Lee Jackson

Cheers. I can't pretend I'm chuffed about the whole affair. Perhaps you could move the date of the Bore weekend to suit me? ?

Eyup Simon, The better half has pointed out to me I'm already away on a stag weekend on the dates of the Bore... alas I'm presently taking the space of someone else who may wish to go. I can't see how to remove myself - so would you mind doing the honours old bean? 'UnhappyLee'

A really great weekend... and plenty of great flying too. I also really liked the comedian. He was quirky and didn't take himself too seriously. The setting and mixed crowd made life exceptionally tricky for him... and I often couldn't hear what he said when he was away from the mic. Still all good fun and his ending was memorable - to put it mildly!

Twat! Despite what the rumours say, I was merely handing out perfumes, hand towels and doing up the odd fly!

Yes great to see you too amigo... I always leave these things wishing I'd sat and chatted to people more!!!

I'll pop this here to detract from the 'Own up' quarrel... A huge thanks to Simon and Col (and anyone else who was involved) for the fantastic Summer fly-in. Wow what a weekend! Also a thank you to the cool people helping keep things safe in the flying field too... Jason, Connor and Andy to name a few I observed. What a great bunch of people we have in this silly sport!!!

The answers to the above reside more inside yourself. It depends upon how motivated you are and how hard you'll push yourself. I learnt a good few years ago, and bought the kit... I do not regret doing so nor do I find that I can't fly enough! That said, one reason you're not seeing them more is because the weather window they can use is restricted. They also require a bit of skill, guts and stupidity to fly! They aren't for everyone. Once you've trained you do need a bit of self motivation and self belief to seize the opportunities that pop up. It helps if you can find others that fly, to cajole you and to be cajoled! Best of luck with it... you certainly have a beautiful corner of the country to fly in.

I'll field this one, I think I'm qualified... he's going to need to fly the tiger around the earth to my field for evaluation though! He may need to leave it with me for a month or so. Then I can ensure it's all working as it should. We'll talk cost once I can see where I have to fit it. You're welcome!

Hi Alan, ha yes point taken, but it was really quite punchy for such an early hour. I've been doing quite a lot of early flights without it being that thermic. I guess hot days, back to back, has allowed the ground in towns etc to retain some more of the previous days heat before the next day starts. Maybe obvious to seasoned pilots like you, but no harm in mentioning it. Look forward to catching up with you at the fly-in ?

Thanks Richard... a good reminder to keep your wits about you at this time of year. What sort of time was this (not having seen the football)? 8.00am Sunday morning was uncharacteristically thermic in my neck of the woods too. Lots of hands on flying!

Hi Ian, FYI there are BHPA PPG specific schools nowadays (i.e. not via paragliding route first), but I don't think you need concern yourself with this too much here. You can actually do a BHPA power accreditation course later on if you wish. They ran one at Parafest last year. I honestly believe it is more important that you choose and instructor/site that you like and trust, that provide thorough training and also kit for the duration of your course. It is also important that the location of said instructor is convenient as you'll need to be able to grab the weather opportunities as they come up. In my humble opinion, in this case, it would be wise pop along to the PMC site at Membury and have a chat. I would have said this before I'd seen Simons post above. I did not learn there myself, but I have visited and found it to be a first rate setup. FYI I have no vested interest here and I'm not even local to Membury... but I do tell it like it is! On a separate issue I'd love to speak to you about the NPPL course! I have been looking to do one locally to me for some time. Hopefully I can catch you at a PMC fly-in! Best of luck whichever route you go down! Lee

Ironically it's getting more airtime... 'there's no such thing as bad publicity'!

Thanks Simon, very kind of you. I only do them as its a great way of recording good flights/fly-ins etc... otherwise I'll just end up with hours of footage I'll never watch. I genuinely think you should do more too! You have a unique position, all the kit and loads of experience with this video stuff. Perhaps some newbs at the field going through their training... or some sexy heli stuff?

Vids are only made for prosperity and fun (not serious), but no harm in a bit of willy waving... A wee visit to AviatorPPG in Florida... I had to include the 2017 Spain trip...

<discretely changes the subject> Hey Steve Thomas did you know an anagram of your name is 'see vast moth'! Really sorry for crashing your post Michael (please blame Steve).

