Justin

Thanks Paraflyer17, I shall take a look.

Hi all, I’ve got a Wasp Titanium paramotor and I’m looking for a good storage/transport bag as I have to break down my paramotor to fit in the car each time I fly. I’ve got my eye on the SOL Carryall paramotor bag... http://www.solparagliders.com.br/detalhe.php?id=10 Has anyone any experience with this bag and in particular, has anyone got both the Wasp and this bag to confirm whether the Wasp would fit inside? Cheers all

I did a power conversion as I was already an experienced paraglider pilot. While training I tried a paramotor with a Thor 130. With fuel probably near 30kg. I struggled with the ground handling (probably too used to my free flying) & I began to wonder whether taking up paramotoring was a mistake! I then tried another paramotor with the Top 80 nearer the 20kg weight & what a difference! I really do think you should try the Atom 80. Talking to your instructor who should be able to offer you the best advice as they will know first hand your ability & what motor/wing combination suits you best. One of the instructors where I trained was well over 90kg body weight & over 6ft & he regularly flew the paramotor with the Top 80 no problem. There really is a lot of factors involved to what size motor you go for. That’s why I think it’s important to get your training done before you commit to buying gear & if possible, try different machines at the school to find out what’s right for you. Justin

I’m about 85kg body weight & fly with a Top 80 in a Miniplane & an Ozone Spyder 26 (80-140kg weight range) reflex paramotor wing. Great combination! It gets me off the ground no problem. I’ve never really measured fuel consumption. Not really bothered too much about it. You will have no problem with the Atom 80. I think it’s got a slight edge in power over the Top 80. If they are using the Atom 80 where you are going to train, even better. Try it out & see how you get on with it BEFORE you buy. For general flying & learning on it should be perfect. If you want shorter take offs from smaller fields & a stronger climb out then consider going bigger. A few pilots at my local field have the EOS 150 in a Wasp frame & it seems a great motor. Lightweight & powerful. Worth considering if extra power is your desire. Best of luck with your training & take your time choosing the right motor & wing. Justin

I believe it’s going to called the Spyder 3 to keep it in line with the Roadster 3. Ozone did the same with the Swift free flight paraglider which was a lightweight Rush 2. When the Rush 4 was launched, it followed by the lightweight version, Swift 4. The Rush 3 & Swift 2 were essentially the same glider but one in a lightweight version & the numbers 2 & 3 caused some confusion, hence the change.

Hi, I’ve just bought a 125cm E-prop for my Miniplane Top 80 but my original prop covers that I used on my Miniplane carbon prop are too tight. Can anyone recommend some good prop covers that fit the E-prop scimitar design that have a slightly wider cord? Cheers, Justin

Thanks to the answers Vince. I was just curious about the Nitro for future thought. I completed my power conversion at the end of last summer, now all set up for this season with an Ozone Spyder & Miniplane Top 80. I’ve kept the Nitro in mind as a good motor to evolve from the Miniplane for when I consider a faster wing & a better climb rate. The Nitro seems the natural progression considering weight & power. Looking forward to clocking up some hours this season. Justin

Hi, Is Air Conception likely to discontinue the Nitro 200 now that the Tornado 280 is available, as they did with the Ultimate 130, not all that long after the Nitro 200 was introduced? Justin

The V3 is certainly the strongest option. I trained on one with Airways & the strength & build quality is excellent. They have a good selection of engines to fit the V3 too so I would give them a call to discuss your preferences. They really are helpful when it comes to advice. Good luck with your training & choice of Paramotor.

I bought one of these for my Miniplane. Has anyone fitted one of these to a Miniplane throttle cable? I was planning to fix mine to the actual throttle handle body with the included double sided adhesive pad but not sure if that’s the best place or not. I did see a YouTube video where they fixed it to the throttle cableon a Blackhawk, right next to the throttle handle via zip ties but I’d prefer it on the handle itself as mentioned above. Its a nice compact unit which looks quality for the price. Cheers, Justin

Hi, I’m looking for a good value for money tachometer for my Miniplane. Easy to fit, small & good value for money. There’s loads on the market but has anyone got recommendations? Justin

Ok cheers

Sounds easy enough. Is that a recognised system or is it what you have created yourself? I’m sure it would work on the Miniplane. I must take a look. Thanks for all the information, it really does make a difference when you can pack it all into the boot of your car. At present I have to remove the parcel shelf & drop the rear seat down. It would be so much easier in a transport bag! Justin

That looks brilliant! I’ve never heard of quick release arms. It would be good if Miniplane do them. I shall investigate. How does the quick release system work? Thanks, Justin

Ah thanks for that Casper! It looks as though the Air Conceptions active arms drop down lower than on the Miniplane. I will have to measure the distance from the front of the active arms to the prop hub. I see the depth of the bag is 50cm. It would be interesting to know this measurement on the Air Conception if anyone has this? Justin

