ptwizz

The 'stop' button should simply short the ignition signal to earth, thereby preventing the system from generating a spark.

Check connections to the stop button - possible something became loose during the starter investigation.

Gordon,

At what level do you want software?

If you just want an algorithm, google 'travelling salesman problem'.

Our flying kit is the same as your shaving kit. lol

SW

Paramotor Club cannot accept responsibility for any injury caused by attempting to use a paramotor for the purpose of shaving.

Personally, I would recommend not shaving at all as the safest course of action.

Why do none of the emoticons have facial hair?

A view of the engine internals in place with the crankcase front plate and crankshaft timing end removed.

It's been a while since I updated this blog. Much of my flying time this year has been taken up with training on a 3 axis microlight.

Something which has been niggling for a while now is my speed bar set-up.

I have yet to find a position at which I can comfortably keep the bar all the way out.

The pressure required to keep the bar out is substantial and I can't keep that pressure on for long with my knees bent, so I have adjusted the line lengths to allow my legs to be straight at full extent.

The problem is that I have to keep my legs almost straight out ahead of me. While this is probably great for drag reduction, it's not so good for a moderately fit 50something.

I get the impression that the pulleys should be higher on the harness to bring the speed system control lines to an angle at which their tension balances the weight of my legs.

Am I missing a trick?

Thanks , of course, to Simon for organizing the event.

The thickness of the padding and liner is there to absorb energy in the event of an impact. This happens by crushing them to almost zero thickness. A bolt like that would be as desirable as a hole in the head

I would expect any external fixing on a safety helmet to be designed to come away in the event of an impact, but if it came away just by lifting it up, that is clearly inadequate.

Trial assembly giving an overall impression of the engine.

My Bailey also pulls to the right (it's an old one with high hang points).

When I'm flying in fast trim, I correct with a slight offset of the trimmers.

When I'm flying in slow trim, I find it useful to be able to leave the right brake parked and have the throttle and left brake in my left hand, leaving the right hand free for camera, map, scratching nose etc.

I understand the Ozone Indy is the paramotor version of the Mojo.

I fly a 29m Indy at approx 120kg total weight. I have plenty of flair authority on landing, with only a single step required to maintain balance in nil wind.

The crankcase assembly is now fitted with 28 dowels to ensure alignment after dismantling and reassembly.

The first picture shows the assembly set up on the mill to finish the main bearing bores.

The second picture shows the crankshaft, rods and pistons assembled into the crankcase.

This week: Trial fit barrels and heads, fabricate a test stand.

According to the facebook gossip, it may have been one of a couple of guys who fly paramotors from a nearby site.

More swarf has been created, as I have pocketed the inside faces of the crankcase front and rear plates.

Switching into production mode, I made 28 Aluminium Bronze inserts for the locations where the cylinder studs screw into the crankcase.

By the Fly-In, I should have it assembled into something that looks like a radial engine.

Get someone with some experience to look over any machine you are considering, whether its from a private seller or a club.

I bought a Bailey from a private seller who happened to be a thoroughly decent and honest fellow. Club membership does not necessarily guarantee the same.

Whatever the source, the machine should be inspected and judged on its own merits.

Geometry works just as well in the dark as it does in daylight.

A knowledge of O level geometry an trigonometry and the aforementioned sticks and string are all that is required to produce accurate, symmetrical designs. Note that many of them use fractals (repeated geometrical features) which are easy to produce and create apparently complex patterns. Essentially giant Spirograph!

The same goes for many of the ancient structures (pyramids etc.) which are built to apparently highly accurate dimensions. Such structures provide a skewed statistical sample. Many more structures were probably built to lower standards, but we only get to see those which were built well enough to last.

No, I've never sold any illuminations with Gaggle.

I use Gaggle for flight logging.

... so I could call him a bullshitter with complete confidence and evidence.

Nige

There's plenty of evidence available, much of it posted by DS himself.

I'm not sure what constitutes a 'perfect' take off.

With my relatively large wing, I don't use the brakes to get off, so my take off could be shorter.

BUT, if I used the brakes, I would take off with less speed and therefore less control.

I would prefer to risk an aborted take off, due to running out of space or energy, rather than a short take off followed by an unplanned return to earth. In a restricted space, that return would probably be in the fence / trees / sewage works etc.

A bridge is a structure. It would need to be a big bridge to be able to fly under it while remaining 500ft from it.

How about some introduction from MidlandParamotors?

I see you've got a plug on the BMAA forum. You need to blow your trumpet here, too.

Yours truly launching at Priory Farm.

Photo was taken by Keith Sowter - not me! Please feel free to disqualify if this is not in the spirit of things.

Also feel free to criticise launch technique!

5 miles from my front door!

Expect to see me turn up soon.

In the words of 'Walter Disney'

IF YOU CAN DREAM IT YOU CAN DO IT

SW

If that's true, your dreams are not nearly imaginative enough.

This is a good reason to manually check prop clearance before starting. When I've fitted the prop, I get hold of each tip in turn and rotate the prop through one full turn, checking that there is clearance to the cage, engine etc. all the way.

A backwards blade won't clear the engine, so it's not possible to start.

This check will also show up errors in cage assembly, sagging engine mounts, things dangling through the netting etc.