ian5708

14 hours ago, DavidG4 said:

And for info, aircraft on the ILS will be following a 3degree glide, as someone said...but that equates roughly to 300ft per mile.  So expect aircraft at 300/600/900/1200/1500 etc at 1/2/3/4/5 miles.  Further than that and they'll be lined up at c 2000ft out to a usual max of 10nm. as you see it night at Gatwick etc. Using that info you can plan how to cross the ILS.  

If you see big aircraft at 10nm or less heading at right angles to the ILS you can probably make plans on the assumption that they will turn into the localiser..

 

REMEMBER too that aircraft close in will be configured. Thus they will be making more wake turbulence. 

 

Fun this, innit???

 

I cant wait to actually fly a ppg...

 

Out of interest...how much wake.does a ppg leave??

 

 

Thanks for the supplied information David. It is quite an old post now and I have made a conscious decision just to avoid this corridor out of common sense for maintaining good separation. 

In relation to paraglider wake, I have done 360 degree flat turns and slow exits out of spiral dives nd have encountered my one wake, which does redult in a bump and a flutter of part of the wing. 

I have taken assymetic collapses flying through the wake if wings in front of me, but it shouldn't be a big deal if one has a suitable wing for their experience and ability to deal with deflations. Thanks again. 

Andy, does AXA insure equipment and provide 3rd party insurance for £140 or both? 

To suppliment Simon's post here is a good article explaining more and more importantly,  how to set your altimeter http://c-aviation.net/altimeter-and-altimeter-setting-procedures-learn-to-fly-5/

On 31/03/2018 at 02:58, paulg18 said:

I've had one of these for a few years now, great little bit of kit. 

Skywatch Xplorer 4

Thanks for your suggestion Paul. I've just won one on ebay for £35. ??

Hi Tony,  

Thanks for sharing the video.

I hope you don't mind a comment or two.

First of all, you really need to take a full wrap given the length of you brakes.   I used to do sats on a freestyle glider with acro handles similar to your and I would wrap so my hand initiating the turn was above the toggle.  This is because once the glider drops horizontal as you are looking at it you need to pull more and you hand was just too low. I'm not sure you would be able to pull enough and hard enough to enter a SAT with your hand so low.  Saying that, I've never flown the Viper so I dont know and don't know if you have done a SAT before. (Also, your right leg needed to be across your left and you need to brace the right riser with your right arm. I can't see whether you were doing that.) 

This caused you to enter a spiral dive which is ok when practising SAT's.  It better to enter a spiral than spin the glider.

The reason for the cravat was due to a very fast uncontrolled exit out of the spiral and the climb and subsequent pendulum and surge.

With regards to dealing with and removing the cravat, then pulling the stabilo line or 'the loose line' would have most likely removed it.

My advice would be to practice controlled entries and exits of tight 360's and exiting on a pre determinind heading.  As you become more proficient at a controlled exit, then you can gradually increase the speed of rotaion in the turns until you get towards a nose down spiral dive and can exit slowly with some opposite weight shift while releasing the inside brake and perhaps introducing a little outside brake beforeapplying inside brake again to steadily bleed off the speed and then exit on the heading without any exit climb and surge.

The best place to learn SAT's is on an SIV course over water ideally.  

4 hours ago, admin (Simon W) said:

We do not offer cover via AXA

We have our own insurers who are underwritten by Lloyds of London. But yes, we can offer 3rd party insurance to those who have training / can fly and have the required base knowledge. 

Link to our insurance company: http://www.alan-thomas.co.uk/paramotor-insurance

SW

Thanks for the information Simon. Maybe once I get my motor launches dialled I'll do a PPG conversion course with you or a school so that I have a UK rating. 

Thanks Alan

On 28/01/2018 at 01:12, The80s said:

Does anyone with a Spyder have any feedback for how it handles acro, such as SATs and wingovers and other high-G maneuvers? Considering I will probably need a bigger wing in the 24 - 28m range, I'm wondering how such a big thing will handle this stuff, which I will inevitably want to do.

