Paramotor & UltraLight Search & Record.

[tj]

Hi all,

This is an idea that has been kicking around my head for a good few months now.

Background.

I have a long past of volunteering which is just about coming to an end with the organisation I currently work with. To be fair, I've grown out of what they do. In addition I want to do other things that I'm more in control of, rather than have demands made of my time.

I'm hoping to take paramotoring lessons after I have completed some current studies. However I've always preferred to have a purpose to stuff I do, otherwise I tend to get bored (new toy syndrome!).

So, I want to do something with my paramotoring. My dad has a long history of supporting the RNLI, I have been involved in voluntary work for ages and I think we can contribute something along these lines. http://www.skywatchcivilairpatrol.org.uk/

I have contacted them to see if paramotor pilots could contribute to their work although I have had no reply. So I thought 'why not do something yourself'. I wouldn't want to replicate what these guys are doing (although some duplication might happen) rather I though more informal assistance like...

aerial pictures for charities (open days, new assets) for their newsletters,

Aerial recces for historical/archeological societies,

Route finding/lost people rounding up for charity sponsored walks,

A limited Search and Rescue, Record or Recovery service (I am a paramedic, we can land in small areas - no casualty recovery though!).

Assisting in whatever way possible in times of need generally.

I envisage most of this being an informal arrangement with small groups of pilots taking on individual tasks as and when they can, with the understanding that there is no contract or reward expected and that a tasking would be accepted more as a favour than as an expected event. There may be a need to ask for a small donation for running costs (insurance etc). There would need to be some written guidance as to how we were going to conduct ourselves with flight safety being the predominant theme.

Simon - your comment during the snow about the use of a sea king to deliver a prescription was one of the factors that has got me tapping on the keyboard today. Do you think this is do-able? I think the forum would be an excellent way of distributing taskings - would you let us do this? Could we set up as a national sub club of the PMC?

Paramotor Pilots - would you be up for this? We would need to look at issues such as insurance, communicating and marketing PULSAR. This activity could give your flying a whole new lease of life.

Any other ideas/thoughts from anyone?

lets see how feasible this might be.

Tj

[Guest]

If the interest is there, I will set up a members area for all involved.

SW

[gordon_dunn]

I've contacted Skywatch before, and was willing to volunteer if I could be of help.

Don't mind helping out with anything flying related if i can, but they were asking for a subsciption from volunteers..... I know these things don't come free, but our flying gear/our time is expense enough...

I'm still in favour of working with local organisations, etc... photographed some gorse fire damage last week....

GD

[tj]

Hi Guys,

Cheers Simon for the offer of an area on the forum, I'll let you know

And thanks Gordon for the offer. There are LowLand SAR units who perform searches for the local police/councils etc if needed and I can see a regional Paramotor unit being an extra asset they could use. I'm looking at PULSAR being similar in nature to them, although the call out area being regional (eg I'm based in Gloucestershire, my 'region' could cover Devon & Cornwall, Avon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, South East Wales).

For fuller details watch the SARWorld http://www.sarworld.org/forum/ site, my article will be posted some time next week. I'll post a link when it is.

I also tried contacting Skywatch - no joy. I think volunteering should be £neutral to the volunteer, unless they decide to donate other resources than their valuable time.

I'll keep you all posted.

TTFN

Tj

[tj]

Hi Guys,

As promised here is the link for the SARWorld article I wrote about using paramotorsfor low level SAR. They also have a link to their forum if you want to see the comments!

http://www.sarworld.org/forum/viewtopic ... p=528#p528

It doesn't look like it would be all that useful to them, however it's always worth checking. It could have been the one thing that was holding them back from really effective searching.

Looks like your web space is safe Simon

Cheers for the offers of help I had though.

Stay safe,

Tj