PatPux

The other thing about the home made one is that it's nice and cool in the summer!

Who was it that filmed the fireworks?

Neilzy ??

SW

No, not filming fireworks. Shaping up for a bit of armchair Paramotoring

It was to say, no thanks!

The pearl I took from this was:-

"What I have learned from the yo-yo is that if I make enough effort, with enough passion, nothing is impossible."

Perhaps I should apply this to forward launching a Synth 34 in zero wind?

Geoff, PM sent

Patrick

I came to the fly in to get advice on what equipment to buy

I am being steered towards the Parajet Macro V2 with the Minari ,too. Although I was also being advised to look at the Air Conception with the Moster, at the Fly-in yesterday. I like the idea of the lightness of the Air Conception but it just doesn't look like it would take the knocks a beginner is likely to give it, as well as the Parajet would. The penalty for that robustness is something like 6kg, though.

But, I still think that I want to hold out for a good Second hand V2 Macro with the XT motor. I am 105 kg and have a Synth 34

A week away in a blisteringly hot Cornwall. Took the wing and did a bit of ground handling practice, first up on the top of Trevose Head although great conditions couldn't keep it up due to getting really bad hay fever off the long grass. I then tried in the large garden of the house we were staying in, but there was too much turbulence off the buildings and hedges.

During the week I caught up with Geoff Walton who was on holiday at St Merryn and was able to use a great field behind the village, so I got some good practice there one evening.

http://www.vimeo.com/70515028

I even managed a couple of forward launch practices in the 4 knot breeze. I tried some different trim settings to see the effect on getting the wing past that hanging back position. In the end there seems little alternative than a sustained push with as much speed as you can muster when getting a 34m Synth properly overhead.

On the plus side though, I found no problem in consistently executing reverses in 4 knots.

On the way home I took the opportunity to drop in on the Parajet factory, where Tom gave me the tour. A very slick little operation with them doing most of the fabrication and machining in house. The cage jigs and 3 CNC machines were impressive. And good to see how many parts of the world they export to.

Tom showed me the relatively new addition of the Minari engined Volution V2 but only in the Compact, where I would need the Macro, this, he says produces about the same, if not a little more, static thrust as their now discontinued XT . At £5300,though it doesn't do a lot to persuade me away from finding a good second hand V2 XT Macro, difficult, though that might be.

Oxford

Thanks, Simon. Blimey that was quick, I was just going back in to do it myself. Video still processing on Vimeo

Finally caught up with the mystery pilot.

Spotted Geoff Walton today flying out of a field at the back of St Merryn, so had a bit off chat. He and his wife holiday down here every year.

Here he is making a pretty slick landing into a silky 5 knot breeze.

[vimeo]

And last night, same sort of time, Blue, Orange and White Wing. Obviously not a Forum member!

Who was that over Trevose Head about 20:30 Monday evening?

We were the party on the terrace of Coastguards Cottage who waved.

Just wishing I was just that bit further in my training and had my motor so I could have joined you.

I have my wing and have been doing a bit of practice but cant really find anywhere suitable.

If you're flying again this week before Friday pm me and I'll come over for a chat

Patrick

Tough as old boots is a criterion very close to the top of my list

Ah the age old question to what's the best kit....

....honest answer....

depends who's field you are stood on, as everyone will proclaim there's to be the best suited.

Totally agree..

Plus one! I am in almost the same situation ,Rob . I am really looking forward to the fly in next weekend to be able to see loads of different kit, and talk to as many people as possible. As skybound says, it's only natural people will proclaim their own kit.

In the end as a beginner, if there was only one rule to follow it would be, do not under any circumstances buy your stuff and then go looking for tuition. There have been at least two instances of newbies turning up at where I'm learning to be told , " sorry, mate that motor is not suitable for you" and that was not a biased opinion based on a manufacturer preference, they just weren't big enough to get the pilot in the air.

I am waiting as long a I can and talking to as many people as possible

Duplicate

Day 15 12/7/13

Dropped into Membury on my way through to holiday in Cornwall for a week, hoping to get a flight in.

So I got straight into some practice forwards to consolidate my last session.

But I just couldn't get it. There was a light breeze, so enough for a reverse, and I tried a few of them just to prove I could do something, which I did with no trouble at all.

Had another try at a few more forwards, and only managed one with Colin spotting for me, but couldn't get it on my own.

Time to stop flogging a dead horse and call a halt for the session.

More practice required, I need to get to feel which way it's going instinctively without looking. It will come, I know, and now I have a couple of flights I am quite relaxed and out of that frustrating period of waiting to get your first couple in.

Paul flew,setting up nicely on his own and getting away with a clean uneventful launch first time. Although it looked silky smooth, he reported back some airily bumpy conditions.

So I decided with time pressing on, I wouldn't fly today.

So off to Cornwall, and topped the day off with some ground handling in a beautiful silky sea breeze on top of Trevose Head.

Then back for well earned G&T

Sort of related.

What would be involved in changing the old style ALC Balls on the Dudek Synth to the new style small D handles (not sure, but did they have keep magnets as well?) that I saw on a brand new Synth recently delivered to Membury.

Is it even worth it?

Looking forward to it,Simon.

Just need this breeze to die down

I'd worked out doing one at a time would make you turn, till they were even,but I had no idea how pronounced the turn might be.

So talk me through it. You park the brakes? Is it important to depress the trimmer ratchet straps simultaneously or do you let them out one at a time. What's the sequence when you come off them?

