t_andrews

laughing indeed, quite contagious that. Thanks for sharing that one. Grass stains well earned. Only bit I couldn't watch was the LE drag, however short it was. Looked gusty, but guessing slow trim settings by all the frontal action. Hope it was just stains and ego.

Scooter to 350bhp motorcycle analogies notwithstanding, the experience gained to be ready for a more dynamic wing is airtime. The more time in the air (and groundhandling) the more automatic becomes surge damping, roll control and countering inputs in general. The same applies to someone who has flown the hot rags and sat out of flying for years. Best to start slow and build up skills again (currency). Anyone could probably find a dealer and order a fusion, fly it with tentative paranoia and never have a problem but not use the wing as it could be used. Most dealers with an interest in pilot safety though will police the purchasing pilot's skill, airtime, experience in the interest of safety and repeat sales (by virtue of not killing off their patrons with a loaded gun, er, wing). Expecting a fusion to automatically right itself when a pilot spins it and throws their hands up as a 1-2 wing might do is not prudent. Not saying it won't (awaiting test results/manual...) just that expecting the same passive safety as a school wing is looking for trouble. Brake input pressures is just one part of this. From what I've seen the fusion has very dynamic and responsive roll, which can induce over correction / over reaction in an inexperienced pilot. Combine that with light brake pressures and a wing over can quickly become a recipe for spin, surge, cravatte, skidmark... A pilot could technically start on a fusion and with coaching/training grow into it very quickly, but that replaces pilot in control airtime with someone Else's experience and knowledge. The point of the recommended airtime is that the responses required to manage a dynamic wing are already natural when they are needed and the pilot has already tasted the outside of their safe wing's flight envelope. Y'know left that funny adrenalin taste... yum.

Less so with an intermediate wing. One way a wing is less a beginner wing and more for an intermediate pilot is that of feel at stall point. 1-2 wings are more likely to let you go further before they 'Let go" increasing brake pressure to that point as safety feedback to warn a pilot. An EN C wing like the fusion will be more progressive in feedback, but not necessarily higher input pressures, leaving the stall point more to the pilot to know where it is and how far they can take it. Passive safety removed for the sake of fluid performance as I understand it. generalization you shouldn't live by> This 1-2 behavior jives with my experience with half a dozen wings where effort was high to brake past stall (always on the ground although - see landing @ end - could well have been partially wind shadow/rotor from ridge as this was first or second landing at this site). The Fusion I've not had out in sufficient wind to say with conviction this is how it behaves, but every video I've seen and the forwards I've done offer no stall hard point as expected from beginner wing. Watch for the tips folding progressively into the classic stall horseshoe. The effect is the same, but the brake pressure does not ramp up like a beginner wing leaving a beginner going too far without the pressure they'd expect.Me @ 30 sec mark Simon's flare @ 1 min mark Eric @ 5 min, 5:39 - so smooth it's near hidden tho

Meds, and Pete b eluded to some of the things they check and the order. It is different for everyone's kit and ultimately changes as your kit does, or you change order of things to flow better. Like you say, the "odd" feeling only comes once the flow of checks is natural and regular and ultimately broken in sequence. No one can help with that but time, but that's why I suggested making a logically flowing list of checks and physically going through it. As you do, your order will change to enable efficiently checking and adjusting logic to fit your set up. Once it has settled and stops changing, all that's left is repetition to create the comfort when everything is ok. Taking the time to make a checklist, mental or paper and going through it five times or more to ingrain the act is prudent. Similar to putting your hand on your reserve handle for a few seconds prior to launch to visualize the act of throwing it. Sort of a "procedure memory" like muscle memory only more important. Bottom to top, top to bottom, or logical hook in order, due to the number of things that need checking beyond free flight - a modular list makes sense. Maybe start with the stuff you're used to, canopy, lines, risers, harness. check. Move to stuff you can't check when hooked in, prop, prop bolts, belt, remote choke, throttle travel/return, rubber blocks, wiring, hoses, Mounting nuts (paint for movement), cage, velcros, fuel amount/valve, etc Then the stuff on hook in, leg straps, reserve pins/shackles, biner gates, trim settings, speedbar stowed/connected, toggles, throttle, chest strap, vario, gps, etc Not a complete list, you're on your own for that in the absence of an instructor's guidance.

