AndyB

Wouldn't it better (faster) to go the other way?

If anyone is interested, I am planning a flying trip across southern France and then Spain end August. I am already flying for a week with a group from 24 to 31, starting in Northern France and ending up in the Alps. I am then planning to fly the following week at various locations between there and arriving at my place in Puerto De La Duqesa on 8 Sep. If anyone is interested there are lots of options. You are also welcome to stay a while in south of Spain after 8 Sep for more flying. Andy

I use Garmin Fortrex (the cheper one, not the ballistic one for gun nuts)....brilliant device for your wrist.

I agree with some of your points, but not these: - Prop noise is substantial at cruise to climb rpm. Elec RC planes are VERY noisy. - VERY likely to fail suddenly and with no warning. Also, most likely to fail during climb out at full power.....exactly when it will be most dangerous. My experience of RC planes is that they fail without warning, usually at full power. And they will fail. And you have no way of checking anything to know when! I have a 1/3 scale plane in about 100 pieces after an esc failure! - A petrol paramotor could also be designed to fold up in seconds. This is not unique to elec. - Lightweight? I estimate 16 kg of battery for 20 mins? That weighs more than my petrol machine with just 2 litres in it. I think elec is really great and it is why I switched from petrol to all elec RC planes in 2000. I find two big advantages of it - it is clean and it always starts first time. The two big issues are battery weight (ie heavier than the petrol equivalent for a 20 min flight) and the failure mode being sudden and at full power.

http://gpsinformation.net/main/altitude.htm

You don't need to set pressure when using the phone apps.....as they don't use pressure. They calculate position using the satellite GPS signals.

I have a small mirror on one of those retractable strings. But, I rarely use it as I know I use 4.1 litres/hour....so just need a watch.

A little scary how close the prop gets to that person in the final turn. Beats using it on your bike!

I have over 100 RC elec planes in my garage. There are 20 of these with motors of 7 kw or more. From experience and maths, I can tell you within seconds how long any battery will last. My paramotor is 26 hp or 19.5 kw. Level flight is at more than half power, but I am big, so let's call it 10 kw. The best LiPo batteries can store 260 watt hours per kg ie. they will run at 260 watts for 1 hour and weigh 1 kg. So 1 kw for an hour would need 4 kg of batteries. And my 10 kw motor would need a 40 kg battery. This is why you find elec flight times of half an hour, because they limit them to 20 kg of battery!!!!! So until battery technology makes another leap, elec paramotors will be heavy and of limited flight time.

Maybe, but I was assuming it would not take too much force to get into the seat and the legs (me), the bar of the speed bar and the seat board hold the sides apart. I'll try it on the hang test first!.......I have overhead beam and chain block in my garage.

I was actually wondering if my speedbar would do the job. When it is not connected to the risers I always loop the free ends back across the middle and attach them to each other. Hence it can only pull out a little as it takes up the bit of slack.

Thanks Andy. I was beginning to think only I had the problem!

Took me 31 hours form Spain to home yesterday. From Madrid to Bilbao -5 degrees, had 4" of snow, but there were literally dozens of snow ploughs/gritters out. 1350 miles from Spain to Calais in 23 hours. Then of course we have the Uk. Eight hours to do just 300 miles and less snow than in Spain. It would seem to me that the UK don't have gritters. I did not see a single one. I did narrowly avoid a policeman on the A1(M) who bravely tried to flag me down on a steep downhill. He jumped out the way as I slid past. Just round the next bend, still sliding, the central reservation was destroyed and 6' in the air. An artic lorry was protruding from the trees on the left and lying across most of the road. I just managed to slither through a small gap covered with debris! Back in Teesside. Nearly a foot of snow and still coming down.

Done that But still cannot get into seat without a little help. I am rather tall. Not only 192 cm (6' 4"), but I have short legs and long body! The shoulder straps are fully adjusted loose. When sat seated they are a nice loose fit. However, with cold weather gear (jumper, flying suit) on they are not loose. I have tried leg strap tight, loose and in-between. I think the next step might be a foot stirrup someone mention to use heel to pull the seat into place.

Duquesa beach, Spain. Wind had shifted and I was having to land between the lamp posts of the boulevard.

Not often I get a video of me landing. Yesterday a handy tourist gave me their footage..... VID-20180225-WA0005.mp4