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gordon_dunn

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Posts posted by gordon_dunn

    Drone flying in to Paraglider pilot.

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    On 10/7/2016 at 11:02 AM, Steve said:

    I had one very close to me a couple of years ago. It wasn't random, it was being flown towards me and followed my attempts at avoiding it - I guess because the person flying it thought it would be cool and that maybe I'd think it was cool too. It was immensely stressful not taking my eyes off it whilst trying to lose it by putting it out of range of the controller - altitude and full trim downwind did it. It was only a few minutes but I swore then that I never want to encounter one of those things ever again.  

    If one comes near me when I'm flying, and it persistently follows, or tries to 'engage' then I'm going to 'take it down!'

    Revolt electric paramotor

    in Paramotors.

    Posted

    The've an interesting marketing angle.... almost as if paramotors have never existed before......
    And the 'alternative to car transport' is really a good stretch of the imagination....  Sorry for 'pi**ing* on their dream, but if they really want to make a revolution, they should be looking at the wing......

    Any idea what this is????

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    At last- finally got an answer to the question!!!!

    Got a response from Declan Coulter-  DAERA Forest Service- Northern Ireland.

    "Nice Pictures! The areas you have picked out are experimental plots of Poplar trees, planted in the early 1990’s. The very geometrical structures were for reasons of experimental replication, so results of growth measurements etc.  could be scientifically compared across different forests and geographical locations.

    Regards

    Declan Coulter

    Stewardship Forester"

     

    Any idea what this is????

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    Spotted this formation of trees a while back, and didn't pay too  much regard to it-    but recently discovered a few more of them.

    Its really bugging me now- I'm really trying to figure out what they are arranged in this pattern for.   Anyone I've asked so far, hasn't a clue- infact most people have been unaware of the patterns, as they are not so obvious from the ground.
    The one illustrated below is approx 110m x 70m, and the individual squares are around 18m wide.

    So far I've only seen them in Tyrone (Northern Ireland), has anyone else spotted them???

    9265445487_f5e2f26220_b.jpg

    • Upvote 1

    With or without visor?

    in Other

    Posted

    I find that I use the visor really only to stop the 'air in the face', and that when it's really sunny, just pop on a pair of sunglasses underneath.  At least then you've the option of taking them off during flight, and still remaining comfortable.  The visors can be lifted during flight anyway, but you can feel the increased drag when you do this.

     

    GD

    New Camera

    in Paramotoring Videos & Aerial photography

    Posted

    My trusted Canon G10 has just stopped working- its the classic lens gear failure, so beyond economic repair- can't complain as it's done me around 10 years service.

    My delema now is picking a replacement- obviously I do a lot of aerial PPG stuff, so it needs to be good quality, high resolution- but reliable and compact. I also use the camera for ground-based stuff, so want as many features as possible.

    So far i've shortlisted the Canon Eos 700D, Canon G7X and the Sony RX100 M2 (or 3).

    I'm reluctant to change from Canon, as I know them inside out, but heard a lot of good stuff on the Sony.

    The GX7 is a strong contender against the RX100, but a little more expensive.

    The Eos 700D is a different animal- not a compact, but a DSLR. While it's probably the most versatile, it will also be the most bulky- with 18-55mm STM lens set. In saying that it's probably the most robust, all-rounder...

    Anyone any experiences on this? Are DSLRs too bulky for PPG?, can they be operated by one hand?

    What ever i go for, I'll need to move soon on it.....

    GD

    propellers - carbon vs. wood

    in Paramotors.

    Posted

    Are carbon props heavier? I always thought they were lighter...

    Been using wooden props for 10 years +, and no inclination to change.

    Repairs and balancing on wooden props is very easy.

    Another point- you need to be careful with moisture ingression on wooden props.

    Always store them horizontally on the paramotor - otherwise moisture can migrate from one side to the other, and cause imbalance.

    GD

    Value Alert- Castrol Power 1 2T (aka TTS)

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    Just noticed this in the local ASDA at the weekend. Typically I'm used to paying anything between £10 and £14 for it, and it's not that widely available 'off the shelf' here- so I was very surprised to see it at only £5

    Checked their website and it does seem to be available nationally at this price- Bargain!

    http://groceries.asda.com/product/oils- ... 0002011583

    Needless to say- i've stocked up on a lot of oil!

    Re: Dragging a bit now ...

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    Weather is bad at the moment, and may seem to be getting worse- but may not be as bad as it seems.

    If the colder weather comes, high pressure sitting over the country- flying conditions will improve, and all this wet ground will freeze up and make it flyable again. Winter has good stable laminar air, usually without thermals- just as long as you can bear the cold!. On the other positive- the daylight length will progressivley be increasing from next Tuesday onwards...... Bring on the spring time!!!!!!

    Foyle Valley- Northern Ireland

    in Paramotoring Videos & Aerial photography

    Posted

    Nice pics!

    What`s the story behing the partially built bridge?

    No not partially built- but partially demolished. There used to be a railway that ran between Omagh and Londonderry, but it closed in 1965 (Beeching). The bridge that carried the railway over the river Foyle at this point was called 'Islandmore bridge'.

    The river at this point also marks the international border between Northern Ireland (UK) and the Republic of Ireland, and in an effort to prevent smugglers and terrorists using the bridge, it was dismantled in the 1970s. The bridge piers proved too difficult to uproot, therefore they have remained since, and will probably be there for the next 1000 years!

    The railway crossed the river via the bridge, and onto a two small islands on the river Foyle- Islandmore / Corkan Island, and then crossed the river Foyle again near a villiage in the Repulic of Ireland called 'Porthall'. May seem a strange route for the railway to take, but it followed the shortest and flattest route to Londonderry- and the railway was built before the political developments which led to the border being drawn in 1922.

    Location map

    01-Location.jpg

    Detail map

    02-Detail.jpg

    The Bridge at the north - From Corkan Island to Port Hall still remains for farm traffic.

    Foyle Brige-

    14996481539_8b13eb2c1a_c.jpg

    Porthall is the nearest villiage- and is named after the house- 'Port Hall'

    Built in the mid 18th century in the Georgian style, it was once owned by Anthony Marreco. Mr Marreco was Junior Counsel at the Nuremberg Trials at the end of World War II. He later became a founding director of Amnesty International. Port Hall is now a stud farm situated on the northern end of the village.

    Port Hall

    15074785677_9a134d47cf_c.jpg

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porthall

    On a personal level also, my Great Grandfather used to live on the Island.

    The ruins of the house are just about visible now from the air-

    3278761795_b291f64d2d_z.jpg?zz=1

    Bak-rak

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    Forgot to mention- the only thing missing from my setup there is the rear number plate- I've since added some clips to the bungee cord to secure the number plate to- just to keep things legal. I don't need additional rear lighting as, the main car lights are not obstructed by the cage.

    Here's an updated image of the new rack at work.

    Worked out very well- handier/lighter than the 'Easybase' and much stonger.

    21674816653_590774c083_c.jpg

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