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Dragonphotographic

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Posts posted by Dragonphotographic

    Precise wing copies.

    in Wings. 'Paramotor wings'

    Posted

    When you have a population of a billion or so who's average wage is about a tenner a day you can make most things happen quickly.

    However, ya pays peanuts, ya gets monkeys!

    There was a certain kite manufacturer who decided to have their designs made in China. Their returns dept has never been so busy!

    Dragon's Training Blog

    in Paramotor Training Blogs

    Posted

    Mon 30th June. Dave's Place

    I have to 'fess up. The spill I had with Simon's 12m training wing on Saturday left me badly bruised and in quite a bit of pain. If that's what a 30mph gust does to a small training wing, thank God I wasn't strapped in to anything bigger!

    My confidence took a hell of a nosedive at just after 6am sunday when I was kiting with Dave's Atis2 and lost my footing and landed again on my left knee and side, making everything even worse.

    To cap it all, I now find out that we left just before Sal and Bill turned up with strawberries and cream!!!

    Simon gave me a PMC T-shirt just before we left which I was really chuffed about. However, because I know he doesn't usually 'issue' those unless you have made your first flight, I haven't worn it yet. They are for real pilots.

    Anyway, with confidence at a low, and with bruises coming out it looked like the T-shirt was going to languish in my drawer for quite a while.

    That is, until I picked my youngest girls up from school this afternoon. As I stood in the playground among the chavs at one end with their corned beef legs cased in Lycra and the posh at the other end all yapping about red wine with Pizza, I spotted a lone paraglider overhead desperately looking for the merest hint of a thermal. I watched him/her for a good ten minutes and my mind was up there as well. I know the area well so I was willing him to turn west to get the thermal off the quarry ridge, or east and catch the heat rising from the A38. If all else failed go a little further west and rise the cloud of methane from the landfill!! None of this seemed to work so then I transmitted a thought to him saying "FFS, Just buy a bloody motor"

    At this point I rang Dave to see if he was planning to go up tonight. At least I'll get some good photos I rationalised to myself.

    Just before 5pm he rang me to say he was going flying, and that Alistair his mate was going to come over as well. Half an hour later, I was the first to arrive in the field where a nice southerly breeze was blowing at a steady 6-8mph. This would actually be the first time I have experienced such stable conditions since I started, so out came the Arcus and I got in a good half an hour of pleasant kiting.

    By the end of that Dave and Alistair had arrived, so too had Simon, another PAP flyer I'd met before. They were soon set up and ready. The plan was to fly southwest towards one of my favourite places on Dartmoor. I felt the longing to fly surge back with a vengance as I watched them take off in turn and head towards one of my most beloved places on Earth!

    Dave had left the wing I'm buying off him for me to play with, and also his Walkerjet motor. I hadn't kited with a motor on yet, so I thought "What the hell?" Here, alone in the field, no-one could see me if I F****ed it up again :wink:

    After the initial feeling of weight, what followed was, for me, something a bit special. Before too long, I was doing forward launches without a problem, then the wind picked up to a heady 11mph so even a couple of reverses went smoothly. I bobbed down the hill at half brake, hardly even noticing the motor at all.

    At this point one of Dave's neighbours and his son turned up. I gathered the wing and strolled back up to the top of the hill to where they had parked next to our cars/vans. I must have had a big smile on my face because one of the first things he said was "You looked like you were enjoying that. Have you just landed?"

    I chatted with them for a good 20 minutes while I packed the wing away after kiting it first to make sure everything was straight and not tangled up. I even strapped them in turn in to the Walkerjet and showed them the technique of standing up with it.

    Having been a salesman of some sort or another for most of my working life I know enthusiasm sells. I must have been bubbling because by the time we spotted the boys returning they were both asking where the nearest school was, how much it costs, what is the syllabus etc etc etc.

    As the boys in turn made perfect landings, I caught myself saying "That's going to be me soon"

    Somehow, these bruises don't seem significant now. And the beer I'm enjoying as I write this tastes somehow sweeter.

    Paramotor Club Party FLY IN. 29th June 08

    in Events

    Posted

    Not long been back from the event myself. Great time had by all.

    It seems my dream of flying is to take a little longer. 4 unflyable days (for a novice) in a row!

    Thanks to Sally-Anne and Bill for their fabulous hospitality.

    I have uploaded just a few of the pics from the weekend. Among them Pete trying out his new FT and struggling with the power :wink:

    Also, Either Dan has found a novel way to mount a reserve, or his leg straps are far too tight!

