geckofly

On 23/05/2019 at 22:39, RighteousAviator said:

I am fairly new to paramotors but have been a conventional pilot and airframe/powerplant mechanic for a long time.  I agree with the lot who believe that the life of an engine expressed in hours is really irrelevant.  As others are right to point out it's the maintenance you put it them that's important.  Of course, maintenance is MONEY and sometimes, a lot of it.  Friction and heat kill.  Things wear down.

Having said that, I bought my paramotor new and have encouraged my son to do the same (meaning that I've given him the money to do so!).  Although some things are indeed obvious, I don't really know how well it's been maintained.  Undoubtedly, I'm going to miss out on a true bargain here or there, but, such is life. 

Forgive me if I'm talking out my backside as I do not have significant experience with 2-strokes.  I simply think the principles are the same.

----I just re-read the original post and I guess that 600 hr thing just slipped through my head.  600 hrs is a great run but I'd expect that you are in need of some heavy maintenance.  It's sad to part with such a tool that allows you to do these amazing things but, again, such is life.  In terms of this engine, it will fail soon.  Not a life-ending event for us as paramotor pilots but, never-the-less, one that you should wish to avoid.  Replace it and please be careful that it isn't sold to some naive, young and expectant pilot with no mechanical sense.

Fly well,

 

thanks for your thoughts RA. we all have a rough idea on serviceable flying hours for a wing, and a reserve parachute , fabric is far easier to predict in terms of degradation than a motor but i did think there might be some correlation, after all maintenance schedules are expressed in flying or run hours  . Agree i am complete believer in good and timely  maintenance . i drive a van which is now at 240.000miles still going strong and always been maintained . with my PAP Ross 100 now at over 600 hrs there is not one mark on the frame and never really spent lots on maintenance. I will replace it soon and it doesnt really owe me anything and dont worry I wont be selling it to an unaware newbie if at all. ! I guess its a testament to the quality of manufacture, engine and frame both. not sure all paramotors on the market would last that long , but then again having new gear if you can afford  would give a bit more peace of mind 

Thanks very much andyy good points . Wow 100 hrs ! That’s expensive airtime ;) ! 

With all of my motors I have had issues including serious ones new reduction drives  holes in pistons etc but it’s almost as if you get through a period of  troubles early on  then you have a relatively long trouble free time . I guess the other thing to mention is the frames , linkages, and harness straps all wear over time . Doesn’t contribute to peace of mind  wondering if they might be on the verge of giving up  but don’t suppose there are any guidelines for that . Just common sense !

Not pilots  but motors ...I am flying a pap PA125 its got about 260 hrs running sweetly , thinking of upgrading frame and harness is it worth it ?

back story is I have to run two motors one I leave in Spain and the other in the Uk ..the one I have in Spain(Ross 100) I bought 2006 has well over 600 hrs and still runs well but over the years has lost a bit of power and only good for sea level takeoffs ,

Am on the look out for one  new motor but  thinking i could upgrade the PA125 and leave that in Spain , but I really have no idea how long motors are designed to last ...any one have any suggestions or exoerience  ? 

On 25/10/2018 at 23:02, Atko said:

65 kmph depends on so many variables, weight, motor, weather conditions etc etc. It's definitely one of the faster wings out there, as stated fully trimmed out it's the fastest wing in my group, inc the speedster. i've had mine on or around the 65. 

Dont get me wrong I fly for fun and not constantly checking speed , just curiosity and your right,  air density , and weight loading  obviously play their part (not sure how the motor changes speed ?) Have to say its a hell of a lot more fun to fly than my speedster! At present have  only flown with it  alongside a roadster and a nucleon ...spent a while circling so they could catch up  !!

Yes enjoyIng mine so far . Out of interest what top speed do you get as  advertised 65 mg seemes  bit  unobtainable for me ?

On 13/10/2018 at 19:46, steve_FP said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-PELTOR-Flex-Cable-for-Portable-Radio-2-5-3-5mm-FL6U-36-BRAND-NEW-2-left/223183414161?hash=item33f6c4a391:g:D3EAAOSwv3JbIF6U:rk:4:pf:0

Having contacted the seller , Im afraid that wont fit !  the 2 pin will but the other connector is a 5pin female type and i need the 8 pin male din connector ---Any other ideas ?

Thanks ! Funnily enough the monster plus is the one on my wish list  

9 hours ago, Atko said:

Did you get your wing yet, and flown it?