Are you sure this isn't simply pressurizing the inside of the wing? This happens back to front, establishing wing profile as I understand it (give or take some crossflow).

Glad you're smiling Simon, you should be, this spot's worthy of some pride. I usually keep my mouth shut and let folks rant and whine, since useful posts get lost in the noise, but expectations being properly managed here has created a forum full of (for the large part) respectfully humble pilots and those who aspire to be. Tis a rare thing on this global network and why I make the effort to dig up supporting links and such. This forum, like all others is only as good as it's posting members. One day I hope to share local skies with some of you I've only read until then. This thread reminds me of a story from a past life. Young employee in a hydroblasting (20k psi water jet cleaning) company got sent on a seminar to build his skills and bring some global knowledge home. This was early 80s in the US. The vets in the field were going over proper methods to manage a powered gun and bypasses and the like and all of their lances (gun lengths) were short enough that with one hand you could sweep over your own feet. While there were metatarsal (toe) guards in play then, no one had considered simply extending the lance to a length that made it impossible to shoot one's own toes... Until some young punk from Canada stood up among the vets and suggested it leaving everyone silent. Moral: Even experts can do it wrong for a very long time and every new perspective polishes technique. Well, something like that. Not saying runup training has been wrong all along, rather to keep an open mind and use your own time tested, adjusted with knowledge way to stay safe. It's never the same for everyone.

I like the reverse kiting, it is a challenge to do, but teaches you a lot about your wing. Stall for one, how full of dirt it was for two... One caution when trying that move as it is very easy to pop your wing if a gust noses the glider into the ground. Same goes for allowing it to nose into ground on landing...internal pressure goes wherever is easiest, seal the LE and oh dear. Best to try that one with a beater wing until you get used to doing opposite things with the brakes. ie. more brake raises the wing in a reverse config. I've added it to a playlist of GH youtube vids. Hopefully it will help someone pick up some tips and understand their glider better. Embedded - will play next video automatically: Url, so you can skip to next: I invite other good vids as this is a living list. Ground helicopters are one I'd like to see broken down in a video. Raul eludes to it when he spins the glider from reverse to forward. In this list (ground based): Big Ears tractor kiting (side drags) b-line management Safety riser use Parabatics (climbing stuff) Hopping (loading management) High wind wing management techniques and other stuff I forgot to notice Figured it would help me, so it may help you too.

The US doesn't have the 500' rule either - I wonder how many countries do for the microlight. Makes me cringe when I see folks chasing animals or scaring flocks on purpose wherever they are. We've had visitors from the US who cannot legally fly their PPGs in Canada, despite being more capable pilots then many of those who invited them. They were briefed on the air regs and asked nicely to respect them, but every day habits are hard to shed when on vacation. I was waiting for the phone call after they left, but it never came. whew. The size of our aircraft lets us get away with things that other pilots cannot, but it just takes one call to aviation authorities to make an investigation happen by law. A friend had his training field investigated when a nearby bed and breakfast complained. They were found to be within the rules, but no good came from it and it could have been avoided had they chosen to do their circuits in the opposite direction. Fly safe folks and respect local pilots/laws so we all get to keep flying. I see a pilot was granted an air operator aerial photo license in paramotormag - had been shooting before his license was granted. Another breech of regs for anyone selling aerial photos in Canada, US, UK and many (most) others. How does one blur the line to get away with this? Tips? PM me if you're shy I know folks are doing it, and *we're* eating it up and supporting them to get more of the sport in our armchairs. Some are flying illegally and/or in illegal airspace and all are indirectly profiting from the video/photos shot in the air. I know the spirit of the law is to remove the risks of aerial photography from a recreational pilot, but a law that makes selling the photos illegal does nothing to protect a pilot who shoots them anyway. It just separates the motivation from the act. What should we do? 1) Shoot all we want for personal use 2) Shoot it and sell it, the man can't keep us down 3) refrain from shooting anything (hahahahahahaha, snort, hahahee) 4) Shoot it and publish it anonymously like so many frightened authors before us 5) Shoot it and wrap it up in an artistically produced dvd under artistic license. 6) Lose the chatter about something we all agree to ignore. 7) Present a skillset test to transport authorities that they may be assured an air operator photography license is issued to a capable and safe pilot (in an uncertified aircraft no less). Smells like a poll...

