PatPux

Last flight now receding into the mist of time (and Autumn), with no prospect of getting a fly able day to coincide with when I can make it to Membury at the same time as an instructor

I was very tempted to take the plunge and go it alone yesterday evening from the local field.

But I still have to meet with the landowner for final negotiations and think I still need a couple more supervised flights.

The conditions were obviously good just to the west of Reading as my daughter said she saw 3 over Pangbourne on the way home last night.

Last Saturday, in the vain hope the wind would die down for Sunday, I scoped out a friends field in Aldworth, with the plan of flying from Membury to there , which my flight planning showed would be no more than a half hour flight with the likely prevailing wind.

But it wasn't to be on two or three counts

1 the wind was still too strong

2 the field although a similar size to the triangle at Membury was hemmed in on all sides by high trees and with a small copse in the middle. In time I'm sure it would be fine but not as a first landing out experience.

3 I didn't know whether SW would give the nod.

So that plan is shelved for another day.

Fingers crossed for some fly able weekend weather so I can finish up at Membury and get out on my own and make use of any fine Winter windows, otherwise I can see myself forgetting it all by the time next Spring comes along.

Good Point...........so who knows!!!

If its the large Synth, they can be a bit reluctant to get up overhead , hanging back somewhat, when trying to launch in nil wind. I have found that +1 of trim and a very active pushing forwards, even a tug downwards on the As gets it to where it should be.

It was too windy, by 10:30. Certainly, they had decided it was too windy for the first flight guys.

DAYS 20 1st September. Flight 7

Sunday dawned with hazy high cloud and no wind at 7. The tall poplar in the garden is now my official anemometer , high enough to see the air above the general ground turbulence. And then you add a couple of mph for what it will be like at Membury.

Got to Membury for 8, I knew today was a day for getting DI'd, ground handled and engine warmed for the 9am start of flying, to get ahead of he the promised increase in wind.

Today I wanted to make a point of doing my set up and take off without any instructor input. I did need some assistance getting it started, although my only error was not allowing a full engine cycle on choke so it had not primed sufficiently.

Conditions were perfect for an easy reverse, 5 or 6mph and pretty constant. Clipped in, fired up, a slight lean back and up the Synth came I turned and stated to move off. The wing was moving off too far left, so I killed the engine, turned and laid it back down.

The wing was quickly laid out for me, to save un clipping, a couple of fills of air to get it right, and away I went on good uneventful take off. I was slightly surprised that the take off run was a little longer than I expected in the 6mph wind, which I later found out from Simon resulted from a little bit of belt slip. This , he explained, is not necessarily a symptom of a poorly adjusted belt, but something that starts to happen in Autumn an Winter when the whole belt/pulley assembly is not warm.

It was a fairly short flight mostly upwind of the airfield , in which I practiced clipping the brakes up without fumbling the throttle too much.

I returned to over the grain silos and made an approach that I quickly realised was too high but I let it play out to low level before going round again.

This time I was quite happy with my approach, flair and step off , making a conscious effort to walk my legs, which I managed for one pace on the ground , I just wasn't leaning forward enough and the motor weight got the better of me, so once again I sat down!!! But a million miles from my former arse skidding performances.

Each one gets closer.... Maybe next time for a text book landing.

On landing the motor smelt a little hot but the plug looked OK, but I have given the high jet another 1/8 th richer, which now puts I at 1 &7/8 turns as against the factory 1 & 1/2, so it should be plenty rich enough.

I also found that the airbox had started to split which was a bit disappointing. Below are photos of the "welded" and reinforced repair, we shall see if it holds. I could really do without shelling out £90 for a poxy piece of fake carbon!

It may have been a short uneventful flight today but I really feel it marked a step change in my general level of confidence. I was able to prepare for flight and fly unassisted, made a calm un panicked decision that my first launch was not what I wanted to be, judged and made my own approaches. I think I might just be starting to get the hang of it.

Yes, but the engine has only 5hours on it ( and the consensus is that that is genuine). Running in takes till 10hours according to the blurb, but I grant you the major part will have been done (or not) by now.

DAYS 18 &19 26th and 28th August. Flight 6

I really needed to stop polishing the new machine and take it for a fly!

