Yes - I've done it!

[stevec]

I decided to take up Paramotoring early June of this year. I was sitting in the garden with a glass of wine feeling chilled, when one of them did a lazy turn above the house. There was a 2 minute thought process….

I have done nearly 600 skydives and got a PPL many, many years ago. I’d had the kids, and was now looking at this “aircraft” and yearned to be up there. What was stopping me? Well at 51 I felt like an old fart, but most of my bits appear to be working still, I didn’t have the cash but had a road and off-road motorbike in the garage that I could sell, or better still Tesco were doing a 12 month interest free credit card – I chose the later, well until it needs paying off anyway!

Like most kids/men, I wanted to buy the kit immediately and so started looking. I also went along to see Alex at Braintree for instruction (which turned out to be one of my better moves)! I spent a couple of hours dragging a training wing around a windy field – or was it dragging me, and on the way home thought – is this really what I want to do? I was knackered, bruised, and had welts up my arms that looked like I’d been self harming. Well, I suppose I was. By time I was home I’d decided that I was not going to let a few metres of fabric beat me and continued my search for kit.

Now I know I had the option to use Alex’s kit to train, and then be sure I was to stay in the sport and select the right kit based on knowledge and understanding. That is probably the way I would recommend to most, but I just don’t seem to be wired that way. I went to work on a Monday morning late June, and got an email from a mate showing me an add for a Pap Top 80 on Skyads. It had only just been placed on there. I looked at the STD phone code (01473) – Ipswich. I work at BT in Ipswich! By mid afternoon, it was mine. (Another good decision).

Oh well. If I have a motor, I might as well have a wing. I spent more than I planned on the PAP, but it was very low hours and I was chuffed with it, but this left me with less Tesco ponies to spend on the wing. An Apco Thrust HP came up at the right price. Most said it was unsuitable for a beginner, an a couple said it was. I’ve always supported the underdog so I bought it! Then as usual I did my research after the purchase. I figured that with trims in, and no speedbar it was as safe as any other “beginner” wing, and the performance figures were similar to Revos and Synths. Anyway, I had convinced my self it was ok, and that is what matters.

Off to the local field with my new wing! Perfect conditions. Bloody hell, why won’t this thing stay above my head. Back to Alex. There followed about 3 months of me watching every weather forecast, and nagging Alex senseless whenever reasonable weather was forecast. I kept my kit in the car, and would leave work early to do as many evening sessions as I could. The ground handling was going great until I tried it with 25kg of motor on my back. Common sense told me that this was not going to be possible. I could barely lift the thing of the ground let alone run with it! Anyway, I got to the stage of doing some ground runs with motor running and “trusting the thrust”. Most of these were in nil wind, and not having used my gym membership for some time, my heart started trying to beat itself out of my chest and my sweat glands went into overdrive.

Then came the expensive run….. Alex had briefed me to run with the wing under control and not think about flying. (Don’t think about elephants!) The wing came up ok in a forward, I waddled off down the field like a duck on steroids, all felt well, so I squeezed more throttle. Christ, where did the ground go. I think that I felt safer away from it than on it, so I squeezed too much throttle and found myself at 30ft or so. I throttled back quickly, and the wing swung forward as I seemed to face the ground. Sod this, back on the throttle, oops, too much, off the throttle. Wow, that ground is rushing up fast, back on the throttle and crunch! A pendulum into the ground, which didn’t hurt me at all, but gave my wallet a slight bruising. I went home that night with a determination to crack this. Within a week I had a second hand prop fitted, thanks Alex, and had the hole in my tank repaired with a hot knife. I’m back in business – off to nag Alex

The next few weeks were hard work, but really satisfying. I’d worked out where I had gone wrong and had gone through it all in my head. Surprising how much visualization helped me with it all. I spent one evening doing 4 or 5 powered hops, with a controlled descent and landing. It all went really well and I was looking forward to doing a circuit on my next session. The weekend was coming and the forecast was looking good! I started getting butterflies. I contacted Alex who replied “I can’t make this weekend, I’m flying in France”. Noooooooooooo! What am I going to do. Sunday afternoon came, the weather was perfect with a steady 5mph breeze and I was gutted. I then got a text from someone I’d met through a friend. He was going flying and I normally go along to do some ground handling. I took my kit along, did some ground handling and watched him take off into the sunset.

Right, I’ll just try a powered run and not think about taking off. (Don’t think about elephants!). I set up for a forward launch and heaved the wing up. I glanced up – it was perfectly square and just about to overtake me. I squeezed on some throttle and walked forward. I eased a bit more throttle and everything started getting light. This was decision time, although, if truth be known, there was only one way I was going to go. UP!

The next 5 mins was one of the most scary and magical moments of my life. A bit like my first parachute jump but without the paralyzing terror! I realized I was not on full throttle so gradually eased on some power and slipped back in my seat. This was easy enough but I did feel as though I was perched there. The harness has additional seta straps to lift up a lip for comfort, but there was no way I was going to let go of the brakes. As far as I was concerned holding them was keeping me in the air. I did 2 circuits of the field and came in for a perfect flare and landing. I landed much further up the field than I thought but the field was massive, so no problems. These wings glide a lot better than 7 cell skydive canopies! I think my skydiving canopy control – although a long time ago, made the flare instinctive. I was absolutely buzzing. I did one more flight before the sun set and went for the tastiest beer I’ve had!

This Monday, I met up with Alex and completed my official 3 circuits which was equally enjoyable, but missing some of the terror! The beer afterwards still tasted good. I sometimes wonder whether I should have flown alone, but at the time, everything felt so right, and Alex had given me the training and confidence to go for it. I even managed to remember all the pre-flight and landing checks. Alex has a policy of making the ground to air transition as smooth and controlled as possible before the actually flying, with gradual throttle control and wing management and it certainly pays dividends. My thanks to him for getting me flying before winter proper, which was my goal.

What’s the weather doing this weekend?

Steve

[alan_k]

Steve that's a fantastic blog, well done mate. Welcome to the PILOT fraternity.

Well at 51 I felt like an old fart,

You've got some catching up to do

I looked at the STD phone code (01473) – Ipswich. I work at BT in Ipswich! By mid afternoon, it was mine.

What brilliant luck

The ground handling was going great until I tried it with 25kg of motor on my back. Common sense told me that this was not going to be possible. I could barely lift the thing of the ground let alone run with it!

It gets a lot easier as you've probably already found out. The technique just seems to improve.

.... and came in for a perfect flare and landing. I landed much further up the field than I thought but the field was massive, so no problems.

Getting landing cracked is fantastic, you'll be spot landing in no time.

I was absolutely buzzing. I did one more flight before the sun set and went for the tastiest beer I’ve had!

Didn't you know paramotoring makes beer taste better

I even managed to remember all the pre-flight and landing checks.

Good man, safety first. Keep it up and keep the amusing posts coming

Cheers,

Alan