I was going to suggest the old moth ball additive, but thought I'd look for some factual(ish) data on it as I heard it as a rumor too. Turns out, not such a good idea, even when they were nathalene based. http://stason.org/TULARC/vehicles/gasol ... ctane.html Adding octane is beneficial to avoid detonation or preignition but does not unleash or add power to the fuel, it may have gained that reputation because it allowed the throttle jockey to use more of the throttle range without damage however: http://stason.org/TULARC/vehicles/gasol ... power.html The old seat of the pants dyno giving false readings again.

Congratulations on finishing day one of the school of hard knocks. Also good of you to post it even though someone will want to whip you for it or use you as an example. I would focus on #2 in your conclusion to ensure you would notice #1 and avoid having to #3 altogether. A good pre-trip leaves you feeling odd if you skip ANY step. For me the only way to remove that feeling is to do it over. I'm guessing that the pre-trip was not drilled in during training? If so suggest you consider everything that can loosen or fail on your machine and organize the checks in an order that suits you, then go through them the same way every time. When in doubt, do it again. Thanks for sharing what must have been a pretty scary startup.

Does it really work though?? Not bashing Raphial, it's an elegant design and looks like a much better way to generate torque - but has it ever even run? I know there are air motoring videos out there, but has it ever been run as internal combustion as intended? The history of the wankel engine may well repeat itself here, and may be why investors have not stepped up to implement his design. Sealing, cooling, reliability are all unproven. If I were Raphial (and had any money left) I would Get an ECU rigged and run this sucker in a real world application. Truth is, I can blow compressed air through a hydraulic motor and make it spin, but it doesn't make it a multi-fuel internal combustion engine. I would love to be an uninformed nay-sayer here though, really I would. I wouldn't expect a redrive would be required with this level of torque. Prop pitch would be extreme. I'd test fly it if it existed... Things go pretty quiet after 2006 on his own site. http://www.angellabsllc.com/index.html

Flies are high in protein.

I would hate to have to preface every post with: My views are subject to change without notification provided I have accrued sufficient motivation to do so. Any previous record of my opinion is just that and anyone using said information to modify their life in any way already owns full responsibility for their actions as pilot in control. Yeesh. Put one to sleep that. I appreciate the 'local' instructor ratings requirements fellas, but while this forum was formed in the UK, it is global in scope now. Look at me, from across the pond, right at home. Canadian instructors need a sign off too, but I expect many countries don't, since the sport doesn't exist there in any concentration dangerous to the populous. My point is simply that what we have here is a melting pot of ideology which, in my opinion has been one of the more civil and respectful spots to vent and absorb I've come across. My verbal hug to you for stepping in with some clarity and intent. That said, I agree that facts assist one's point and even better - video! http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsko3_ ... -sotavento Wind shadow / rotor should be visible in your spidey sense long before you ever put yourself in the position for it to smite you down. This fellow looks like he didn't see it coming.

