Lee Jackson

Ha ha... I love this. I totally agree. I also think some of the dudek colour paint schemes are a bit yesterday, but ultimately does that really matter!?!? You may also find Clive M may have access to a 2nd hand Rep'Air or Nuc xx. Best of luck whichever way you go.

Stu, as far as I understand it they are identical in terms of profile and riser setup etc... but, I thought I was told (when buying), the difference was the number of cells. That said, the website has them both at 60 cells?!?!? However looking at the Rep'Air specs it appears to just have longer lines which I guess would do a similar job - i.e. make it more stable. I fly with someone on a 22 Rep'Air, and he's a tad lighter than me. As such we're perfectly aligned for speed. We literally trim out and just sit along side one another on XC's. I've also flown the Rep'Air a few times. They are literally identical to the Nuc xx until you pull brake hard... then it becomes more apparent that the wing is slightly more sedate (only slightly) - e.g. you have to work a bit harder to build up a deep wingover. Other than that there's nothing between them (ignoring colour schemes).

Hi Stu, I have slightly over 130 hours logged on a Nuc xx 24m. I've owned all generations... i.e. the Nucleon, Nucleon WRC and this XX. It's truly a fantastic wing and pretty much a perfect allrounder (IMHO). FYI I have a smaller snake if I do want a spicier flight, but for XC's, general pottering or sociable flying I'd always reach for the Nuc xx. I'm about 85Kgs and all up weight at about 125-130 so near the top end of my wing range. If I were to buy a new one now I'd definitely go for a 22m but I'm not suffering on the 24m. With your experience level you may still want to look at a 22m. Like Alan says, it may not launch as readily as a lightened Ozone, but I think that is easily compensated by its top speed and trimmer range. I think bar adds about 12mph (if my memory serves me correctly). In my opinion it also has a nice level of agility mixed with stability. So you can really throw it about... but you're not constantly dampening oscillation in wonky air. I think they're about £2600, but again I'm going from memory here. Chilly is just up the road from you and can probably give you a more accurate/current price. I've had mine for nearly 3 years now and honestly still love flying it! I'm over in Cambridgeshire. I think you fly Suffolk area so if you're ever passing, or if you want to come over, you'd be very welcome to take it for a spin!

Wow... how cool is that! Now we just need the weather.

Hi Simon, Great idea and I'd definitely be interested. But TBH I'd prefer to do this on a dedicated day at Swindon though... I'd prefer to be flying at the Cornwall flyin!

Brilliant video Stu, lots of really good info in there. Your flying toolkit is a tad more comprehensive than mine. I have a roll of tape, zip ties and an allen key!

Progress indeed, well done Rich!

Great write up and great pics Steve... you're wasted down the docks!

Another great weekend was had. Thank you to Simon and all the people of the PMC who helped make it so much fun. Thanks also for Tim for the beers ...and to Alan_K for the paramotor water escape equipment...

Very good Alan, I've logged mine too and have a slightly different combo of the same numbers... 256 flights (212.5 hours). It may not seem logical to low hour pilots... but definitely still learning (and making mistakes). Rich, the landing will just suddenly click, its just a matter of timing and technique. Just enjoy yourself, don't put yourself under any pressure and fly safe.

Yep... exactly what Alan says! If you go along to a fly-in you'll quickly pick up everything you'll need to learn.

Good good... thank you Alan!

Sorry... I don't understand! Should we be upset or calm?

Yes, Microavionics are really great - both service and kit. We just need Eddie to wangle some Bluetooth Sena style coms gadgetry into the headsets! Mind you I'd never heard of Zello and it looks very good. Are there any pitfalls? Obviously I guess you need a well charged phone!

I think there's potentially a couple of people on here who may have thrown one in anger... but personally I wouldn't want to do it aloft just for shits and giggles! Added to that there's probably a few of us on here who have thrown one on a zip line. I did it at the first Parafest. It's not quite as straight forward as you think... but in a pinch I'm sure you'd make it work. I suffered from super sticky old Velcro and then the actual act of pulling/removing it, then throwing it, isn't quite as fast/intuitive as you'd hope.

Whoa... isn't that watch worth more than your paramotor?

