aquatix

I imagine that might just be the Drift, with its RF remote control, not the GoPro. Just had a similar radio issue that caused much head scratching even after changing headsets twice. It turns out the horrendous interference I was getting was caused by a Brauniger vario any time it got within 2 feet of the radio or wiring ... No idea why, as I always expected the radio transmission might affect the instruments - not the other way round.

It's still like that in Spain. The kids and parents love you to fly low so the kids can wave. Don't worry - some decent parts of the UK are still like that too. At our local field the landowner and children all come out to watch, as do people from the nearby pub. They insist on at least 10 minutes of low level action before we fly off or they feel cheated. Of course all abiding by the arbitrary imperial measurement rule .... Of course every video like this brings out the usual cries of "coulda, woulda, shoulda" from anyone with a high horse or axe to grind .... I mean he could have caused damage to that derelict, soon to be demolished building. None of "us" would ever dream of breaking a rule (such as a speed limit)... The Jeremy Kyle generation pre-programmed to chant "but think about the children" at anything out of the ordinary. This just seems another non-story, the latest video to produce the usual hysterical witch hunt with screams of 'banning the sport', 'impending regulation' and 'reckless endangerment'. Well deliberately causing danger to the public should always be penalised - but I didn't see any of that here. "Distracting motorists" is a pathetic excuse - they have their own duty to observe traffic laws and concentrate on the road. If a motorist sees a girl walking by in a bikini should she be sent to jail ?? As for the waste of emergency services resources, the member of the public should face action for making an improper 999 call. It seems it is also still cool to vilify old Francis for making what I thought to be a reasonable comment ... albeit with his usual caveat that there should be some accountability for anyone who claims to be a "qualified instructor" for the purpose of financial gain in what is accepted to be a high risk pursuit. Well we expect this from every other profession, from builder, teacher, doctor to lawyer - so why the outcry over "professional paramotor instructor" ? I'm not supporting the guy in the video (didn't even think it was anything too special) but the reaction seems a bit OTT as usual, and is one reason I only post video's privately among a few people these days. Shame really as it is sometimes good to see what other people get up to when the weather is naff like this week.

Anyone of average intelligence knows the internet is where people go to rant about something when they are frustrated. Kiting, motoring and other forums are the same. Equally we know that dealers or brand reps have a natural bias towards their products - either because they genuinely believe in them, or simply for financial reasons. Almost all manufacturers claim their product is the best on the market (although some make bolder claims than others). I don't think anyone makes a decision based on one unsubstantiated rant or endorsement, but patterns and trends emerge over time - whether it is for quality, reliability, higher than average failure rate or good / bad customer service. Unfortunately the faultless paramotor doesn't seem to have been invented yet - although I've not heard any major problems with the Moster engine so far ??

..... pre-loved, with a new engine .... but you're right - I would choose the Nirvana Instinct too !!!

No, the ebay one was someone else. Slappers was only used for a couple of flights (under 5 hours) then replaced with a new engine from Parajet (think it was due to the upgraded magneto / flywheel they have had to fit on many volution 2's). Still boxed and not flown since, so virtually new and less than dealer price as it won't quite have a full warranty remaining. Of course dealer support is great (except there isn't any in NW), but also good to have a choice if someone is counting the pennies in the current economic climate ....

Always interesting, often surreal - particularly the lenticular cloud video slideshow.... http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-unusual-but-fascinating-cloud-formations.php

This should give you an idea: http://www.morphfx.co.uk/hang-gliding/pilot-exam/pilot-exam.php Some of the questions are specific to hangliders, but the paramotor specific questions are actually pretty easy stuff in the exam - this will help show you the level of questions for air law, instruments, meteorolgy etc. Enjoy

This should please the Speedster owners : http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/228457/baf83aca1c/446000307/8ff0be750b/ http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OZONEGlidersLtd./baf83aca1c/8ff0be750b/3ab9607164 A good competition and test of wings, as all pilots must fly within the certified weight range - so avoiding the usual bias towards whoever can overload the smallest wing the most !! Of course there will be small differences in drag between different pilots / motors, but overall a fairly level playing field. Hopefully the next race will see a larger turnout with more wings represented - Plasma, Fusion, Force etc. - to give a clearer picture of real world performance vs. marketing hype. It would also be interesting to see how different sizes of the same wing perform against each other (when flown within weight range) as unfortunately the 5 Nucleons were all size 29. I'd like to see how a 23 fares against a 34 for instance ......