    More to follow, maybe after Top Gear, but more likely tomorrow

    Thanks again all, you are withoubt doubt the best bunch of folks it's ever been my privelege to not fly with! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    Local Lad's Return

    in Lancashire Branch

    Posted

    I'm currently sat in a small room on campus at Lancaster UNI. There are 900 years of my ancestors scattered in graveyards between here and Liverpool!

    I was born in Preston and brought up in Blackpool so I know this area very well.

    It was not until I scrounged a Heli flight with an old mate of mine tonight that I realised what a fantastic place this would be to fly a paramotor!

    Between Preston and the south lakes area, you have the most stunning coast, with most of it being public beach. One or two sensitive areas around Barrow of course, but otherwise, as long as you avoid the quicksands of Morcambe Bay, you are fine! If you fancy some dune flying what about the Ainsdale Desert near Southport? i know it's technically in Merseyside now, but it was still in Lancashire when I lived there :wink:

    On top of that, the glorious hills east of Chorley heading towards the Pennine Way. Lot's of open common without the usual restrictions by 'Commoners' and best of all, the Trough of Bowland, just North of Preston.

    This should give the Lancs guys something to think about. Highly recommended are flights over Lancaster, Cockermouth, Glasson Dock and Heysham. Just watch the skydiving site at Cockerham and the Heliport serving the rigs out of Heysham.

    All of which is easily accessible via the M6.

    I :D have to come back here again in September, with any luck I'll be bringing my motor with me

    Open Caribiner

    in Safety Matters

    Posted

    I know they are supposed to be foolproof, but obviously not idiot proof!

    Wonder if he ties his reserve on with baler chord?

    Expanding on the thought process theme, if this was you, would you make it public? :D

    Dragon's Training Blog

    in Paramotor Training Blogs

    Posted

    The Henge

    Spent most of the morning on the phone to potential sponsors. Wasn't really getting anywhere so when Norman 'pinged' me on Skype it was very soon arranged to meet up at Cartgate roundabout diner and head off to the henge for some kiting.

    Whilst at the diner I learned that the CAA half mil maps are great 'cos you can wipe off any brown sauce s*removed by admin* easily. Thanks for the egg and bacon butty Norman :D

    The Henge is still pretty badly cut up from the disastrous "Sunrise Festival" a couple of weeks ago. What they didn't show on the news was that the 10,000 hippies not only had to contend with the resultant mud bath of the downpour, but also the contents of 'The Lagoons' as they overflowed. I bet none of them were extolling the virtues of organic farming THAT day! :lol:

    Anyway, the wind was slight and blowing from the south. I had been hoping for a little more breeze so I could show off the new kiting skills learned from Bill Heaner, but it wasn't to be.

    I tried a reverse launch when the wind hit about 3-4 knotts, but it wasn't long before the rutted field and the fickle wind put an end to that.

    Nothing else for it, forward launch practice time.

    My fitness level has improved a lot since my first attempts, I have also gone from 103KG to 95KG, so three consecutive forward launches were 150 yards+ each, and pretty much spot on. Found myself wishing I had a motor!

    Not long now :D:D:D:D:D

    Dragon's Training Blog

    in Paramotor Training Blogs

    Posted

    Dave's Place

    Bit of a frustrating day today. Got to Dave's field where the wind was blowing 5-9mph westerly, well, that's what my anenometer and compass were telling me!

    The windsock was saying very different things.

    In reality, the steady, if very fickle wind was only in one spot, and every now and again rotor from the big Poplar trees would mess even that up.

    In the next field along, Dave measured 23MPH+ so of course any flying was ruled out.

    Had some fun honing the kiting using direct control with weightshift and risers, kept the wing going for a good 15-20 minutes until the rotor nearly tipped me over. I was quite pleased with myself, especially when I saw Jack, a very much more experienced pilot do exactly the same not long after. (Allbeit with a much bigger wing).

    Legs aching again now, and I also have a few bruises where the harness on the Flat Top caught me a couple of times as I tried to master standing up with it on. Once the lumbar supports etc had been re-adjusted things were a lot easier.

    Bill and Jack, it was a pleasure to meet you guys. Have a safe journey home, and thanks for your patience and guidance :D

    Very Dodgy looking Auction

    in General paramotor discussion

    Posted

    The reason Ebay outlawed Western Union a number of years ago is this chap can walk into any WU office anywhere in the world, quote the transaction number and walk away with the cash.

    Two suggestions here.

    1: forward a copy of all mails so far to spoof@ebay.co.uk

    2: Do the same to AOL, they will have his real address and will close his account

    The Police, as in so many things are completely useless with these , despite what they would like you to think, Now if he was a motorist thinking about phoning someone on his mobile, he'd probably get life!

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