Bank holiday Monday was looking like the only possible day over the weekend, but WeatherPro was saying it might be too windy..............It was! I turned up on the off chance anyway and had to be satisfied with buying Simon a coffee in The Starbucks at Membury Services, a chat and an agreement that Wednesday looked much better.

I booked one of my few remaining holiday days for Wednesday (the other three had been soaked up on a trip to Venice with the wife for a "thank you for letting me buy the paramotor" holiday!)

Wednesday dawned and no wind but fog! Still at the stage of being keyed up before flying, I turned up early at Membury to not even be able to see the windsock. Autumn is arriving fast.

Simon turned up a bit later and returned the coffee while we waited for things to lift and a few others turn up.

Today my objective was to practice landings, I really wanted to get them sorted.

Indeed one of the conditions of using the field I had negotiated with the local landowner was a meeting at the field to discuss how it would operate and , no doubt, a demo........therefore I need NOT to land in a heap!

The fog cleared around 11 and so after a couple of practice forwards, which went well, I set up in a 3or 4 mph wind. I have found that the Synth is easiest to launch in low wind with +1 of trim.

I decided I wanted radio to help me with timing of the brakes for landing. There was just enough breeze to pop the wing up easily, a quick glance up and feed the power in and got away on a technically good forward without direction from Simon.

I do find I need to keep full power in to climb out to 3 or 400 ft, not really complying with the running instructions of full throttle for 30 seconds only at a time.

I flew round the West of the field before heading back to the East to make my approach . First thing I was told was to kill the engine once over the field, still with loads of height, this was to take thinking about that out of the equation.

So the instructions then were "hands up and do nothing", OK, I think I can manage that! I then anticipated brake to shoulder level and final flare slightly ahead of instructions and slowed down to a "step off" landing, I landed on my feet but still keeled over onto my right knee, so still no achieved! But I feel that the flight , though short, has really built confidence.

I wanted to consolidate my progress with another flight, but in the near zero, but changeable direction, wind , I didn't get the wing up straight and pulled the plug. Conditions looked set for zero wind, and I didn't feel like I had the energy for another go and called it day.

I am pleased to have christened my new purchase, which performed faultlessly and progressed my landing technique, but I need more practice.Weather looks disappointing for the foreseeable future, so not sure when that chance will come

Go on then!

Good news! Are you up to Membury over the weekend? Although only Monday is looking any good ATM

Neil, haven't forgotten the invite, thanks.

Not quite ready to be let out on my own yet.

Comfortable in the air , its just the stuff to do with the ground! Few more flights required to nail my landings.

Cheap , functional helmet with EN966 sticker to fit a non fashion conscious pilot with a 58cm bonse, please.

Patrick.

Unfortunately not. Bloody work, but necessary after punishing the bank balance!

Hoping it might hold till the weekend.

19/8/13

Not a training or flying entry, but an important milestone in a new pilots progression, nonetheless.

I am now the proud owner of a very clean and tidy used Parajet Macro V2.

PM sent......I think!

Being down South can't help with instructors, but you will be doing yourself a big favour if you are as close as possible to your training site.

Paramotoring happens in a relatively small weather window, which is even narrow as a student pilot, so the ability, to be able to be at the field easily will expand your opportunities. Equally, you won't waste huge amounts of time when, although, having checked with your instructor the previous evening, you turn up for training only to find, that on the day conditions have changed and are no longer suitable .

I am only 25 mins away .

And if you can couple that with some work flexibility, that will let you take a days leave at short notice , when conditions look OK, you will further increase your pace of learning. Be careful about booking two weeks off to learn, you will very likely be disappointed by the weather, which will have other ideas.

Learning to recognise fly able conditions early in your training is not only essential from a safety point of view it helps you look ahead at what days to book off from work!

Shane

Dont do anything until you have chosen someone to train with and spoken to them and then get training as soon as possible.

I had decided to wait until I had funds to buy the kit, but you never do, as there's always something else to spend it on.

I realised that, this spring , 2years after thinking about Paramotoring.

So I took the plunge and started training at the end of April.

