aljken

I would be interested in one too...

Trimmers have exactly the same effect as speedbar. However your trimmer range is probably less than the speedbar range (about 30% of total speed bar range possibly). You can fly with your wing with trimmers fully open, and speed bar fully on - that will be as fast as you can go. You will be closer to having a collapse, and the wing will not be certified in this position (trimmers open). I suspect you will end up flying you Pegasus always with trimmers open 3 cm or more (makes it better for take off, landing, flying in every way on a motor). The 2nd hole on the risers for a high hang point machine (if you have one). Speedbar is a pain in the arse to fly around with on all the time. It basically has to be fully on so that you can lock your legs straight. It is much heavier than flying with a speedbar on a paraglider (as the weight you are flying with is possibly double that of when you free fly). Trimmers are much easier and safer (no lines to catch prop). Flying your Pegasus with trimmers is ideal on a motor when you first start. After a while you will want more speed and compared with flying with a reflex wing, flying a paraglider wing is like dragging a sail through the air. It is more efficient though, easier to launch, etc etc.

A bit far away for me sorry. It doesn't fit in with my currently busy life! Probably easiest for me to pop in sometime?

I mainly use my watch with altimeter now for flying locally. Nothing better than keeping it simple. For long flights I have a GPS vario with waypoints, and a kobo mini with a GPS (just as a moving map). I found it very difficult to operate a phone screen with gloves (doesn't work unless you stitch in capacitive thread) and you can't see them in bright sunlight. PPGps is cheap and worth a look at like some others have said if you really wanna use an android device.

I think the comments about you getting a small engine are really true. You don't need anything more than prob 130 cc, 80 to 100 just right as others suggest. If you get anything too powerful you will just be torqued over to the side more and it won't be as suitable and it will be heavier.

I started motoring after 7 years of PGing. It was really difficult to make the transition, but now I enjoy motoring more than just messing about on a ridge. I generally go free flying when it's really epic and thermic now, and motor otherwise. For me changing my throttle to a chameleon throttle really helped make the transition. It is so much easier to ground handle like you would do with a paraglider, and made it so much easier. The bulky throttle really bothered me. You will get more hours motoring than free flying very quickly, and start to enjoy it way more once you have done loads of take offs and landings. It's not so much about the number of hours when motoring, more the number of take offs and landings.

That is not true. You are never "too low to throw". The reserve does not have to deploy fully for you to have a benefit. Even if it does not deploy in time it will still have an aerodynamic effect of slowing you down a bit. I have seen videos of people throwing reserves from 10m and it making a difference so that they survive as opposed to probably die.

To download the Airspace now you need to use a program called AS Select (from http://soaringweb.org/Airspace/UK/). It only works in windows so if you have a Mac then open it in Wine (download this for free too) - and it then works. The text files for download on http://soaringweb.org/Airspace/UK/ are just height's layers which contain big numbers and not the airspace you are after - so make sure you download you files through AS select. I can send you a recent airspace .txt file if you struggle with AS select, but if I were you get AS select to work and you will be fine. Alternatively you can download airspace files from notaminfo - if you have an account and are also a donator (you only need to donate a quid or so as a minimum). Flymaster - are you sure they use .txt format? and not some propriatory format?

Ozone is known for making their wings feel like that. In fact all their free flight wings are expected to be flown with a wrap, I don't think the same applies to paramotor wings though. Use either tips or brakes, not both at the same time. I have a Sirocco 22. In full reflex I usually only use the tips for turns (plus weight shift) and put the brakes on the magnets. You can pull the tips down really as far as you want - they are really safe (I have done both at the same time as far as I can and nothing really happens, it just makes it look like a poor attempt at big ears). Wingovers should be done using brakes and not tips I'd have thought. How else would you apply a little bit of outside brake when you need to? Personally I like to land with at least a bit of trimmers open (at the white line) - I find the extra speed/energy helps. I take a wrap (or 2) too. Often I will do a small pendulum type landing too. Sorry I can't compare with a Mirage as I haven't flown one myself. It might be just you are adjusting to the "Ozone feel" of wing.

paramotorforum.co.uk was shut down recently (a month or so ago). I agree Paraglidingforum.com doesn't really have much useful motoring stuff on it. https://paramotornews.com/ is another site which might keep you upto date with stuff. Also Paramotor magazine has now combined with the paragliding magazine Cross Country - however most of the articles are relevant to free flight, but there are still some good ones on paramotoring.

I would be happy to pay you for it, and pay p&p too. Alternatively I could pop by sometime when I am driving down the M4 - I would be happy to give you some money for them though. Cheers, Alex.

Anyone got any recommendations for a prop cover (2 blades, 1.3m to be more specific). The more robust the better, and the ability to secure it on so that it will stay on whilst on the motor is on the back of my car also a bonus! Cheers, Alex.

