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Hi Folks! New here & needing advice please.


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Hello all!

After dreaming for several years and spending the last 2 months researching, planning and budgeting for this, I think I am ready to start on the road skyward.

Training is about to be organised but I have only 2 practical choices for schools in my area, neither of these schools are BHPA affiliated but both are well known and seem to be run by guys who care about the sport and have the necessary experience.

I guess this means though that I won't have a recognised qualification or BHPA membership and hence insurance. Should I be concerned about that? I hope not, as work/home commitments and budget effectively prevent me from training anywhere outside of a 40mile radius of home. I wonder though is it possible the law will change to require a BHPA licence, and what is the cost of insurance outside of the BHPA?

I'm 43, 5ft 7 and 68kg and would really appreciate some advice on a machine/wing. For the chassis/motor I was looking mainly at Parajet and Bailey, from pictures and spec they both look to be so well constructed. I've been advised by one of the schools though to go for a PAP yet I hear PAP have many faults, or maybe that was older machines?

As I'm sure you appreciate, its hard for a newbie like myself to glean useful, impartial info on equipment.

Things I've heard:

FlyProducts are dangerous

PAP have many faults/issues but weight shift is excellent

Parajet have great frames but reliability problems (presumably only with their engines though so Moster/Bailey/Pollini combos would be good?)

Bailey are excellent all round

EC excellent all round

(above is of course purely hearsay and no offence is intended to anyone)

I very much like the idea of a Bailey V5 engine for reasons of economy, noise and smoother power delivery.

I want a wing that I won't be bored with in 12 months time.

In the future, I'm not going to want to do anything extreme, but once I'm experienced the capability of pulling a few g's on the turns and some responsive handling for low flying would be very nice thankyou.

This is very much a one-time purchase for me, I absolutely do not want to find that in 12 months my kit needs upgrading. I won't be able to justify the expense and don't want the hassle selling etc, I'd rather spend more now and be prepared to be extremely careful and self disciplined enough to have a little extra power available on the motor than is initially needed for my weight, and also to have a wing that has the capability to give me more BUT only when I've gained the necessary hours and skills to begin to use the trimmers etc.

I'm fairly sure no-one here will recommend it, but is it possible for a new pilot to start on something like a Fusion for say 6 months with careful control input and strictly minimum trim? Or would this wing be downright dangerous for me, even if treated with extreme respect, and the Revo2 the 'sportiest' level of wing suitable? I suspect the latter is the case, or at least borderline.

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any and all replies!

Tim.

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Hi

Personally i would go the BHPA route as insurance is becoming harder and harder to acquire. If this is NOT an option due to location then get instruction form your nearest instructor then sit the BHPA exam and enter Via the alternative entry scheme... One day it will be BHPA or BMAA only.

As for choice of Paramotor i can not really steer you in one way or another as i am a Bailey dealer in the south :wink: but it seems your pretty set on 4stroke in one form or another.... If you go down the Parajet route i would get your name down for one Now as i think the wait for a V5 engine/paramotor is 14-16 weeks others will tell you less but i have been waiting 16 weeks for my next batch of motors.... But Sussex paramotors carry stock of V5's (little plug) cough cough :wink:

Good luck with the training

mark

PS tell us where you are and someone might be able to come up with training options for you...

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Hi

Personally i would go the BHPA route as insurance is becoming harder and harder to acquire. If this is NOT an option due to location then get instruction form your nearest instructor then sit the BHPA exam and enter Via the alternative entry scheme... One day it will be BHPA or BMAA only.

As for choice of Paramotor i can not really steer you in one way or another as i am a Bailey dealer in the south :wink: but it seems your pretty set on 4stroke in one form or another.... If you go down the Parajet route i would get your name down for one Now as i think the wait for a V5 engine/paramotor is 14-16 weeks others will tell you less but i have been waiting 16 weeks for my next batch of motors.... But Sussex paramotors carry stock of V5's (little plug) cough cough :wink:

Good luck with the training

mark

PS tell us where you are and someone might be able to come up with training options for you...

BMAA "Paramotoring" :?: ( Do you know something I don't?)

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I would say a parajet V5 with a Revo2. (as you like the V5)

(Personal choice for a newby).

Pete

My thoughts exactly ..

Where about are you from EDD209 ?

Hi Carl, I'm Tim and I'm in the Wellingborough area of Northants.

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I would say a parajet V5 with a Revo2. (as you like the V5)

(Personal choice for a newby).

Pete

My thoughts exactly ..

Where about are you from EDD209 ?

Hi Carl, I'm Tim and I'm in the Wellingborough area of Northants.

I dont know anyone from around your area unfortunately.

I'm neither BMAA or BHPA but I'm looking in to doing My BHPA through airways, I believe you can do it in two days if you prove your a confident pilot and know your air law.

http://www.airways-airsports.com/showkb ... &kb_id=443

Cheers

Carl

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Thanks a lot Nige I contacted Clive and he can arrange training, although looking at the map its virtually the same distance away as Huntingdon but at least I have a choice now.

I've aso been offered, by someone who took up the sport but could not continue due to a pre-existing knee injury, a complete package consisting of the items listed below for £4.5k.

The kit has been used for ground handling + running in and 1 hours flight time only, since then it has been stored for the last 3 years:

Fly Castellucio, model SMN122 with a Simonini engine and electric start

Dudek reaction XL with the Dudek rucksack/stuff-sack.

Original rubber fuel pipes replaced with Tygon tubing .

ICom AE6 radio,

Micro Avionics paramotoring headset,

Micro Avionic helmet with visor (large),

Brauniger IQ One vario,

Ground handling harness,

An unused 10Ltr fuel tank.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of FlyCastellucio machines?

This is all I can find on it...

http://www.thaiparagliding.com/v2/flyca ... /index.php

http://www.ppg.co.za/fly/downloadmedia/ ... al_eng.pdf

It looks very sturdy and the manual seems very comprehensive indeed, I wonder if it is too powerful though as the previous owner is 5st heavier than me! But I know nothing about this manufacturer and getting spares could also be an issue.

I assume that the wing is way over sized for my weight so I would have to sell it if he won't split the package.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Tim!

I am part of a group of pilots that fly from Ditchford (Nene Valley Water ski place) under a mile from where you live. I flew past Irchester last week and do so all the time. You are more than welcome to come over and chat to the guys and get some different opinions, to help making a decision on what is the answer for you to get into this incredible sport/hobby. By the way, I am not offering training or selling equipment (occasionally someone there, is upgrading and as a consequence, selling his/her old gear as per normal). We are all beginners as far as I am concerned. Some with just over 20 flights, others with more than 150 and some somewhere in between. My opinion? Get as much information as possible and make your own conclusions. There are plenty of helpful people out there.

Welcome to paramotoring!!!

Take care.

Cesar.

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