sparty Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Hi everyone, I'm looking at getting into this exciting sport and have located a training school reasonably close to me in Scunthorpe, Paramotor Training UK. It's run by a guy called Brad and the reviews on the site all look good. I have spoken to him on the phone and he seems like a nice bloke. Just need to wait for this latest lockdown to pass then I can get myself booked onto the course. Unfortunately I will need to save up for the equipment once my training is done, so I will be seeking advice on what's good for a beginner. Also, do any of you have a preference for 4 stroke over the 2 stroke engines?. I've been watching lots of YouTube stuff and there seems to be a mix of the two. I'm 6'2" and weigh a little over 15 stone, so I'm assuming I'll need something with a bit more oomph to get my fat arse off the ground . All advice welcome. Thanks, Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Hi Andy, hope you get to train soon and find that you love it. At your weight I would suggest a 4 stroke is underpowered, I have both and the extra power of the 2 stroke Moster is quite noticeable, giving a much stronger climb rate. I am 2 stone lighter than you so things are in my favour for the lesser powered 4 stroke V5, which I prefer to fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparty Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Thanks Alan, your advice is very welcome. I was not aware that the 2 strokes provided more power, thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 The Bailey V5 is about 20hp, the Moster is 25hp. Generally the 2 strokes will be lighter in weight also. The new EOS 4 stroke is I believe 26hp but is an unproven machine up to yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Hi, I have never met Brad Quinn, but I once had a guy come to fly with me who was trained by Brad. To put it bluntly, he was dangerous and I told him he needed to and get trained properly before flying with me again. After talking with my flying friend about what his training had involved, it was very different to the training I had received and very lacking in many areas. This was 2 years ago - so might have improved now? When looking for training I would look for someone who trains to a recognised training scheme. You should also ask for feedback on the trainers on the FB forum "UK Paramotor". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparty Posted November 7, 2020 Author Share Posted November 7, 2020 Thanks Andy, food for thought. I'm not on FB so can't look on that Forum. I'm always open to suggestions regarding trainers, I've even considered using skyschool and training in Spain or Portugal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 I trained in Spain with Skyschool and loved it. It took 2 separate 1 week trips. Some people try to do it on one week, but that is really ambitious. After my first week I knew enough to buy my kit and the second week I was trained on my own gear. You will find lots of previous discussions on here about doing trips abroad for training and all the pros/cons (good weather vs no follow up training etc) so I would read those as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparty Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 Thanks again Andy. We have a motorhome and travel to Spain every year. I'm in the fortunate position of being retired and being able to spend 3 to 4 months at a time in Spain, so it's a definite option that I need to explore a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Perfect. I usually spend 6 months a year in Spain (Manilva), but not now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparty Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 No, we were there in March and got locked down for 3 months. We could only leave the site to go to the supermarket for the first few weeks. It wasn´t the kind of trip we had planned, but at least it was nice weather. I´ve been in touch with Alex at skyschool with regard to booking on the 2 week course in Portugal next Autumn (late Sept into Oct). They have an area where we can park the motorhome with electric hookup, which saves me some money by not having to pay for their accommodation. So I think I'm going to go that route. As you suggested, I have looked back through some previous posts and there certainly seems to be a lot of mixed views regarding training abroad versus training in the UK. Having looked into skyschool they seem to be a very reputable company and provide a good course. At least it gives me time to save up, not only for the course but also for the equipment. I don't want to be in a position where I complete the course then have to wait another 12 months before I can afford the equipment to carry on flying. Thanks for all the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 I found Skyschool very competent and I have been on one of their flying trips each year since.......so their instructors can continue to chastise me! The D-day trip this year was awesome. Here's the American cemetery... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparty Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 Looks amazing. I will now have to wait nearly a year before I can take to the skies. At least it will be worth it and it's something to look forward to in these miserable times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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