AndyB

Cheers Simon. Having got APPI approved, I would have to jump through some unnecessary (no added value to me) hoops to get BHPA approved. The EU regulation has limitations specified. One is that is does NOT apply to " aircraft, including gliders, with an MTOM of less than 500 kg, and microlights, which are used for non-commercial purposes ". So this reg does NOT apply to trike launched PPG.

Not sure what you refer to Simon, but I think AXA do ensure trikes (for both PPG and microlight). Their insurance is here http://www.flugschulen.at/axa/english/. The European AXA policy accepts many different approved training qualifications. In the UK it has been narrowed to just BHPA. So if we insure through the UK the training has to be BHPA approved, whereas through AXA Austria (or other European countries), APPI and many other programmes are accepted. AXA accept APPI certification and APPI has a trike training programme. I will double check with AXA before I go trike training! Thanks.

Tony, it was zero wind...that's why we left it to the youngest in our group to have a go

AXA do provide insurance for PPG. DO they not do trike as well?

Skyschool do trike training. I am considering it this summer.

The accident report says the wing was rated B with no speed system and at lower loading ie for pg. The design was then modified for PPG, speed system added and higher weight loadings stated. With the speed system engaged the wing became D rated. BUT.....they never bothered to get the wing rated in the new configuration and weights!!!!!!! Also, the guy was carrying a GPS which showed nice smooth turns and climbs/decents right to the point where he fell out of the sky vertically from 150 feet. A drop of 9 seconds and no reserve deployment. They suggest a wing collapse occurred, that was not self-righting because it was D rated, and hence the guy didn't know what hit him.

My son makes it look easy...................

Wow, brilliant. I just did your whole flight looking backwards!!!! ......and a great view of your launch

The large wind turbines will leave considerable rota for a long way.....certainly more than a couple of fields! In your field near a turbine the downward speed of the rota, in the few hundred metres following it, will be about a third of the speed of the turbine blade!

As a learner still (flying 1 year) and usually flying on my own, it is hard to learn after being trained. I have been using books! It is still difficult to know what 'bumpy' is. Hence questions..... How bumpy can it get? How bumpy is OK? Is it just comfort thing? I fly in both thermal and wind shear conditions. I often fly during the day, especially off the beach when the sea breeze is going. But I enjoy going inland, over the mountains. In the Costa Del Sol heat, going over a big ploughed field is like the Oblivion ride at Alton Towers......up,up,up...arghhh....down! I have a vario that has clocked over it's max rise/fall a number of times (450 feet/min). I understand air flow round/over mountains well, so I don't go too near unless calm! I have flown in bumps that felt uncomfortable enough to turn round and re-trace route but the wing always looked fine. I'm big and my wing is big O2 28m. Any experience you have would be most appreciated. Cheers, Andy

Cool. My son used to say it was his dream job. Then he got a proper job (jealous pun intended) so I am left with a hoard of drones.

If you are into drones Simon.........I have flown RC aircraft for 40 years. After teaching my son in 2001 he then started building his own. Being young and wanting bigger challenges he started to build quad-copters - in the days before the word 'drone' was invented. I have an Aladin's cave of 'drones' at my house. He was also the pilot for a budding Chartered Surveyor locally who used to use him to film the roofs of places for inspection....thus saving all the cost of someone having to go up and look. He did a film very like the one you show above. When I built a house in my back garden I had an 80 tonne crane at full stretch lifting building stuff over the existing house. His film was a little like yours, with our town in the background and a view going up the crane jib! He can also fly drones VERY fast, much faster than a paramotor. Not so good for filming.....but also does the full set of tricks, loops, rolls etc! Next time I get the chance I am going to get him to fly backwards in front of me and I will chase the drone to see what we get.

I agree with you. I think I have been more driven by the fact that I cannot do many things easily (disease of back). I cannot stand up for very long with the machine on my back and I certainly can't run it at full power to warm it up (right leg weak from Caudia Equina). I also cannot pull the starter very well.....right arm not very flexible. Fine when my elec start works! I have been experimenting this past few days with starting on my back. It's not that bad! In fact it works quite well. The only way I can warm it up is to bend forward and rest my elbows on my knees to take the weight. This puts the prop horizontal and thrust straight down. With thrust down through my arms resting on knees, I can run on full power. Converted.......just need to learn the new routine!

I was trained to start my engine on the ground. The basic rule, don't start it until you are in a position to be able to hold FULL power. If you haven't adopted the "full power position" then this can happen. And I know it can be easy to forget things...but this was one thing I was taught never to forget. And a god job, because not so long ago I obviously didn't do pre-flight checks properly and my throttle clamp (the Parajet twist type) was tight. Hence I started it, with throttle pressed, and it stuck on full power!!!!!! How many people really do a thorough pre-flight check?

I forgot to delete the camera memory and it got full !

What can I say....but this looks fun.

Here is my favourite flying site on the Costa Del Sol....half hour North East of Gibraltar....

ps. best price LiPos usualy found here.... https://hobbyking.com/en_us/batteries/lipoly-all-brands.html

Just a warning.........I have used LiPos for 20 years. The saying always goes "never heard of one catching fire"....until one does. I nearly burnt a house down!

My launch strip on Costa Del Sol yesterday.......there is a big drop just over that right hand edge....and lot's of people!

and get a Bulgarian pop star to help you re-pack it

Great, love to see you! And as you are helping others understand how good retirement is.......I will join in Here is my apartment... http://www.novasol.co.uk/p/ean092

Hi, I spend 2 months Spain then 2 months UK, etc all year I go tomorrow, then due back in UK beginning July, as the weather is usually ok July/Aug here! Then back in Spain for Sept and Oct, then mid Dec to mid Feb. So prob miss you this time. I have Parajet/Thor 190 elec and Roadster 2, 28m .....it helps with being 6' 4", heavy and as I can't run too fast it makes getting off the ground easy in few steps. ps...love the hol list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just what I was thinking 2 days ago!

LOL. I am not very experienced, but I have to be able to launch very quickly (short distance). I can't actually carry the damm thing long as I have knackered back. However, the main issue is the sea. Most of the beach near where I live is quite narrow - about 40m flat then a 15 foot drop down another 30m into the sea! Landing is just as fun and I often do a couple of practice runs just to gauge the feel of it. In a low wind I land cross-wind. Haven't progressed to cross-wind take-off yet. If I drive a further 20 mins I could have a nice wide beach (150m flat!). But, hey ho, it focuses the mind on doing good take-offs/landings. There is also a gravel school car-park on the top of a hill I did use for a while. This is 50m long (in wind direction...wind nearly always off the sea) but only 20m the other way. I learnt that gravel is horrible when you stick an elbow in it and after an operation to extract the 27 pieces of gravel that sealed themselves inside, I stick to nice grass and sand now. I will do some vids in Spain next week.