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bathboy

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Posts posted by bathboy

    Paramotor rental

    in Other

    Posted

    Definitely yes. Shared ownership works for gliding clubs and many other sports.

    Cost important, but personally far more important is hiring a familiar 'feel' (safer) motor. e.g. my preference for RH or LH throttle and/or torque. Low or High hangpoints.

    Rather that buy a stock of hire motors. If existing owners' have gaps in usage (family time), maybe they would 'share' their motor when not using it? Not simple, but possible?

    Cheers

    Paul

    Sunday's XC

    in Devon and Cornwall Branch

    Posted

    Nice one Paul.... Will have to arrange a rendez-vous flight. I know a farmer at Taunton ! Reckon you could get there ? He keeps petrol. 40 miles long straight leg for me

    Dave

    Sounds like a great plan. A few of us are getting longer legs and would have a go. Steve B made Bath to Swanage recently. Maybe we can convince Radical will come Souf and join us?

    Cheers

    Paul

    Sunday's XC

    in Devon and Cornwall Branch

    Posted

    Up high there for a view of the entire South Wales coastline and much of the Bristol channel.

    Nice one Dave. You didn't wave though? ;-) Ian and I flew from England to South Wales, then back to near home on Sunday. The Severn and Bristol Channel looked beautiful.

    Cheers

    Paul

    In France looking for information

    in Newbies ( want to fly a paramotor? )

    Posted

    Bit of a thread resurrection but ..........

    I'm heading to France in a few weeks to do some free flying around the Annecy region before heading down to the St. Hilaire festival where I will hopefully be picking up my shiny new paramotor. 8)

    I know its a bit far from you Alan, but what are the regulations for visiting pilots ? I'd like to do some paramotoring around there but obviously don't want to go through foreign exams and registration process. Also don't wish to upset the "vol libre" fraternity even though I'd love to launch from the Doussard landing field for a flight round lake Annecy !!

    Any info or pointers to suitable websites appreciated.

    I've heard that to fly you DO have to show insurance for St. Hilaire, France. Same at Las Candelas, Spain.

    So with Onrisk no more, getting BHPA rating and their included insurance in the next few weeks looks the best (only?) option for me.

    Cheers

    Paul

    Big Fat Repack with zip wire

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    Reason for outdoors....

    Did your reserve fowl on the cage anywhere when you threw it? Clearly not as it was not fitted to have done so.

    Not moaning at the event (see above post) just highlighting one of the benefits for a paramotor version 'outdoors'

    SW :D

    If outdoors was over a very smooth surface and next to sports centre size building to do multiple repacks, demos and safety talk I agree.

    My main learning from the zip wire was the 'feel' and 'nerves' of flying, the throwing experience and a day of knowledge from experts.

    Hard to prove, but IMO fowling is not the big risk if you get expert advice installing it. The BIG risk is pilot error, then delay in throwing and then the reserve failing to leave the container.

    Seriously, I cannot recommend any very well organised zip wire enough.

    Cheers

    Paul

    P.S. I prefer to sit outside drinking beer than inside supping cider, but will drink and rave about cider when there is no beer ;-)

    Big Fat Repack with zip wire

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    A little bit of BFR history for you guys. (something to think about)

    The Big fat Re-pack was started by two very good friends of mine, Richard Prout and Mark Taggart.

    The Idea was marks, after he watched his father die in a hang gliding accident when his reserve did not open.

    I have all of the 'business plans' produced by Richard and Mark and every year I think about arranging an outdoor BFR, for Paramotor pilots and allow cage fitting.

    In my honest opinion this is the most valuable thing offered by the BHPA at the moment.

    SW :D

    Guys,

    It was brilliant and VERY well organised to get over 130 reserves thrown and repacked.

    Before I went, I thought just using the Parajet harness without the motor and cage would feel half a job. But when I was sat at the top of the zip wire - after wriggling into the seat, with reserve on my lap - it felt the same as my flights last week.

