paraflyer17

Thanks. I will see if I can do a hang test and see where I can reach on mine. Looks like a nice and simple solution.

15 hours ago, AndyB said:

Cool, that is really good help. I live inside Teesside controlled airspace and have to travel to get out of it, which is a shame because there are some excellent fields half mile away.  So if I am understanding correctly, I need: a transponder; a registered call-sign; need to do a radio course and get a FRTOL; need a radio and an OFCOM license? 

It will vary significantly between airports and airspace. 

Some wont allow microlights for example, due to their low air speed mainly. Does a paramotor have the required precision altimeter, with ability to set QNH easily. Or an accurate compass to maintain a bearing.

The OP sounds like he has a very understanding ATC, and probably a fairly quiet one. I'd be surprised if many others got the same response.

On 08/06/2020 at 09:49, e2vdavidb said:

Its worrying indeed, the coil ground point is a potential failure and if the vibration causes that cable to part no amount of switches will help.

To this end last year I made a minor mod to my fuel line to ensure I could easilly reach it, over my right sholder clipped to the frame, so worst caser I can pinch the soft silicone hose and fuel starve.

That said why not add a 2nd, additional point of failure maybe but go ahead.

Just my thoughts.

Dave

Sounds like a sensible solution. Any photos? 

I stumbled across a fairly scary video recently where Sandy/Wiltshire Man had a nasty experience with a throttle cable going through the prop. Fortunately he was OK.

It looks like the initial reason for this was that a) it wasn't clipped to the swing arm as the new ones are and b) the cable was maybe too long, so those 2 issues can be taken care of.

The bigger problem in this case was it damaged the cable and stopped the motor being shut off. Which got me wondering why there isn't a secondary kill/ignition switch on the paramotor body?

From the reading I've done it has already been suggested, and sounds like it would just be a N/O switch from the coil to earth (which presumably is all the original one is)

Has anybody done this, and if so do you have a guide or pictures? Sounds like a very simple mod for a bit of peace of mind.

Or are there any other ways of stopping a moster from within the harness?

You'll probably have to list as a ground handling only wing on ebay.

Probably get 50 to 100 I would have thought. Assuming it does actually launch ok. 

I believe the real reason is public perception.

Plus of course, whether you agree with the rules or dont agree with the rules, it simply doesn't fit with the current essential exercise criteria. Whether you or I agree with those rules, or indeed the entire lockdown, is a seperate issue which I probably dont want to go into here.

Its certainly interesting to note the number of people on horses that also dont meet the criteria, but dont seem to attract the same negative public perception.

But otherwise I agree, from people I know in hospitals, A & E is like a ghost town. But then again if everyone went flying, skiing, surfing would that still be the case?

The rest of the hospitals have pretty much closed down too.

I saw that. Looks well dodgy.

Its too cheap, generic photos, he says he has 3, and wants paypal only.

4 hours ago, JonP said:

Hi all

 

I am looking for a side mounted reserve set up for my bailey V3 harness. Bailey 'offer' a Sup' Air side mounted reserve pocket on their website but you can't order anything directly from their website and I can't get hold of anyone at bailey to order from.

 

So my question is are there any other side mounted reserve container options that anyone can recommend?

 

TIA

Jon 

 

The website is a waste of time, but Paul does reply to emails.

pb@baileyaviation.com

Giles Fowler used a bailey hornet for his altitude record.

Not sure if there was a specific reason this was used, but may be worth investigating. Perhaps 4 strokes are better than 2 strokes at altitude. 

23 hours ago, alan_k said:

Have you looked at EasyVFR, there is a basic (free) and paid for versions.

+1 for easy VFR.

Free, regular updates of maps, and daily notam updates on map. 

If you have access to a windows PC you can generate routes on skydemon light and transfer them for use in easyvfr. The transfer is a bit fiddly, but its doable. I run it on a cheap tablet without much issues (Huawei mediaset t7) which has gps but no barometer. I dont know of any android tablets with the latter.

The downside is finding a screen readable in direct sunlight. For that reason I have made a cheap kobo also. Yet to try it but functionality is nowhere near the above. I am hoping to use both.

2 hours ago, powerlord said:

I do mention that in video. Saying that, nearly all of them do. It's a weird product line really--there's almost no hardware difference between a 250 quid vivo active and a 900 quid fenix 6. Just different cases and slightly different resolutions and totally different fonts on every fecking model... Most of rewrite was coping with the miriad of resolutions and making my own custom fonts for each one.

Yes, a lot more of the recent ones do. I was thinking more of the ones from 2-3 years ago that are still knocking about at a bargain price.

You are right about the product line though. 90 percent of the difference is just software. The higher end ones are allowed x data screens, the lower ones just get one etc etc.

Good effort though, cant wait to try it out.

Thanks

Good work. 

Might be worth mentioning that not all garmin watches have a barometric altimeter. 