Hi, I realise this is quote an old thread now but I would recommend that you download the Spyder manual from the ozone website. It clearly stakes that the glider is not designed for acro and high G manoeuvres are not recommended or words to that effect. I'm getting a spyder soon and have done SAT's on other gliders but I don't think I would want to do one on a Spyder. https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.flyozone.com/pdf/PPG/spyder/Spyder_manual_EN.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjjttejybTaAhUMLI8KHe3mBXQQFjAAegQIABAB&usg=AOvVaw0A-6s8Yy1ZBHs7I--GBxVS

Fly Spain have a good reputation and sell a range of equipment at very good prices. They sell Parajet and Miniplane units and Ozone gliders. 

The CFI/owner Rob is very experienced, knowledgeable and a friendly approachable guy.

Hi, 

I'm soon to be entering the world of PPG in the UK. I have a background as a Commercial PG tandem pilot and was a PG instructor l, both jobs were in New Zealand. I will be staying with my parents and friends  in the UK and would like to get my gear insured, mainly for theft and fire.  I don't think it would be an option under my parents house contents and would like a policy of my own ideally. 

Also who would insure me for 3rd party liability? I have no formal PPG training and have no desire to join the BHPA and don't want to have to do a PPG course and obtain a UK rating. 

Thanks for the info Kevin. I don't have a radio yet but I should  get one and do the radio course. 

If it's no breaching any rules by flying near or even in it I may well have cause to briefly, albeit at low altitude,  500-1000 just to get to the other side of it. 

I note that the Legend text does state pilots are strongly advised to contact ATC if going in or near it. 

That would be well below the controlled airspace above 4500'.

27 minutes ago, AndyB said:

The more bothersome air-space restrictions are the solid thin black lines. I live inside the pink airport over Darlington/Middlesbrough, so I fly on the Cleveland hills.  That black line is a NOTAM. Clicking on it says "area of intense aerial activity, surface to FL190". Just after flying Monday, two Eurofighters came skimming over the hill!!!! They are based in Teesside airport and often fly here. 

What online chart are you using just out of interest? Runway HD?  I'm going to be flying down in Cornwall and I don't want to have any close encounters with any low flying jets from RAF smSt Mawgan or Culdrose! ?

35 minutes ago, AndyB said:

The dashed cone you refer to is not even shown on the UK air-charts that I use!

This is a good guide.....   https://www.bfgc.co.uk/VFR_Guide.pdf

 

Yeah my map is a 2017 1:250,000. Thanks for the link to the guide Andy,  it's very useful. 

Simon W, in your instructor capacity, can you clarify whether I'm OK to fly in or within 10 nm of this corridor? I see that you liked Andy's post but the Legend on the chart may suggest that the zone may have restrictions that I 'should' adhere to.  I ask as I am uncertain. 

I've just found this on the Legend which refers to the chevroned corridor to which u refer as an IAP.  I note that it says any pilot intending to fly within 10nm of this IAP symbol are strongly advised to contact the aerodrome!

This would have a huge effect on where I should fly if I have to keep 10nm away.

Thanks for your help Andy. ?

The dotted circle is an ATZ(aerodrome Traffic ZONE)  which go from surface to 2000'.

Im not sure what the outer airspace is which you refer to (2000-4000)?

To the east of Coventry ATZ is the Daventry CTA A 4500'+

4 hours ago, coolhand said:

I am using my Suunto Ambit Peak 3 for quite some time, easy to use, great battery life and good readability. When compared to secondary GPS units the Ambit is spot on.

Unfortunately the AP3 is discontinued, however can still be found online.

Second Pro is that it can also be used for navigation with scrolling displays showing exactly what you want (speed, height, trackback etc.). One thing it cannot is show your groundspeed versus direction, meaning are you flying backwards or not

Yeah, I've seen these cool hand. They also have a hrm which would be useful when at the gym. This might be a good open for me. 

I've seen no sign of them being obsolete. As you have said they are readily available online, on amazon UK and eBay UK.

I have got an airspace map for the Coventry and Warwickshire area where I live. 

I can see that there is a decent size area I can fly in to the East of Coventry airport below the CTA of 4500'.

On the map there is a black chevroned area which I think is an instrument flight Procedures 'zone' with a radio beacon. (see attached picture and area in question marked with a red arrow.)

I want to know if I am allowed to fly in or near to this area below 4500'? 

It's obviously the main runway approach into Coventry airport and not somewhere I would particularly choose to spend any time flying in but I wanted to be clear of of the rules. 