Yep ! Had 5  flights so far so early days but initial feelings its very nice ..with the lightness of the wing  makes for a easy enough launch although first flight was a nil wind and found i needed much more brake than used to to unstick! but that was more a getting used to the feel of it . second was alot better ! like the agility.. no acro piloting! so dynamic enough for me .

just my comparison to a speedster .its certainly  not quite as efficient, Had to keep an eye on  engine temp as it was running hotter than usual with trims out ..  Speed wise.. full speed about the same I struggled to get the 65Kmh advertised  more like 60 which my speedster would do .trim speed is way faster with much nicer co ordinated turns. I would say it moves about a little bit more with turbulence but still feels very solid ( you could happily swing off the A lines :))

Climb out was slow, so until i get a more powerful motor!  glad i went for the medium as i think i would have struggled with the small

looking forward to getting out on it again  post storm Callum !

Oh I went for the Red. a beautiful looking wing ..

 

13 hours ago, steve_FP said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-PELTOR-Flex-Cable-for-Portable-Radio-2-5-3-5mm-FL6U-36-BRAND-NEW-2-left/223183414161?hash=item33f6c4a391:g:D3EAAOSwv3JbIF6U:rk:4:pf:0

Cheers Steve thats great !

Is there a cable available that would connect these two ,  a Baofeng UV-5R2 and a preferably curly lead with a male 8 pin connector for the peltor headset? thanks 

On 21/09/2018 at 05:47, Mitchg said:

Yeah. After I got used to the wing I liked takeoffs and landings with the trims 1/4 out for the extra speed and the wing inflates faster with the trims out a little but still lifts you quickly with just a little brake pull. Lifted me off no problem with a 130cc even launching at 4000ft msl but I only weigh 150lbs. I say the wing is good for talented new pilots with at least 50 flights and it will take you all the way up to doing anything up to slalom racing and serious acro.

i now have one on order ! so looking forward to getting to fly it . thanks for input Mitchg 

On 16/09/2018 at 22:02, Mitchg said:

I put about 100 hours on my ITV BIlly. Its a great intermediate wing. Easy launches and landings. It doesnt hang back on launch and has a nice flare. I flew mine mostly with the trims 1/4 of the way out for everything except for flying straight line long distance where I would trim all the way out.  Trims out it really picks up a lot of speed and is very stable no tendency to oscillate like slalom wings. Speed bar doesnt do much for the wing, maybe increase 2mph. Its not the most efficient when trimmed out, my ultimate 130cc motor needed almost full power to maintain altitude at full speed. Its also good for learning wing overs and basic steep turns but dont expect to be doing barrel rolls or really huge wing overs, it just doesnt carry energy that well and has lots of stability built in.

 

 

Thanks Mitchg really good to read your experience and im pretty convinced it would be a good next wing . what were nil wind take offs like with a 130cc ? and did you trim a 1/4 out for take off as well ? nice  dune skimming  vid  thanks again

13 hours ago, Atko said:

Good to hear, my thoughts exactly. I've got a ITV Boxer 2 in medium and when i bought my Billy it was difficult to choose a size bearing in mind my weight as right in middle/upper end for medium , but very top end / over for small. In the end i went for small as I find the small really good fun, faster an more agile than medium. I tend to use Boxer on nil wind days and Billy for everything else. Will be triking soon so will be interesting how small vs medium wings fair. My friend 20 years experience said the small wing would be easier to handle for triking hmmm.   

 

What all up weight are you Atko ? Im thinking a medium as I am  about 130 all up and I need one wing to do everything ! and with only 125cc of power. Only had a bit of trike experience , but I know a couple of commercial tandem trike operators and their wings have gone down in size dramatically over the last few years!

If you wouldn't mind passing on your dealer mates contact details I wouldnt mind seeing what he could offer !  cheers  steve 

18 hours ago, Atko said:

I bought an ITV Billy from my local dealer in Kent who gave me a good deal. This wing is in addition to my ITV boxer 2, and so far very impressed with it. Easy launch, although quick so need to be on brakes. Nice glide 10/1 for landing and very agile in air. Speed wise its amazing when fully trimmed out and using tip steer. Nice quality and reasonable price.

I went for small so very much fully loaded, very happy so far. 

