s1buell_wl

have a look here too http://www.footflyer.com/Equipment/GearReviews.htm lots to read

Both forms of flying are great. I like both free flying and motor but as life gets busier and more complicated driving to the mountain for me happens less and less (takes the whole day). I live 15min to the beach and within 30min I have three. I can drive 30min, 15min setup fly for 1-2h then be back home in the third hour. I don’t like the noise but the view always wins out. I have also converted my helmet to quite the ipod headset and find myself snapping my fingers to the beat most flights. As for the motor I would take your time and find out what you like. Being in Cali you have a ton of options. Motor for me can make or break the experience. I don’t like to compare motors but the BH 90 is 53lbs (actual ready for gas I’m guessing 55lbs) that’s way too heavy for my liking. But again find out what you like can you try some bands out? Maybe go to a fly-in great place to talk to the guys and buy a motor with your eyes wide open (highly recommend this, you will learn a ton from going to one and talking to people may save yourself a ton of cash). I have a motor in the middle of Brazil with no suppliers and fly a ton (just need a few extra parts). My point being just because the school sells it does not mean it the best could mean it’s the motor with the highest resale margin. What is you weight? That will make a big d ifference Hopes that helps some

Yea sounds like you were looking for the same thing as I was. With this criteria only two motors that I knew of at the time would fall out of the group. I went for a custom mini lol… Small frame 130 prop and gears. However I love the looks of the 130. That unit and a 130prop would be a really punchy unit. I found the 130 just after buying the mini. I do love the combo I have now but would love to fly the 130. Enjoy looks like you bought a nice unit. PM me what it cost you if you don’t mind. Wow a 130 and 70k lol You can do a jump take off!!! lol dont need wind

Ultra 130 How is it? I have the miniplane but that is about the only other unit I would buy. Did you get the ABM? what does it weigh in at dry 21k? How do you like the thrust? how much torque twist on takeoff? Sorry little off topic but just love that motor, I would love to take it for a rip but its a little hard here in Brazil. Get your ass on a plane I have a spare room.... on the beach!!!!!

I got 5 said it was from Simon. I've been sending Simon email for over a year now and no response so I was really happy. But when I looked it was from someone else for Simons name..... So still no response from Simon. He's like my wife just ignores me. With my wife I don’t mind give me more time to fly time with less bitching time lol. I think it’s a fair deal… no?

8/ms is ripp'n You will be firmly panted in your seat. yes 8 meter/second = 1574.803152 foot/minute Norb with 8's how could you not hit base? You should have got these in less then a min lol