I have been reading all this with great interest. I am on the same wing (Synth 34), and after my first XC flight last weekend, in which I didn't touch the trimmers, I guess my next foray will involve some experimentation here. Certainly looking forward to resting my arms a bit!

Days 13 &14 5,6/7/13 FLIGHTS 3&4

Well how short is the memory of a paramotor pilot? Two days of glorious weather, with some perfect flying conditions and I for one have forgotten the poo stuff over the last couple of months ( and if I'd been in it for longer, I might say years)

Friday had looked like a good day right from the start of the week, so I had that booked.

FORWARD LAUNCH PRACTICE

Conditions were beautifully clear as I arrived and after a coffee I got straight into some ground handling.I felt I really had got reverses sussed now, being able to launch the wing with controlled inputs and balance it overhead instinctively.

But I knew I needed to be in the same place with my forwards if I wanted to give myself the opportunity to fly in the widest possible range of conditions.

But I wasn't there yet, so that was the target for today and the light wind conditions were perfect for practice.

Initially there wasn't even enough breeze to set the wing, so remembering that set up of the wing on the ground is key I took time on that and ensuring it was square to the direction of whatever wind there was and I was standing directly in front of the centre spot, feeling even tension on my A's.

Steady push forward and try to feel which way it is moving and step into it.

I was having some success but was finding it difficult to get the wing to that perfect overhead self stabilising position, it was always hanging back slightly.

And that was frustratingly where I stayed, until the next day when a SW suggested that at that point, not to just keep pushing the As but to actually pull them down and forward a little. This worked a treat in just getting the wing properly overhead.

(That may be a tip for my wing only, a Dudek Synth, or may be universal, I don't know, ask your instructor)

I now had something to work with on my practicing.

Thinking about it now, perfect conditions for learning forward launch are initially some breeze to make the wing launch easily ( but not enough to pull you backwars) while you learn the technique, then you want it decreasying while you perfect the various controls and inputs . So that by the time you have zero wind you have done your learning . I realise getting those conditions in the right order will be asking a lot!

So after some practice over a couple of days it's coming together but needs more before I can say I've got it nailed.

The only other thing to say about it is that in Summer the right conditions for forward launch practice will usually be accompanied by heat and with the inherent additional effort required , fatigue and dehydration need to be recognised as obstacles to learning, so take breaks and drink A LOT.

THE FLYING

I suppose I need to mention the two flights!!

Hang in There

Conditions on Friday got quite bumpy through the day so I had to wait till the evening before getting a go. I thought there was enough wind for a reverse, but after 3 unsuccessful attempts, I had to take a break. When I came back to it we tried a forward.

Learning point: recognise the threshold in wind where you swop from reverse to forward. A difficult reverse is an easy forward

Went Ok , but I hung onto my As too long, only releasing my grip after much shouting from Col B ( note, this was before tip mentioned above, so I hope will not be a problem in future)

So I got away, but I could not get in my seat, no matter what I did, parking the brakes once I had some height , but no amount of wriggling or levering would bring it down.

Without having experienced it I would not have believed the physical exertion required to hang in a crucifix position out of your harness and try to fly a paramotor. Col B could see the problem and brought be round to come straight back in, but I was long and so I had to do an engine restart at pretty low height- thank you Mr Parajet, it fired immediately and round we went again. I had another unsuccessful go at getting into the seat. By now I was feeling pretty uncomfortable and needed to land whatever, which although I didn't stand up was still a well flared and controlled landing.

Tick the box for engine restart and Go Round, and for flying under physical duress . I do not want to do that again!

Up Up and Away

Yesterday's flight by contrast was the nuts! A lot of examination and re- adjustment of the harness took place till we got the seat flipping up nicely in the squat.

Tip: Note your particular harness settings if flying a school machine, shouldn't need saying really

Forward launch , first went sideways, but easy no drama abort, reset and away fine on the second go and importantly, straight into the seat, phew!

I am still un-nerved by that short period in the take off run where your harness trussed legs can't take big enough steps to keep progress with how fast the motor is now pushing you, but that dab on the brakes just gets you way before you fall flat on your face. I am still a few flights off, take offs being something I can't really remember rather than "a thank god I got away with that again ,moment"

The only option today was an away flight because of a lot of airfield activity, so although I had a radio after I got a " now f**k off in that direction and come back when you feel like it"(I précis, of course) followed shortly by " No, not that direction!" I never heard from Simon throughout the flight, including on my return, when he'd left the radio in the van, which was not an oversight, but a lesson in pilot autonomy, independence and self decision making.

I just went for a fly, headed East along the M4 as far as Welford Park, turning just West of the old MOD Cruise missile storage base at RAF Welford.

Did a few 180s and Esses on the way to try to spot Paul and the others who followed me out. I made a conscious effort to constantly look for land out opportunities and think about what my approach might be.

On return I kept a look out for landing aircraft and put in a few esses to the West as one cleared before starting my approach. My landing was planned and good in the flair, certainly ending within 100ft of my initial target. As I levelled it off I had to tweak the brakes to help me hop over a parked paramotor unit and I still landed seated ! but very slowly and controlled. I had no excuse not to land upright and on my feet, and that is something I need to work on and sort out!

Awesome flight for a beginner! This is what it's all been about

Progress/learning

Building confidence in targeted landing

Always look for a spot to land, in doing so look for power lines. They are EVERYWHERE. They are impossible to see, but look for the poles/pylons and the patches around them in the crops.

Nice photies. Took a couple of beats to realise youre in France. Windy? The Sunset one looks as still as anything, though

Sorted,see post below. What the f***? Now it's stopped showing in the app on ipad again, it was there this morning! Still viewable on browser.