Hi Ian, your best bet is to contact Mark Dann (Beyond Extreme Ltd -01691 682640) or Steve Griffiths (Mid Wales Paragliding, Aberystwyth - 01974 241 574) both teach hill & powered paragliding. http://www.mwpgc.co.uk/ http://www.beyondextreme.co.uk/index2.html

I can confirm this is like brand new ...... 5 hours use is being generous ! Well worth a look for anyone wanting a new motor. So is it back to the trusty old Pap for now Slapper ?

Have done. I also know at least one Parajet owner who will give a glowing endorsement of the product despite the numerous problems he has had. Customer service goes a long way in achieving overall satisfaction........

Well I've completed a survey as requested ( ) and although I'm not a big fan of surveys it could prove useful to owners, buyers or manufacturers so well done for starting it. I've spent a lot of time studying various paramotors, including the latest models on display at St. Hilaire last month, and although there are some great features on several, there isn't one yet which I would class as perfect. Thats before we even try to strike a balance between power, weight, strength, fuel economy etc... These may be something to consider in your survey, as although some may prefer to keep things simple, there is nothing to distinguish (in reliability for example) between several minor faults and one catastrophic component failure.... Comfort might be another section (on the ground and in flight), fuel economy, noise level, parts cost (when out of warranty) etc. Maybe an owners comments section for good & bad points ? For example on my Kobra the bushed pivot arm mounting is one of the best I've seen, but the fuel filler cap is in a stupid location right under the engine & spark plug .... Oh, there may be something coming out soon from tests run at St. Hilaire for thrust, noise level etc by a Hungarian paramotor company who brought a test rig along - a few of us gave it a go ..... Anyway, look forward to results - the more unbiased info available the better it will be for new and existing pilots.

Agreed. I've personally witnessed a high number of problems on a couple of brand new Volutions, BUT I've also seen the amazing customer service in action from Gilo and the Parajet team in replacing and upgrading components free of charge and as fast as possible to resolve these problems. The design and build quality makes many other brands of paramotor look home made, and if the upgrades improve the (known) reliability issues then I would consider Parajet one of the best options for a new purchase. In balance, I've had a couple of issues with my Kobra paramotor in the last 12 months. Customer service has been very good but not as instant as Parajet (due to them being in Spain), and while any replacement parts have been free it has cost me more in shipping and taken slightly longer to resolve.

Good stuff - it gets easier & quicker with practice ..... How are you finding the Nirvana Cruise ? Have you flown the Rodeo on its own, (footlaunched) yet ? I love the look of the Nirvana range and they have some good features, but very expensive here so interested in any owner reviews....

DON'T disconnect anything (its a bad habit to get into) - the Nucleon risers are a bit complicated but are sorted same as any other wing - in fact easier than some due to the colour coded lines.... Walk the risers away from the wing and just do one side at a time. Start by holding just the A risers high & clear so the A lines go straight back to the wing without twists (rotate if necessary). It helps to have another person holding the wing back with a little tension, and for the next stage, but can be done on your own. Shake the remaining lines free of knots so they hang loose, then follow the remaining lines back from the wing to the risers in your hand. If there is a twist, you need to pass the end of the risers (karabiner connecting loop) back through the lines while still holding the A lines high and clear. If it looks worse, undo that move and try passing it through a different set of lines. If the B lines are now free, hold them high with the A lines and repeat if necessary until C & D lines all go straight from wing to risers. Job done, inflate the wing to check everything looks right. To avoid it happening again, clip the risers together when packing or put them in a riser bag (I might have a spare one) keeping them outside the wing when you pack it so they can't fall through the lines. Even in nil wind it should be possible to turn or sidestep the wing after landing so it doesn't come down on top of you, but I'm sure we've all made a mess of it at some stage .....