Ride a motor cycle in Brazil! I'll stick to the flying thanks.... Brazil's Map of Violence 2012, Traffic Accidents, a document from Instituto Sangari, found that there has been an unpleasant consequence of the explosion in the sale of motorcycles in Brazil. In 1970, there were a little more than 62,000 of them, a mere 2.4% of the total vehicle fleet. By the year 2000, there were 4 million motorcycles and as a percentage of the total vehicle fleet on Brazilian roads and highways they had risen to 13.6%. Preliminary figures for 2010, put the number of motorcycles in the country at 16.5 million, meaning that one in every four vehicles nowadays is a motorcycle (25.5% of the fleet). During the last decade, while the number of motorcycles in circulation rose over 400%, the number of automobiles also rose, doubling (up 118%). But here is the cruel twist to this story: as the number of motorcycles and automobiles both rose between 2000 and 2010, the number of deaths in automobile accidents rose only 58%, but deaths in accidents involving motorcycles leaped more than 800%. As the numbers rose, there was a perverse "category" shift in traffic accidents. As a rule, it is the vulnerable pedestrian who leads the statistics, followed by automobiles. Thus, in 1996, over 24,000 pedestrians died in traffic accidents and 7.188 people in automobiles. In third place, motorcyclists: 1,421. Ten years later (in 2007, when 12,362 pedestrians died in traffic accidents), a significant turnaround: more motorcyclists died, 10,392, than people in automobiles, 10,218. Note that between 1996 and 2007, pedestrian deaths fell by 50% and automobile deaths rose less than 50%. During the same period deaths on motorcycles were up almost tenfold. In 2009, the great (but sad) turnaround: more motorcyclists died than pedestrians in traffic accidents in Brazil (11,839 to 11,194, with automobile deaths in third place: 10,347) Julio Jacobo Waiselfisz, a sociologist who wrote the Sangari report on highway violence, says the tendency is for the number of motorcyclists dying in traffic accidents to rise even more as the number of them on the road will continue to increase. He points to easy credit for installment buying, people with more money and the transportation necessities of modern life. "Motorbikes have become a necessity for many and in general they solve the problem," says the sociologist. But, he adds, before they became easy to acquire, they were a middle class consumer's dream. "You know, there was this thing about being free and feeling the wind in your face." According to Jacobo, traffic regulations and enforcement pay a lot more attention to vehicles with four wheels than two. "Many speed traps in Brazil (radar) cannot capture clear images of motorbike license plates. They need a different type of equipment." Jacobo has some chilling numbers to describe the situation. He points out that during the last decade, while the number of automobiles on Brazilian roads doubled, the chances of dying in a car accident was actually falling. That is the opposite of what is happening with motorcycles. Statistically, says Jacobo, a motorbike rider's chances of dying in a road accident nowadays is 14 times that of someone in a car. Every week the emergency room at the Hospital das Clínicas in the University of São Paulo School of Medicine receives an average of eleven victims of motorcycle accidents. A worrisome statistic is that 35% of people riding motorbikes who die in traffic accidents are found to have been involved in substance abuse or were drinking in excess. Dr Julia Greve, an orthopedist at the hospital, points out that while there has been a general reduction in traffic accidents in São Paulo, down 35% between 2008 and 2012, the number of accidents with motorbikes rose 14% during the same period. The victims of motorbike accidents now occupy around 60% of the beds in the hospital and Dr Greve says the institution is near the point of saturation. She goes on to say that the situation in São Paulo is critical because of cultural and behavioral factors that have made the city into a transportation beehive: with 11 million inhabitants, there are over 7 million vehicles. According to Dr Greve, the only solution is to change behavior, invest heavily in public transportation and create restrictions on the individual use of cars and motorbikes. She also insists on more rigorous punishment of drunken driving. The traffic problem in São Paulo is so serious that the city held an international seminar on the subject last month with the participation of renowned experts from around the world: Gjerde Hallvard, from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Eugênia Maria Rodrigues, from the Pan-American Health Organization (Opas) and Chip Walls, from the Criminal Toxicology Laboratory at the University of Miami.

I need some help with Top 80 Walbro Reed Valve Petals. Anyone know where I get buy a set that will ship to Brazil? Miniplane usa just told me they will not ship to brazil as they only cover the US..... I think this is really shitty but so be it. We dont have any places here in Vitoria and I cant find any other dealers here in Brazil. cheers T

What I was getting at was high wind take offs where you need to control the rate of glider rise. I was taking off in 11-13kns two weeks ago and used the “c’ instead of the “d’s” to control the rate of rise but with the “c” it also takes the power out of the wing as it comes over your head. I see many people only use the “a’s” in moderate wind and cannot get to the glider fast enough as it comes up and they end up getting “yanked” or they manage to get under the glider but end up with a frontal due to the lack of brake. I use the paraglider free flight method of holdering the risers. I do not use the brakes for glider control but use the “d’s” to guid the glider. I think it takes more practice to master but in the end gives you more control. Just my POV

I get mine here http://www.miniplane-usa.com/parts/redrive.htm

Two things nice about Brazil 1. 18deg is winter here and considered cold (it reaches this only at night) 25-27 during the day 2. Lack of rules and regulations (you can pull the truck over, put the gear out and take off I really feel bad watching the guys here trying to find a place to fly such a shame. But like all sports it only takes a few "Dells" to trash a good thing. Tom

My camera fogged so it`s a one sided video. This is a little video of a beach run we made last weekend Im in the blue Ozone. [youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo]

One thing I can tell you!!!! You can never ground handle enough!!!! I was lucky I lived on a small island. We had a free flying site with a large take-off. Some days we would get cheeky and have glider fights while ground handling and jumping around so we really had the opportunity to learn how to handle a glider. I miss that site!

