aquatix

Been out flying today - it was great, until it overdeveloped with storm clouds ....... maybe due to the thermals coming off this thread ??

The Pyrenees is good for free flying this time of year (plenty of sites listed on Paragliding Earth), and the Vosges region of France (SE of Nancy) is superb. Some good PPG flying to be had in Belgium (still completely unregulated), but beware of doing any beach flying in the Costa Brava as PPGs are banned in the high season.

No offence to anyone involved, but is it worth the hassle ? By that I mean the additional effort, financial cost and admin / bureaucracy involved to provide (or obtain) something which is already well established and available elsewhere for less ..... Freedom of choice is great and it may well appeal to a small minority of people, but will such a niche product be commercially sustainable ?

... about the mag - they are desperate for articles & photo's to publish. Deano and a few others have contributed so if you send in something decent it will quite probably end up in print. I know loads of people who've had photo's and other stuff in there. Go on Sticky - organise another fly-in and I'll do photo's and a write up ..... as I'm not sure if anything from Jet Boots' bash will be fit for print !

Hi Alan, I made the same change over a year ago and fully agree with Dave's summary - especially the difference in glide (from less than 1:1 to over 8:1 is a big difference) The Nuc still feels heavy to launch and needs a firmer technique (and correct trim setting) but is actually just as easy once you get used to it. Once in the air it feels much more solid yet also more responsive and agile - needing less input to produce more dynamic turns. Trimmers, speedbar and tip steering are suddenly a joy to use instead of a chore and it just seems to do everything so much better. Only drawback I can think of is the non waterproof fabric that Dudek uses, oh, and the fact they have brought out the Nucleon WRC version and I've got no cash left to upgrade mine ......

It was actually a mate on a well used Black Devil, flying a Nucleon. We were in Belgium late June and it was quite hot. I was busy taking photo's and didn't notice him climbing up or would have joined him ..... Never really bothered going that high with the motor as it seems too easy. Had over 8000 ft free flying and itching to beat that (better climb rate too ) !!

Should be OK - the air gets colder and mixture gets richer, so less chance of melting a piston ........... theoretically !

Are you using IE 9 ? I get the same issue as it seems to store multiple cookies from this site. You need to delete them from cache or use another browser such as Chrome.

Thanks for the comparison. It seems like your annual costs are only slightly more than mine with the B*** although I think it would cost me more over there to free fly as well, with separate membership of the FFVL, whereas B*** covers both. The reciprocal / equivalence agreements work very well and the French organisation of flying sites and events is superb. Before anyone proposes a similar system here though I would want an equivalent (massive upgrade) of facilities and services provided to match ...... PS - I've just bought a Baofeng UV-5R (partly on your recommendation) and about to set up the PMR frequencies. 6.25kHz channel spacing seems OK, but not sure how to implement the CTSS tones. Don't suppose you have a link to an idiot guide somewhere do you ? Cheers, Alan

There's a guy in the States you could ask, as he has done some awesome scientific testing of almost every wing on the market, and even provides video evidence so it cannot be disputed ! Can't remember his name, but should be easy to find as he holds every world record ... in everything .....

Hi Alan, I've always been impressed with how the FFVL organise things in France, and FFPLUM for powered flight on the numerous times I have flown there. As I understand it the wing registration forms part of the pilot rating and insurance requirements as a package. Perhaps you could briefly summarise the requirements and cost as a comparison ? (my level of French struggles with some of the more technical words) Since we already have a similar representative body here in the UK that provides training, pilot rating and insurance, it puzzles me why some people want to pay a higher price, have no formal pilot rating but all the extra hassle of working groups and additional bureaucracy, just "so that those whom do not wish to go the BHPA route have a viable alternative without full blown CAA Registration" ..... This is not a plug or attack. I have (privately) discussed with Simon his problems with the BHPA, but I'm thinking more of the average paramotorist who may currently be flying without insurance. Is it just a fear of failing the Pilot exam ? (training can be done elsewhere thanks to the alternative entry scheme) Having competent pilots, trained and rated at a certain standard just seems more attractive to me than sticking numbers on wings to obtain insurance by the 'back door'. The CAA are currently happy with PPG as it stands, but ad-hoc wing registrations may well stir things up. If that leads to registration as a formal requirement then it is more than likely to involve the Pilot rating and exams that some people seem to want to avoid. Just my thoughts - unless someone convinces me of the benefits.

