norman

'Interupter'

Why not throw this open through a French PPG site? I am sure the Odd Froggy would love to come along and take par to 'elp wiz ze enterpretation, preparation and ze planning?....

I can't miss this. Count me in!

'Love your suggestion Whitters, I think we are moving towards a synthesis that shows a lot of promise.

Hmmmm, I love prizes. How about 'WOTD'?

I share Phil's too Alan.

Sorry Simon but I believe that such a large pot could become divisive and work counter to flight safety for the odd one or two. The sharpest pilots would probably enter for the cash and the majority could well begin to feel resentment. I wouldn't like to be thinking that my money was going to feed an ego with a greedy pocket; people who are 20% there for the 'crack' and 90% for the cash? Love of the 'crack' would vanish within 200 miles of the finish line - what we would we be left with then? (do the sum lol).

That would erode the spirit that everyone enjoys so much in this game imho.

Were I taking part I would prefer to see a prize that doesn't bring out the Green Eyed Monster but maybe recovers an individuals costs and brings along a really worthwhile material prize like a wing - a motor at the most. If there could be a contribution to a good cause then that would complete the package for me.

You did ask for personal opinions here ...

Besides, done well there would be significant costs involved in staging the event. That money must come from somewhere...

Maybe the 'race' element needs removing for safety's sake.

A pre-declared overall flight time by the competitor would do that. Each team could chose its launch times and enjoy the trip. Having a declared last time of landing at the final destination that is carefully considered would set a fair and safe pace?

There could be variations.

Stop at Airvault for the stick kicking element? Big barbie at the end of the day. Blast off in the morning?

Declared flight times (verified by GPS).

Navigation accuracy across a declared route, GPS again.

Least flight time.

There must be a way to remove the sting and lower the risk.

Reduce the prize money, maybe to the point where it pays for the winning teams trip, buys a wing and a crate of Champagne, and include an element of it for Help for Heroes?

Just ideas in the 'ideas mill'!

St Malo to Perpingnan or Biarritz then? Dune du Pyla on the way... Hmmm

Sounds a bit like....

Me! Naaa, that is the rarely sighted "Feminus-Berrycroftus-Aeronauticus" bird.

Are silly hats compulsory Simon?

Did you mention the handicapping system so that one Msr Carnet doesn't win the money Simon?

£500 or the outside chance of a wheelchair? No contest.

Didn't read the edit properly, sorry. The 'After' was frrom a previous edit. I took it out now, thanks Phil.

'Pleasure Cambodia.

The proof of the pudding.

It works for gliders - it is normal field landing practice

It works for light aircraft - ditto, used it for real twice

It works for much larger aircraft in the simulator

It works for paramotors - I have used it once - last trip .

Go out and try it with your paramotor if you feel confident. Watch out for rotor, livestock and populations. Chose your spot carefully. Try it at your home field - keep a good lookout.

Horses and Paramotor wings... it doesn't bear thinking about (equi-blending).

Here is an idea.

Develop a rubber neck and always have a good idea where the wind is coming from. That's a given here.

'Engine Failure' Your initial actions - 'fly the aircraft' - Look into wind and if the field prospects are less than inspiring and downwind they are better, and you have the altitude to exploit them, turn down-wind. This will then do two things for you;

Firstly, you will cover ground quickly extending the choice of available fields.

Second, every field ahead of you now falls into a pattern. Your potential landing fields are all pointing in the direction you have just come from. You are effectively on your downwind leg (for any field that is suitable) and field selection becomes much easier (again - as long as your rubber neck picked up that the choice of fields was better downwind than upwind).

Turning downwind sort of makes geometric sense of the fields beneath and ahead of you. It gives them an order and makes likely landing fields stand out in that order. Try it with the engine running.

• Try to find a field group that provides a spread of landing options.
  Telegraph poles & pylons mean wires - link them to find them.
  Streams and rivers often run through low ground.
  Look upwind of your landing spot for rotor sources - think wind, wind, wind.
  Check shadows for gradients and surface texture.
  The consequences of a undershoot or overshoot?
  Potential ease of recovery - rescue. This can climb the list given the terrain and location.

Start with the big factors and work down, you will be amazed at how quickly you can check out fields if you have a system. Think about it beforehand and when it happens, it is quite easy to sort out. Make a decision when you have to (don't leave it too late/low, remember, your option dwindle as you descend) and try to have another field option up your sleeve.

There is nothing wrong with being high on base leg. You can beat up and down that leg further evaluating your field(s). As you beat you descend of course, you can chose your moment (height) to turn onto final and land.

This method works.

JC,

Independence (Germany) make a fine product. I have one of these (rated to 200kgs).

Their website has some good tips, worth doing a good wedge of research I'd say.

Independence Reserves

Pete, that one is so funny it must go in your signature.

