How to Create a Strava-Style Overlay for Paragliding

What is a Flight Overlay?

A flight overlay is a graphic that combines your flight map, altitude profile, and key stats (distance, duration, max altitude) into one shareable image - just like Strava does for running or cycling. It's perfect for Instagram Stories, where you can't embed interactive maps but still want to show off your flight.

Most paragliding trackers don't generate these automatically. Your IGC file has all the data, but you need a tool that formats it into a clean, Instagram-ready graphic.

What's Included in a Good Flight Overlay?

• Flight map: Your track drawn on a map showing takeoff, landing, and route
• Altitude graph: Visual representation of your altitude changes over time
• Key stats: Distance, duration, max altitude, altitude gain, takeoff/landing sites
• Vertical format (9:16): Optimized for Instagram Stories, TikTok, and mobile viewing
• Clean design: Easy to read, good contrast, minimal clutter

How to Create Flight Overlays

Option 1: SkyViz (Easiest)

SkyViz generates Instagram-ready overlays automatically. Upload your IGC file, and it creates a vertical graphic with your map, altitude profile, and stats - no design skills required.

1. Export your IGC file from your tracker
2. Upload it to SkyViz
3. Go to Overlays section
4. Download the overlay image (9:16 format, ready for Instagram Stories)

Included in the free plan: All SkyViz users get overlay generation for every flight. No Pro subscription required.

Option 2: Manual Screenshot + Editing

You can manually combine screenshots from your flight tracker, add text in Canva or Photoshop, and build your own overlay. This gives you complete control over design but takes significantly more time.

Steps: Screenshot your flight map, export altitude graph, open Canva or image editor, arrange elements, add text for stats, export at 1080x1920 (9:16).

Best for: Pilots who want custom branding or specific design elements. For quick sharing, automated overlays are faster.

Tips for Better Overlays

• Use vertical format (9:16): Instagram Stories and TikTok are vertical - horizontal graphics get cropped
• Keep text readable: High contrast between text and background, large enough to read on mobile
• Highlight key stats: Distance and duration are most interesting for viewers; max altitude for impressive flights
• Add context in caption: Where you flew, conditions, what made this flight special
• Combine with video: Post the overlay first, then a 3D video as a follow-up

Strava for Paragliding?

Runners and cyclists have Strava to auto-generate shareable graphics. Paragliding doesn't have one dominant platform (most pilots use XContest for competitions, but it doesn't auto-generate Stories).

Tools like SkyViz fill that gap - giving paragliding pilots the same quick sharing experience. Upload your IGC, get your overlay, post to Instagram.

Frequently Asked Questions