    I definitely gained from the experience and would very strongly recommend it to everyone. I'll be back next year as it has changed my opinion on indoors v outdoors.

    Cheers

    Paul

    NOTAM info with daily email delivery

    in Navigation

    Posted

    Nice one Dave:-)

    I think the daily email is a new addition since the site was originally mentioned.

    Definitely well worth the effort of signing up so only YOUR LOCAL NOTAMs are 'pushed' to you.

    The NOTAMs below may be viewed on the map at http://notaminfo.com/localmap

    NOTAMs in your area today

    1) H0239/10: Parachute jumping will take place

    Q) EGTT/QWPLW/IV/M/W/000/055/5119N00207W002

    PJE (STORES) WI 2NM RADIUS 5119N 00207W (KEEVIL). ACFT IN DROP

    CONFIGURATION MAY BE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH RAC. CTC 01249 896304

    AUS 10-02-0120/AS4

    LOWER: Surface

    UPPER: 5,200 Feet AMSL

    FROM: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00 GMT

    TO: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:00 GMT

    SCHEDULE: 08 1500-1600 2100-2300, 09 1500-1600

    1900-2000, 10 1500-1700

    Cheers

    Paul

    This link might be usefull for NOTAMS. Daily email delivery too. I like it.

    http://notaminfo.com/

    It might have been posted before but the email delivery is a new feature

    DG :acro:

    Paramotor investigation reports

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    can anyone give useful advice to the less experienced pilots on how to avoid injuries and fatalies in paramotoring?

    Dave

    I agree with all the above, and would add a few more to further improve the odds:

    * doing the same level of research you are doing now, even when you become very experienced. Keep sharing it.

    * YOU - buy best safety boots, helmet, clothing you can. Always wear them. NO buts...

    * never forget that we are flying an experimental aircraft. YOU could be the first to find that a combination of circumstances has an unexpected consequence. If you do and 'get away with it' tell everyone. Even if it is 'your' mistake you'll be respected for it.

    * attend loads of flyins, ideally with different geography/people, buy beer and listen to the tales that don't get reported. Read http://www.bhpa.co.uk/members/safety/in ... filter=PPG for those that do.

    * EQUIPMENT - what risks can be reduced by design and method of use.

    e.g. Starting your engine only on your back. Size of netting. Know two methods of stopping the engine.

    * tell your mates what are your limits and you preferred method of use. Use peer pressure to help keep you all safe. Share ideas for a checklist.

    Cheers

    Paul

    Formal investigation report....August 29th 2009

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    All,

    Over 2 months ago I contacted the AAIB and asked them if I could be in the distribution list for safety reports. And they said nothing more than. (Its on the BHPA website so look there.

    I offered to put a tab on the top of the page saying AAIB Accident reports, which would put it at the top of google in a week.

    They said, no.

    I wonder if the BHPA would be happy to supply the information as it comes out so we could put it on the site.?

    Dave, as a BHPA member would you be happy to ask?

    I can see NO reason why the information should not be spread as far and wide as possible. If they have one I would love to know what it is.

    If they say yes, then I will ensure that inside of 1 week, the reports are displayed from our main page.

    If they say no, maybe a quick list of names a 'petition', to get the information more public would work?

    If not, we can copy the information (WHICH IS PUBLIC INFORMATION) The AAIB is finded 100% by the tax payer, they are there FOR us, and to serve every single tax payer on here.

    I have spoken aslo to the Department of Transport complaints department about the lack of access to the information, they also said thay can see no reason why the AAIB or the BHPA would say no to being added to a distribution list. (they are expecting me to open a formal complaint which they will help with) (DTI controls the AAIB)

    In a nut shell,

    I OFFERED to get this information out to a wider group and the AAIB flat said NO.

    SW :D

    Are we in danger of mixing publication with publicising and being in the public domain?

    I totally agree that PMC, PilotsPPGclubUK forums, BHPA, and face to face we should all publicise safety, but with t'internet we can all link to and 'see' where they are published now. They are already public.

