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Sounds like I missed a good weekend. Sorry I couldn't let the organisers know that I would not be attending, after saying that I would. Unfortunatly I was taken to hospital on the morning of 27 June with a suspected stroke or bleed. I only got out of the hospital yesterday evening. All the tests have come back negative so far, except the old lumber. The neurologist wants this to be repeated soon though as he has doubts over the results of that one for some reason. Got other tests to be done as an out patient over the next few weeks as well. On the up side, after all these tests, I do know that all my other bits are in the right place and working as they should with no lumps and broken bits. Medway Health Authority have given me a good overhaul and MOT and If all the remaining tests come back clear I hope to be driving and back up in the air soon and to be able to make the next flyin. Fred P.S. My wife was suprised by the results of the CT, MRI and MRA scans, as they clearly show that I do have a brain. Something that she has doubted for a number of years now.

Hi Peter, well we are only about 17 miles apart then. I was not aware of a lot of the mods you did to the setup. I realised that the anti torque strap had been removed from the harness at some stage. Since the chap I got it from had only flown it four times and could not get on with it, I assumed this may be the reason. Colin Baker on this forum, just happened to have a strap, which he was good enough to send me ( Which reminds me Colin, I owe you a few beers at the flyin. Lager wasn't it? ). I have stitched it back in place and the setup flys OK for me. Kind regards Fred

Hi Peter, have a look at the response to your other post Re Sheppey. Regards Fred

Any personal reason for your interest on this one Simon or just a general one? Fred

Interesting this. Can't PM you Peter as I dont have your e mail address. I think I have one of your old Motors. Did you own a Backbone Spirit, purple frame, 80cc air cooled Vittorazi engine? When I bought it from the midlands last year, it came with some info in a large brown Jiffy Bag Labelled; Peter Bruce, 2 Constance Rd, West Croydon. The owner then, said that he had bought it from Sheppey. Almost found its way home if it was you as I am only in Rainham, kent and I spend a lot of time over at Old Rides Farm. Looks like the crash vid was by the generator house on the gun site along side the road out to the Ferry House Inn. Am I right?

I hope to get up there for the weekend but if not the full weekend, I should be able to make it for at least one day. Fred

Just got back. Thank you to everyone for making it such an enjoyable day and a special thanks to Seymour. Fred

After saying that to some wives, there would be no such a thing as "A safe distance", ever again, helmet or no helmet

First great weekend of the year and my youngest son is getting married, so ground bound at present. Real strange problem with the coil. It had a reasonable blue spark, that if I had seen it on one of my old british bikes, I would have been happy. Proved it was an electrical problem in the end by supplying the HT from a machine gun simulator board and coil. That triggers at a fixed rate of 1100 cycles, so I managed to get a few pops and bangs whilst pulling over the engine and squirting easy start in the intake. Got a second hand kart coil off ebay and made that fit. Spark is in a different league, white hot and bushey! Found a couple of minor things whilst I had the engine apart that need doing, hence waiting on Vittorazi. With regards to a new motor, my wife is off on holiday to Florida very shortly. I might be speaking to Andy / Piers again whilst she is away. Pay to get one ordered before VAT goes up and whilst Angela Mercal is doing all she can to drive down the Euro Fred

Still waiting for parts for the vittorazi though I have managed to bodge a coil off a kart and make it work. Spoken to Andy. Piers and whitters and am very tempted by a Fresh Breeze simmo that has good parts availability. Just have to convince my wife that I NEED one. Nice to meet up with you the other day. Fred

Who was up over possibly the Hartlip area tonight, you by any chance Ian? Lovely evening for it. Fred

Where do people fly from in the Basingstoke area? Seen a couple of wings go over when I have been working on our trucks at Plantation hill in the Hannington, Kingsclere area. Fred

I Also have the day off and can't beleive that it is not pissing down with rain or blowing a hoolie!With steady 8mph Easterly's given from 10:00 to sunset, last time I looked, I am leaving shortly to go do some ground handling. If the cortisone jab works as well on you as the one in my elbow worked on me last year, things will feel grate in a couple of days. Lasted about two months but think I may be in line for another one soon. Fred

Hi Ian, looked like they were both having fun. My mate Chris owns Mustards farm and is Nick's cousin I think. Five day forecast says the wind is picking up for the rest of the week. Sods law says it will calm down again for next weekend when I am committed to stalking in Hampshire. Congratulations on the nephew by the way. We must meet up for a drink some time. Kind regards Fred

Hi, just got back from Mustards farm on Sheppey. Saw two paramotors up over Leysdown this morning, but unfortunatly I did not have the time to seek them out for a chat as I was only over there to Zero one of my rifles. One wing looked mainly orange and the other was blue. Guess that they might have taken off from the direction of Nick's holiday camp. Don't know what colour wing you fly Ian but I remember you said that you fly out on the Island. If not you, any one have any idea who these chaps are? Regards Fred

Hi Mike, do you fly from a field out the back of Brands Hatch? My brother saw some one setting up there a few weeks ago when he went to look at a new bike. Regards Fred

Saw this come up on ebay and bid £2.00 to see what would happen. Got and e mail from e bay later in the day, warning not to complete the transation, so they know there is a scam going on. Fred

Is that the one on Paramotors UK. in the Basingstoke area? Fred

I got caught up in the queues around Bluebell hill yesterday evening. Not fun at all! If we get wind and snow at the weekend and it is managable, I may take a drive over your way and see if I can get some pictures of the drifts in the lanes. Got some real good ones back in the snows of 87. During the bad one in the 90's, spent two nights with my kids skating around the old duck house on Bredgar pond. Fred

Looks like you had fun Ian. How much snow is there up at Bicknor and is it drifting yet? See that they are forecasting some wind for us and I know how it can hit you up there. I have been stranded up at Hazelstreet a few times in the past. Kind regards Fred

Has any one on this forum got a good quality photo of the Spirit 125 / Backbone paramotor harness or knowledge of the following? I am interested in seeing/ knowing were the anti torque strap is fixed to the harness and how it is routed and buckled up. I recently bought one of these units that has had this particular strap cut off flush with the main harness support straps. (I can only assume that it was done in an attempt to increase weight shift response!) I would like to refit this strap exactly as the manufacturer intended. There is one reasonable picture in "Paramotoring from the ground up". You can clearly see that the strap crosses the chest and goes from the right side of the chest to the left leg. Can any one advise me if it runs through a loop on the right side of the chest and is cam buckled at the waist? Or if it is fixed to the right side of the chest and buckled to both the left side of the chest and to a strap coming from the left leg? The Enine on the unit is an air cooled 80cc Vittorazzi. Does any one know if there are common parts used in this unit and other gear reduction drive/ clutch units on the market? Any help appreciated. Kind regards Fred

Just wondering how many active pilots are based in Kent and in what areas? I met a few at a military vehicle show in the Faversham area back in the summer. Rare to see any thing in the air over the Rainham area though. Fred

Hi Ian, flew Rogallo wings 30+ years ago and I have spent loads of time sitting on the local hills, waiting for the weather to come right. Gave up flying when the kids came along, but now they are off hand I intend taking to the sky again. I have decided to go down the paramotor route rather than just free flight this time. Not been up under power yet. Even had to put the ground handling practice on hold over the firework season. Then the crap weather held it up again. Realistically I will probably not get out with the wing much now until after Christmas. Where do you fly from? Fred

Could be interesting. What area of Maidstone is ME14? I am only in Rainham, ME8. Fred