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Ready? Steady? Here we go again.


MattMc

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6 hours ago, Steve said:

Very honest report, well done on your progress.

One big thing to remember is never feel pressured, whether from other people or from yourself. You're going to continue learning for years to come, so just take it easy and at a pace that works for you. Excess anxiety doesn't help anything. And remember, you never have to fly - you can just come back another day when you feel it's right. 

Were you with Steve Griffiths in Spain? 

Well said. Dont ever feel pressured to fly either by others or just by your own enthusiasm to get in the air. I waited a few months after returning from my training abroad before i got my first flight in back here. I visited the field loads of times but it just never felt right. In the end i picked a perfect day and went for it. A totally different feeling not having an instructor on the radio talking you through it thats for sure. Its a huge learning curve but an awesome one. 

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22 hours ago, Steve said:

Very honest report, well done on your progress.

One big thing to remember is never feel pressured, whether from other people or from yourself. You're going to continue learning for years to come, so just take it easy and at a pace that works for you. Excess anxiety doesn't help anything. And remember, you never have to fly - you can just come back another day when you feel it's right. 

Were you with Steve Griffiths in Spain? 

Wise words buddy. I am blessed with almost no ego so Im not under any pressure from anyone including myself to push myself out of my comfort zone. I was with Steve.

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Its amazing how much you can get in with good weather. Thats exactly why i completed my course in italy. It would of been good to stay at home to fly but it would of taken bloody months.

Was yours a BHPA course?

 

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1 minute ago, toploader said:

Its amazing how much you can get in with good weather. Thats exactly why i completed my course in italy. It would of been good to stay at home to fly but it would of taken bloody months.

Was yours a BHPA course?

 

It was BHPA.

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7 minutes ago, toploader said:

Matt are you planning to do any free flying or are you just going to stick with the motor?

When I set out to learn it was motor all the way but Im felling the need to do some free flying since Ive had a go. I need a harness to practice ground handling so I may as well get one good enough to fly with right?

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  • 2 weeks later...

So today is an important day for me. All my kit has now arrive home from Spain. I am so sorry people but I am sure the rain and wind is my fault..... Every time I get anything new that needs decent weather it turn full apocalypse on me.

I have now taken up a new hobby. I like to call it Parawaiting.

 

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On 19/02/2020 at 20:39, MattMc said:

So today is an important day for me. All my kit has now arrive home from Spain. I am so sorry people but I am sure the rain and wind is my fault..... Every time I get anything new that needs decent weather it turn full apocalypse on me.

I have now taken up a new hobby. I like to call it Parawaiting.

 

It looks like it might be a long wait! Are you going up to the bore chasers?

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On 09/02/2020 at 20:02, toploader said:

 A totally different feeling not having an instructor on the radio talking you through it thats for sure. Its a huge learning curve but an awesome one. 

It might just be me but on my third flight under instruction after the other two i just turned the volume off, as i felt it was too much information and seemed overload so just wanted peace and quiet and even managed to land properly xD

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9 hours ago, kiwi k said:

It might just be me but on my third flight under instruction after the other two i just turned the volume off, as i felt it was too much information and seemed overload so just wanted peace and quiet and even managed to land properly xD

How did you manage to follow instructions with the volume off? Just curious.

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20 hours ago, toploader said:

How did you manage to follow instructions with the volume off? Just curious.

Toploader on my first flight i totalled my paramotor after panicking and too much info:/, 15-20mph straight into the ground as my head was struggling to take in all the information (but this was my own problem):o, and after that and the complete rebuild i sorted out my head and couple of weeks got back in the saddle (so to speak):dive:, and the second landing was 100% better as i analyzed my first attempt and took it in and vowed to learn from my mistake and moved on,  and after that on third attempt i decided i would be better not hearing my instructor and went totally solo on Landing which proved to help, but not advisable to do this really and best to listen to your instructor, plus in honesty i could still see him going through the landing hand heights as he was directly infront of me.

I treated and still do that every day in our sport is a School day and as long as you learn and improve from your mistakes then it is Good.

 

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  • 1 year later...

Wow has it really been over a year since my last post? Amazing how time flies.