I now have 6 flights under my belt, and have a good secondhand wing, but am still using the school machine .

But defo don't buy anything till you have spoken to a trainer. I have seen a couple of people rock up for their first session with kit, only to be told, what they have isn't suitable for them

Patrick

Confused to begin with because its a completely different photo on the App on my ipad (a wing at distance in front of a White House).

On Safari I can see the holding up shot. Weird!

I do like the idea of the lightness, even with the Moster I would need, but I cannot convince myself, that as a beginner it will cope with the knocks it going to get.

And yes, I've seen the crashing video, but you haven't seen my landings!

Thanks, yes I have struck fairly lucky, if it all works out as the field is less than a mile from the house.

Not as lucky as it might have been, though, there is another large field opposite the house, but he wasn't keen on me using that as it had a footpath one end.

Still that might change once things bed in and he realises, actually that not a huge area is required for take off/ landing and it could be accomplished without going within 300m of the path.

Although the proposed field is grass, there may be more opportunities to fly off stubble between cropping, what is the received wisdom on what that does to your wing?

Congratulations, Gordon. 500 hours , to me as a beginner that is mind boggling, how long did that take?

That would be 2 hours a week, every week for 5 years and from what I already know about the weather window for Paramotoring , every week is a tall order.

Unfortunately I can't view the vid on my ipad, so that will have to wait till later.

Whatever, though, that is some achievement, amazing. I'd be interested to know what sort of numbers have managed that.

Patrick

A Reading from Genesis:

And God promised men that good and obedient wives

would be found in all corners of the earth.

Then He made the earth round...

And He laughed and laughed and laughed.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RETRACTABLE-KEY-RING-REEL-CHAIN-YOYO-inc-CARABINER-CLIP-HEAVY-DUTY-STEEL-CORD-/171094108667?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET&var=&hash=item27d600e9fb

there you go!

Lol. Same one I found about 2 mins before your post came in

Better order now before there's a run on them.

How are you doing , James, have you had your kit delivered yet?

love your blog Patrick, always a joy to read, as for the fuel bit I have one of these mirrors on a retractable keychain, very easy to use, I have it in the left pocket of my harness as that's my free hand, throttle in right, takes seconds to whip it out and take a look, no need for fancy fuel gauges.

http://inventions.aerocorsair.com/id45.htm

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I find I need to write it immediately after the event before the ever decreasing brain cells, decrease anymore!

Training visits will be even less frequent now, being limited to weekends, now that I have exhausted holiday days.

That inconvenience that is Work!

Neat little gadget, quick trawl of ebay, i think, to find the necessary bits.

Day 17 10/8/13 5th Flight.

Well a great flight and a number of lessons learnt, some ordinary and one very important one.

The line between a lesson well learnt , never to be forgotten and disaster is a fine one! But more on that later.

I set myself three tasks to cover today

1. Use of the trimmers and tip steering

2. A number of circuits with approaches to land, then go round, to help with judging position relative to landing point

3. Land on my feet!

There was a light breeze, which signalled a reverse launch, while I set up, but that had dropped by the time I was ready, so I decided forward.

Simon said I had 40mins of fuel, so plenty to try a few things.

Still quite keyed up in my prep getting risers and throttle sorted, need to chill!

With Simon spotting I gave a good forward stride and push on the As, up the Synth came although I lost grip of the right A, ready to apply power, glanced at wing going left , then misunderstood Simons move left Signal for abort take off, which I did with the lines coming too close to the prop for comfort.

It turned out I had routed the throttle under a lower harness strap, which was why I lost grip of the right A. Just as well I didn't get off the ground!

Breeze had picked up a little, now, so a reverse was possible, which went fine, perhaps still hesitated a fraction long before feeding the power in, I'd give it an 8/10.

Task 1 , Use of trimmers and tip steering

Once at about 1000ft I parked the left brake and then the right, which was a bit of a fumble with the throttle, but generally Ok. Letting out left trim to 7 then right, I noticed no particular adverse steering during the transition. I did notice greater sink and the need for increased throttle, and I did feel the increase in speed. I found the Dudek "Balls" responsive and easy to use for steering.

