Where can I fly from?

Hi all I'm Dave,

I'm a relative newbie.... Trained 2 years ago, 8 successful flights + 1 dodgy landing!

One of the reasons why i haven't flown more is that the field I fly from has lots of hazards.... It is boggy when wet, there are thistles and I'm worried about snagging my wing etc.

My question is where am i allowd to fly from?

I know you should seek permission from the land owner but this is difficult and I find awkward (I have met 2 grumpy farmers allready!)

Whenever I drive in the countryside I see brilliant fields to fly from but I want to know if I allowed to?

Beach?

Fields where public have a right to access / right of way?

General open land?

Thanks for reading and hope to hear how you guys find the perfect flying field...

Cheers

Dave

Corsair black devil 172

Paratoys wing

Hi Dave

The general rule is that you can take off from pretty much anywhere you have permission. All land is owned by someone, so strictly speaking, launching from somewhere you don't have permission is trespass.

You also need to be aware of any airspace issues, so should have an up to date airmap (which you are supposed to carry with you when flying).

There's a few previous postings on this forum about the best way of approaching landowners to use their field. While i've had some farmers refuse to give me permission, they've always been pretty polite and had genuine reasons for saying no.

Where abouts in the UK are you? There are several paramotor-friendly fields mentioned on this forum. Many require a small subscription, but there maybe something near you.

I wouldn't advise taking off from a field without permission as this isn't a long-term way of getting a decent field. As an example, I recently found a perfect-looking field, and was tempted to do a sneaky take off. However, I traced the farmer and sought permission. Turns out the field is part of a nature conservation program, so he's said I can't use it till the end of June (when the lapwings have migrated, or something?) but after that he's happy for me to use it whenever I want, at no cost. If i'd have taken off without permission, i'd certainly have buggered up any chance of using that field again.

It does take time to get sites sorted, but after a while you'll hopefully get a few decent ones, and can rotate them to minimise any potential noise complaints.

best of luck

Carl

I wonder what the legal situation is about taking off on common land or beaches below high water mark ,,

or even parks (as long as the 500ft rule is maintained ) because the way I understand it common land can be accessed by the public so you have a right to be there wheather its with your dog/horse /kite/ect or with a paramotor and wing ...

What I mean is that if you can legally be there what rule stops you taking off

whilst driving on a deserted small road in Scotland.. ( alledgedly ) somebody took off in one of those passing places and then an hour or so of the most epic flying ever landed back in that very same passing place I mean they had just been there with a car / pushbike /motorbike/skateboard

because that person had a right to be on that road with a paramotor and wing what law had been broken

if any had

I am not trying to say it might be ok to take off on the M6 if there is nobody about . common sence says it isnt

But What really is the Legal angle on this does any Really no ( Yet )

I mean has any body ever been prosecuted

I'm a farmer, and am training with Simon (1 day so far!) I find there is nothing more annoying than people walking across my land, trampling crops dropping litter etc. When I stop them and ask what they think the are doing the reply is always "Well I didn't think you would mind" I then ask them where they live so that I can walk my dogs in their garden, that usually stumps them.

If you are polite and especially if you offer a bit off cash not many farmers would turn you down, or how about giving them some aerial photos as well.

Hi all,

Thanks for the info.

I understand that common sense is essential when making decisions about where to take off from and it is important to be discreet and try not to annoy anyone……

But like you Gary, I have been scratching my head for ages thinking - If I am allowed to walk on that land…. What rule says I can't walk on that land with my Paramotor??

Does anyone know?

I am plucking up the courage to approach more land owners as I desperately need to get in the air again. I know not all farmers are grumpy Quinoxyfen, I think I must have just been unlucky meeting the only 2 grumpy ones in Nottingham!

I live in Nottingham and trained with Paddy but I live in the centre of Nottingham…. Are there any other pilots flying close to Nottingham?

Also any advice on how best to approach a land owner -

- Tips on how to find who owns the field?

- Best to contact by: Phone / Face to Face / letter?

- Offer cash - how much is reasonable to use their land?

