Bruce Goldsmith
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Bruce Goldsmith is a British paraglider pilot, paraglider designer, and the 2007 Paragliding World Champion. He won the title at Manilla in Australia, flying an Airwave Magic FR3.[1][2]
He has been British Paragliding Champion three times, most recently in 2004.[3] He has also been British Hang Gliding champion twice.[citation needed] He was also ranked #1 paraglider pilot in the World in 2007 by the FAI. He held the World Record declared flight to Goal of 275Km in 2004 in Texas, USA. He was also awarded the Saloman Trophy from the British Royal Aeroclub for design.
Goldsmith is by profession a civil engineer, who started designing hang gliders in 1979 and paragliders in 1989 [4] and was the designer of paragliders for Airwave Gliders for 20 years and designed the Magic, Scenic, Sport, Ten and the Wave.[5] He set up the paragliding division of Airwave - which was already a manufacturer of hang gliders - in 1989. He left to found Ozone Paragliders in 1998, and was Managing Director, designing Ozone's first 4 paragliders: Electron, Proton, Octane and Cosmic Rider. He returned to Airwave in 2000.[6] He moved to the Swiss paraglider manufacturer Advance Thun in 2010 and then in 2012 set up a brand under his own name: Bruce Goldsmith Design or BGD.[citation needed]
He lives in the south of France with his wife Arna Reynisdottir and their three children.
BGD (Bruce Goldsmith Design)
BGD was founded in 2012 by Bruce Goldsmith with 2 partners Arna Reynisdottir (IS) and Christoph Scheer (AU), one of the sport’s most respected designers and pilots. With decades of experience at the highest level of competition and glider development—including winning the Paragliding World Championships —Bruce set out to build wings that deliver both performance, handling and style.
From the beginning, BGD has followed a simple philosophy: create gliders that are safe, high-performing, and fun to fly. Rather than chasing numbers alone, every design is built to offer clear feedback, intuitive handling, and a strong connection between pilot and wing. The result is a range of gliders that feel connected in the air —trusted by beginners, bringing accessible performance for experienced cross-country pilots.
Today, BGD produces a full lineup of wings, from entry-level to competition, all sharing the same DNA: accessible performance with personality. The brand has earned a global reputation for gliders that balance safety with efficiency, and performance with enjoyment.
A defining part of BGD’s identity is its distinctive graphic design. Bold colours and expressive patterns make each wing instantly recognisable in the sky. This approach is not only about aesthetics—it improves visibility in the air and reflects the company’s belief that flying should be both functional and inspiring. In a world of uniform designs, BGD wings stand out, just like the pilots who fly them.
BGD continues to innovate while staying true to its roots: building gliders that pilots genuinely want to fly—because they feel as good as they perform.