Pullling on an A is a recognised technique if you are a professional. I have seen videos of Chrigel Maurer yanking down on 1 A in super high winds on alpine slopes, causing an asymmetric collapse and the wing to spin into the ground. There is no way I would do this, as you risk reinflating the wing, and you have to be super quick at running with the wing too. Also with a reflex wing the amount of force required would be much greater. Pull on the back risers like nforster suggests, this produces way less lift than applying brakes.

Having owned a Sirocco (lightweight Speedster) I would 100% get the lightweight Spyder instead of the Roadster - if cost was identical for them both. Lightweight wings are great to launch, and handle well. I have had a lightweight paraglider wings for the last 4 years and I find the wear to be similar to full weight wings.

Thanks very much for the advice. Probably saved me spending a load of money I would have spent on "Polini" washers! Cheers, Alex.

They are red washers. Shall I just type red fibre washer into google/ebay? Cheers.

Does anyone know where I can get some gearbox oil screw seals/gaskets. Specifically for my thor 130, the 2 screws - one for draining the gearbox oil, and the other which prevents overflow of gearbox oil. Is there some place like a kart shop which sells these sort of seals/gaskets. Or do I need a particular polini thor 130 part? Many thanks in advance. Alex.

The difference between paragliding and paramotoring is almost like the difference between cycling and motorcycling! Or maybe sailing and motorboating! They are both equally dangerous in their own way. Paramotoring is about taking off and usually landing in the same place. You can usually turn up when you want to fly and fly, then drive back home. You don't need to drive miles to get to the best hill. The best conditions are at the start and end of day, when it's non thermic. Flying low and fast is more fun on a motor than flying high and slow (I think). Motoring is more expensive. Paragliding is about going on an adventure where you don't know where you'll end up. You can spend many hours driving around chasing the best conditions - sometimes getting them, sometimes not. Typically you go out for the whole day and get back late if you are flying XC. The best conditions are when it's thermic in the middle of the day, but you can ridge soar at other times. The sport of paragliding is learning to free fly, and use thermals to get to cloud base. To get good enough at paragliding to fly XC requires loads of hours (driving, waiting and flying). Personally I think motoring is more accessible as you can get airtime more quickly and reliably. I personally like them both in their own way.... but motoring and free flight have more differences than similarities.

It will fly faster in the air under power anyway. Fly with it first and see what you think. I would stick with it for the time being as your take offs and landings will be easier and then as you progress get a reflex wing of appropriate size as recommended by others.

Are these still being made? How to I order one? Cheers, Alex.

Has anyone had temperature issues with the polini thor 130? I've heard and read that the 200 has well documented issues which require modifications. Is this the same for the 130? Or is the 130 just based on the 100 mainly? Cheers, Alex.

No way on earth would I touch any Team 5 glider. Not only are Team 5 bust now, but nearly all their gliders have recently been shown to be out of trim with stretched lines. That's probably why someone is flogging it off cheap. It's a massive problem for free flyers, but even worse when you're talking about paramotoring with one. The lines will have an even greater force acting through them and be even more likely to go out of trim as you'll be above the weight range. The DHV have issued safety notices saying the T5 wings are prone to deep stall due to this problem. If you really insist on buying one, the consensus opinion currently is that it will need to be sent for a professional line change (ie the loft or aerofix) if you really insisted on flying it. This would quite honestly be my last choice of wing! There's some horrible videos on youtube of people falling out of the sky on one in deep stall.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm gonna go try the Zenith frame and see what happens, see if I'm pulled over to the left! I do have another question though. Is the torque effect reduced or enhanced by having a smaller wing? ie. does the wing loading affect it? Cheers, Alex.

Hi all, I've recently started paramotoring and was learning on a PAP frame with a Polini 100. I weigh 70kg, so my all up weight is maybe 110kg although that's just an estimate. I was incredibly disappointed with the torque effect that was going on with this frame. Every time I applied power I was pulled over to the left and in the end had to content myself with just going with the torque and spiralling upwards and to the left before just going on a glide. In fact it was almost impossible to fly straight despite weight shifting with anything more than 25% power. I got the frame hung up and and the hang points fully adjusted correctly. I did find it very difficult to get in the seat too - maybe as it was on the lightest setting?! Anyway, my questions are: Is this just the reality of paramotoring? Do you just have to live with the torque, as it seemed pretty bloody irritating. Or is this the frame? I'm thinking of getting a Zenith with a Polini 130. Will the Zenith frame be any better? Would a Polini 130 be too powerful for me and torque me over even further? I'd appreciate any honest opinions and advice. Cheers, Alex.

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated. Seems like the consensus is that 200 probably too much power. 100ish more sensible for when I'm just starting. If Polini released a 130 that would be just perfect.... Cheers, A.