Jared Posted August 28, 2016 Share Posted August 28, 2016 My dad just recently bought a paramotor and wing and he has absolutely no experience flying ... He is too stubborn to pay for the classes. I'm concerned for his safety because when I called him he said he was making his trike into a 4 wheel carriage?? Is this normal?? Could somebody please let me know?? Would really appreciate some advice.. Thank you Concerned son 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 No experience and no training is definitely a bad idea, plus modifying kit on top of that sounds like a disastrous plan. At the VERY LEAST get him to meet up with one or more experienced flyers, who hopefully will be able to talk some sense into him. You are right to be concerned, the absolute number one expense should be training. Where is you dad in the country? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 It's vitally important that he get some training in my opinion. Not only for his own safety but also for the safety of others. He needs to understand a number of things about where he can and can't fly, he needs to know things about the aircraft (mainly what stops it from flying and what to do about it.) he will also find that without training he won't be very welcome at the socials that we and others have through the year. using wheels is illegal without the correct licence in the UK and flying an aircraft unlicensed is not a great idea. My only suggestion of he rely is too tight to spend a grand on training, is too raise your concerns with him. good luck! Anything you think we can offer as help, please ask SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Both Alan and Simon are spot on, perhaps you can guide your dad to this page, he'll be very welcome to ask questions and meet up with pilots. He really should for his own safety and that of others plus he will get a lot more pleasure from flying and likely learn a lot faster. Simon's points about the legal side are also very important. I hope your dad appreciates your concern for him, you've come to the right place, lets hope he does too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Thanks for getting back... My dad is extremely stubborn and doesn't listen to anybody... He resides in Washington state about an hour away from Portland OR. I have a picture of his trike he's modifying if it helps you better understand his set up. He has some acreage and I think he plans on launching in his field. Is there anybody that can consult with him please and let him know if he's doing things correctly and to give him some basic flying instructions... He thinks he knows everything because he's seen a couple of you tube videos.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzybabybunny Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 (edited) Does anyone know of any paramotor pilots around Portland? I don't, personally. I agree that he needs to at the very least communicate with another pilot. Even reading something like the Powered Paragliding Bible front-to-back isn't enough to fly safely - knowing something intellectually is completely different to being able to apply all these things instantly and often simultaneously in real life. There are simply way too many gotchas in this sport that will lead to death or injury. How is he even going to make sure his trike hangs from the wing at the proper angle? Is he doing some kind of hang test in a garage beforehand? If he's hell-bent on doing this alone (I know of one guy who managed to safely learn on his own) he needs to find a flat unobstructed field at least 2500ft x 2500ft SQUARE and fly only on a day with zero wind. If he takes 1000ft to take off and then his engine dies during the climb, it would be nice to have another 1500ft to just glide straight down without needing to really steer the glider. If he takes off from a field that's only 1000ft that ends in trees or power lines or a road or a fence or water and his engine dies, he could die if he ends up gliding straight into these things. Does the acreage he owns qualify? That's half a mile by half a mile... There are also mountains and hills everywhere between Portland and Olympia so it's not exactly like he's figuring this stuff out on the Great Plains, which IMO would at least be feasible but still not recommended. But the best bet is still to communicate with another pilot. There's a school in Pacific Beach, Oregon called Fly Halo. Perhaps they know of pilots around your dad's area? Edited August 31, 2016 by fuzzybabybunny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzybabybunny Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 On 8/29/2016 at 11:27 AM, Jared said: My dad just recently bought a paramotor and wing and he has absolutely no experience flying ... He is too stubborn to pay for the classes. I'm concerned for his safety because when I called him he said he was making his trike into a 4 wheel carriage?? Is this normal?? Could somebody please let me know?? Would really appreciate some advice.. Thank you Concerned son Hey Jared I started a topic in this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paramotor/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/paramotor/permalink/1079163002136717/ I suggest you join and message the guys there. There is at least one guy in the area who might be able to help and supervise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duhgman Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I'll be traveling near Portland in the next week or two with my gear and would be happy to meet with your dad. Feel free to call me at 702-nine60-454 seven. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duhgman Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I can spend a day or two hanging out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzybabybunny Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Also - and I don't know the guy and I'm not endorsing him - but "Capt Kurt Fister" offers free paramotor training in the USA with "no fine print." http://poweredparaglidingfreetraining.com/powered-paragliding-free-training/ I would take Duhgman or any other pilot on their offer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre2005 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I have watched countless videos, read numerous magazines and books. IMO, the Powered Paragliding Manual by Jeff Goin is a fantastic book and is worth every penny when starting out. Next thing on the list is to get in contact with other pilots. They will probably invite you to meet up with them and give you a few pointers of what to aviod and where to go for instruction. Meeting the instructors and other members at the club will give you a good idea if you will enjoy training there. I am a total novice but for me that was the best route. I really hope you can get your dad to listen to your concerns. Looks can be deceiving, experienced pilots make it look so easy and straight forward....if only it was the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 to be honest, your dad sounds like a complete fucking idiot. what happens if he land on somebody(believe me it happens) what will he do if his wing has a asemtric tuck? will he know what to do? does he know how to get out of a full stall? also what happen if he needs to do an emergency big ears,? all these things really do matter. if he persists taking the thing away from him by force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 The original plea was for help and advice, not an abusive rant stating the obvious. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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