Patrick's Progression

[PatPux]

12 minutes ago, Neilzy said:

Looks great Pat are you still looking to get a new motor I've just got myself a Nitro 200 super super light great little machine 

Not sure...funnily enough, just looking again at the V3 on the PJ site. Truth is, if the V2 Macro was performing properly it would be quite adequate, just cant seem to get it to perform crisply, like it used to before i put the new bottom end on it. And splashing £4 or £5k just because I cant get a 2 stroke tuned goes against the grain a bit.

I bet that Nitro 200 tows you around alright. I like the look of them but not sure its robust enough to survive some of my "arrivals"

[smurff]

Never seen Doarama before. Thanks Pat

[PatPux]

7 hours ago, smurff said:

Never seen Doarama before. Thanks Pat

I was put on to it by Andy Bexx (ppgwings)on this forum. There is the facility to sync it with any video you have shot of the trip.

[PatPux]

Flight 60  30/07/16

http://doarama.com/view/871438

60 flights up……..that seems like awfully slow progress considering I took my first flight 3 years ago. The terrible conditions earlier this year and more recently ongoing niggling problems with my motor have’nt helped, I suppose.

But with the turn in the weather, hopefully I can get a few more in. Anyway, I was able to get my 60^th flight on Saturday morning in, initially overcast conditions that turned sunny during the flight.

I arrived at the field to find about a 5mph NWly and still remembering one of Little Col’s maxims – “A Difficult reverse is an easy forward” that’s how I set up.

Well I did that three times in the end! It was one of those days where the wind would spend 10 minutes in one place and then 10minutes about 90 degrees different – not swinging wildly every few seconds just steady for a time in one place then changing.

I’m afraid I’m past struggling to reset a wing for forward launch, which requires some care, with all the equipment on my back , so each time it was off with the kit. And everytime I got back to the wing the direction had changed.

Luckily before my patience and energy ran out  the wind picked up a little and I was able to reverse, where picking the wing up on the breeze and resetting on the fly is a much easier proposition.

 

With my motor still only giving me about 6500, climb out was less than spectacular, ( not helped by 3 weeks away from the gym and an over-indulgence of food and drink on holiday) so having taken a couple of circuits over the field, away I went into the NWly wind, I changed to full out trim to make the increasing turbulence go away, but soon had to reign that in a bit as I encountered significant sink that even full throttle wouldn’t counter with the trims out. And it was a bit like throughout the flight…..OK, but not what I would like to have as a margin of extra throttle to increase my rate of climb if needed.

 

So, all that reinforced the call I had made to Parajet on Thursday to take them up on the quote I had sought recently for a new motor. It was a cop out really, but I was getting tired of trying to get the XT to give me the power it should so I have stumped up for a Moster 185 plus ( but still to go in my V2 Macro frame).

 

Id barely sent the email, before John Welch was back on the phone to enquire why I wasn’t going the whole hog and getting the V3 with the Moster, somewhat ignoring the extra £2-£3k that would cost me. It wasn’t just that, though- I still have times when I don’t manage to “bleed the speed” on landing and skid in feet first and I know the “tank” that is the V2 can handle that. Whereas, beautiful, though the V3 is, with its new “forward pointing geometry” on the frame base I’m not convinced it is quite as robust in that respect

He tried to persuade me that I’d love the new agility of the V3, but TBH, when connected to a Synth 1 nothing is going to be too agile! So I’m sticking with the V2 for now, which does what I need it to do. And there’s nothing to stop me springing for the V3 in the future.

So I am waiting to hear from PJ whether there is a spare unit available from the last batch they will receive from Vittorazi in Italy before the whole of that country shuts and goes on holiday for August.

After I'd had a 40 minute flight around the Thames up to Goring I returned to find the harvester in full swing in the field, which I had anticipated so I rounded off the morning with a little aviation of a different kind

 

 

[paulg18]

I totally agree with you about the V2 frame, I still love mine and have also had the V3 upgrade chat with Tom but the V2 does all I want.

[asquaddie]

I fully understand about the motor and I've noticed a very big different with mine now

I remember well, standing around with my old faithful wing, but since I purchased the new Synth 2 - I've never done a forward.  The wing is very easy  to bring up on a reserve and it just stays there.  A big improvement with the extra thrust and a lighter wing.

Tony

[PatPux]

10 minutes ago, asquaddie said:

 The wing is very easy  to bring up on a reserve and it just stays there.  