Thanks Atko thats great to have your feedback ! as luck would have it I had a quick try on a medium last evening, needed a fair dab on brakes to stop overflying on reverse launch , keen to get up there ! liked the agility and the combined steering worked really well without fuss. settled down a lot with trims fully out  as you would expect , speed bar was shortish  but light and no real feeling of acceleration or dive when using it, (wasnt flying with any instruments so guess most of speed range is from trimmers)  loved the trimmers light and so easy to pull on or release, in fact really liked the whole riser set up beautifully uncomplicated with no little handels  and bungees getting in the way . landing was fast but lots of energy retention and yes a very nice glide and step landing .  Impossible to really get a feel for a wing after one flight but  definitely impressed and will have a look to see if any one is selling a low hours one .

Im looking at the ITV Billy wing as a next choice after a good few years on a speedster. Im struggling to find much user experience beyond that its a fast easy launching wing there is 

a ojovolador  review  and a few bits and pieces but i wouldnt mind hearing from pilots who have a bit of experience flying it 

I get so much interference from trying to use a radio I give up, its  fine on the ground but in the air its barely audible on tick over over interference noise , Im beginning to wonder if some motors are worse than others and then again some impossible, I have a PA125 fitted with a suppressor plug R . My radio is old but expensive at the time I remember, its a Yaseu FT11R I have a connector from peltor headset that is designed for tandem ie has an auxiliary  connection  for passenger I have taped that up thinking that might have been contributing to interference , but no effect . Experimented with putting radio as far away as possible sits in front cockpit with antenna protruding .

Any Further ideas i could try? would be very welcome !

Put mine on a Bak Rak with extended uprights  and made a full cover . seemes to work well 

Maybe see about fitting a bracing bar. I've seen it on a machine, cant think what it was but it spans across from one side to the other thus offering rigidity on powered forward launches.

Nige

funnily I was thinking the same, I have thought about it for a few years !

However this wouldn't have helped in this case as there was no tension on the lines

cheers steve

What machine is it? I once had a Rad MXL and similar happened to me.

Cheers

Nige

Its a PAP PA 125 1400 machine with a 4 part frame which is incredible flexible ! you always have to be very careful to protect your prop.. my commiserations if it happened to you

Also, maybe don't step back as much. (this allows the lines to droop 'for want of a better word' in front of the cage. )

SW

Agreed! Droopy lines ..the last thing you need

Its interesting one line was embedded 3cm in to the tip of the prop

All As Bs Cs and 2Ds on one side were damaged even two brake fan lines , so it if it had kept going it could have been a lot worse

Thanks Simon, it hurts a bit less to know Im not the only one

I do have a low hangpoint frame Vince and trims are always out a bit for take off ,

However I think will be leaning forward a bit more in future !

Good reminder if needed that props can bite in many ways

Good Friday! I clipped in for a forward launch, (wind was light would have been a walking reverse)

I checked lines were clear took a step backwards and run the motor up to full power

and the result 15 broken lines and broken prop.... ouch!

So Im left thinking the lines were sucked in to the prop

I dont double myself over when applying power, in my mind that would increase

likely hood of lines lying on the floor getting lifted up. am I wrong ?

and of course in nil wind we want to direct a airflow in a general backwards direction

been flying many years and have to say this is a first for me

so in a quest not to have that repeated and to learn... what do people think and do to prevent this happening

Hi R

Done it many times PM me if you still going and I will help if I can

steve

Miroslavs system is not recommended By Ozone... As far as i am aware it has not been tried on a speedster when i spoke with him at european slalom championships...

There is another system but again it is for the Slalom not the speedster... and is only for Advanced/competition pilots..

What size speedster do you have? I have never had an issue with the speedster for low level flying on bar.

No I cant see Ozone recommending sombody elses idea

I just found this

apart from combining tip steer line and brake i cant see what any other mods there are ..and google translate of polish doesnt help much !!

There is Mateos system

which seemes so critical to trim setting its not what i am after, however aparently Ozone recommended for the slalom!

Its not really an issue with the speedster its more a personal preference of when im flying with speed bar low I like to have the brakes in my hand (ive been flying long enough to not have a divine belief in the 2 stroke not stopping ) limiting the dynamic use of the tip steering . would be great to hear how you get around this ? currently i tend to reach up beyond the toggles and grab the lines which gives a bit more movement before the brakes kick in

Don't mix dudek systems or other systems with Ozone wings...

Miroslavs system for the Slalom not the speedster and is not advisable to mix these systems...

Thanks for that Morgy ...I understand mixing Dudek and Ozone systems would be a risky venture.

However If I am understanding correctly the logic behind Miroslavs system for the Slalom why wouldnt it work for the speedster? (the Slalom is based on the Speedster acording to Ozone ). I have wrritten to him to ask if he knows any speedster pilots that have used it ..will be intersting to hear his reply