RichE Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Hi Everyone As a new pilot still undergoing training, I am about to start approaching local farmers and land owners for permission to use some land as a flying site once I have finished initial training So my question is to those who've successfully managed to pull this off, how did you phrase the question when you met the land owner.....after all you only get one chance to ask it !. Many Thanks Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Always a difficult time. It has to be the landowner that gives permission (by law), unfortunately a lot of farmers are tenants. I think it helps if you have a picture of what PPG is about, or a short video on your phone. Stress that the activity causes no damage to the field and that you will not fly near livestock. If the farmer doesn't know what PPG is you can describe it as powered paragliding, most people know of paragliding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackburn Mark Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Bear in mind your intentions... If its a great field but surrounded by homes, its not best suited for endless circuits - touch-and-goes - loitering. If you intent to launch and disappear for a couple of hours, that's quite a large difference. (I would commit to the idea that you will launch and at least move off to a remote spot to tune your low level skills) A remote field with sheep is best suited for the early days of safely loitering over your launch spot... The sheep keep the grass short... They soon acclimatize to you but will leave you be and you will be reasonably out of earshot of any potential complaints. Cows are a pain in the ass when they get used to you, they tend to get pretty cheeky and can cause problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 As an addition to Mark's post, don't fly near sheep in lambing season, that pisses the farmer's off big time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paraflyer17 Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 What about fields with crops? Is it best to just avoid these completely, or can they be pretty good for long periods of the year once cut? One other issue I have found when looking is nearly anything that looks decent seems to have horses in the field next door? Are horses an issue or do they just ignore you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackburn Mark Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 That's something to thrash out with any prospective farmers. As for the horses, are you being rhetorical or are you genuinely asking? I don't even bother asking... Not only are you unlikely to get the nod, you would have it hanging over your head that if you farted too loud, one of the crazy fkrs would throw a rider and see you in court! Launches are pretty loud and sudden as far as noise goes... Landing is not so bad or a gentle fly-by (+100m or so) seems ok as long as you are not moving towards them but to my untrained eye, the more expensive a horse looks, the more twitchy they seem to be. I don't like them... But I don't like pissing them off either Having said all that, Paranoob fly's from a field with pony looking critters in it and they soon acclimatized to his antics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 I do have horses in the next field but they are used to aerial noise as I am just on the ATZ boundary. As Mark says avoid all horses where you don't know the temperament. Also if you see an exercise yard give that a wide berth, 500 feet minimum then there is no comeback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichE Posted April 22, 2021 Author Share Posted April 22, 2021 Thanks for all your advice, thats exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. I have a meeting with probably the biggest farming landowner in the west Mids/Staffordshire border area next week on an unrelated matter, so I'll try my luck after our meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackburn Mark Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 50 minutes ago, RichE said: so I'll try my luck after our meeting. Fingers crossed man! Try and pick out a spot with good parking-easy access if you get options... worth its weight in gold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackburn Mark Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 (edited) Double post Edited April 22, 2021 by Blackburn Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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