Helped by those lovely laminar sea breezes you have down there

[asquaddie]

Maybe         

Still easier to bring up then a marquee

 

[PatPux]

Flight 61 & 62 ,5&6/8/16  Driving Lift and Stardom

Parajet and in particular John Welch came up trumps as usual, and got a part off to me in the post that got me flying on Friday evening. Turned out to be a bit too windy, though, so I did some parahovering over the fields and waved at a few punters on the ground before turning back for a very speedy run home.

This morning was much more promising, with a light westerly which was going to need a forward. I hadnt had a lot of luck on recent forward attempts, so I took real care over laying the wing out having spent a good 20 minutes observing the pattern of how the windsock was changing before going for it. And this time it certainly paid off, a couple of committed strides and up she came as straight as a die and with 4 or 5 paces I was gone.

I think I can still legitimately post here, under training blogs because I am still learning, and certainly today was a case in point. I have noticed through my flying so far that I seem to have a fair tolerance for not being phased by bumpy air, in comparison to my peers at the same stage of development, perhaps because I came from free flying (all be it not huge experience) . So I have flown in some bumpy conditions , but, I dont believe, dangerous ones, ie, I have never encountered conditions I didnt expect to from my reading of the weather conditions beforehand.

But this morning was indeed a new experience. I encountered my first really strong fairweather thermals. Conditions were clear blue sky overhead of my take off with just the first hint of warm weather cloud as it started to develop mid morning out to windward.

During my flight I saw over 500ft/min lift on occassion with the motor on idle, without ever seeing the corresponding sink-what does that say?  Very large thermals where I never passed the boundary between rising and sinking air? It was neither un-nerving or uncomfortable, just exilerating and  it didnt "feel" dangerous................I'll wait for the admonishment of those more experienced to tell me I'm lucky to be alive , I mis-read the conditions and should never have taken off. If I did I missed the class that said clear blue sky, hint of fairweather cloud and light breeze is not flyable!

In the afternoon I went along to our village fete where I was asked to bring the paramotor along with others bringing various classic cars and other stuff to create some interest. I dont think the bloke with the absolutely beautiful 1968 Mercedes convertible expected to be upstaged by a canvas chair, a bit of webbibg and a smelly 2-stroke with a fan ( Sorry Parajet- highly engineered , state of the art flying machine!).

There was loads of interest and not a single "so your the bloke disturbing our sunny afternoon in the garden like a very noisy wasp" comments. Quite a few people were interested enough to want the sport explaining in some detail and a number went away resolved to give it a go. By the time, wives, the cold light of day and a bit of contemplation takes hold, I doubt any will follow through, but I was quite surprised by the level of interest.

I even met some of those I'd waved at the night before and someone who had observed from the ground my rapid ascent in one of those thermals...." You took off nice and gentle then you just went straight up!"

[admin (Simon W)]

Well done with the light wind launch chap

We had guys up in the morning yesterday. I went up early also. Deffo not 'unsafe' weather and thermals of the nicer sort (big fat ones, rather than little punchy ones) 

The set up of the wing is of course 80% of a successful forward launch

SW  

[PatPux]

Had my first flight on my recently acquired NucleonXX 28, today.

Bear in mind that any of the following comments that make a comparison are relative to the original Dudek Synthesis 1.
I had spent an hour or so ground handling the wing yesterday in quite blowy conditions, not the best to test nil wind capability, which is where I was really looking forward to seeing the difference over the Synth.
Nevertheless it gave me a good opportunity to familiarise myself with the riser layout. (Red for As) It's an altogether lighter set up and I found a bit more care was required in picking up the brake handle to the 2D lines to ensure you didn't get them round your wrist. In general I found picking up anything to do with the risers a bit more difficult with big winter gloved hands .
Today was truly nil wind when I launched although the breeze had picked up a little when I landed 20 mins later
I laid the wing out into where my breath was showing any wind there was, was coming from, went through my usual preflight checks and walked up to the wing to clip in just as Phil took off.
The riser ends were a slightly tighter fit over my caribiners, but having connected I was ready to go. Usual technique of centering in the wing, two paces back, building revs and go. Slight check as the pressure came on the As, then it was over head, 3/4 throttle , feeling pressure on the brakes when tested, a few more paces, a dab of brake and away we went. Definitely less throttle required on climb out.
I went for a fly around the local area, up over the Thames escarpment to the North, where I picked up the customary bump or two, not feeling quite as rock solid as the Synth, but nothing of concern (still on zero trim, didn't try trims out  today). Got a bit of roll oscillation , which was easily corrected.
I tried a few turns with downward brake input only, and found it much more responsive.
I then returned to the field and tried a low pass, which I found difficult to pick a throttle setting to give me a good level pass, I was going up and down a bit, just need some practice, on that, I guess.
I did notice that the tip steering looked like it was slightly "engaged" with the TST lines parked on their magnets, that will need a look.
Finally a quick spin over the woods to where I could see a Red Kite trying to get into some lift, so I could make that comparison with the Synth. I felt a bit of bump as I went into it, but nothing significantly different .
The slight breeze was coming straight down the long leg of the of the field as I made my approach. I can't say it felt much different, perhaps a little faster, but the brakes seem to slow me down a bit better, unfortunately not enough to stop an arse landing, but I definitely felt with better timing, foot landings will come.
So my first 20 minutes on the new wing were everything I hoped they'd be, except, perhaps for some miracle gizmo that got me to land on my feet.
I certainly feel that a whole new flying window has opened up for me, in not having to make sure there's a 5kn wind to go flying