Hi Andy, yes apologies, I wasn't trying to be contentious... but in this game everyone seems to be climbing over each other to get at each other - be it over a brand, technique and now apparently training affiliation. Personally I usually avoid said argumentative discussions... after all we clearly all already have something in common, regardless of whether I'm sat on a Parajet/flat top or whatever. In this instance I was surprised to see someone actively proclaiming bias against a training affiliation, based upon retaliation rather than competency. Personally I chose to 'upgrade' my training, as it had been left wanting (definitely partly my fault, some was my instructors... nobody on here). I therefore went to someone local to me and had some excellent training and then attained my BHPA power rating. Doing so only made me realise how little I really had been initially taught (or how little I'd listened). Either way doing the BHPA course made me a bit safer and less likely to stray into restricted airspace etc. I'm absolutely sure PMC and APPI are just as proficient. I have no allegiance to the BHPA, nor any bias against anyone else. If people are well trained it is generally pretty evident. As for why the BHPA may not allow non BHPA people on to their sites... no idea (I didn't know they didn't). It could potentially be something to do with their membership/insurance, but I'm not going to speculate. If I'm not allowed onto someone's site due to my BHPA membership... meh, I'll live! So... sorry, genuinely nothing against you Andy. Its your land, you feel free to do as you wish.

Really...seriously...? Just a tad puerile!

Brilliant, chuffed I wasn't alone in seeing it. Wish I'd filmed it though. I don't think I was quite close enough for the wake, but I wouldn't have wanted to be any closer! Cheers Cas.

I meant to ask around whilst there but was too busy having fun. I was innocently bumbling along when I saw a shadow on the ground moving bloody fast. Naturally I looked around me where I spotted the Learjet tanking along, but thankfully not on a converging course with me. It was a good few hundred yards away and I don't think it'd seen me, or the Report'Air to my left... but it was its speed that was the wakeup call. Had it been heading for one of us there would be literally nothing you could do. Mercifully these aircraft are normally operating much higher than we are. A bit of a non-event but also a reminder that we are not alone up there.

I've been meaning to ask if someone else saw the Learjet fly by at about 2,000ft above the Bore on the Saturday (it may have even been the Friday). I was flying towards the big meander at about 2,000ft from the West when this Learjet came rattling through in front of me - I presume it was descending to re-join Gloucester ATZ. It was pretty close, Id say about 4-500 yards away. Someone else, who flies a Red Report Air (apart from Gary Smith), was to my left and may have witnessed it zoom through. No airprox or problem... just curious if anyone else saw it (it was chuffing fast). Sadly my camera was off at the time.

As ever, an awesome write up Steve... and you're quite the photographer too! Not too sure it's wise to have used 'Simon' and 'God' in the same sentence though. His divine weather powers can't last forever... can they?!?!

Here's my rather shakey view of a fantastic weekend. Thank you Simon, Col, Andy and everyone involved in making it possible!

For higher classes of airspace I believe there's the 2+2 rule... i.e. don't come within 2 nautical miles (distance) or 200ft (height) of the airspace (may be slightly different). This is really addressing the highly controlled airspaces, but the point remains - to leave a margin. If I was crossing directly over an ATZ I'd definitely want to call ahead or radio my intention. Remember the aircraft around the ATZ will potentially be distracted with their immediate tasks and not necessarily keeping the best lookout for something as slow/odd as a paramotor. Also remember that another aircraft may well approach the ATZ at 2000ft+ to make an overhead join before they drop into the circuit. As they are changing height and banking you could just appear! Low vs high wings have different blind spots. If they are pre-warned you're about (they will almost certainly be in contact with the ATZ) then this is far less likely to become a problem. Sooooo... no not bad form at all, but good form if you are kind enough to communicate your intentions ahead of time.

Oh dang, that's really bad luck. Both my knees have had cruciate and ACL rebuild work. Sadly there's a long recovery period, and its crucial you do the remedial exercises to build the strength back up properly. They'll be good to foot launch down the line, but it won't be next week! Knees are also particularly painful due to the abundance of nerves. The trike will certainly get you going much, much sooner... best of luck with your recovery and with the 'Tornado discussion'.