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Dave

I guess most new paraglider pilots have this same question so if others haven't gone before and done all the hard work, what is the general approach to getting permission? I guess my key questions are:

1. How do you identify the owner of a prospective site? Can I do this through the Land Registry and is there a cost?

2. I've thought of offering aerial photo's but I guess for a long term site one might have to offer payment. Is there a going rate for take off/landing? Perhaps a day rate to allow multiple launches? Whats a fair offer?

3. Do small airstips make a cost effective option? Any clues what the going rate is to launch/land at a small, privately run airstip?

Anything else I should consider when trying to broker permission to launch (other than not over using each site)?

Michael

Hi

I believe you can trace the owner of land through land registry but i've not done this personally.

If there's only one house or farm in the area you've seen a field, chances are it belongs to them, so would be worth contacting them. If the local house aren't the owner, they'll probably have their contact details.

I've also left a note on a gate before now explaining about paramotoring and asking if they have any objections to me using it for the occasional take off and landing. This didn't work for me(!), but I have heard of people having success with this.

The best way is if you happen to get lucky and see someone working in the field and can go up and ask them directly.

I tend to find that people are very defensive if you cold call them on the phone, so probably door knocking would be better, although once again, they can initally be defensive.

Many farms have websites/email addresses, so emailing can be a good way. You can include a couple of photos, and some detail, then maybe follow it up with a phone call if you don't hear anything.

Not sure of a going rate for using a site - i've got a couple which don't charge and another who charges £5/day.

Private airstrips can be good but many owners can be quite reluctant as they don't want to generate any more aircraft noise.

Bests

Carl

Dave theres a few of us that fly from hucknall.

A good field that's available every day.

Your more than welcome to come and fly from there.

Pm me if it's close enough.

Personally I prefer to travel to a site I know I'm not going to have hassle of anyone.

Carl

Its not easy to trace fields through the land registry, far easier, as someone said to ask locally. If you see a tractor working in the field walk over and ask (don't drive across a field uninvited) explain what you want to do, how it works,noise levels, how little damage it will cause and offer something, I would have thought £10 for the day would get most people to agree, if you start too cheap you risk having an outright no as its not worth the bother.

When ive been looking and door knocking in the past ive always taken a copy of Paramotor mag so the Farmer knows what im talking about and my insurance certificate to show that im fully insured, be ready to offer some thing in return for use of said land, im a mechanical engineer so not just cash as this can sometimes help, be polite even when refused, I was pointed in a couple of good directions even when refused. if your lucky enough to get some land treat the owner as a god lol it always helps, our man Paul turned out to be a diamond.

I don't want to be a spoil sport, but farmer's - if they accept cash - are legally hiring out their field for commercial purpose. What this means at the end of the day is that IF you had an accident on their 'rented' field, they would be legally responsible for some or all of any claim you made against them

Legally - you MUST negotiate the loan of their field for FREE and to make it bullet proof, they must get you to sign a form declaring that you will not claim in the event of an accidient.

This is why 'savvy' land owners will NOT give you permission.

It is a bl**dy legal minefield.

Common land is fine. On the beach, 12 feet above high watermark is fine.

If you draw up a contract with a friendly farmer(s) absolving them of all/any blame - that is fine too. No money must technically change hands

Oh dear, what a sad state of affairs where we can be sued for other peoples accidents, it looks as though I will be giving my metal detectorists the heave-ho.

Is it legal for a Beach Warden to stop me flying off the beach at Brean or Weston super Mare. I don't understand how someone can own the beach if they have not actually bought it and have deeds to prove it.

Dave

I also live in Nottm. I fly from a field near Hucknall. Send me a message if you want more details.

Richard

Hi Dave,

Seems like there's a few other flyers near you which sounds great.

If you are still looking for fields, I would definitely recommend emailing. I Googled farms in our area and emailed 2 earlier in the week. One replied saying that the farm next door to her already has a small airstrip and it shouldn't be a problem me using that (am on the case with that one!).

The other farm emailed back and said that providing it's away from neighbouring properties and livestock, I can use any of their fields that are suitable, in exchange for some aerial shots!. Am seeing them Monday to take a look round. Their farm is a total of 550 acres, so hopefully should get a good selection amongst that lot!

Sorry that your first encounter with farmers didn't go too well, but generally they're a very friendly bunch.

Keep plugging away and i'm sure you'll get some sites sorted soon.

Bests

Carl