Yes, nothing is a problem for young, slim girls ...... it is only old, fat, ugly blokes who struggle ! lol 16 is considered the minimum age to start flying solo - and even if there are some restrictions initially you have a lifetime to enjoy the freedom of the air. There is a handy little guide to all forms of free flying that you might find useful : http://www.bhpa.co.uk/pdf/BHPEPTrainngGuide.pdf .... although I must point out that there are alternative training schemes available, and similar information is available on this website (is that OK Simon ? )

Gary - some excellent points - totally agree with keeping as much BS and bureaucracy out of foot-launched flying for as long as possible. Glad to hear you are back in the air and trike looks great - nice to see someone else using the EVO engine ! Mike - that is a similar response to what I got from the CAA not so long ago, hence why I was shocked at the mention of wing registration within 18 months .... My understanding is that Traffords only want some form of registration to satisfy their underwriters but this is not directly linked to the CAA. I am waiting for clarification from Traffords regarding this. My fear is it could create an even more confusing '4-tier system' with some pilots (for unknown reasons) wanting to commit to full scale CAA registration, others having to have wings registered for insurance purposes, others having no wing reg but trained and insured under the 'other system' (who I dare not mention) , and a potentially large group flying with no formal training, insurance or wing registration..... Crazy ! PS - are you coming to the Air Games again in October ?

Carefully risk assessed and tactical response ..... Now if the question had been "is there a wing & motor big enough to cope with my addiction to chocolate cake ?" ..... I've also seen a few girls taking up PG here, but nowhere near the numbers of young students in France .... I blame the UK weather !!

Really, don't worry about it for now as it is all part of the training. You will learn to fly in very calm air where you should never get a collapse or anything. Air is a fluid like water, always moving - but you will fly in the equivalent of a still lake, not a raging river !! Thermals can easily be avoided by not flying in the middle of the day (hot sun causes them), and modern wings are extremely safe, collapse resistant and recover quickly from any problems. You should learn on an EN A or B rated wing (safest) but don't even consider buying anything until you have started training. Much of the training is learning to control the wing safely on the ground. Get good at this and the actual flying will be easy. Paul Allmark (http://www.fly-paragliders.co.uk/) and Paul Kilburn (http://www.manchesterparagliders.com/) are probably closest to you for training.

Hi Carmen, I don't think there are many girls your age currently learning, but that means you could be one of the top British female pilots in a few years .... Wish I had the opportunity to fly at 16 ! Wing collapses are extremely rare in normal flying conditions, easily avoided and usually harmless unless close to the ground. Don't worry about them for now. Your weight is not an issue as there are lots of small wings and light motors available now to keep you in the same 'proportion' as everyone else - although not all training schools may have them in your size. Good luck, Alan

You can safely pull more than 50cm, and if you leave the trim tab parked and pull the steering line directly you will get a bit more of a turn. The Revo 2 tip steering seems designed more for gentle course correction on xc flights, as it just shortens the wing span rather than pulling down the trailing edge. Had exactly the same problem, bought a Nucleon, problem solved .....

Does fuel line go vertical up to carb ? Any loop or u-bend can cause a vapor lock of air. What inline fuel filter are you using ? I had 2 duff ones with tiny pin holes in middle, where 2 plastic halves were joined. No fuel leaked out, but tiny bubbles of air got in when carb was sucking fuel up. This type of problem would be made worse with any type of obstruction to the breather vent.

Hi Paul - does that model tilt down to allow access to the tailgate ? PS - looks mad on a small car !