You do realise he isn't even a real person? The clue is in the fact that his name is an anagram of 'clean jokes'!

Simon... per chance is Gordon the more 'cost efficient' stand-up at the fly-in? ?

I do mine exactly how you've described Alan... the fizzy coke option is interesting. A bit tricky to soak the piston though - without full removal. LJ

Cool Vince. As you were ripping around low I see you flew through some bonfire smoke or something similar... did it throw you about a bit, or was it nothing to write home about? I ask because I've always avoided warm rising BBQ/bonfire smoke - thinking I'd be doomed!

Yes, I think everyone is in agreement. Please forgive me if this comes across the wrong way, I'm 100% definitely not a brand devoteé and have only owned a Parajet Macro V1 and a Bulldog. But when I was buying my second motor, 4 years ago, Clive Bunce of Bulldog fame showed me the cage design he'd opted for, and explained the reasons he had designed a fully closed net. He pointed out to me that the gaps in the netting, on pretty much all other paramotors, were 'an accident waiting to happen' (he really did say that to me). I remember him standing and demonstrating how a deep flare could put a badly routed throttle cable into a prop arc (if it were turning). Now, I'm really not trying to say everyone should have bought a Bulldog, but surely its a relatively easy fix to concoct a bridge to the netting gap on most setups. More importantly, it really wouldn't hurt for some of the manufacturers out there to come up with a retro solution to this too (due diligence). On a slightly different matter, I always route my throttle cable over my arm (never under). Geoff Soden taught me to do that, many moons ago, specifically to make life easy in the throttle were ever dropped - but also because of the dangers brought about by the throttle loop poking too far back! I do see a lot of people at flyins with the large loop under their throttle arm. Imagine if one of these hand/prop accidents happened whilst at height?!?!? I shudder at the thought. We all know there are many risks involved with what we're doing, but its a terrible shame that some great guys and good experienced pilots have been seriously injured in such innocuous circumstances. Hopefully people will learn, adjust kit, habits etc and we'll avoid any more nasty's.

After a few years of flying I can summarize my own findings (I've tried everything)... Blue tooth is fantastic (if you're going to fly close with someone else with bluetooth). I have the SENA 20 which is very good. That said height seems to affect them more than distance but even so they are really only good up to about 400 yds! 2m Radios can work great, but I've always found them a bit shouty and you often have to repeat yourself, repeat yourself. They are not actually quite legal to use in the air either... but we all know which frequencies are 'OK'. Airband are typically more powerful but also not definitely not legal for us pikeys of the sky (unless you're RTF qualified). PMR are usually on cheaper handsets, or 2m style radios, but same issues as all radios (can be tricky to hear what's being said over engine/wind noise and interference). Phone calls can work really well - depending upon how clear the connection is to your headset/distance from a tower! Texting on the fly also works just fine... but is obviously a bit distracting (remember to keep checking your immediate airspace). This can also be a pain in the ass on a cold day when you're in gloves. Also I find my iPhone annoyingly turns off if I have it out in the cold too long due to an old battery. Semaphore is only good up to about 500m and the flags can end up in the prop if you're not careful. Ironically ESP seems to work well for me. If you know the person/people you're flying with you generally know what each other are thinking or are up to. So I now go with a mix of this and a bit of Bluetooth and I seem to happily get by! If I do fancy a chat or need to mention something I just fly up to the other person with Bluetooth. Mind you that didn't help on Sunday when I had an engine out at 4K and couldn't tell anyone! Lastly, I am definitely not an expert, there will be far wiser folk than me on this forum who may have had better luck with radios.

Bloody good on him! Looks very like he's going for it. He's certainly determined. By the end of a long old trip like that he'll be a very seasoned XC pilot!

Hmmm... not a habit I'd want to start. Just on the off chance you forget it is connected one day. That would be a short flight! Added to that, I'd imagine it'd pull the risers closer together, connected in the middle like that. Maybe one for the ideas shelf.

Forgive me for going a bit off topic... but I assume if you use a stirrup you cannot have the speedbar fitted as well? Disclaimer - Never use the speedbar as a stirrup!!!!