manny

You mean it's a marketing ploy? Surly not! LOL

Interesting discussion, fellas. I was just out today, buying some bits for my FreshBreeze Simonini. I don't know the first thing about 2stroke engines.(but I am learning) My manual actually states: The fuel should have 98 octane or 100LL. The best oil is Castrol RS 2T. Mix is 2% in addition to the fuel. That is verbatim from the manual. I am surprised that they actually name an oil. Some questions : 1) 98 octane - that's Super/4Star right? Should I be buying Shell V-power Nitro+ or is that advertising b.s.? People say: don't buy supermarket fuel, but then even Wikipedia says, all fuel is same, until vendors add their additives. And then there is the Ethanol contents E5 = 5% is the standard. Some companies add more but that should be labelled E10 or even E15. My understanding is that we should stay away! 2) What difference does the type of oil make? Since we cannot see what is happening in the engine, it's all hypothetical until something goes bang, right? Dariuszk24's comment makes sense, but does that apply to us all? Just in hot or cold weather? When and how would I feel the difference? Thanks, Manny

But this evil looking monster shouts stay away...! seen here: http://earthsky.org/todays-image/funnel-cloud-from-rio-last-night?mc_cid=3eee27dcf8&mc_eid=24cae19fcc

Hi Shaggy, sorry to hear about the mishap! I am sure you are gutted. I'm just thinking, that must be one long throttle cable! I am not sure it should be possible for the cable to be nicked, while you hold the throttle in your hand, no matter where you put your hands. I know the engine is usually off, when you do a full flare, but you should be able to do that and not worry where the cable is going. What did Colin say? Are there lessons to be learned for everyone?

Just because the crowds may be so plentiful, that I might miss him...

Thanks Simon, the insurance bit puzzles me a little, generally. As a member of the BHPA there is insurance included, right? Then I was told I need additional cover. Then there is special travel-paramotor-insurance when travelling abroad. Which bits are covered by the BHPA and what is the additional insurance for? Is there a section here in the forum that explains the 'legal' side of the flying business? Many thanks Manny

Hi Shaggy, just read your posts. Thanks for that. Good reminder of my first days. It is weird how quickly we forget the 'bad' bits. I remember that overwhelmed feeling : I'll never be able to cope with all those lines and brakes and then the throttle in my hand too, not to mention the motor and all the noise. I had a long break after my initial training and first flights. Just recently recommitted and got my CP. As you have noticed it all comes together after a while. Enjoy the whole journey! I really hope you'll be up there soon. As they all say: flying is the easy part... Might see you at the Bore Chasers ... Manny

Hi Simon, missing out on Spain, I would be interested. What are the chances of running something smaller scale. It seems there is plenty of appetite for partakers. I am thinking less organisational effort from your and maybe a bit more d.i.y. planning from joiners? We, here in Surrey, are always starved of good flying opps. Manfred

Thanks Simon, looks absolutely awesome. Sadly and paradoxically (having just splashed out for a new wing) I am now lacking the funds. Otherwise I would be in there, like a shot! I am sure the lucky ones will have a great time! And please make another nice video for the rest of us, to remind us to be there next time... Manny

I am VERY happy to report, the Roadster 2 has arrived today, and it is beautiful! Happy days! M

Thanks Gilmour, I cannot wait. Great to hear, that your mate is happy with his R2. I has just been recommended to me. I have not flown it before. As for your CP redoing. I would speak to the guys. Maybe they will cut you a deal, where you do a refresher? They were talking about rejigging the safaris because of mixed abilities. At minimum, you should get to flying faster and get more flights in. We were lucky because we had two instructors with us, as Nick had time off and chose to spend it flying and training with us. Whatever happens you'll love it. Manfred

A quick update: Ozone Roadster 2 is on order. WooHoo! (Delivery time is forecast to be 4-6 weeks! BooHoo... But the video is almost ready for posting... just some post-production background music to be added to remove the 20 minutes of droning from the V3. Manfred

Yes, that is what I was told and it still looks fresh, but I think FB started making the Silex in 1998. Not sure when mine was made, but I will try to find out. The plate does not really show much, but I think there is a serial no. I will speak to Dan Burton, to see if he can tell how old it is. Whichever way, it may have lived out it's lifespan in the bag.

Well, that's what I would call: 'getting the best of both worlds', since I am back in Blighty. Unfortunately I have to report the untimely departure of my dear friend the FreshBreeze Silex L The Loft wrote to me: So, I am on the lookout for a new pony to ride. I fancy some reflex action. Not sure the Silex had that feature. I would gratefully receive any advice on what would be best for me. I quite liked the Revo 3, I flew in Spain. Any ideas? (I am 91kg in my birthday suit and 6ft tall) Thanks Manfred