Thanks, Ian

4 hours ago, paulg18 said:

I've had one of these for a few years now, great little bit of kit. 

Skywatch Xplorer 4

Hi Paul, I had the skywatch 2 for wind speed and temp. I thought it was a quality piece of kit. It can be useful for establishing air speed also. 

Do you calibrate it regularly for altitude? If so, where do you source the local airport QNH/QFE measurements from? 

2 minutes ago, allrightscud said:

I use the PPGPS app and an old Sunto X lander. Perfect combination. I would say though, that 4500 feet is high and unless your an altitude junkie most of the fun had in a PPG is had no where near as high. I'm very rarely above 2000 feet, unless I'm flying over higher ground. I don't see the need to fly at the allowable ceiling. I have a flight deck with a battery pack in it to re charge my phone, but since I've upgraded my phone the battery lasts for at least 2 hours whilst running PPGPS. its Velcroed to the deck and the only time I've had problems reading my display is just before dusk and I've forgotten to take my sun glasses off. You can super impose air charts I believe onto PPGPS as well, but I've not tried that yet. I have a HTC u11 without a barmometor pressure sensor, my PPGPS only works off GPS signal but found it to be perfectly adequate comparing it to my sunto.

Thanks for your post allright. Yeah I have no real desire to fly anywhere close to that ceiling and I think I will be doing alot of my flying at or below 2000'. The altimeter will be crucial to ensure I'm above 1000' over congested areas, towns and villages and over 500' when flying over buildings vehicles and people. 

Good to get your feedback on the ppgps. I'm currently looking at the Suunto Core which I think has superseded the  X-Lander. 

33 minutes ago, dantheman said:

Suunto X-Lander watches are cheap and accurate

It looks like these have been discontinued now Dan and the Suunto Core had taken its place. 

Hi all, 

I'm a long time lurker and PG pilot who has done a lot of commercial PG flying and PG instructing in New Zealand. 

I'm returning to the UK in May and I have an Ozone Spyder on order and I will be placing my order for an AC Nitro very soon. 

I will want to get into the air ASAP and will certainly want to avoid controlled airspace. I already have an airspace map for my area Coventry/Warwickshire and there is quite a big area I can fly if I stay under 4500'.

At some point in the future I will want to get a flight deck with some kind of moving map setup like one of the modified kobos with airspace maps and a barometric altimeter and GPS installed, that's if these are still the units regarded as decent. 

However, in the mean time I was something small, maybe wrist mounted unit that will give me an accurate altitude. 

I have a couple of android phones, one is a Samsung S7 which has a built in pressure sensor which I might try but I'm aware of the difficulty with reading the display in direct sunlight and the need to have it connected to a battery bank to maintain charge on longer flights. 

I have installed the android app 'ppgps' which looks pretty neat and also the 'accurate altimeter'  app. 

Would this phone set up be OK and practical or can anyone suggest some kind of inexpensive altimeter that I could use in the early days and then utilise as a back up later on? 

I don't want to buy a vario/Altimeter unit which I once had for pg. 

I'd welcome some advice. 

Blue skies,

Ian

On 12/11/2016 at 09:57, admin (Simon W) said:

I guess, if your looking at new kit with a warranty it would come down more to what the after sales service is like, what the parts delivery times are like, and so on. 

Any half decent bike shop will be able to help for sure. It just boils down to spares availability after that. 

Overall though, it's not that difficult to 'work out' how to do most stuff with a 2 stroke engine over time.  And with the Top80 at least, you should only need to replace a few exhaust springs now and then

SW

 

Thanks for all your advice and experience Simon. 

On 14/11/2016 at 19:28, alan_k said:

Hi Ian, I am now in the West Midlands near Dudley so if you need any pointers then give me a shout.

I have been maintaining my old 2 stroke motor for more years than I care to remember, you would be very welcome to come over for a bit of a tutorial.

Have sent you a message.

Cheers,

Alan

Thank you so much for your kind offer of support Alan. People seem very friendly here.  I haven't yet got a motor and live between the UK and New Zealand and I'm leaning towards waiting until I get back there until I get one. From what I can gather,  transporting an engine on a plane as baggage can be a big headache and I do quite a lot of traveling enough back to NZ. Thanks again Alan and happy and safe flying.