AndrewD Posted August 29, 2010 Share Posted August 29, 2010 Having played with wanting to fly microlights a few years ago but was too fat (17st) for the tandem flight. I'd seen paramotors on occasion but had always dismissed them as I though there was no way I'd be light enough. So after a European bike trip a year ago where all the pictures had some fat bloke in them (me) it was time to fight the flab.... So from January I've been a 'weight watcher' and getting under 14st the limit for the tandem microlight I had another look on the BHGA(?) site and that linked to 'foot launched' paramotors. Then I find I could have flown at 17st! What follows is lots of late nights on Google and eBay looking at kit, plus finding a couple of vids on Youtube that galvanised my decision to get in the air ASAP [youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo][youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo] Now the proper searching starts....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted August 29, 2010 Author Share Posted August 29, 2010 The next few days have been raining, I ride a bike and run a website/forum/club very much like this one for BMW bikes, everyone I mention it to tells me I'm insane.......then sees the above vids and asks how much to start! The net result is that a friend says he wants to do this too, the loose plan is to book for lessons in Spain and ride down there and camp with the bikes, combining a bike trip with learning. Sounded like an ideal plan.........until I read some of the reports of poor weather and single flights........I know from riding bikes that it takes more than 1 ride to make you a 'biker'. So the search is on for a better option and seeing as I find this forum it is not a hard one! A phone call with Simon confirms that I'd be better allowing the weather to make the choice without being stuck in a fixed time-scale in another country! I arranged to meet him at Memebury services (seeing as it was raining like the days of Noah!), frankly I wanted to make sure I got on with someone I need to trust with my life....... All I can say it that Simon was chilled and in calling both retailers and private sellers looking for kit I've not heard a bad word yet. I paid my £800 and Simon provided a full receipt for the lessons, so I was happy. THAT sense of humour is right up my street and having seen all the Iphone4 apps I left with the decision to beat o2 up for a deal...... (I have Microsoft and apple, running Ubuntu on my PC and had planned to get an Android phone). Can't wait till the rain stops next week...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 ....everyone I mention it to tells me I'm insane.......then sees the above vids and asks how much to start! You'll love it Andrew but beware, it'll take over your life Nice choice of 1st video, if you haven't already checkout viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3711 Here's a short one of me from a spectators point of view viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5246&start=0 Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted August 30, 2010 Author Share Posted August 30, 2010 Well......Been a busy couple of days! Simon offered (even though he sells kit) to advise with any second hand kit I found, I love to chuck 7k at him and get sorted but I just don't have that sort of disposable income. I found a Clemente RAK135L for a reasonable price languishing on Gumtree (not the first time I've found a bargain on there) Did a deal and the seller has been particularly helpful in getting some details sorted, in particular sourcing another prop for £50 (as it has a £220 Arobat I'd rather not make a 'newbie' mistake with!). This involved http://www.PARAMOTOR PROPELLER.CO.UK checking things at 9pm on a bank holiday........ Still looking for solutions to things that probably will not affect me for ages, like buying these. Yes I ordered a box of matches from eBay & I was not drunk don't (I even drink much or smoke for that matter!) Thought they would work for checking landing sites for wind direction........I can't fly yet F.F.S....... So far EVERYONE I have dealings with has been more than helpful and decent and that's rare! Can't wait for tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted September 5, 2010 Author Share Posted September 5, 2010 Been a busy week! Spent Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at Membury and looking back on the week I'm happy that I can now understand and control a wing. Plenty more to do but now I can grab lines knowing what they will do and keep control. Plenty of time needed under the wing, but I found on Friday I was getting distracted by the aches and bruises of the last few days. Getting the wing up and bouncing along running was getting counter productive, but with good weather (possibly the last of it!) I was loathed to stop. However decided to take time out on Saturday as it looked like being a busy training day and spent the time playing with my new IPhone.... New motor arrived yesterday at 5am (yes 5am!), but I was glad to see it arrive in 1 piece, so I did not mind too much. So it's 4am and the Met office have a weather station forecast for Membury services, at 100 yards it's about as close to the training site as I'm going to get a forecast for. Last night it said rain, so I'm up to see if it's still forecasting rain..........yup Damn! Was planning to look at a revo today, looks like I'll be starting again on Monday...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishmotorman Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 Keep up the posts Andrew - I'm eager to see what happens next. and Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 This is a cool training blog, hope to be starting mine soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted September 19, 2010 Author Share Posted September 19, 2010 Weather has been playing a staring roll in training for the last week or so, but I've had another day (Wednasday) under the wing doing GH last week and the next one should be first flight....Made it into the Youtube PMC vid though! [youtubevideo] [/youtubevideo]Saturday (Yesterday) was the only day the weather was playing ball this week, I try to avoid the weekends as it's going to be busy, but with 4 instructors on site there was no problem getting help. The day was a little more complicated by having my new (to me) wing arrive (Thanks Meds) and it handled a bit differently than the 26 I had been using. Also glad to see it fly, with no big hole and 'Ha HA Gotcha' written in marker pen on it! as per the advert it was clean and crispy. Forgot how much bugs like yellow though! Also got the Clemente motor out and went through fueling etc (so close to the PAP80), for the short time it was running it fired up well and looks like another good buy. By this time there had been a couple of first flights and the day was marching on, got the motor on and NOW I know why I spent the time nailing the GH! Took a while to get the harness sorted so it was just short of back breaking, having experience on hand to make simple adjustments was invaluable. Sadly the wind was starting to pick up from the weather front coming in, though flyable we had just watched another Paramotor fly in from over the horizon, he did not land and was getting pushed all over the sky, gave us a low fly past and a wave and was off (if your reading this did you get back or have to land out?). I did some RL's with the engine off and had it have been running I'd have been in the air, BUT not a nice flight and not what I want from a first flight. Peering into my crystal ball (Iphone) Tuesday looks like a viable option, this time it's mid week and I can get out first thing with a familiar wing and motor.........watch this space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coggie49 Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Hi Andrew Been reading your blog from the start and it's a bit like watching a series on the telly, always leaving you wanting the next bit!!! I'm off to Scotland this morning for 9 days holiday so no access to my computer, by the time I get back you should have had your feet off the ground. Good luck for Tuesday, I might take the Laptop and go and find a hotspot just to keep up LOL. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Torture! All the training was for reverse launches as it's been breezy, Tuesday.............. No wind, back to nursery getting forward launches sorted, wind did it's thermic thing and by the end of the day I was getting tired and a little hacked off with the bad luck of all. But there is no fighting mother nature and Simon did offer to get down early on Wednesday but the wind was up from dawn, even offered to try again at the fly-in, but that's a social thing so it'll wait till next week. Like pulling teeth this flying lark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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