I didnt notice the increased stability, I think simply because the air wa very laminar in any case.

Pulling trims back in was also uneventful. I did this transition and the reverse at least 3 times.

So tick , use of trims and tip steering first go as very straight forward.

Task 2 Practice Approaches

I then moved onto practice approaches and go rounds, I did 5 in all.

First I could tell I was too high, next two, better- in the park but still a bit long. Next good , having put a couple of Esses in.

Task 3 Landing on my feet

On that pass, though, I noticed frantic signals to land. I picked up the urgency, thinking it was about the increasing breeze and bumpy air, so I came round under power, knowing I was rushing things a bit and indeed I was, killing the engine too close to the ground and not giving myself time to get out of the harness properly. I did get the flair OK, but still it was another skidding heels/arse landing, but quite gently. And I landed more or less where I planned

Still- fail for landing on my feet.

Important Lesson learnt

But, as it turned out, that was the least of my problems. The signalling had been because I had NO FUEL. And I mean, no fuel, on inspection we could not see ANYTHING in the tank. I was on fumes and another go round, especially at low level, would have lead to disaster.

If asked, I would have said I had been airborne for 20 mins- I had been up for 35. So very poor judgement of time, you can't rely on your mental clock, when your enjoying yourself

GET A WATCH AND USE IT, AND ALWAYS KNOW YOUR FUEL LEVEL.

So luckily the lesson has been learnt, without mishap, but - too close for comfort.

That aside, to summarise the days learning

Prep-Chill out a bit

Take off- OK

Trimmers and tip steering-Good

Approaches- improving, but need more practice

Landing on my feet- Fail again, although it was partly due to my rush to get on the ground.

Finding a field

On another note, I have over the past week, negotiated the use of a very large field , (700mx 450m) with our local landowner. I used a modified version of the landowners liability waiver, which is on this forum.

Initial approach was to the estate manager followed up with a letter to the Estate owner. Including the proposed waiver, AXA Insurance policy sample and a little brief on what Paramotoring is, applicable rules and outline of training. After a lengthy phone conversation, a couple of requested additions to the waiver and a subsequent conversation with his Manager, I got an email on Friday, with a yes, subject to a meeting on site to discuss exactly how I would operate. If anyone wants the waiver form , PM me.

Just need to finish my training and get the rest of my kit.

Day 16 27/7/13

Three people hoping for first flights having practiced all day yesterday in too thermic conditions, so Col said I would have to wait for availability of the school machine, but as luck would have it, 2 had their own motors and the third was going to use RAF Cols Compact-so the Macro was available- result!

It was truly nil wind today, so I did a few practice forwards. I did manage a few successful ones, really pulling ,almost punching and pumping the As forward before releasing and applying a little brake control. This got it overhead, but without the motor to sustain forward motion it was impossible to keep going. This was all with plus 2 of trim.

Waited for a couple of unsuccessful first flight attempts. Then it was my turn, the Cols had let me prep for the flight unaided and I picked up a loose exhaust manifold bolt in my pre-flight which was duly tightened, taking about half a turn.

Col B spotted for me in zero wind. Away I went but I was not applying enough/ any throttle so that although it came up nice and straight I could not maintain way and the wing gently went right as I ran out of puff.

Complete lack of commitment! I don't really know why. I basically over thought it, thinking I needed to get the wing up overhead before applying power, instead of feeding it in progressively from the start and letting it assist me, like I had done every other time

I was thinking of this as my first real go at a nil wind launch, when actually I should have reminded myself that all my four flights so far had been reasonably executed forwards, ok, with a little breeze.

By now, the blanket cloud cover had been clear for an hour or so, and the wind was swinging 180, so too late, I had missed my chance and only myself to blame.

Lesson: I am now at the stage of preparing myself for flight and going for a fly, so that is what I should be doing. Turn up, un pack the wing, quick ground handle to check the wing, layout, pre-flight and go. Don't waste time on knackerring forward launch practice. I'm not saying I have perfected it, by any means, but I am not really gaining any learning that I won't get better and with less effort than by getting on and doing it.

No short cuts but equally no fannying around, is what's required.

Using motorway traffic cams to help with my Met!