Events of the final day, no. 6 (Friday 9th. of Dec. 2016) Please accept my humble apologies, for the tardy posting of this my, but for now, last instalment, of my tales. I was struck down - by an illness! A mighty Man-Flu felled me, at the roots... like a tree in it's prime, it wiped me out... incapacitated me, it was terrible...! (So, I beg yours, and my fellow trainees', forgiveness, if this account is not entirely accurate, in all it's details, because it was written more from memory, than the others, because I spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in bed) OK. So, I came down with a bug on Thursday night. You may have noticed, my slightly more succinct report on the day's events. By that time I was already shaking like a leaf. I took off my trousers, but was too cold to take off any more and went to sleep at 7:30pm. Waking up a few times during the night, I was thinking how to manage the last day of flying. We had at least one more 20 mins off circuit flight to do, to satisfy the BHPA syllabus. I was going to send the guys off to the field by themselves and see if I could join them later in my hired car. (NOT a great idea, because the hire agreement forbade off road use, and the surface to and on the field, is distinctly off road. I dragged myself out of bed and made some coffee. A fellow PuT had a blister of Ibuprofen, and 20 minutes later I felt almost human. With the help of said substance I managed to keep with the training. We had low to no wind in the morning, but we all got our flight in. I wish I could present to you, an unblemished record of perfect take-offs and on my feet landings... alas, it was not to be. (please bear in mind, I am diseased at this point! ) I fluffed the first zero wind forward launch, but the engine is killed quickly and we just reset the wing and I had a perfect launch. The flight itself was awesome. Coming back, I came in very high and Marcus directed an extended base leg and couple of S-turns to bleed off some of that height. Then I set up a perfect line for him and came in nice and straight. Good glide, Marcus gave the "kill the engine" command followed not much later by "roll hands forward" and a well timed "and-hands-all-the-way-down". It looked right to me and I was happy, until it occurred to me, that I may be a little bit too high still for the full flare. But too late now, so, with a bit too much thud, I came down and a combination of the slightly muddy field and my impact, I was not able to run it off, but face-planted into the damp field instead. I lay there for a good 20-30 seconds, wondering what had happened, and checking whether I was hurt or not. Also, the 30kg of V3 Moster, pushing down on me, made moving somewhat difficult. Here is the good advice you've been hoping for: A) Another argument for a lighter motor! B) A bit of feeling with the flare could have prevented that. The Pilot in command makes the decisions, Marcus could not feel the wing, not see the ground with my eyes. Maybe if I had felt the wing, checked my height and speed and judged the flare, rather than just followed the instructions, it might have been a better landing. Experience will be a good teacher. C) Performance limitations (The P in WHIPS) includes limitations of the PiC. Maybe without the cold I would have performed better (that's a note to self!!!) Anyway, Marcus and the others came to my rescue and I was soon back up, pretending that it never happened. Un?-fortunately I had the ApeMan 'GoPro' strapped to my chest, so you lot can see the version with this landing, while I will prepare a 'sanitised' version for my family! ;-). Since the forecast was the same, that it had been all week, we broke for lunch, planning to come back for some slightly better winds and some easier flying. So, after lunch from about 13:00 to 14:30, maybe, we returned to the field. Much to our surprise, the wind had totally picked up. The only visible change in the sky, was : no cloud above the mountains over Algo to the S/E. Marcus estimated the winds gusting to about 20 mph and got out the smaller 'training' wing to demo some reverse launching and kiting. Even with the small wing, he was doing good hops off the ground and leaning way back into the harness to counteract the wing. Nick joined him with a second wing. Marcus suggested that we wait until the wind drops a bit, which took quite some time. When the wind had settled to a more manageable strength, we newbies all tried our hand on the training wings and later our full size wings. I am glad to report all three of us did well with the GH'ing. Reverse launching and kiting came quite naturally to both my 'co' - pilots. I, myself, can say that the hours (and hours and hours) I have spent with my wing, in a field, have served me well. I could handle my 29m wing in the lively winds and managed to walk it around the field and put it down, where I wanted it. And kiting the wing, just holding the As and Ds is also fun. The sun was rapidly disappearing behind the hills to the west, when the wind finally dropped enough. I sensed that Marcus was frustrated that we only got one flight in on our final day. He jumped up and into action. "Nick, let's get these guys up" he said. And with that we all at once started to lay out our wings and setting up helmets with radios and our respective motors. He WHIP'ed and MACE'd Paddy through the checks and had him in the air within a few minutes. The light headwind made for a perfect launch. "OK, Manfred, get ready" , I was called up, next, as Paddy and PJ were using the same wing and motor. Hooked in and checks done, I waited a couple of minutes until Paddy had finished a couple of circuits and was on final. As soon as he was down (perfect landing into wind, of course), I launched my wing and was up with a few steps. While I was doing my own two circuits, PJ was pre-flighted and ready to go. I also had a good landing, into wind, nicely on my feet, as one hopes. As soon as I was safely back on the ground, PJ launched, to use the last few rays of the setting sun. We literally used the 30 minutes after sunset, allowed, to the last moments. With PJ down after his two circuits, we packed up and went back to the Eagles Nest. We completed the paperwork, Marcus signed off the last tasks and we signed our BHPA CP - Power card applications. This week has been awesome. The rain at the beginning gave us time to whip through the theory. Thereafter the weather was great and the site has been perfect. When we did have wind, it was nice and steady, so even the ground-handling was easier than in my home field (old London Airpark (now Hanworth Park). The school and the staff come highly recommended: a couple of weeks ago Marcus trained Ben Fogle here in the same field at Bornos! I will post the missing video clips of my take-off and the epic flight (and face-plant) when I have the spliced together and worked out where to stick em, so you can get to them. Here is the (long time coming) video - use the mute button and hum your own music to it! LOL I hope a dropbox link works. https://www.dropbox.com/s/gkjaxqh3r16hnul/My Movie.mp4?dl=0 I hope you enjoyed reading my account. Thanks to those, who have left comments and please drop me a pm, or leave a comment, if you haven't yet. It is very encouraging for a blogger, to know that he has an audience. See you out there. Stay safe and don't forget to say your WHIPS & MACE! Manfred