[Neilzy]

Sounds a nice wing Pat no drama's which is good I've ordered a Reportair now 

[PatPux]

Interestingly that is what Marc has got to replace the NucleonXX he sold to me

[Neilzy]

Yeah I spoke to Clive and the XX & Report are similar although the Report is supposed to be more hands off literally as it's designed for just that hands free stability for those that want to use camera's etc I can't wait to get it must catch up maybe we will see you at one of the flyin's this year 

[Hann__]

A nice, honest comparison there between the XX and your old Synth, Pat.

So it launched easily, not quite as stable as the Synth in flight, it was a little bit more `reactive` in turns and seemed `about the same` when landing.

Too often i read what seem to me to be over-enthusiastic reviews of wings the author enthusing about just how life-changingly brilliant this wing or that wing is..

"This wing is so easy to launch i could reverse it on the draught from a passing butterfly"

"It`s so efficient i landed with more fuel than when i took off"

"This wing glides forever - i cut the engine in Oxfordshire and spot-landed in Exeter"

"Such is the agility of this wing i did a 120km XC flying upside down", .......etc...

It`s good to read a review from a regular pilot like you to get a rational description.

 

I also binned my Synth1 a year ago - like you i got fed up with it`s recalcitrance in  nil-wind. They`re such a heavy old bugger..

I`ve gone from dreading forwards and avoiding them whenever possible to doing them virtually all the time now. In fact, this new wing lanches better in nil wind than when it`s a bit gustier. Apco Lift EZ.

Apart from the ease of launching - to me - my new wing feels just about the same as my old one in most other respects....!

 

 

 

[nujjer]

I have totally enjoyed reading every post of this blog over several sittings! Thank you for sharing. I've had an idle interest for years, but never done anything about it.  Agghh... your blog has got me all stirred up. Dammit.

[alan_k]

Just do it!

[Steve]

Listen to what Alan says!     

[kiwi k]

On 1/23/2017 at 18:14, Hann__ said:

"This wing is so easy to launch i could reverse it on the draught from a passing butterfly"

"It`s so efficient i landed with more fuel than when i took off"

"This wing glides forever - i cut the engine in Oxfordshire and spot-landed in Exeter"

"Such is the agility of this wing i did a 120km XC flying upside down", .......etc...

It`s good to read a review from a regular pilot like you to get a rational description.

 

 

 

Hann please can you tell me of this wing you speak of sounds just right for me 

[PatPux]

On 12/05/2017 at 20:21, nujjer said:

I have totally enjoyed reading every post of this blog over several sittings! Thank you for sharing. I've had an idle interest for years, but never done anything about it.  Agghh... your blog has got me all stirred up. Dammit.

Sorry, not been on here for a few days. Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it and delay no further, get yourself signed up somewhere, you wont regret it. 4 years on my enthusiasm for it remains undiminished.

[Hann__]

Hi Pat,

Now you`ve had all summer to get to know your new wing what`s your thoughts on it now?

Is it a lot faster, more fuel efficient, landings any better?

 

[PatPux]

On 10/13/2017 at 20:45, Hann__ said:

Hi Pat,

Now you`ve had all summer to get to know your new wing what`s your thoughts on it now?

Is it a lot faster, more fuel efficient, landings any better?

 

Sorry, missed this. Not much faster, definitely more fuel efficient about 4.5lts/hr against 6 on the Synth 1, but landings not better, I still glide and slide