Hi Gordon, I've used a Bak-Rak for several years now, well over 10,000 miles on pan-European trips, and with 3 different motors. Also used the Basket-Rak to carry 2 paramotors plus jerry cans and other equipment. They are great bits of kit and perfect for the purpose. 4 other people that I fly with have since bought them for the same purpose. Fitting takes seconds on a standard 50mm tow ball and easily takes my weight (over 100kg). My only modification was a cheap and easy plywood base with runners to locate the paramotor legs. I just use a ratchet strap to tighten the bottom down, plus an extra strap from the top of the tailgate, through the motor and back to the tailgate handles - this takes up any slack in the fitting. Others have made simple clamps from metal strips and wing-nuts, or the clamp that holds a trailer jockey wheel. I don't bother covering the motor for short journeys, but either wrap the engine and harness with a polythene rubble sack for longer ones (with a chance of rain) or for touring I use the Sol paramotor transport bag : http://www.solparagliders.com.br/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=773&Itemid=76 You only need a number plate and light board if yours are covered. There is no extra drag when it is behind my van (possibly even reduced drag), but if you have a smaller car you need to leave the upper cage uncovered (or removed) to stop it acting as an air brake. A couple of photos from years ago with my old paramotor, as fitted to ParaBongo 1 - way superior to those ropey old T5's which it leaves behind, stuck in muddy fields !!! Last photo shows Basket-Rak with motor in transport bag behind TechnoBongo in southern France a few weeks ago (where I last saw sun) !!

I guess you would also want to submit your DNA and fingerprints to the database in case any murders or thefts happen in the village ? (light-hearted, so no need for the stock "nothing to hide, nothing to fear" reply from 'big brother'.....) Thankfully the burden of proof is different in the UK, although the press and local councils are still likely to tar us all with the same brush - numbers or not. Seriously, availability and choice of insurance can only be viewed as a good thing, as everybody has different requirements. I am yet to be convinced of any tangible benefits of wing registration however, unless it is the only route some people have to obtain insurance.

Hi Simon, It looks like you have been looking at 'facts & figures' claimed by a well known internet fraudster ..... Before you get conned out of your hard earned cash, get in touch with Raymond McMahon (http://paraflightsolutions.com/ who I think is fairly close to you (Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931) ? A personal friend and good pilot / importer that I can vouch for. Nobody on the internet can say what is best for you, and you won't even know yourself until you have done some training and tried some kit. Best of luck, Alan (UK)

No doubting Alex's great experience and skill as an instructor, and the idea of an internationaly recognised standard for paramotoring is laudable - but only time will tell as it is just an idea and collection of letters at the moment, for all the grand claims on the website. We already have another 'world champion' pilot with a similar scheme - the WPPGA Anyone can set up credible sounding schemes and I know a few people who trained as pilots only to find their BHPC 'qualification' was worthless. Will this scheme offer any significant improvement on an FAI, IPPI or Parapro equivalence rating, or just appeal to badge collectors and instructors wanting to befuddle new clients with fancy sounding accronyms ? Only if globally adopted and accepted - but even in the UK we have different groups representing the same sport, so it doesn't seem likely. Not knocking the idea, which appears to be a well meant attempt to solve a real issue, but I won't be rushing to apply for APPI membership just yet .....

Chill Simon - it was nothing personal, antagonistic, anti-PMC or anything .... just an open discussion about a public forum post. First paragraph was congratulations ..... I know some people struggle to get insurance and if you can help them, great. More people insured, adequately trained and flying sensibly can only be good for the sport. If people want to stick numbers on their wings then it is up to them. Will they still be insured if flying a demo wing or a new one before registering and numbering it ? Still think we would be better having a united voice representing ALL paramotorists rather than bickering about "us & them", but everyone being insured is a start .....

Firstly, congratulations on your efforts to provide insurance for those pilots currently unable to obtain it elsewhwere. It will be good to see the details of the cover once it is all in place. Please don't take this the wrong way Simon but your announcement raises a couple of questions (for me anyway). The proposed cost is 3 times what I currently pay for BHPA membership & insurance that fully covers me to a similar level, for comps and events in every country I have flown in. My flying is probably 60:40 free flying and paramotoring (as is quite a few people I fly with), so would have to maintain BHPA insurance and potentially have a significant extra cost if paramotor insurance was split to a separate policy. If true about compulsory wing registration, who has been campaigning for it ? Neither the CAA or BHPA appear to be pursuing this route and it is not something I favour. Would it involve a minimum Pilot 'qualification' to be recognised, and if so, which ? If not it would appear to be simply a money making exercise in beaurocracy which adds little to pilot safety and could affect the resale value of equipment. Will there be medical requirements and how will it affect the large numbers of self-taught or 'trained elsewhere' pilots who may not want to pay for qualifications or a sky 'tax disc' that they have never needed before ..... Who will police it ? Not being negative (honest) but an ominous announcement of 'watch this space' needs clarifying .... Imagine the outcry if cyclists were suddenly threatened with compulsory registration, road tax and insurance !!!!