Even if you can use gps altitude on this, it would be worth paying a bit more for the real thing. Rule of thumb would be if it counts stairs it will have proper altimeter. 

2 hours ago, toploader said:

You might find this informative

http://www.volopuro.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1.4-log-book.pdf

I did. 15 flights required! BHPA club pilot is 5 I believe.

Perhaps I was right and it isn't purely a UK vs Spain thing.

Watching this with interest.

Unfortunately UK weather doesn't lend itself well to aviation training. Been there done that. Especially if you have over an hours journey to a school, it becomes impossible.

What you are suggesting seems to be the ideal scenario IMHO. Go to spain, crack as much ground handling etc as possible in an intensive manner, then finish off in the UK in a more timely manner. If thats something you genuinly want to do, I think you'd get a lot of interest. I'm sure you'd also be perfectly justified in thinking it isn't your problem and why should you sort someone elses mess out.

Out of curiousity, what would your proposed charging mechanism be for this? Would it be based on how far you had already got? Would it be a heavy discount on the main course because all of the basics are done? Or would it be the same price as starting from scratch again?

My preferred route would be a trainer 20 mins down the road, who does all evenings and weekends when the weather is good. But that just isn't an option for me.

The elephant in the room is all the different Syllabus of course. I've personally found it frustrating that it isn't possible to see what level of experience you need to pass each one. BHPA dont publish theirs, neither do APPI or PMC. That makes comparisons impossible. For example, what is the minimum number of flights required to pass on each? Are there cross counties in each? Whoever you speak to seems to be slagging off the others and it makes it impossible for newbies to make an informed judgement.

The further complication is the BHPA think they are the official governing body and can say everyone else's training is rubbish. We all know it isn't a regulated sport (yet) so obviously that cant be true.

I realise I've drifted away from a UK vs Spain discussion into a syllabus discussion, but I do believe the segregation of the different ratings systems doesn't help matters when trying to choose a training path and/or continuing that training path afterwards. It is very difficult knowing what to do for the best as a beginner.

Its commendable that you are willing to take other people's students on and its a great attitude for the sport. As toploader said above, it is good for the sport and stops people from walking away and/or killing themselves, but it strikes me there ought to be a more formal method to do this, and standardising of the syllabus would be helpful if possible.

Hope I've not said anything too inflamatory, if I did it certainly wasn't my intention.

21 minutes ago, AndyB said:

Yes, named item on Tesco insurance...which was fine until it was stolen. Then had a really big argument with them. They said it was excluded (as it was an aircraft) and I said, but you accepted it as a named item! They paid up and then would not insure it any more! Now I have a tracker hidden in it and a camera watching.

Thanks. Thats exactly the scenario I'm hoping to avoid. Perhaps it isn't do-able, but thought I'd ask in case anyone has had any luck as my house insurance is due soon.

Has anyone had any luck getting their paramotor insured on their house insurance as a valuable insured outside the home?

I just checked with mine (Hastings Direct) and one of the exclusions is 'any craft' which also excludes drones etc.

If you have had any luck, which insurer was it with?  (will hopefully save me a little time ringing round them all and having to explain what a paramotor is over and over)

Thanks

6 hours ago, simonhunny said:

what does a pap frame weigh? Is the frame all stainless? I looked on the website but couldnt see any weight declared

http://papteam.com/paramotor_tinox/?lang=en

Weights are on the bottom of this page for all engines.

Watching your thread with interest.... my other thoughts are a AC nitro or miniplane. The latter sound very cheap to repair.

Thanks for the super-quick responses Simon

Thanks Simon,

What fuel consumption would you estimate the same pilot would be on a moster? Also, is it quieter?

I'm currently torn between an atom 80 (light, efficient, quiet) and a moster(heavy, not so efficient, noisy) based on wanting something reliable and mainstream, and there not seeming to be many options between these 2 options. The atom hasn't got as much power as I'd like, the moster has too much.

So if the 150 is a viable alternative then I may look at that again. I'd been put off by the previous thread I found, but it was a while ago.

Incidentally, did you sell the used one you were selling?

How does the 150 compare with the moster for fuel economy, noise and power? And did they sort the early reliability issues - there was a lengthy thread on here.

Is there any real reason to buy one instead of a moster?

Thanks

If they do get tangled:

A few decent vids on here.

They have some info on their website now (maybe it was there when you posted this, but it wasn't when I looked a few weeks ago)

Also an American site has a bit more info now.

They do look decent value. 

Thanks, that helps a lot.

Good video, using this is the one you mean.

All sounds so obvious,  dont understand why they are still being designed with large gaps.

I am looking at various paramotors and keep coming back to this issue.

Is there anything that can be done retrospectively whilst still allowing the cage to be disassembled?

I am probably looking at a maverick or pap tinox. The maverick has smaller gaps. But also wondering if additional netting could be wrapped around the cage sections on the pap. Has anyone done this?