he discovered his love for surfing at the age of 12. A lifelong surfer and skateboarder, he has always been drawn to movement, flow, and adventure.
For the past 12 years, Justin has made his home on the west coast of Costa Rica. With deep local knowledge and a strong connection to the ocean and nature, he’s passionate about sharing great experiences with others—whether it’s flying above the jungle, catching waves, or building something beautiful and lasting.