Lee Jackson

Thanks Richy_b.... oooh now I'm intrigued! We'll have to have a VW nerd off at a fly-in! You must get yours on the road. For me it has proved to be the perfect hanger, tea/changing room, bar and bed! I always leave it loaded ready for the next flying opportunity.

Crikey... no hate from me asquaddie, I'm a lover not a fighter! No, please do what you're happiest with and what works best for you. I've just found a method that seems to work nicely for me. TBH I always had to start my previous old Volution 1 on the ground... and that was electric start! The placement of the choke plate forced my hand with that old thing. If you ever watch Mike Chilvers or Clive Bunce start a Moster its like poetry - they pull the loo chain and it fires. I guess that's what you get after thousands of starts on many different mosters!

No, I never start mine on the ground or ever run it anywhere other than on my back. Its a habit I really don't want to get into. My cold starting 'method' is to pressurise the tank first to ensure the primer bulb is 'wet'. This may be bulldog specific. Then, with it on the ground, I give it a few primes, turn the prop a few times (engine isolated and holding throttle trigger open) and then a few more primes and turns. I'll fart around for a few minutes (checking gear and tat) then prime and turn it once again. I then slip it all on, click it to live, pull the chord once (too slowly for it to fire), and then go for it. This method seems to get it to fire on pull 1-3. That said, sometimes its first yank and others it a few more... but it always starts! I do find that sometimes it will peter out as it uses fuel in the line up. I then just re-prime on my back and go again, which is never an issue. My arms are not that long but I do like porridge!

I'm flying a moster silent (bulldog frame) with a nucleon wrc 29 and I'm 85-90Kg in the pink (depending upon what time of the year you weigh me). I definitely find it powerful enough, but it does consume somewhere between 5-6 litres per hour depending upon how much I'm in the higher throttle range. For long XC I have to load up with 15 litres... which can make nil winders a bit of a jog! It always starts and the number of pulls depends upon how well you've primed it. Sometimes first pull... other times I'm like a bell ringer! I think it is very important to change the exhaust seal every 20-25 hours though, otherwise the exhaust can crack. Its not a very difficult job at all. I'm definitely happy with mine <touches wood>.

Indeed Simon, it is a flaw and something I'm working on. I also tut angrily at myself when flying and spot they're not parked... and it still happens far more than it should. You may also have missed that I took off with my throttle caught in my brake line! Ironically, the night before, I was talking about exactly this issue with Tom... and I said I'd abort the take-off if it happened to me. The very next morning it did and I was airborne before I spotted it! It was very easy to put right though, and I got some decent height before I tried to sort it - just in case. Cheers Alan, it's like an old friend that goes off on wee adventures with me (slowly... very slowly).

Well I didn't take a lot of film at the event (too much chatting) but I've cobbled some of what I did get into a quick vid. Its not the best but it will have to do...

Not at all Neilzy, you were Good fun. Hope you enjoyed the weekend too

Excellent, well done Simon. I have to say, as per last year, it was a great weekend... made especially so by the people who were there. We must ensure we get Neilz and Cath drunk again next year!!! BTW Simon do you still want some of my aerial footage? Lee (Reaction) Jackson

Forgive me if I'm being a bit thick here... but, if a reserve is front mounted, would it not still be handed (i.e. can still only be thrown to one side)? That is, if the Y bridle is routed to one side, it has got to be thrown the same side nest pas? I personally have mine mounted on my left side which, I believe, opposes the torque (moster engine). I fly with my throttle in my right hand. Whenever I'm in proper lumpy air I'll always have a reassuring tickle of the reserve handle - just so I know where to send my hand in a shit-tacular moment. I have occasionally flown without it - but I'm always very aware when its not there.

Hi Goldy, Its great to hear from someone in MN. I really didn't think that there were too many paramotorists in MN. I travel there from time to time. With your big seasons I bet there is some interesting flying to be had. So are you near to Minneapolis/St Paul? Lee Jackson (ReactionJackson)

As long as you didn't catch the wing itself you can just order the specific lines you need... they are very easy to replace (see youtube videos). This will get you up and running again in no time and at a much lower cost.

Never fly without one myself! It may or may not save me in brown moment... but having nothing definitely won't. Christian put it so well... 'I owe it to my family'. That said you need to look after it to ensure you can use it if you need to and that it isn't going to deploy when you don't want it to. Oh, and buy a new one! Lee

Bloody good write up that Steve... and I couldn't agree more about the event. Everyone there was buzzing (no pun intended) and the weather was just perfect. Personally I couldn't fly (due to an injury) but there was so much going on I wasn't too fussed! Next year... The main flying field looked a bit crowded, but it seemed to flow smoothly (most of the time). Mark and his team did an amazing job considering the huge variation in skill and experience.

Excellent, well done mate!

Once again, thanks to Simon and Colin for the Bore flyin. Here's a bit of a basic video from the weekend. Sadly I spent too much time filming the countryside before the bore arrived! The battery decided to expire just as it started to get interesting!!! I did film in 4K... but that would take at least a month to upload. Anywho I promised Paul I'd post the vid of him throwing his 'jock strap' of a wing about... he's doing so at about 2:50min stage, but sadly its not all I hyped it up to be as my camera isn't in line with my eyes... and Paul was further away than I remember! Mind you if you pop the vid to HD you can see Paul fluttering down! [youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo]Bring on Norfolk! Lee (Reaction) Jackson

Wow... this is terrible. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I'm genuinely saddened when I hear when someone has been lost. I wasn't lucky enough to meet, or get to know Barry, but totally relate to his enthusiasm and love for flying (I'm sure we all can). I hope all of you who know and love him are OK through this shocking time. Condolences to Estee... who has clearly lost her life partner. So sad.

I have used these too... I did the crowd funding thing on these bad boys some years ago. I think they only work from other phones that are running Bluetooth and the tile software. They probably aren't best used as a theft deterrent or for recovery (especially on something like a paramotor) as even if you are activating/looking for one they emit a beep. Any thief could hear that and discard it. A thief is highly unlikely to be running a tile app with Bluetooth on his phone too. Where they score is when you lose something you've tagged around the house or somewhere you've just been. They record last known 'sightings' and will alert if in range. I've lost my keys camping before and the tile on my keys literally saved me from a world of pain. Same for checking that my missing wallet is actually still in my desk drawer at work!

In the diary... I'm so excited I can't spit!

Wow... 'dudetime' Heaven!

Ears pricked up!

I've always wondered about reaching/finding a reserve mounted up there in a 'brown moment'... I'm sure the same could probably be argued wherever you hang it! Looks like a job well jobbed!

I couldn't agree more. I've done a couple of big XC's this year and travel loaded with 'stuff' needed for a long day away and land out (and for re-fueling i.e. oil and a measuring container). With a brimming fuel tank (16L), flying gear, warm weather gear and all the above it becomes quite a lot more challenging to get off the ground in low or nil wind. Especially on a cold damp morning. I wouldn't relish the thought of adding sleeping bags, bivi's, a mug and other tat for camping. A nice idea, but probably not so pleasurable in reality. Unless you're not going too far and can afford to trade fuel for camping weight/bulk! Sooner call the Mrs to meet you at the other end with a car full of camping gear!

Hi Dave, I have mine side mounted. Left hand side and throttle in my right hand. It seems to work well to me. Not mine, but identical setup...