    At work, I encourage all parts of the business to publicise important information like Safety, Security etc. but strongly discourage duplication. Now only one part of the business will publish it. The rest link to that one source. This reduces the risk of copies not being updated, and educates people what part of the business does what, and where to get the information.

    So if I worked the AAIB, I would also have discouraged you from wanting to publish your own copy (giving the above reason) and encouraged you to publicise and link to the already public source.

    Sorry if I've misunderstood, but I don't get why we need another copy to publicise?

    And what is stopping us from putting a tab on the top of the PMC page saying AAIB Accident reports, linking to the already published and public source list?

    phew ;-)

    Cheers

    Paul

    Formal investigation report....August 29th 2009

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    On hearing about another fatality, I was gutted. It made me think long and hard why I do this sport.

    Eventually, I successfully argued with myself that my 'type' of flying was still safe enough. Hadn’t the two other fatalities been related to maneuvers that I don't do?

    After reading the accident report, I wanted to think:

    • that I would not have flown there and then.

    • if I had flown, my reflex wing would not have collapsed.

    • if it did collapse, my pilot skills could help save me.

    But after a lot of thinking, the truth for me is:

    • I’ve waited a day in an ‘unknown’ field and flown late as the 'wind' improved. But I did not know that it had improved enough :-(

    • I fly the Paramania Action and Dudek ReAction. Arguably, the same paramotor wing, and the most 'proven' design wing (since 2001 x popularity) not to collapse, when in full reflex. [i'm NOT dissing other wings! hopefully after the years of real world use they will 'prove' to be as good or better]

    • I do not have proven pilot skills. I’ve not completed a SIV course. I've never flown ‘actively’. I do not have the pilot skills :-(

    So in 2010, my priority is to change the first and the third, so I don’t have to rely on the second.

    Cheers

    Paul

    BLOODHOUND SSC show car at the Festival of Innovation

    in Events

    Posted

    Slightly off topic, but if the weeked weather is unkind this may be worth a visit.

    I saw this project at Goodwood this year. Read loads about it, loved the idea, so became a supporter.

    Cheers

    Paul

    ------ Forwarded Message

    From:

    Date: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:34:09

    Subject: BLOODHOUND SSC at the Festival of Innovation this weekend

    Dear 1K Club Member,

    Just to let you know that the BLOODHOUND SSC show car will be at the Festival of Innovation this weekend, 12th and 13th September. This will be held at the Science Museum at Wroughton, which is a Second World War maintenance airfield in near Swindon in Wiltshire and has been occupied by the Science Museum since the 1970s. Six original aircraft hangars house items from the science, engineering, transport and agricultural reserve collections. One of these hangars will be open for the Festival and the BLOODHOUND SSC show car will be placed right next to an historic Constellation aircraft. Ron Ayers (Saturday) and Richard Noble (Sunday) will be talking about the BLOODHOUND project. For more information, please download the flyer from

    http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/_db/_documents/Festival_of_Innovation.pdf

    PMC France Paramotor Holiday 2010.

    in Events

    Posted

    All,

    I have just blagged an (Introducton to Alpine flying) Lesson and guided flight from one of our hosts as a part of this holiday!

    SW :D

    I'm hoping to go skiing in mid March. Looking at the map I realised that this place isn't that far away. So wondered if in early April (when some ski resorts are still skiing) this area would have a 'skiing' climate or its own 'warm' micro climate?

    If it could be cold winter Alpine flying, maybe a bulk purchase of heated gloves, jacket etc. is worth considering for us brass monkeys?

    Cheers

    Paul

    Paramotor Competition Virgin!

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    Thanks Pete.

    Concise and to the point as hoped!

    I looked at the PilotsPPGclubUK forum but it gave me a headache trying to work out what order the posts should be read! Is there a trick that I'm missing?

    So that I have a better understanding of what I'm embarking on, what do you mean by a lot of head work?

    Cheers,

    Ian.

    Ian,

    Try this http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PPGCompsUK/ and set it as email every post. It isn't used much, and mainly the comps topic.

    Cheers

    Paul

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