rich_c Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Hi guys, I just completed my first lesson with Axis paragliding this week. Had a absolutely brilliant day - tutor Steve Millson was equal parts patient, informative, helpful and reassuring at various points! Would definitely recommend. I'm really interested in learning to paramotor but I'm also keen to do it the 'proper' way - last thing I want is to buy an expensive bit of kit and smash/rip it to pieces on the first attempt... I have a couple of questions if anyone has any thoughts: - As stated I don't want to waste money on kit until I know what I'm doing. However during the lesson it became clear I'd benefit from some extended hands on time with the glider. Would it make any sense to get a cheap (ideally very cheap) glider for the sole purpose of mastering ground control? To be honest, I had this idea last night but looking at the cost of 2nd hand gliders I'm not sure buying one for the sole purpose of kiting makes any sense... - I've got a pretty sore bruise on my belly from the harness after the flight yesterday (took a photo if for some reason anyone wants a look at a fat belly- wouldn't recommend!). I think this might have been because the harness I was using had 3 'prongs' and I did not connect anything to the vertical prong (there were shoulder straps, leg straps, a waist strap but nothing running down the center to connect to the 3rd prong). If I had to use this harness again, how much of a terrible idea would it be to wrap a bit of cloth / small towel around the buckle to cushion it a bit? - Finally are there any specific exercises you guys do to help with paramotoring? I'm mainly thinking of ways to improve flexibility, though hopefully this would get better with more practice. Thanks all. The feeling of running into the air was amazing and I've already signed up for my next session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dariuszk24 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 (edited) I Not recommend to buy any second wing just for ground handling,until this will be the same what you flying.Every one wing have different,behaviour,speed,recovery time etc.for example you have very fast agile wing to fly like ozone slalom or dudek snake and you get to ground handling reaction Training with reaction you get lazy easy handling in moderate wind,very forgiven would say. If you try handling snake or slalom then take job over wing become a bit more complicated,every dab on any line,brake, make nearly immediately reaction,even step left or right make really big difference Ground handling its your simulation preparation to takeoff, landing sometimes reaction for wing colaps,you need to be clip in harness to feel the wing,I talk that because many times i see people where they holding in hands wing risers wich is good only to check if any line is tangled ,not for practice If you would like to do the same its better buy some kite from aldi or lidl and hang that over your head and watch ? About specific exercises rucksack filled with at last 30kg hands vertical in the air and run as long and fast as you can min 30 yards ?? dont forget squeeze the throttle ? Edited March 16, 2017 by Dariuszk24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I second the above. SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_c Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Thanks, I was wondering if the difference between a 'training' and 'flying' wing would mean it wouldn't really work - sounds like this is the case. I'll see about tracking down 30kg of stuff to fit in a rucksack... Time to stock up on rice perhaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerlord Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Ukppg used to sell training wings. Basically cheap Chinese things that looked like wings but were never made to fly. Never really saw the point of em. Maybe if you were a trainer. But even then, just having some really old wings would be better IMHO. Give any wing to an expert and they'll kite it like they own it though..so I'm not sure how relevant the 'each wing is different' argument is. You could turn it round and say - sure..and that's a good reason you should learn to kite lots of different wings . And all it does is get you up in the air. IMHO it teaches you nothing useful when u are IN the air - that needs its own training and experience. As darius says for example, you see lots of folk sometime kiting just holding the risers. ..well if u find that fun, wire in..but it's teaching you nothing useful for controlling a wing at takeoff and landing which is the whole (and only) point of ground handling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christian Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Quote About specific exercises rucksack filled with at last 30kg hands vertical in the air and run as long and fast as you can min 30 yards There is no way that I could run 30 yds with a sack of cement on my back without damaging myself. I fly most weeks and my take-offs are normally nil wind. My 60 year old sister has just taken up the sport. If you are doing it right, it is not that physical. Just walk a little further and faster and that will be sufficient imho Good luck, Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerlord Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I find 'nil' wind the worst. Great when you get up of course, but can be a pain to take off. Not so much the running, it's more that in nearly nil wind - it's never nil. 2 or 3 mph is still fast enough that if you are running against it you ain't gonna be taking off - and it's rare to have ZERO wind. So those are the days, you setup, and then find that the wind as moved 90 degrees... so you set up again, and it's moved again.. and finally you get impatient and the 'what the hell difference can 2mph make' mentality kicks in... so you run like buggery, wing all squint.. give up, try again, etc that's the days that get me sweating like a priest in an orphanage. And that's the days I feel if I was a bit fitter I might: a) not be so impatient because I'm getting tired - and stopping, unhooking and rearranging wing wouldn't seem such a chore. b) not be sweating my knackers off quite so much when I do (inevitably) screw the odd take off up So while being fit is not a requirement, it doesn't hurt imho. But I assume the rucksack was a joke - just doing a bit of general exercise is good - cycling, running, press ups, whatever. And it's amazing how many people worry about every KG their motor weighs, but are still fat knackers - eating less pies and losing some weight is always a good idea if yer a bit heavier than you should be - you'll find everything gets easier for the sake of dropping the old calories stuffed into the fizug every day. I'm not exactly a porker - usually around 75kg (11s11), but had went up to an all time high of 79kg (12s6) in february there - due to the aforementioned pies (well alcohol, snacks, etc). I'm now down to 11s3 (71kg) cutting out the alcohol completely other than one night every couple of weeks, and dropping my calories down to about 1200 a day, and a bit of exercise. And it does make all the difference - that's just 8kg lighter, but I've got more energy, and Im up early, bla bla.. stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christian Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Quote sweating like a priest in an orphanage lol Quote So while being fit is not a requirement, it doesn't hurt imho. definitley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 22 hours ago, christian said: There is no way that I could run 30 yds with a sack of cement on my back without damaging myself. I fly most weeks and my take-offs are normally nil wind. My 60 year old sister has just taken up the sport. If you are doing it right, it is not that physical. Just walk a little further and faster and that will be sufficient imho Good luck, Christian Deffo forget that bit the army don't even do that lol SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asquaddie Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 In my opinion 'Technic' is one of the most important things to know and get right. If you have a bad knee and back (like me) and you take off on the first attempt you don't even feel that pain. But fluffing a launch, then laying out the wing again and strapping in - that pain comes back and you're then thinking and feeling the pain on your next launch ..... Keeping a level of cardiac fitness and your weight down is always good thou. Old Porker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 I have Scheuermann's desease....basically many knackered discs in back. Was in a wheelchair 5 years. After more surgeries, 5 months in hospital and a year learning to walk....I then took up PPG. I am very fit, but also very knackered! I can't walk far without using walking poles. The knock-on of this is that I only ever want to do one take off. After that I have to wait quite some time. Since completing training in June last year I have flown 23 times with 28m Ozone and Parjaet 190. Rather weirdly, only 1 reverse launch and all the others in virtually no wind. The run is really very easy as with the larger wing only the first 10m really has the weight on, then it's all a hop, skip and don't jump (I keep hearing instructor say!). Out of the 23 flights all got off first time................well actually one I failed first time, but then gave up, so technically tried 24 times The key to getting it right first time........if your back hurts like crap you learn to be very patient and wait till everything is perfect. If the wind shifts a little, just wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Excellent post Andy, sounds like you are doing really well and enjoying it. Keep it up .......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Cheers Alan. I have also been considering trike attachment if/when it gets too difficult to carry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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