AndyB

I haven't finalised anything yet. I was waiting to identify those interested then sort out what we fancy doing. I think 2 to 4 vehicles could work. More could get tricky in finding locations to stay. I have a car with a tent on the roof - like a camper van, but smaller and without all the facilities!

Looking good up here in the North as soon as lock-down starts.....

Might not be doing the full circuit. My aim is to fly just the best parts, which is mostly the west side. Also not planning to cross country with support drivers, but to take off/land from the same places. Was thinking probably a week.

I have also asked them for a rebate as a non-BHPA member. I pointed out that saying membership of BHPA is required, but it is an organisation that does not represent all ppg pilots and hence is unfair. They are considering what I said!

Lol. Maybe Stu could guide us for free so he can make sure we all behave!

Thanks Stu, appreciate the help. I fly the south of Spain usually, 4800' mountain by the sea next to where I take off. Only twice in 4 years have I ever managed to fly low over it as the wind is rough! My plan is to only fly the best bits of the NC500, so mostly the west coast. If you have any thoughts on "best bits" please let me know.

Have you joined the Paramotor Homemade page on FB? All these things are being done and discussed there.

Cool, I might be doing that one when no lurgy lurking around.

40Nm is about 4 kg hanging on a 1 meter wrench, which is quite plenty for a taper with under 30 hp on it. As for the grease or not......with grease the deviation in actual achieved torque is much smaller than the deviation in achieved torque without grease ie 40 Nm with grease could achieve say 35 to 38 actual but without grease it will be a bigger variation such as 30 to 38 actual. What is wanted is to be as close to desired as you can.

Was yhat the trip a few weeks back? I was wanting to do the Italy trip (just the week before when someone dropped out) but my wife would not let me because of the possibility of Italy joining the quarantine list. As she works form home it would affect her business. Then Italy joined the quarantine list!

Tapers usually don't have keys. If the nut is tight, they will not slip.

I am going to arrange places to fly and stay, with a flexible itinerary to suit the weather. Any number can come with some transport/tent/etc. Let's get a group together and then work out transport arrangements eg I can take one other (+kit) with me if you have own tent.

With some wind reverse is easy and after you turn around it is just like a forward! I don't do them simply because forward is easier, when you have learnt fully. Forwards just need sufficient practice that you can feel the wing as it comes up and be moving to the appropriate side without any hesitation ie moving sideways while still in the pulling wing up phase. Most people pull the wing up, then look at it, then adjust. Often it is too late for sideways adjustment by then - I can't look at the wing as my back is bent forward over 45 degrees. Practice forward launches, without looking at the wing and just feel what is going on.

That would be good Rich. Alan, that rule applies in all of the UK, but there is a lot of leniency. This site is good as a guide..... https://thegapdecaders.com/wild-camping-scotland-motorhome/

Will do Alan. I had a chat with Dan Burton, who flew all 500 miles this year - there is an article all about his trip in the latest issue of cross country mag. I don't want to fly the whole route as this needs back-up driver and also much of the route is not that scenic. I just want to fly the best bits and Dan said he will let me know where he thinks we should go. I have a roof tent for my car and my machine goes on a bike rack on the rear. Although I am disabled this allows me to go anywhere easily.

I am going to fly some of the best bits around the North 500 (the route around the North of Scotland) next year. I will be camping/flying. If anyone fancies joining me then get in touch.

Ouch, at least he was low! That incident was about 60 seconds after the heli flew by and the pilot flew just below the height of the heli. The downdraft will likely have dissipated (it doesn't last long) but the rotor vortex (due to the heli's forward speed) will still be rolling out....just the same as it would if an aircraft flew by.

Helimed 68 lives just 2 miles from where I fly, so I often see it. I think yours was plenty high enough. Good that you saw it.

Now you really worry me as you clearly do not understand engineering. An aircraft mechanic can ONLY fix things in a totally prescribed way. In particular aircraft mechanics are NOT allowed to do anything other than as prescribed by the manuals. One of the Discovery channel "seconds from disaster" follows an aircraft not repaired as per the manual....and it killed everyone on board.

That last reply shows how little you know. A mechanic is trained to do tasks in a prescribed manner. They have no training in engineering - which is the applied science of acquiring and applying knowledge to design, analysis and/or construction of works for practical purposes. Hence a mechanic does not have the skills to make any analysis on whether a structure is designed well.

My main issue is that I switch every few months between Nitro and Tornado. I had to learn to be careful!

I fly Tornado and have not had a problem with the throttle response. The only problem I ever had was applying power the same way I do it on my Nitro ie zero to full in a split second. Face plant time! It is so punchy the legs can't keep up. I do lots of beach flying at an altitude of around 1'. Again, I have no problem with throttle response. I was told the change to the head was to improve fuel usage for XC flying. Since I only usually fly 1 hour it does not affect me.

This is not a good explanation of reflex. Your air-speed on a paraglider is fixed by the weight that is dangling from it. Your speed is only altered by letting out the trims (lengthening the rear lines) and thus reducing the angle of attack, so the wing goes faster. Pushing speedbar pulls down the front A's, again reducing the angle of attack and hence increasing speed. Both of these are the exact opposite of what you say above. You have not explained at all how reflex works. That is why I asked if you really know. I also asked why you compared a reflex glider to a flying RC wing, when they are not in the slightest bit similar.

Why do you compare a tail-less rc plane to paramotor wing? They are completely different. The ppg wing maintains stability by virtue of the large not insignificant large weight dangling below it....like a pendulum, the weight always wants to stay below. It can wobble a little forwards and sideways, but naturally wants to hang down. I have over 100 RC planes and not one of them is even remotely comparable........except for my rc paramotor! All my flying wings have the CoG pretty much up in the centre of the wing. Are you sure you are understanding what a reflex wing is when referring to a ppg wing? Most people do not understand this.

You say reflex wings are "far less efficient" than paraglider wings. Reflex wings typically achieve GR of 9:1 and paraglider 9.3:1. Competition paraglider wings can achieve over 11:1, but are quite different and it would be like comparing an apple and an orange. My reflex wing flies level at 5400 rpm with trims in (best GR of 9:1). Trims fully out (GR 7:1) it needs 5750 rpm. The reason I say this is to show that between most efficient and least, the difference is not massive. A non-reflex wing will not be that much better than the reflex wing with trims in (9 compared to 9.3). Saying reflex wings need medium to high power and non -reflex need low to medium power, is just wrong. Now if you fly a competition paraglider wing with an engine, then good luck, because you will likely need it!....they are just not designed for the much higher angle of attack when under power.