The wing will make a big difference as the guys said. I have the speedster I've never done a forward with it. Worst case I do a fast reverse. I also have a Dudek I have done many forwards on this wing. As you get more and more practice you will just know. You will pick up on what the wind is doing as you lay out your gear etc. My last flight there was maybe 1-2kns of wind but every min or so there was nice 2-4kn pulses coming through. So I just set up for a reverse and timed the pulses. "I always set my wing up and try to launch with the A's and D's.. " I do the same so many guys only use the A's. On the strong days the D's help you control the rise of the glider so nice. I see so many guys getting lifted off their feet due to uncontrolled rise of the glider. cheers guys

You can install a Thor motor...... Lots of heat!!!!

I've always used this coat with layers http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/Gear- ... oded-2008/ It's only 500grams and I cant say enough good things about it. My gloves http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/Gear- ... uide-2009/ In brazil I use these, there are high tech lol

BTW I love the picture of you working on the ground handling..... I cant help but think how nice it would have been to turn and hit the gas!!!! lol cheers

Patrick you still in Ottawa? It will be some nice flying out in that area! I'm also a Canadian that has got lost. I've been traveling the world for work and have ended up in Brazil. I fly or kite surf almost every weekend excluding the rainy season. Landing in Brazil and being able to do the sports you love all year round has been really hard on me as one could imagine!!! Looks like you have some nice kit so far. I personally like the Kangook I was looking at them before I bought the miniplane. You will enjoy many hours on that motor. Having tunes is a must for me when flying. I moded some head phones to add some really cool sound. There is a thread here somewhere about the mod, highly recommend the modification. Anyhow welcome aboard it’s a great sport that will make you smile every time you land no matter how stressed you were at take-off. Cheers Tom

Speed bar anyone? I always have mine on or I can hook it up in flight takes 2min. I see a ton of people fly without the bar.... I like to use it allot. T

Go with Cold Beer!!!!! You will not only be able to fly there you will become part of the family I would go with the motor and wing then approach him let him see what it is you want to do. Talk about insurance in case of issues etc. I remember one location we approached the farmer and in the end the old couple allowed us to fly there. Next week there was a cool wind sock you could see from 5k away and two chairs at the house facing the wind sock. We turned into entertainment for the couple. The last time I talked to the Famer he said his wife bought the new sock to see if more PPG’s would land on the farm because she loved to see all the colors. Why are there not more people like this in the world!

pappa Don’t forget about the reeds. In my experience with 2stroke engines its 80% of the time the reeds go bad. They are truly a sensitive area with 2strokes they will run fine one day warp the next. For example my mini planes started to start hard (had to pull like crazy). The fuel would not stay in filter then I would end up flooding the motor from too much choke. New reeds and it’s like now now. Prop on for start up test. just my .02 Cheers T

Van Your right the upfront cost is the big one. You can get 500 hours out of a glider if you take care of it and have it checked for porosity regularly. Most people upgrade to get the latest in performance or perceived safety (could be factual in some cases) I sometime think most times it hype than anything. The run cost is nothing really. Your beer after the flights will be the biggest cost factor to worry about. Buy $15-20 of gas and oil, put some gas in the truck and drive to your local flying site. Let’s face it the paramotor is not a complex system. In most cases is a moped motor, gearbox and prop. Take care of it and it will last a long time. You will get tired of it and want something new before it needs rebuilding. If you buy a 2stroke you can rebuild these easy if you have a little experience and mechanical ability. Worst case you take the engine into the local bike shop and they will fix it for cheap. I would recommend you get the parts from the dealer first (original parts are the best and some have been modified). I fly a Miniplane. I’ve dropped the motor out at the site pulled the starter cable out replaced it remounted the motor and went for a fly (60min). I only needed maybe 4 tools. I’m sure the new 4 strokes are a little more complex but still not unmanageable Moral of the story…. Buy your motor and get at it!!!!!

Welcome from Brazil Great stuff!

First one was 5th flight and trying to fly through a tree. Next was flying when I should not have. Got slowly blown over a ridge. Managed to stay calm and find a way out of the turbluance (low hours at this time to) Third was similar to Paul’s, at 6000 feet I hit crazy wind shear that just turned my glider into this uncontrollable rag. It was so crazy I gave up for the most part and had the hand on the chute. Once I was thrown (and I mean thrown) below the wind shear the glider started to fly normal. I was out 50k or so but the first flat land I found that’s where I landed and called in for a pick up. I didn’t fly for 3 weeks after that In each case the issues where my fault.

HGFA glider lic.