bathboy

Thanks to our RAF hosts for tea biscuits and loads of knowledge, Simon for arranging it and others in the "Tip to Tip" team for their good company. After a few days mulling over what we heard: I've a much better/safer idea where and when they fly I'll try to avoid flying on a constant bearing I'll try to make a conscious effort to move my head and lookout more The courtesy number to call if near Bath/Bradford-on-Avon close to their southern approach path was a bonus. Filton appreciate this type of call when near their north of Bristol area. Thanks again Cheers Paul

I've driven to Paramania in 2006 & 07 and loved it there. Anyone whose is really interested in the technical stuff, having a laugh/beer or flying in another country will enjoy it. If the Belguims turn up you also get a lesson in how to party I'm guttued I can't make this date Cheers Paul

PC my arse! In parts of Bristol BMW was always Black Man's Wheels. Any offers for a 2CV version? Cheers Paula

Yes - nice one! Cheers Paul

I asked my 'organiser' wife (day job is charity/sponsorhip accountant) for any tip to tip tips (can anyone get four together?) and she mentioned that making it easy to Gift Aid will make a huge difference to the worth and cost of personal donations. One option she suggested was to use the Just Giving http://www.justgiving.com/ site, and I've copied some info below from it. The great part is that a £100 gift can become worth £128.21 to the charity, but costs the taxpayer only £76.92!!! Cheers Paul

This track was when about six of us flew to the Warren House and back from Farmer Dave's field last summer. http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3639108 We circled (south end of track) over the pub, Whitters landed, realised the size of the beer round and took off again Very Happy Days Cheers Paul

I can understand the rapid decent needs for a paragliding wing, and I recall the forum/pub discussions of various techniques after the paragliding lady went to 30,000 ft in Australia. As usual, my memory has lost the detail but the idea of using the reflex wing with trimmers out then full speed bar to rapidly fly away (not just rapid decent) from the early stages of cloud suck I liked. From the little I know - as I have little rapid descent experience - if cloud suck started happened while I'm flying my Action, I will fly away as fast as possible. Only if that fails will I consider a rapid decent. I have pasted below a topical write-up from http://www.flyparamania.com/Flightreport.htm Thoughts anyone? Cheers Paul _____________ Pilot: Chris Calthrop Country: UK Model: Action 27 Paramotor: Adventure Solo 210 I hope all is well with you. just a quick one as I am off to a kite event in Hunstanton today. Hoping for no wind to fly around a bit! I had a cloud sucking experience couple of days back. I was thermalling up at 8ft/min toward a perfect cloud that rapidly turned ugly. I thought maybe time to exit the situation and straightened out to run away upwind as I didnt want to get any closer to the cloud and that was the only way "away" from it. But instead I was going up at 8ft/min+ backwards which got me panicking a bit. I then tried to spiral dive... I went to lock in but I was still climbing at 1ft/min.. I quit that and put the trims right up and yanked the speed bar out. Getting buffeted around I skimmed under the cloud and out the side, finally sinking at 1ft/min only...I ran and ran! I had climbed from 1500 to 2400 while trying to go down. Base at 2400. I noticed that everywhere I looked the wind was going toward this cloud at ground level... as I continued on my XC to canterbury I noticed a suck toward another "perfect" cloud.. I stayed well away.. For many this might have been the perfect thermal, but as my first cloudbase experience.. a bit nerve wracking. I write to say it was reassuring knowing that the reflex would stabilise the wing , giving the confidence to use full speed bar to get the %#$& out of there. Cheers, Chris

'Roger that' Over. Cheeers Paul

As I'm on my way to sunny Spain very soon here is a taster video of the 2007 event with a few familiar faces on it. http://www.dailymotion.com/sevillaparam ... ebla_sport Peter- as Las Candelas isn't far from where your January http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/eaglegeni ... anuary2008 - maybe in 2009 we should try to combine something? Cheers Paul

Norman, Thanks for another informed posting. Is this the sort of thing/event they (you?) train for in a simulator as a team? Cheers Paul

Thanks Martin for that very happy memory At night (cooler air?) it was the best/worst noise I've heard and drowned out all the other cars, even the thunder like Aston.Assuming all the heat is generated in the middle, can you still air cool a wankel engine? Wearing a radiator full of boiling water would be a shame. Also, although 4 stroke, do they still need oil in the petrol? Cheers Paul

I just checked mine and BOTH SIDES WERE LOOSE - one side needed 3/4 turn and the other 1 1/2 turn to tighten. PLEASE CHECK regularly! I'm sure there must be a solution to reduce the risk of them undoing and a modification that would make them undoing in flight a non-event. All thoughts and ideas welcome. After I heard that the fatal accident last year may have been 'bolt' related, I did a hang test and after removing the bolt and was shocked that all the motor/pilot weight transferred to one side. Until then, I'd assumed the harness strap would take the weight and balance it. I did some experiments and ended up adding two climbing rope straps from the carabineer to the swing arm. I suggest others do a hang test before and after taking the bolt out. This will give you a good idea of the consequence, and one hell of a reminder to pre-flight check them. Cheers Paul

I have just read one post encouraging people to try stuff that will add extra G loading and another post/thread about loose 'hangpoint' bolts. Join them together and we 'virtually' replicate the situation that killed someone on a low hangpoint machine in 2007. This official investigation results are not out yet, but one likely cause is the extra G caused a loose bolt to fail, then harness took the motor/pilot weight on one side making it turn so tight that it would not recover. Please do a hang test before and after taking the bolt out. This will give you a good idea of the consequence, and one hell of a reminder to pre-flight check them. Sorry if this upsets anyone, but I'd rather do that than risk losing another good pilot. Cheers Paul

