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Where can you take off from? How to find sites?


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I am wondering whether to learn to fly a microlight or powered paraglider (PPG). One of the benefits of PPG might be that you can take off and land at a greater number of places than you could with a microlight?

But nowhere can I find a definitive list of the types of places from which you can fly. Is there one?

If you take off I understand you need to get permission from the landowner to be legal. But I can imagine that if you approached a farmer most of them would not want you flying from one of their fields because it is an insurance risk for them, as well as the noise potentially annoying them and other locals.

Is there a good way to approach farmers to get them to agree to let you fly? What is the going rate to pay them?

I guess the other approach is to fly anyway without asking permission. I would imagine that once you have experience you can probably get airbourne in a matter of minutes, meaning the likelyhood of getting caught or annoying the landowner is quite small?

And what about if I am out for the day somewhere sunny, and I get the urge to go flying. Can you in practice pull over in a road layby and take off from there. Or is that likely to get you a ticket from any passing police officer?

Are you allowed to take off from most common land, National trust property, or national forest (like the New Forest, Hants.)

What other locations and methods of acquiring use of those locations are there, that you can fly from?

Thanks

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I started by asking the odd farmer who was in their field.

I have never been asked about insurance. I always show them what I do by showing a video on my phone or show them the motor if it is in the car.

I always offer aerial photos and drop off some wine at Christmas.

Just get out there an ask!

Ps try to stick to a "take off and piss off" plan, cut out annoyance for the farmer and his neighbours.

Don't go near anywhere with horses, no end of hassle!

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In all cases for sites for regular use you should try to find out who owns the land and get permission. I have permission from several landowners, all more than happy and trust me not to worry their livestock where there are any. One of my sites is common land in a national park but it is all still doable. Just use common sense, don't take off or land over houses, etc. As a personal preference I would stay away from busy areas as people always take an interest and can get too close when you're not looking.

I always take round a bottle of Scotch annually for my regular land owners, that lubricates relationships nicely.

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