Hi all, Has anyone got any experience with the SOL paramotor bag? http://www.solparagliders.com.br/detalhe.php?id=10 I have a Miniplane but I have to remove the cage & prop for transport & storage so I’m looking for a suitable bag to store/protect/transport my paramotor in. This looks the part but my main concern is whether the Miniplane would fit with the ABM active arms in place? If it’s not suitable can anyone suggest a bag that would suit the Miniplane with just the prop & cage removed? Cheers, Justin

Another point to consider with sizes is whether you intend the free fly the wing. If so, it’s worth being within the EN rating for free flight. That’s obviously all up weight with a free flight harness & equipment, not the motor. Justin

I guess it’s all relative to each pilots usage. Ozone claim that it will last just as long as regular fabric if treated with care. From that I assume if you fly predominately from grass fields & don’t drag it on the ground unnecessarily then there’s no reason for it to degrade any faster. General flying & UV exposure would have the same impact on light fabric as much as regular fabric. I think more manufacturers will follow suit in the near future. Ozone were one of the first to pioneer the lightweight fabric in the free flying community & many others soon followed. I think the same will happen in the paramotoring community too. Lets see...

Hi Himmel, The Miniplane with a Top 80 engine does have a clutch. I would also say it does weigh less than the AC Nitro 200 with electric start. You are right in saying the Top 80 doesn't have an electric start but it does start very easily with the pull start, even in flight. Plenty enough power to launch me & my body weight is 82kg. Cheers, Justin

So has anyone news of any new wings that have been released over the Coupe icare 2017 festival? I believe Niviuk have a Link 2 in the pipeline & also a new PGG wing called the Qubik which is a high performance EN B wing. I'm not sure what Ozone have up their sleeve but they claim to have 8 new products to release according to their website. I'm sure we shall hear news over the next few days. Justin

According to Cross Country Magazines new gear section, U-Turn.de have released a new paramotor wing with semi-reflex, shark nose, tip steering etc, yet on their website & on a Google search I have found nothing! Anyone know any more about it? This is quoted from XC Magazine, "U-Turn say their new paramotor wing is a safe and performant semi-reflex design. They add that it makes an ideal choice for PG pilots to convert to PPG on, and a good introduction to reflex wings. For the initiated, the Progress is an efficient cruiser which can be soared and thermalled. U-Turn say it's very easy to inflate and launch, thanks in part to its good slow-speed glide, and handling is direct and precise with a relatively low brake pressure. The Progress has a sharknose, tip-steering and comes with a 2D-steering kit. It's available in four sizes, 22, 24, 26 and 28m2." It sounds ideal! Justin

I've recently bought a Miniplane. I don't think you will go far wrong with what's been mentioned so far. I had narrowed my choice down to the Miniplane & Parajet Maverick. What made my choice in the end was a less than 12 month old Miniplane with only 3hrs flight time at a price I couldn't refuse! My main concerns for getting a Miniplane at first was the small engine & fiddly assembly. I'm about 82kg naked weight so had concerns about getting off the ground etc. I did my power conversion this year & by chance I trained on a Miniplane. My concerns were soon settled when I took my first flight. Launch was easy & relatively short & my climb rate seemed acceptable to me. My other concern was the assembly. I've since done a few assemble/disassemble of the cage & to be fair it's not half as bad as I first thought it to be, once you get familiar with it & learn the sequence. I have to disassemble it each time for transport & limited storage space at home. I guess it's what you want from paramotoring. The Maverick & Air Conception are going to give you much more power for stronger climb outs but the Miniplane is going to give you a lower fuel consumption & lower cost. The guys at Parajet & Miniplane UK have both been really helpful when seeking advice too, which is most reassuring. I'm sure there will be others that can advise on different units & what I've already mentioned. I'm new to paramotoring so I can only comment on the information & advice I've picked up on the way. It really is a minefield out there when it comes to choice! Regards, Justin

Hi, I've got a Miniplane paramotor & I have to dismantle the cage for transport & storage at home. Is there a transport bag out there that will fit the Miniplane unit in? Obviously I would have to remove the cage & prop but I don't want to remove the arms. PAP make a transport bag but does anyone know if the Miniplane would fit? Thanks, Justin

Does anyone have an opinion on the durability of the Ozone Spyder? I've been reading up on this wing over the last few days & really like the idea of easy launching. It also seems a good compromise between a beginners reflex wing & an intermediate wing. Comparing it to the Roadster 2 it offers slightly better handling due to the lighter fabric. My only concern is the durability of the fabric. I guess comparing it to paragliding where you could be launching from rocky hillsides with long bracken etc, paramotor sites are predominantly going to be grassy field launches which are kinder to wings. Anyone flown both Roadster 2 & Spyder that can give a comparison? Justin

Thanks Brian, I've since read up on the FAQ section on the Miniplane Uk website & noticed they recommend a 1.5% mix but they personally use a 1.65% mix with good results. Thanks again for all your advice. Justin