I use the Yaesu VXR-7 and its a great radio with tri-band, waterproof, TX easy to unlock on all frequencies and more functions than almost any other set out there. Some good deals on ebay too, but I also use a motorola PMR depending on who I'm flying with. Much less hassle to just have both and swap connectors on the day than try to decipher the Yaesu manual or change settings mid flight - although I have managed to get it to receive on PMR channels on dual watch while using 2m frequencies as main...

The dangers of showing off for a camera ........... These clips better show the ratio of skill vs. luck vs. stupidity !! : [youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo][youtubevideo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtxcc4QuMk&feature=related[/youtubevideo]

Back on topic I saw the undisputed best customer service from Parajet last month while on holiday in the Alps. A mate had (yet more) problems with his new Volution 2, but they got replacement parts out and had them fitted by the team mechanic Kester Haynes, so he was soon back in the air. Parajet replaced (and supplied a spare set free of charge) everything from the flywheel / stator / ignition coil etc - and have also promised to fit a complete new engine for him (with upgraded components) over winter while he's not using it !! It doesn't excuse the high number of faults / problems with the machine, and I'd prefer a motor that didn't break down ..... but if I had to have a faulty paramotor I would pray it was a Parajet !

I don't know many wings that will launch smoothly just by walking forward at 6mph without wind or power... Most people would have to lean forward to get enough power from their legs, which is fine in a PG alpine launch where you keep this forward position - but not good for PPG where you need to straighten up and potentially unload the wing. Blipping the throttle to create airflow, then off then on again once the wing comes up is one solution - but creates its own problems as some motors suffer more from gyroscopic twisting if power is applied while the plane of the prop changes. Some walbro carburettors also make this worse by having a 'flat spot' between low and high rpm which can cause a sudden surge in power if not smoothly applied. A steady 1/4 - 1/3 power seems to work best for me, giving a bit of airflow assistance to the wing and replacing leg power enough to stay straight as the wing comes overhead and into the run. Power is then smoothly increased when all is straight and good to go. Maybe its my height and how the motor sits, so others have found alternative techniques ? Much as I love Dudek wings, they are probably the ones that need power launches most - particularly if they have been laid out on damp ground (even for a minute or two) as they don't have water repellent coatings and soak up water like a sponge, becoming very heavy to launch.

It has been the same over Derbyshire / Peaks - a very low inversion (500 - 600m AMSL) with a strong wind shear layer giving loads of turbulence, then high winds above it.

About 11.5kg when I boxed up my Revo2 (29) for shipping, with rucksack etc.

Probably us - we got permission from the landowner but had a visit from the Gendarmes on the last day, warning us that motorised flight was banned from there ..... Great taking off from the plateau at St. Hilaire though and climbing up over the peaks.... Probably out tomorrow (maybe Edenfield ?) with possibly some motor flying later, but the rest of the week also looks good if your about ? Winsford would be good though ......

Well done - its always great to secure a new site, especially one that good ! Look forward to an invite as soon as you get the green light..... Matt, you should have got in touch as I've also just got back from 2 weeks in Annecy & St. Hilaire. Reached cloudbase 4 times and also took the motor for some superb evening flying. 5000 photo's and over 30GB of video will have to wait for editing as it seems the UK has a mini heatwave now.

Report it to the police - if it is the same person who has been doing this for a while now they should have enough details to nick him ..... I had his address & bank details from a previous scam but thankfully spotted it early on so never sent him any money ! http://www.paramotorclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4516&hilit=scam