I was typing there and almost lost a finger! Easy with the self destructing posts Pete! I spose I should have done the mph/kmh conversion there as it would have noted that whatever wing you fly, it's still under trim speed. In that case my point stands, but is less applicable as you'd be using some brake range and so could compensate at touchdown. It leans more toward being able to handle your wing @ trim speed (for reflexers, takeoff trim) on the ground then how you landed it in the end, but this landing would a nice elevator ride anyway with some throttle descent maintenance thrown in. I didn't assume this was a reflex trim, although the S shaped center of pressure bit is intriguing (I would have thought of it as an ellipse with varied trims). Just like that center of pressure, there is a center of rotor (whose shape is defined by wind speeds and obstacle dimensions). The center is best avoided, but as you note leoibb the edges of it are not so chaotic as they begin to assume regular flow again. This is the shadow I was speaking of, where the rotor's natural mixing diffuses the thermal variance in my scenario. If thermals are not a contributor, then it's just knowing where the airflow smooths out again, what you're capable of landing in, or the combination thereof. Knowledge is progress, or we'd all still be throwing feces at each other.

Nice. Score one for global forums.

I Agree with Pete, a horizontal drag almost always is preferred over a vertical drop simply because the energies are spread out. (dragged into Sharks, Gators, Piranhas Sewage treatment stations maybe not) Even: Makes perfect sense, but is less important until the instant the pilot unloads the wing on touchdown - then they have a uneven wing load/lift they may or may not be ready to deal with. Effectively the same as landing while crabbing or side hill, just that the trims are less obvious then a brake handle differential and much less easy to change when touching down. Wind shadow does not necessarily mean rotor, but the edges between them are invisible to all but the experienced. For most of us, landing into wind as fast as your wing can fly, even if ground speed is negative (backwards) is the safer of inexperienced options. A swooped landing (to increase loading) can add quite a few kph on your top speed, but all of it requires some experience/practice. Heck, some folks go looking for mountainous leeside rotor (waves) to get where they're going. I've landed in wind shadow to escape thermic activity that was pretty violent, but the tradeoff was a wind shift of 90 degrees about wing height off the deck. Landing wasn't pretty, but certainly better then I expected out where the popcorn lift was rocking me unpredictably and faster. One of those "learned myself good" days. Pilot in control best take all the info they can remember.

A refreshingly footnoted one here: http://paramotorclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15859

Thank Alex for this: http://www.aerocorsair.com/id150.htm I don't know how many times now I've sent folks his url.

Nice thread guys. I always knew my vx5 was outside it's efficient broadcast spectrum, but chewing through this thread helps me understand why a bit more. Is the tool I used to open TX up outside factory settings. It allows step adjustment too, and from what I'm gathering here, I can adjust it to clean up broadcast overlap?

http://www.paramotormag.com/contact-us/

Tip for consideration: If you've got your eye on a specific motor that has a harness suitable for GH, might want to pick it up ahead of training instead of getting a specific rig you won't be familiar with when the time comes.

Nearest I can find there is a 140kg version and a 180kg biplace version. http://www.vonblon.com/dt/frame1dt.htm Under nav pane - paragleiter, retungsereate, paillon (xl) Use http://babelfish.yahoo.com to translate if needed. Seems apco has a copy of the vonblon design as well, but only to 130kg: http://apcoaviation.com/products.asp?se ... =guided_md And yes, I'd like to see the fellows knees fail under that sort of descent. It almost looks like he dropped a flare and accelerated that last bit. Poor timing perhaps and likely the reason for the edit. I wouldn't expect to fly it home, and there is a pretty serious AOA while his prop's spinning, but it does speak to having options under reserve for sure. Steering is a bonus, no sense giving it up just because the regular canopy disagreed with you.

Throw your reserve, dump your wing, and fly home under power? Not what one would expect when tossing a reserve, but then, maybe one should? In flight wing pack Makes pin lock carabiners make more sense too.

Smack me with a virtual pair of gloves willya!? It's on dog. Challenge happily accepted.

http://www.watchmyspot.com/ Site is soliciting spot users to provide data to work out public tracking bugs for eventual competition tracking. From another forum. Questions best directed at site contact.