Is anyone else interested in a trip to warmer weather and cooler beer? I'm hoping to join the group that went in 2006 and 2007 on their February 2008 flying trip to Las Candelas in Spain. http://www.lascandelasparamotores.com/ is the place. There is a competition near, but we are not competing! Transport is being arranged - to can get our wings and motor there for around £120 Flights - just looked and they are only 1 pence (£0.01) from Stansted to Seville or £70 Bristol to Malaga plus tax? Probable dates are out Evening Thurs 31st Jan and return Mon Feb 4th. Let me know if interested. Cheers Paul

Norman, When I was born, Bath was in Somerset, so you can count me in Let me know when you are hoping to fly (or just beer) and I'll try and meet up. Cheers Paul

Did I miss this December trip while away or are people still on for it in January? Cheers Paul

Pete, Have a word with Jim on the Lemmings site as I'm sure the Jabba 1 I saw at Paramania last April was a Simo in a Parajet macro cage. He might have some tips on setting up the prop and the motor, as I know he did lots of thrust testing with various props to improve the economy over his original Parajet (that i think Stu? now owns). Cheers Paul

During our lazy holiday in the Rum, I thought about the trip and jotted down the people I know across the country that may be helpful. Great and slightly spooky to get back and see the first two are already involved - all power to the forum! Our brains must work South to North Cheers Paul People Richard from Cornwall - is a paramedic in their air ambulance, who fixed my foot at a flyin He may be interested as he's flown a few long distance flights/days across France, Scotland and Cornwall. If nothing else, be a great contact to smooth a great 'flying' reception for the charity cheque. Dan from Exeter - is a professional camera man - mainly underwater for TV, but a growing amount from his paramotor. He's also flown across France and in Scotland. Brian from near Glasgow - his day job is travel and oil rigs. He's a big heart and access to a local flying club. Andrew from near Glasgow - is a doctor who takes amazing photographs of Scotland and as you can see has flown across Scotland http://www.1photo1.com/, so has local knowledge. Gary from Inverness - is a fruit wholesaler and helped me find flying sites in Scotland for a holiday. I think he drove the first van/lorry across the bridge to Skye, so he also has loads of local knowledge. John from Shetlands - is a professional photographer and has travelled to the Homegrown in Wales, so it would be a change for him to meet people coming towards him. Maybe he could arrange a Shetlands extension for those that reallly want to do it?There are some others in Scotland, but so far I cannot remember their names. Location Pie and Peas on the North York Moors is the best location I've flown (just winning over Dartmoor) and it near enough to Paul Haxby and many others so it could be worth a detour.

This is a great idea and something I will get involved with. Think bigger (I never thought I'd say that to Simon... Every year hundreds of people must do the Tip to Tip by various means. Could we offer them a home and/or branch sites to help/share routes and knowledge. A map with everyone's progress would be cool and potentially popular making it attractive to corporate sponsors. Something like http://www.landsendjohnogroats.info/ on steroids. Should it be a few weeks earlier, near the end of term. Most schools are winding down and the teachers may value this trip to keep their kids interested. Seeding some aviation, engineering and adventure may stimulate the next Giles? How about adding another charity? Botham walked the route for leukaemia. The UK's leading children's cancer/leukaemia charity is http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/Aboutchildhoodcancer Meeting some of these kids and their families, making them smile while helping them, would be the business and make it real. Sorry if this confuses things... I just wanted to get my thoughts out before they are lost on coconut airways... Cheers Paul

If your chosen weeknd is blown out. I'm a yes if after the xmas party weekend. Maybe Farmer Dave will join you/us and arrange another pub landing? Cheers Paul

I can't prove it's not a myth, but I think the wording of the original UK Foot launched UK rule was partly due to some creative person in the US. version. Something like... a normal looking aircraft with a floor opening in the cockpit area. Then using leg force to lift it for a second on a very very steep windy slope to launch it once. Then they fixed the floor and it only ever rolled from then on. Personally, after seeing trikes/quads fail on anything other than flat smooth grass, kind wind conditions and in expert hands - I'm in no rush to try one until my body tells me I have no choice. Cheers Paul

Hi Norman, I also use this FREE site and software as a perfect reminder of happy trips and a simple way of sharing them on a map. My tracks http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/user/watworld are from the cheapish garmin forerunner wrist watch. It is small enough to take on different activities, the screen size isn't a problem as I usually only look at it when I'm back home. To encourage you to subscribe, the free version will only show you the last 10 tracks when you are logged in, but luckily if you go to the index without logging in, you can see them all Looking at my index format, yours is http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/user/paramotorclub1 Cheers Paul

Hi Francis, Sorry if I'm mis-reading this, are you saying that your Parajet has had only 10 hours of use and that it has needed more than one factory maintained visit/service? I'm a fellow Parajet owner and now wonder if I've been missing some servicing? I do pre and post flight checks of cage, motor, wiring and harness. Cheers Paul

Another video that's on google added to youtube. All the footage is from an early open day. Can anyone name the people flying and the music? I think Ben is the prop tickler and Andy the puller Cheers Paul

No can do I'm not back from a big wedding anniversary holiday until the Sunday Any airline pilots flown the route ? Cheers Paul