15: Advanced Ground Handling
It’s surprising what can be done with these wings when you know how, and how skilled kiter makes it look so effortless. This chapter and these extras provide tips that can help towards that end. Even for experienced pilots, some of these techniques may offer fun new things to conquer.
A bonus is that mastering the wing means mastering launch. A powered paraglider is far more about the paraglider than it is anything else and these skills dramatically broaden the conditions you can accept. Even for those who don’t plan on flying in rowdy weather, learning these in a safe environment will help cope with surprises.
Sometimes, adeptness at light-wind handling that will save the day. And sometimes specific techniques, once mastered, can serve as tools to solve a nettlesome launch problem.
As long as there’s nothing to get dragged through, pull your wing out and take a stab at improving high-wind technique. Take it slowly: if you haven’t mastered the 12 mph breeze, don’t go to the 17, master the 12 first then go to the 15. High winds are risky! Use wide open areas with nothing dangerous downwind to get dragged through.
by Jeff Goin | Apr 30, 2019 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling, Accident Reports
Playing around cost me my first-ever hospital admission After 2 days of flying my brains out at Glammis Dunes we headed down to Pilot Knob, the Dune’s southern reach and site of a single mountain protruding unnaturally through the dust. It also has some...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 21, 2019 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling
During Britton Shaw’s Endless Foot Drag near Fort Smith, AR, the wind blew a steady howl. It was nasty by beach standards but decent for the midwest. Importantly, it was steady enough to play, so play I did. Thanks to John DeFranco who recorded much of it...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling, Advanced Launching
Your site is a driveway. It’s long, there are no obstructions except line snagging beans to your left and right. But it’s crosswind. What to do? This situation has come up in my flying a lot, especially since I deplore taking off over water at beaches. If...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling, Advanced Launching
As we’ve said many times, if the wind is too light to kite, do a forward launch. But experienced launchers like the occasional challenge and this no exception. The details of the launch are covered in Chapter 15 although no mention was made of the motor assist...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 18, 2019 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling
Chapter 15, Advanced Ground Handling, covers The Alan Method of reverse kiting. This method can also allow you to fly backwards. Recently, we set out to get pictures of this technique and others from one of our motor haunts near Chicago. The chosen hill, a dirt pile,...
by Jeff Goin | Jan 12, 2011 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling, Reviews: Other
This is a compilation of the early reviews from when the video first came out. All the videos have been done to the same quality but we didn’t bother collecting comments from them. From Paramotor Magazine: Several years in the making, Jeff Goin’s latest...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 18, 2007 | 15: Advanced Ground Handling
The PPG Bible describes how most pilots do reverse launches—throttle in one hand and A-risers in the other. For light winds, the cross-armed method is recommended and indeed it is probably the most effective. But another method works almost as well with less fuss. It...
