This week's tip comes from Francois le Hen, writing in the latest issue of Cross Country magazine

Choosing a region where you have already flown cross country is good advice for setting out on your first vol-biv.

Even if you know a region by heart, flying vol-bivouac is a completely new adventure, far from the official take-offs and far from the crowded routes.

It is also wise to adapt the itinerary according to your own skills. Don't fly in a remote landscape with no landings if you are a rookie, especially flying tandem.

Before you go, plan your route using XContest, landscapes in Google Earth and maps. Remember too to talk to your flying friends.

Finally, don't think you'll be flying every day. Walking is a big part of vol-biv. When we flew our 950km route through the Alps we covered two-thirds of that distance on foot, one-third in the air.

Francois le Hen and Aureliane Ghigi at the end of their tandem crossing of the Alps