I got reported to the FAA three times

Another rating added to my to-do list. Will probably be the cheapest one!
 
Yep I too want to partake in this one as well. Ive been watching his vids for a while know. I enjoy them and it has opened my eyes to para motors.
 
I flew paramotors for about 5 years. About the most fun you can have in the air, until you get tired of your local scenery, you can't really go anywhere at 20mph. Great fun with a bunch of guys, fly some, hang out, fly some more, hang out some more with a few beers before driving home. Without other people to fly with, it gets old.
 
Dana said:
I flew paramotors for about 5 years. About the most fun you can have in the air, until you get tired of your local scenery, you can't really go anywhere at 20mph. Great fun with a bunch of guys, fly some, hang out, fly some more, hang out some more with a few beers before driving home. Without other people to fly with, it gets old.
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But you can just pack it up (the paramotor setup) in the back of your hatchback and go wherever to fly. But yeah I can see how flying alone wouldn't be as fun. And there seems to be a rule against tandem flying, so no passengers.
 
It's funny, I'm coming full circle. Watching powered parachutes is what got me interested in flying, which got me to get my private, which got me to get my instrument rating.

I'm pretty sure it was this video, or one like it, that got me to call my local FBO to get flying lessons:


...and now that I'm cooling off flying IFR, and cooling off flying planes at all, I'm getting back interested in what interested me in the first place.

I should have just got a powered parachute right away, could have saved money in the long run!
 
Dana said:
I flew paramotors for about 5 years. About the most fun you can have in the air, until you get tired of your local scenery, you can't really go anywhere at 20mph. Great fun with a bunch of guys, fly some, hang out, fly some more, hang out some more with a few beers before driving home. Without other people to fly with, it gets old.
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I was waiting for him to find a misplaced power line the whole time. Did you have any problems seeing those when you did this?
 
exncsurfer said:
I was waiting for him to find a misplaced power line the whole time. Did you have any problems seeing those when you did this?
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I would imagine that flying 20 MPH gives you a lot more time to spot them.
 
No problem seeing power lines, you're flying so slowly you have plenty of time to see and avoid, and you can turn on a dime.

Paramotors (powered paragliders, PPG) may look similar but are very different from powered parachutes (PPC). PPG is foot launch, crank and bank maneuverability, slalom between trees, etc. PPC is floating around straight and level and looking at the scenery. But most PPCs are two place, unlike PPG.
 
This does look like a blast. googled paramotors and it looks like you can get a complete package for 8K (company is blackhawk). Might have to go check out some booths at OSH this yr
 
In one of the areas local to my home where I ride dirt bikes, if I got up early enough, I can usually catch the paramotor guys out playing. Many times we'd play cat and mouse for an hour or so with them hanging 20 ft. above me and following me along on the trails. Pretty cool BS'ing (more like yelling) back and forth about what's coming up ahead on each trail I was riding on. We'd hit a flat spot they'd land and we BS some more. That's pure flying to me.
 
StevieTimes said:
Watching powered parachutes is what got me interested in flying.
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Powered Parachutes got me into air-to-air photography. I used to write stories for Powered Sport Flying magazine. They liked me because I would write and provide photos.
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That looks like a great time. In my younger days, I probably should have tried it, but due to a bad ankle and back which preclude running, not sure I'd be able to do the paramotor.

Ironically, my bad ankle and back are due to military parachute jumps. I also promised my wife I was done with parachutes. She gets uneasy when she sees my emergency seatpack parachute when I'm sending it in for repack.
 
N3368K said:
That looks like a great time. In my younger days, I probably should have tried it, but due to a bad ankle and back which preclude running, not sure I'd be able to do the paramotor.

Ironically, my bad ankle and back are due to military parachute jumps. I also promised my wife I was done with parachutes. She gets uneasy when she sees my emergency seatpack parachute when I'm sending it in for repack.
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I have a bad hip. You'll notice the ones I posted have wheels! They don't require running.
 
I understand about PPC with landing gear, real seats, et al. The paramotor with its higher maneuverability looks more fun. I actually have a friend with a PPC who has offered to take me up several times, but I've not yet taken him up on it.
 
N3368K said:
I understand about PPC with landing gear, real seats, et al. The paramotor with its higher maneuverability looks more fun. I actually have a friend with a PPC who has offered to take me up several times, but I've not yet taken him up on it.
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I've done both. The PPG is more maneuverable, but it also has a good risk of collapse. A lot of the guys flying them have a reserve chute. It's technically a wing, not a parachute. The PPC is a highly loaded parachute, so no chance of collapse. They can be a lot of fun and you can turn pretty tight as well. Take him up on the ride!
 
Paramotors can also be built with wheels, lots of the older guys go that route. You still have the maneuverability of a PPG compared to a PPC, though you lose the magic of running into the air.

Modern paraglider wings are much more collapse resistant than they used to be. It can still happen, but is rare enough, and the wing usually reinflates so quickly, that most ppgers don't bother carrying a reserve parachute. Unpowered paragliders, which are more often flown in thermic conditions, usually do carry reserves.
 
Big time wind limitations though. Hope you're all morning people. They do look fun though.
 
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