I am just beginning again, and am wondering about some things.
I’ve read somewhere (perhaps on one of the websites that design and sell wings)
that sometimes manufacturers will sponsor pilots and or give them wings to try out.
How does someone go about that? Do you have to be a champion slalom race pilot to
even be considered, or can anybody do it under the right conditions?
Can a ppger fly a banner for someone as a commercial enterprise, or is that
strictly not allowed?
I suppose if I had my own youtube channel with a gazillion videos about ppg it would help.
Also, I noticed the Apco website has a section they call clearance where they seem to be selling
discounted wings (some demos and some experimental). I’m wondering if anyone here has checked
into them and if they are worth buying?
Yes training is hard especially on the hot days. if there is a good breeze not to bad kitting.
If you are concerned about your ability to handle foot lunching then maybe a trike is the way to good - none available currently.
Maybe find instructor/school that is good with trikes which focuses on trikes. Maybe go over to Alberta with Flyguy. Book a week and head over. Unless you have someone local.
I would always recommend as close to school as possible – even with a week I did not complete and then had to travel over 3 hrs to get to the school on wkends. Now I am training 20mins away. Do what you got to do to get it done. Then there are many who dont bother with certification in Canada.
You can go to training and learn to fly in US, I would not mind doing my trike training at flightjunkies but that is me, purchase your equipment there to and when done just go home and fly – no offence, you’re up in the middle of no where so no one is going to challenge you about your certification. But I would go with training/certification in Canada – just makes you more open to travelling around and accessing other locations here.
They charge more for trike training. I’ve got the
Basic foot launch course paid for. I don’t have
Money to change now, without borrow ing.
It will be the grace of God that get’s me through.
I’ve already borrowed more than I should have
And am not prepared to borrow more.
I guess I’ll see what my instructor thinks.
In the mean time, I’ve put 45 lbs of weight in a
Backpack and going up and down stairs.
I tried running with the backpack, but it flops
Around so much that I can’t get past a bit of a
Waddle.
Do the harnesses on those machines hold it tight
To your back so you can actually run?
don’t worry too much, it’ll all fall together when you start your training.
It’s not really “tied” to your back, because you still need to be able to lift your knees and scoot into the seat of the harness.
You won’t have to carry the paramotor for long either, as soon as the glider comes over your head and you start running, the glider will produce lift and start to take the weight of the paramotor off your shoulders… until it even produces more lift and carries you too.
at first, you will do some kiting, most likely.
next is probably your first flight in absolute calm air.
Calm air makes the flying once you’re up in the air, very smooth, but you have to run a lot more when launching.
once you have a bit of wind, only a few steps are enough before the wing and the paramotor lifts you up.
thankful: From my own training on a Blackhawk 125 I can attest to everything etienne says.
Use a kitting or free flight harness and practice forward launching and ground handling as much as you can. Once getting the wing inflated and under control is, almost, second nature you can strap on the motor and practice with the weight a few times without starting it.
I actually found that dealing with the throttle, thrust, noise, and vibration, much more distracting than the weight.
Almost at the end of my week off and I still can’t seem to kite the wing properly with the motor strapped to my back. With all that weight, I just can’t seem to move very well. Living inland (prairies) we don’t have the advantage of the heavy coastal air or a constant laminar breeze,
So this means running hard and fast is not an
Option. I hope I can at least get through my first flight before I have to leave.
…is much easier with some thrust at your back!
Prairie winds will be more laminar in general. The terrain is flatter.
Important is that your forward launches are pretty consistent. My trainer allowed three attempts with the motor on your back then you need to rest because you’re too tired to run and feel the wing too. Setup for success on the first try.
OK thanks, 3 tries seems to be my limit as well.
The first is a lot easier than the other 2. I guess I’m on par then. The wind seems to change directions a lot. Also it is gusty.
Yep - that was my biggest issue - can kite like a pro with the training harness but with my ICE motor on I found it hard to balance. Best wishes.
Cheers
I never quite made it. I couldn’t hold it together with all that weight on my back.
He told me I wasn’t ready and I had to agree.
I don’t have the money to continue at this time, so back to the drawing board.
I think if I ever try this again I will be on wheels.
