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Miniplane V ex generation


outkast

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Hello all I am selling my pap as I no longer have the strength to start it or run around with it on my back, I am looking for something lighter and easier to start.

I was looking at the miniplane, nice and light, top 80 motor so easy to pull start.

I have also seen that custom vince is selling the X generation motor with the polini thor engine, this is very similar to the miniplane, does anyone on here any experience with either and could give me the pros and cons of each.

Thanks in advance

Dave.

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Have a word with Vince his got the X gen instock, personally i would go for the Kobra with a top80 they are such a good build, definetly my next choice!

Have a go on my top80 next time :D

why thank you Matthew :D

I may well be contacting Vince to see if I can go and see the Xgeneration as hes not too far away.

I am just waiting on a couple of dealers to reply with a price for the miniplane.

one of the reasons I was looking at the miniplane was Jeff goins review, he liked it so much he bought one.

Dave

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Dave.

You say you want to get a lighter machine, but the manufacturer of the X Gen has it's weight down as 25.8Kgs, which I don't think is much of a saving over the PAP Ros at 27Kgs(?) the Minplane weighs in at a confirmed 19Kgs, which is a big difference IMHO.

Having owned a PAP Ros 125, then HE 120 (almost 30Kgs), now an XL Miniplane, I am very happy with the Miniplane. It took a while to polish up my technique (power launches no longer allowed), but all is good now, happy to land and take off anywhere, whereas with the others, once up I stayed up until the fuel load had gone (or crashed to my knees on landing). Distant walks to take off with ALL the gear and fuel for for a 3h flight are no longer a problem. Nice for thermaling (I stop and restart the motor all the time, I don't even have to let go of the brakes, just place my thumb in the bungy loop over my shoulder and pull), it's very quite too.

It's better if you can carry the Miniplane assembled on the back of the car most of the time as it's a bit slower to re-assemble than most. Equally, it packs up small enough to throw in the roof box on the car or pack in Easyjet hold luggage (fully disassembled and labeled as as scooter spares and camping equipment if your brave enough to risk it) with no excess weight charges on a family holidays, which is perfect.

I weigh 77Kgs (ish) and fly a 28m Gin Airflex wing and it has plenty of power (climbs at full bar and trim no problem). I don't know your weight or whether a 23m wing would work with the Top80?

A friend of mine has the Miniplane Polini Thor, which I think is 24Kgs(?) I'll have to get him to weigh it though.

Don't know anything about the X Gen I am afraid, except the price looks nice.

Hope this helps

Stuart.

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Thanks for the reply, my weight is 80KG, the weight of the motor is not such an issue as the ease of starting, so maybe the extra thrust of the xgeneration (64 kg) as apposed to the miniplane (52 kg) mite be the deciding factor.

but if the polini engines are no easier than the PAP, then there is no point going there either, I know the top 80 is fine, I tried Matts and it pulled over a lot easier than the ros.

so if anyone has any other suggestions of paramotors that are easy to start and are not too heavy then please let me know.

Stuart are you coming to the fly in?

Dave

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I dont get it ? my Pap ros 125 starts very easy....no problem....the same could not be said of My Pap pa 125 which was a Bas*ard to start...( I havent got it any more ) I kept my ros ....

Do you know if the ignition timing is correct that sometimes can cause starting problems on the ros ?

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I dont get it ? my Pap ros 125 starts very easy....no problem....the same could not be said of My Pap pa 125 which was a Bas*ard to start...( I havent got it any more ) I kept my ros ....

Do you know if the ignition timing is correct that sometimes can cause starting problems on the ros ?

Hi Gary, its not that it wont start, its that I dont have the strength anymore, I spent several months in hospital with pnuemonia and had to have some quite exstensive surgery on one of my lungs, I lost a shed load of wieght and with it any strength or stamina I ever had, I am regaining some of it but its a very slow process and my body will take time to get its strength back, just something like climbing the stair gets me huffing and puffing.

Before all that I could start it easily :D

Dave.

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With a 23m wing and 80Kgs, I think you would be better off with the Polini, but the Polini is definitely not as easy as the Top80 to start, I would say a bit easier than the Ros though, when run in (my Ros used to kick back quite a bit as well). Is the small hole that goes to the exhaust port totally clear of carbon? or if it's a newer model is the automatic decompression valve working properly? (just a thought).

Easy start leaves you with electric start and there are the usual candidates-Corsair, Parajet, Simonini, Aventure, then there is the one i would seriously look at and that is the Ultra 130 from Air Conception, France, it gets good reviews and is very light weight. AFAIK the motor is a Polish Ros copy (but i am sure they wouldn't agree), it has been around for a reasonable time now, does well in comps etc.

http://www.airconception.com/paramoteurs/ultra-130.html

Alternatively, the Bailey V5 should be easy to pull now its got it's decompresser, (if you can wait that long).

Desperately trying to get to the Fly in, but with a 4yr old and an 8week old, escaping from the family for a few hours is very difficult at the moment, let alone a weekend, I will ask ATC if she want's to come along too, but i can imagine her answer and i am sure it won't be pretty.

Stuart.

Thanks for the reply, my weight is 80KG, the weight of the motor is not such an issue as the ease of starting, so maybe the extra thrust of the xgeneration (64 kg) as apposed to the miniplane (52 kg) mite be the deciding factor.

but if the polini engines are no easier than the PAP, then there is no point going there either, I know the top 80 is fine, I tried Matts and it pulled over a lot easier than the ros.

so if anyone has any other suggestions of paramotors that are easy to start and are not too heavy then please let me know.

Stuart are you coming to the fly in?

Dave

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Funnily enough I just got an email from Jeff goin recomending the ultra 130 :D

Theres a couple of videos floating about the net where the miniplane is being used for tandem flights, I geuss that answers the question of power output.

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Clive/Dave you could try a Flat Top 120 build quality is exceptional worth a look at...

mate you saw me struggling with yours on my back the other night, I think I managed around five steps before having to put it down, as I said at the time, its definately a "big" boys toy :D

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right I have opted for the miniplane but now I have a problem, you would not believe the aggro I have had trying to buy one, Michel carnet is the uk dealer, despite repeated emails from me he has not replied, this dont bode well for the future should I need to buy spare parts for it, theres a dealer in ireland who will only sell to someone in ireland, the manufacturers of the miniplane told me to contact andy at skydragons but hes not a dealer either.

it looks like the only way I am going to get one is to drive to the irish dealers in cork and buy the bloody thing there :shock:

you would have thought in these days of everyone having to tighten their belts the dealers would have jumped at the chance for some bisuness :roll:

Dave.

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Quote

( Michel carnet is the uk dealer, despite repeated emails from me he has not replied, )

:cry:

Never did reply to all my emails when I was looking at buying one to travel with either.....so thats at least two lost sales commisions at least :?

:oops:

beggers the question as to who would look after any warrenty issues as well :?

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Kobra with top80! lightweight good build easy start on the ground and in the air, local to you for back up :D

I cant fault my top80 and with a bigger 1400 prop it would get the thrust you need.

do they biuld a kobra with the top 80?

not seen one on vinces site and all his kobras are over the 4K mark, not sure they are much lighter than my pap either.

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