So quick update. I am afraid that I am that guy....I took on board the advice of a couple of guys I met in Spain and cut out the bread and cakes and as much sugar was I could....22 kilos later..... I had a Uni 1.1 that was too bloody big for me! I stumbled upon the legend that is Clive Mason and not only was he able to offer me a good deal on a replacement but he found me a man in desperate need of my existing wing!

I did a mass of research before I took the leap and, much as I loved the Uni I decided to go for a Solo instead. I 100% believe the Uni is a great wing to learn on but the opportunity to take a baby step up in performance was just too tempting. I asked Clive a million questions before I pulled the trigger and even so I forgot to ask the most important one. Ordered in January my new wing arrived in May! Not down to Clive at all, just the way it is but frustrating as hell.

Obviously with a new wing in hand the weather went to ratchet instantly and it rained when it wasnt blowing at 90 mph. However it eventually did turn good and I took it out into the field at home and had a couple of hours ground handling. Two things became obvious straight away. 1/ I still had a vague idea of what I was doing. 2/ the solo is definitely a little easy to work with than the Uni.

I spent most of May June and July trying to organise a date to get some refresher training and to get my BHPA signed of but we just couldnt make it happen. Distance, weather, other commitments and bloody COVID just kept getting in the way.

In the end I was forced to look closer to home. After a quick squint on the BHPA website I found a local guy! Winning! Nope after making a load of promises he has 100% ghosted me. I am not a happy bunny but its his choice how he runs his business, I just wish he hadn't got my hopes up and wasted my time.

While all this was going on I took the advice of one of the page members (asquaddie) and joined the club at Davidstow. This is where the story (at last) gets fun. I went along to say hi and to see what the vibe was like, I took my wing thinking I might be brave and do a little ground work, I took all my kit incase there was someone kind enough to look over it with me so that I was happy it was all good after all this time. All of these things happened. Lovely bunch of people, super positive and really helpful. Did a little handling and got a top tip for free that has made my life so much easier. As I was packing up one of the lads asked why I wasnt flying. I told him a brief version and he replied..."your ground work looked solid mate, you had that all under control, if I was you I would have sent it" I drove away feeling a bit daft but I knew I had to do the right thing.

That lasted 24 hours. To cut a long story short, I went back a few days later, got set up and sent it! Aborted take off the first time as I wasnt 100% happy, aborted the second time, the wind had shifted and I stupidly decided to adjust once the wing was up.....third times a charm! Up and away for the most amazing flight, best part of two hours! Now to be honest the wind was very light and I did manage to take...wait for it....4 attempts to land but once it felt spot on I nailed it. Couple of meters from where I wanted and on my feet nice and light. WHAT A RUSH! At that point I leant a very valuable lesson. It was pointed out to me that I have landed with about an egg cup of fuel. 1/ get fuel gauge fixed and 2/ put too much fuel in, just in case.

My objectives for the flight were to achieve a smooth take off and landing, feel my way into the new wing, fly in reasonably close ranks with other pilots and to land as close to a predetermined spot as I could. All achieved, I was delighted. Packed up and went home a really happy chap.

Two days later I went back for another go. My objectives where the same as last time but I added in that I wanted to use trimmers for the first time. Just a little out to feel the effects and pop them back in. I arrived to a deserted airfield as everyone else had decided to have a day off. So add a new objective, fly without the perceived support of other pilots. What a weird sensation! Really nice set up and take off, hour long flight, trimmers tried briefly and a decent landing after just two attempts ( I over estimated wind speed on approach and was going a bit too long). Two flights in three days and I am really happy so far.

Oh I have been emailing my new "instructor" asking when we might meet up all of this time by the way.

Two days off during which we baled hay at home. I was standing in the field saying "this would be a great place to someone to take off from" as I walked away I burst out laughing.....the whole point of this entire saga was so that I could fly from home without needing a whole team! I ran home, jumped in the car (still loaded with my kit) got set up and bugger me if I didnt achieve the dream I started out with! Took off like a ten year veteran, an hour over my home area (not too close or too low to avoid upsetting the locals) turned for home and dropped it back onto the launch field like I have been doing it for years. Well apart from the bit where I stumbled and fell onto my knees at the last second. As no one was here I am going to pretend it counts as a decent landing.