He even made one for me!

Man, I love these graphics, they are great! Lets do it in formation. LOL

Someone will pop up soon though I suspect there might not be many who have flown the GoFly. Just a thought. It might be because people tend to buy a wing they can grow into rather than a wing designed specifically for beginners which (please correct me if I am wrong) the GoFly seems to be.

Being very tall and having an old injury I have had a significant back problem for years. Exercise focused around core strength and the back does seem to alleviate the symptoms. Not had a problem with PPG yet but I have been careful. LOL

Diligence saves lives and bent metal doesn't it?

I love the calm approach with a recognition that distractions can disrupt your flight preparation. Good habits will save you time but more importantly catch the things you might have missed. Picking up something at the last minute that might have caused you problems later won't always be chance - Training applies the focus you need and develops all of the above.

Sorry if I am peeing you off with 'worldly advise' here but the parallels with other forms of aviation stick out like a dogs doo-daahs. No-one can turn the clock back by even a microsecond ...

STOP PRESS - Course Cancellation

Hi Guys,

After a long chat with Simon and Piers that given the turnout for the course I am sad to say we must cancel Ordis for Oct/Nov.

Three people plus one extra on the CSM is not a viable constitution given the fixed costs that we will incur flying in Spain.

We had several extra hands who were interested but either the timing or the remote venue didn't suit.

We will however have another go in the Spring. Piers has agreed to run another at either Airvault or perhaps Ordis during June next year. This should give us plenty of time to add value to the course and allow sufficient time for people to effectively plan their diaries.

I do hope this has not inconvenienced anyone overly but leaving the decision until later certainly would have done.

Kind regards,

Norman Rhodes

This guy knows all about field selection.

Sky, the Pilot

Landing these things after an engine failure is a cinch if you do as Gordon suggests isn't it?

Keep landable fields below you, learn to 'read' terrain - rotor sources, wind direction, hazards (surface slope, terrain, wires, animals etc) and perhaps lastly, access. (Paul )

Practice engine out procedures regularly from overhead your field from your typical cruise height (agl). You will then develop a feel for the performance characteristics of you wing/rig and quickly clock how to best allow for differing wind conditions. As soon as you can spot-land consistently you can be confident that you will end up landing on the mental touch-down marker you picked just after the fan stopped.

THEN confidence during a real engine failure is always likely to be on tap as the process FEELS practised and routine. Add just a tad of adrenalin to help things along and the pub afterwards is just that much more enjoyable.

Accept the fact that it can and will happen, it is a reality and simple to prepare for and execute.

Consciously think in these terms whilst airborne and after a time you will start to do it automatically; then you will feel uncomfortable when over poor (in a landable sense) terrain. Instincts can be grown.

Did you spot more promising landing spots during the last 40 seconds of his descent on that vid? Perhaps less dangerous?

Note: All the above is part of the new PPG1/2 syllabus.

Hi Phil,

Try the here.

http://www.usppa.org/Resources/Index.htm

http://footflyer.com/

These two resources should at least give you a starting point for your research. PPG is similar the world over, there are differences in training systems and philosophies but nothing beats a good instructor and excellent weather. It means that you can fly rather than just talk about it.

When you return to the UK having flown a bunch of hours safely you will better know how to slot into a UK system of your choice as it will be informed.

Good luck!

Yeah, I think he keeps an eye out. And his teeth in a glass.

A bit more...

This was pointed out to me by both Paul and Piers after the last instructors course in France (recently as well during conversations around this subject). Where a Candidate Instructor had previous experience of teaching GH in the field, their confidence and acquired skill showed through at all levels of the instructors course.

Pete B was one of the characters being referring to, someone who initially thought himself an unlikely candidate (hope you don't mind Pete) but when he thought long and hard about it, and more to the point, got involved ... the more he enjoyed it. He did very well indeed.

What the Mentor Course does is develop that advantage. The CSM part provides teaching and learning theory along with presentation practice. The practical bit that follows takes the theory, gives it physical shape and creates a fledgling instructor in the form of a Mentor. The rest is pure experience.

Most pilots can help out with ground handling, many do it now. What a Mentor can do is perform that task much more effectively. Having had the foundation training in instructional techniques, his progression onward to instructor is merely a natural step, not a leap. Helping others into the air is really very rewarding, one of the best I came across was 'Bootneck123'. He knows who he is. Sadly he doesn't paramotor any more due to age and infirmity. LOL

He means her as well of course.

Cornish Pixies taste lovely, they used to drop them down tin mines for the miners to catch and eat for their lunch. Hmmm, crunchy - the wings used to get stuck between their teeth. Then they would use a tooth pixel.

The weather is here, wish you were wonderful.

Dixlexia again.

PS: Pete B used to be an evil Pixel, but he reformed and is now a Hobble Goblin.