Dogman Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 (edited) Hi, I am interested in learning to fly a paramotor and as I am based in North Yorkshire, I have done my homework and will be training with AXB sports. From what I can work out I will want my own kit as soon as I have trained. But the cost is really out of the question until next year now. But I really want to get an idea of cost. I am very interested in flying places rather than just 30 min flights so interested in endurance. My next problem is that I am 6'7", weigh 155kg 58 inch chest etc. As I am not training until next year and having read a few blog posts I have decided to use the time to get fit and lose weight. Even so I envisage a trimmed down me will still be 120-130kg. Am I going to be able to get reasonably priced kit that will last and get me off the ground without having to re purchase the following year? Cheers Gareth Edited September 5, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 As I am not training until next and having read a few blog posts I have decided to use the time to get fit and lose weight. Even so I envisage a trimmed down me will still be 120-130kg. Am I going to be able to get reasonably priced kit that will last and get me off the ground without having to re purchase the following year? Cheers Gareth Well I decided that I was NOT going to keep on being fat into the new decade, so the new year saw me trotting off to weight watchers. Think of it as being a year to drop all the weight you need, so I'd plan to buy another wing. That's not a total loss so take some good advise (not mine!) and see how you go.... Good luck, I'm nursing many bruises from 3 days of GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquatix Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Hi Gareth - I'm the same height as you (but a fair bit lighter) - especially after shedding 10 Kg in my last 12 months of active flying ... There is good used kit out there, but not as abundant as that for small / medium sized people, and you need to select carefully as a few 'larger' people on here have bought motors then struggled to get in the harness properly after take off. Budget from £4k for used to £7k for a new motor / wing package. Some schools offer free training if you buy the kit through them which will also help avoid expensive mistakes - and some even offer it on a payment scheme. The kit should last for many years ~ 400 flying hours if looked after. Economy / endurance depends on the motor & wing combination but I get the same flying time and range as lighter people on smaller motors (from only a slightly bigger tank). Getting fit and asking questions is the ideal preparation for training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogman Posted September 6, 2010 Author Share Posted September 6, 2010 (edited) Cheers for the replies so far. As I like my food I have decided to go down the gym route for losing weight. I started last week with 20 mins rowing, 20 mins cross trainer and 20 mins treadmill. I will up this until I am doing 1.5 hours of cardio type work over the next few weeks. I envisage being in the gym 3-4 days per week. I don't have a teenage weight in mind and am looking really at what I weighed when in my late 20's at about 19st, which would be nearly a 6st loss. I should be able to comfortably achieve that before next year. I think if I am going to get a brand new wing, I might get one with some company advertising on it and put a proportion through the books As for the paramotor, the favourites so far in my limited experience (i.e. Nil) Would be the Flat Top 200 or Evo and the Bailey 4 stroke 200. If spending all that money does not scare me shitless then paramotoring certainly will Gareth Edited September 7, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfreefly Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 hmmmm.......if you are going to be training with axb.....as I did many years ago...if at all poss he will get you off the ground......however out of the three of us who went for training only two of us did get off the ground ...the reason without any doubt was the Paramotor that he let us use to try out the sport.....at that time he used a rad paramotor (because he was a dealer).....the guy who failed to fly that day....was very much the same weight as you....he had no chance whatsoever of getting off the ground....and was very much put off the sport...funny thing is his was by far the better of us at groundhandling and grasped that aspect of the sport very quickly ....unlike me and the other Lad.....but we got off the ground because we weighed a lot less...we both now fly all the time while the big Lad went off to fly gliders..... ps he did actually get off the ground on a forward launch when he lifted his legs but only flew down from his 6 foot 5 frame he then became a grass cutter for 20 mts....its all on video and to this day gets upset when you talk about lawn mowers/strimmers..... so be warned dont even try to fly on a underpowered motor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 As for the paramotor, the favourites so far in my limited experience (i.e. Nil) Would be the Flat Top 200 or Evo and the Bailey 4 stroke 200. If spending all that money does not scare me shitless then paramotoring certainly will Ian From my recent research I'd not have the Bailey 4 stroke as it has power & weight issues (big problem for you!). The Flat-top is probably fine apart from the frame suffering from chicken poo welding and that 'Super Dell' is a cock of the highest order. Not having a bottomless wallet I've gone for the cheapest kit that will do the job (as long as the wing is reflex), for the following reasons... How can I make an informed choice when I have not flown for a number of hours? I might hate it! I'm more likely to trash my kit as a new pilot, I'd rather damage cheaper kit than shiny new stuff! As I get proficient with a basic wing, I'll probably want a better wing why buy new a wing I might only keep 6 months? Just some food for thought....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramotormike Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 Fresh Breeze have some powerful motors. Check in with Piers Dent at Fresh Breeze UK http://www.freshbreezeuk.com Most of the range can be low hang points too! Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macey2kk Posted September 6, 2010 Share Posted September 6, 2010 well...im 18st....and love my food far too much to diet.. i was when i started training, and i am still am now... so i bought a parajet cyclone....with 95 kg thrust its enough to get me and a small herd of buffalo off the deck.... all i need now is some bionic leg implants for nil wind launches... so if all fails down the gym...cancel your subscription and get to parajet!!! good luck whichever route you take! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogman Posted September 6, 2010 Author Share Posted September 6, 2010 (edited) Fresh Breeze have some powerful motors.Check in with Piers Dent at Fresh Breeze UK http://www.freshbreezeuk.com Most of the range can be low hang points too! Cheers Mike Hi, thanks for that link. Great advice. Re teaching, its a mine field. Who do you trust, you just have to take a teachers word for it. Gareth Edited September 7, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilzy Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Hi like you im in the slender end of the market weighing in at 118kg 115kg on a good day standing on one leg naked (not a good sight trust me) yes it is a mine field out there but Paul's a good guy will give you some sound advice. Motors are few and far between for us a Bailey wont entertain us trust me although a really sexy machine it wont work!!!!!. I got a Rocco Super which if i could get in the dam thing is fantastic, but for me its a real pain getting my arse into the harness so i will prob sell it and buy a Flat top which i know i can get in should have bought one in first place. Wings are a little easier i got a Dudek Synth 34 which is i my opinion one of the best although the new paramania Revo 2 when he makes them bigger sounds pretty good to. If you wanna have a chat to a fellow barrage balloon feel free to phone me anytime i will PM my number. Neilzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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