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Very Frustrated


MatthewClay

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I am new to the sport and have had training about a year and a half ago. I've wrecked on take off now 4 times which gets very expensive.  I think my cage is repairable but after repairing it 3 times I'm curious if I should just change the cage out?  I also dont like the harness as it is a High harness at least my arms are way up in the air.  So I was curious if I could just keep the motor and attach it to a different cage with a new harness or are they proprietary?  Its an old style cage and I'm also wondering if the new styles are a little more durable?  My cage and motor are fly products.  I have an Seminity 2023 minii2 engine.  I will attach a pic so you can see everything.

 

Thank for any help

flyproducts.jpg

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Yeah, I'm no expert, but if it's been 1.5 years since training and you haven't racked up a bunch of hours, I'd think a day or 2 of refresher might be in order. I'd say continue to beat up the old gear until you're not crashing anymore; then consider new spiffy gear.

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Im sure there is a V3 listed here that needs motor and harness....

The V3 is a good option, heavy but strong but as the others say maybe get some professional guidance and a check of teh kit once you have transplanted motor and harness.

Dont find out off teh ground you forgot somthing :)

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22 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

after repairing it 3 times

Owch!
Get out there in sub 10mph winds and get some ground handing done with no motor (its good exercise if nothing else)... if you crack the reverse launch, you are pretty much 100% margin of error for launches but your weather window will be 6mph+ surface winds but your run will be short and you ought to be squared away before you commit to launch.
Not ideal but its an option to get you in the air before you lose the faith :) 

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17 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

Just found out can’t fix my Paramotor

I guess throwing money at it is out then.... You need to tune your skills in arm twisting and tube bending... Any paramotor can be fixed!
Find your closest pilot that can TIG, tell him he is a very hansom boy (even if he is as ugly as a hobnail boot) and apply lots of tea and hobnobs.... You "might" get lucky :) 
Blowing some weld into a joint or two is not a big deal for someone who has the gear, just make sure its all clean and ready to go and no bitching about snotty welds! :) 

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I have always found reverse has far more opportunity for getting it wrong. After nearly 200 flights I have still only done one reverse. Forward is fine once you have mastered feeling the wing. Just get used to "taxiing" the wing in forward movement, then you know you are in shape for adding power. And before others say you have to use reverse for higher winds, I fly in winds up to 13/14 mph....all you have to be prepared to do is take a few steps backwards as the wing comes up.

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Thought it was just me that almost exclusively does forwards.

I’ve only ever done 3 or 4 reverses, they were fine but I still thought afterwards “I should have done that forward”

Much prefer it and as you say, once you get a feel of the wing and comfy taxiing there’s not a lot can go wrong.

You also have the added bonus of not struggling on nil wind days!

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1 minute ago, AndyB said:

I have still only done one reverse.

Interesting....
In the free-flight clan, forward launches are universally disliked... everyone can do them, they just prefer not to and rarely need to.
I find with a reverse, you can see everything, reset without unclipping including bringing it into wind in a switch and feel the air before you commit.
A forward removes the pause for turning and lets me get on the power sooner (and can accommodate nil winds)
I cant get off in a nil wind... not quick enough on my feet.

From the standpoint of "learning", a student could do 50 reverses to 5 forwards... Much less stressful/critical :) 

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My first 15 flights as a student were 1 reverse and 14 forwards. Doing a forward is similar to reverse in that you bring the wing up and can hold it in place until happy. If not happy just walk backwards and let the wing fall down. The difference with forward is that you are feeling where it is, not looking at it. If you have a spinal deformity like me, then you cannot look up at the wing, so have to feel it! I see so many people trying to do reverse in 5 to 8 mph winds which are fluctuating. Unless they learn to keep walking backwards, including as they turn, then it goes all wrong. 

I fail maybe 1 in 30....I haven't failed one this year yet....famous last words!

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9 minutes ago, AndyB said:

feeling where it is

Not so easy for our friend who is bending frames at the moment... It takes a good bit of practice to get "the feel".
Kiting a wing is fun (with or without a motor).... Unless you insist on strict forward orientation... Then its an unclip and reset every 30 seconds... That quickly becomes a slog :(

If its a +6mph surface wind, I can walk into a field with my glider bunched, throw it down wind, step backwards, build a wall, pull it over my head and launch.
If its a nil wind, I'm foooked!

 

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I’ve determined I think I have someone to help me with welding this back together, I’m going to keep using it till I can afford to get a new one. 
 

I’ve been practicing my forward launches, and they have all been really good.  I can get the wing up really good and keep it above my head for 30-40 steps. I should of done some with the motor on because it’s way different with the motor on obviously.  What happened is I got the wing up and it started going left and I hit the gas  so it isolated back to the right and threw me to the ground.  It was my fault.  When I get this back together I’m going to go get a few days of training.

A couple of questions if you don’t mind me asking? 
 

1-what wind is the best to kite in because I have a terrible time with not enough and even harder time with to much.  So what MPH?

2-when your taking off what’s the thought process?

get wing up make sure it’s centered

then hit gas

then stand straight up

all the while running and keeping your hands up 

3-do you look up at the wing? And does this get to wear it becomes second nature after many take off’s?

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5 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

I think I have someone to help me with welding this back together

Winner!
 

 

5 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

1-what wind is the best to kite in because I have a terrible time with not enough and even harder time with to much.  So what MPH?

I always say "sub 10mph" but you are obviously experienced enough to push your luck a tad more than a beginner :) 
6mph ought to allow you to get the glider over your head with a single step


 

 

5 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

2-when your taking off what’s the thought process?

%100 margin of error... Most of us learn the hard way that messing up is expensive and taking off in the wrong conditions is at best, not the least bit fun.

 

 

5 hours ago, MatthewClay said:

get wing up make sure it’s centered

then hit gas

then stand straight up

all the while running and keeping your hands up 

3-do you look up at the wing? And does this get to wear it becomes second nature after many take off’s?

Most seem to have differing methods to mine (reverse vs forward launches)
Either way, when ground handling without the motor, it is obvious when all the ducks are lined up and a launch pretty much guaranteed had you had the motor on.

Very light winds are tricky because you have to go hell for leather AND remain focused on all those things you mention.
I do a final check of the wing once I am clear of the ground and climbing but I am likely to have checked a wingtip before leaving the ground... I'm not sure its required but its habit.
Lets say you manage to get airborne with a small cravat in a tip without noticing (anything more serious and you are unlikely to get airborne and/or its likely to pull you off your chosen line)....
I personally would continue to climb and pull it out once I established I had control but I would advise anyone with doubts to land it and start over.
The main job is ascertaining that thing are going exactly as you expect them to be going... any anomaly, stop and start again... don't let desperation have you ignoring that things are starting to go a bit tits.
Its a tough discipline because eventually you will be too tired to launch.... BUT, all your gear will still be in one piece and ready to fly just as soon as you have had a brew n smoke to get your ducks back in a row :) 

It might be worth attempting to take the attitude that you are off to get some exercise and IF you are lucky, you MIGHT get a flight as well.

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35 minutes ago, Blackburn Mark said:

The main job is ascertaining that thing are going exactly as you expect them to be going... any anomaly, stop and start again... don't let desperation have you ignoring that things are starting to go a bit tits.

First class advice in my book. Been caught out with desperation and it's not worth it.

Another thing if you are going off line is not to over correct. When the wing is up it doesn't need a ton of correction, it essentially wants to fly straight. 

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