So thats where we are at as of today. The weather in Cornwall has turned for a few days so its time to relax and reflect. I want to fly from the airfield next with the objective of using my tip steering for the first time and if I get the perfect conditions I would like to try the trimmers again and maybe the speed bar.

Massive thanks to everyone who has encouraged me or even just put up with me and here's to the rest of the summers flying.

Oh...if anyone knows a BHPA instructor who might be on holiday this year looking for a flying buddy, I would still really like to get signed off.

Heres a quick picture taken from close to my house.

 

higher ninnis.jpg

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Great progress! I fly a Solo and I would say get up to a decent height then try 1/2 then full trimmer out, you'll feel the extra speed.

Get used to the trimmers before going for the speed bar, I don't use speedbar as the Solo flies fast enough for my needs. The tip steering is fantastic, once you are above 500 feet you can park the brakes and just use the tip steer.

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1 minute ago, alan_k said:

Great progress! I fly a Solo and I would say get up to a decent height then try 1/2 then full trimmer out, you'll feel the extra speed.

Get used to the trimmers before going for the speed bar, I don't use speedbar as the Solo flies fast enough for my needs. The tip steering is fantastic, once you are above 500 feet you can park the brakes and just use the tip steer.

Thats a great help Alan. Did you remove the velcro that holds the tip steer handles in place? It looks like a fiddly thing to open in flight. My thinking with the speed bar is that it seems to serve the same purpose as trim but has the advantage of being faster and easier to open and close. I would be interested in peoples opinions of speed bar Vs trim in general.

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Yes once the velcro is opened on the ground you can re-do/tuck it away so the tip steer toggles are just held on the magnets. They are plenty strong enough.

Your thinking on the speedbar is correct, depends how you want to fly the glider. If you have trimmers and speedbar active then you should only use the tip steer

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  • 5 weeks later...

Things have moved on a lot this week. I dont know if you were aware of Daniel Jones flying from John O Groats to Lands End. I offered him the use of my field as a stop off and refuel point as we are 25 miles or so from his goal. Daniel not only accepted my offer but also asked if I would like to fly the last leg with him!

Take off was a disaster! 4 failed forward launches! Peer pressure was the main issue, Daniel said "oh, reverse launch I wouldnt be doing that today". I should have just carried on but I figured he knew best......I tell you no lies I was knackered by the time I had reset 4 times....I told Dan to leave, do pone lap of the area and if I wasnt off the ground, leave me behind. I set up for a reverse and I challenge anyone to pull off a smoother looking takeoff. Text book perfection. Go me! 

I chased across to Dan who was fist pumping and cheering like we had just won a prize. Off we set for lands end.

I had two goals for this flight.

1/ Use full trim out to keep up with Dan, remembering to add "trim in" to my landing prep.

2/ Select a landing site from the air and land in a field that I had never seen from the ground.

We had a stunning flight. an hour or so of pure joy 1500 to 2000 feet most of the way. We flew over some stunning mine buildings, several beaches, Hayle Estuary, St Michael's Mount, Newlyn harbour and finally Lands End its self.

I decided to be cautious. The wind was behind us, pushing us towards the sea and it was increasing in speed as we got closer, so I didnt go as far as the actual cliffs. I did pass the Lands End so Im taking that as a win! I had a field in site, set up my circuit and in we went. I decided, at 100 feet to power on and go around, not because I wasnt happy with the approach but because I realised I was going to be a long way from the road, the field was ace and I could get a lot closer, saving myself a bit of a walk.

Boom feet on the ground like a bumble bee with sore feet! WHAT A RUSH!!

I am delighted with the progress and incredibly grateful for Dans support and encouragement to push myself.

Next goal is to map a route on my chart, buy a sat nav / FLARM and do a solo XC flight.

If you are still reading this I am amazed and grateful.

Any SatNav recommendations would be ace. Do people still have E readers?

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Matt I use EasyVFR for my moving map and airspace awareness. It is a free app that you update the airspace data on monthly at no cost.

If you have an old phone that has GPS you can run it even without a SIM card, so it is dedicated to PPG. The battery lasts longer that way as well. I do always carry my regular phone for communication in case I need it.

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