by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 28: Accessories, Communications
Getting the Technician Class Amateur Radio License for Paramotor Pilots Why a Ham License? The best powered paragliding communications I’ve ever had came through 2-meter radios and the lowly, ancient, M101 microphone system. But 2-meter radios require an Amateur...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 12: Maintenance, 27: The Motor Unit
Getting the most from gas station pumps With fuel prices high, Shane Banquer, a helicopter pilot who has been in the petroleum industry for 31 years, offered some tricks on how to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon. Thanks to Eric Dufour for sharing...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | Critical Thinking, Political
Improving the world in thoughtful ways Here’s a simple test to see if you are indeed a critical thinker. Can you answer “yes” to the following questions: 1. First and foremost are you willing to change your mind if presented with better evidence? 2....
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 02 Gearing Up, About
Frequently Asked Questions about paramotor flying Click here on Educational for much more Ten minutes after putting your car in park, everything is ready. It’s just you perfect air, at the perfect place, ready to fly. Lay it out, ready yourself, throttle up, and...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | About, Entertainment
So you want to fly, not ride in a tube? You want to be free, not tethered to an airport? You want to control, not be a passenger. You want to really fly! From sandy beaches to desert reaches, this craft can take you places never imagined, places whose beauty only...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 22: Aerodynamics, 26: The Wing
Wing Loading See also Surviving Training: Beginner Wing, Weight & Speed, Flying Large Wings, Flying Small Wings, Risk of Small Wings Wing loading is a key metric for many reasons. It is how much weight is carried per square meter of wing. By convention, it’s...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 02 Gearing Up, Ultralights
So many choices! Do I want convenience? Do I want to go places? How much will it cost? How hard is it to fly? These and many other questions usually come to those choosing an ultralight. It’s not easy and the sales people for each one knows, for a fact, that...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 12: Maintenance, About, Ultralights
The draw of man’s simplest way aloft and answering the common question “Are paramotors Reliable?” Paramotors aren’t fast, they take a lot of effort to launch, they require an associate degree in two stroke mechanics and don’t allow you to...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem, Ultralights
Powered Parachutes (PPC) are normally thought of as large, powerful craft that carries two people and is steered inflight by foot. While Powered Paragliders are lightweight, can be carried on the pilot’s back, requires an efficient elliptical wing and are...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem, Ultralights
For single-place powered paragliders, the answer is simple, they do not fall under Sport Pilot. If it weighs less than 254 pounds, it’s an ultralight and falls under part FAR 103. Even with wheels, it just has to meet the requirements of weight, speed and fuel...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 06: Adding Wheels, 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem
Chapter 6 on flying with wheels, Tandem Setup | More on: Exemption For Wheels, Too? As of Sept. 2008, the USPPA has a new tandem exemption for training with Foot Launch tandems. As of Nov 2018 they also have one allowing for wheeled tandems. I applied for this in...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 16, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, 27: The Motor Unit
See also A Better Paramotor | A Better Cart | A Better Throttle There have been at least three accidents resulting in pilot paralysis. In one, a reserve parachute may have saved the day but in the other two it would not have since they were doing low level...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 12: Maintenance, Reviews: Safety Gear
After manual or automatic activation you must replace 3 parts, the bobbin, indicator tab and CO2 cartridge. The bobbin, which contains some type of paper, has a 3 year shelf life. You’re not allowed to carry CO2 cartridges on airliners so, if you travel, the...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Accident Reports
See also Statistics: is our sport truly dangerous? | Is Equipment Safer? When an onlooker says “aren’t those things dangerous?” We should really think about our response. For a statistical look, go here. Are they? Although the article below is about...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, 26: The Wing, 27: The Motor Unit
I get questions. They are commonly about equipment—what’s the best, what’s the most reliable, etc., but recently one had a twist that made me think. It was essentially: “I’m looking into paramotoring but want to know what the best, safest motor...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 22: Aerodynamics
This came up when I was considering adding a second ring to our single-hoop paramotor for hugely better hand protection. So I asked Dana Hague for an assessment of the Safety Ring’s drag, assuming that airflow would be much faster at full power due to the prop....
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | Accident Reports
Being committed has limits A dozen little variables affect e ach launch decision. Some are settled when we plop our wing down and lay it out. Others get processed quickly and almost automatically during the precarious initial inflation until the wing is overhead and...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, 26: The Wing
I love small wings and it’s tempting to keep going smaller but know the risks and tradeoffs. I’ve flown an 11 meter wing which was, not surprisingly, remarkably responsive. What happens after a motor failure? If it happens just after takeoff, you’ll...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 22: Aerodynamics, 26: The Wing
Given the same wing size, heavier pilots go faster, how much faster? We all know that more weight means more speed but how much? My wing reviews are obviously done with my 150 pound self so I’m unable to see what happens at real high wing loadings since they...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, 22: Aerodynamics
Does it take more power to fly downwind? Of course not! Your wing doesn’t care which way the air is moving. Or does it? You can verify that wind makes no difference by going up high on a windy day and doing a level 360. It’s the same power required all the...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 22: Aerodynamics, 26: The Wing
Differences between reflex paragliders and “regular” paragliders | See also Origins & Understanding of Reflex Gliders There are some basic differences between reflex and “regular” paragliders that revolve around their airfoil shape (right)...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 14, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Accident Reports
We’re given enormous freedom to risk our own necks—not others. Our rules are written to lust us risk ourselves when we fly—we must work to keep it that way. Continued self regulation depends on it. The incidents below shows what’s possible and what’s...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 16: Precision Flying, 19: Risk & Safety
“Collapse” is one of the most-cited fears of inquiring minds. “But can’t that paraglider wing collapse?” they ask. Of course it can. But it turns out that the dreaded collapse has more bark than bite and most are easily avoidable. Even...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Accident Reports
Thankfully this is as rare as it is fearsome In about March 2011, a pilot with 50 flights under his belt was foot launching. After a good inflation and run he stumbled, hitting the ground hard enough that his propeller flexed into the fuel tank, slicing through and...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 05: First Flights
The Bump Scale was developed so pilots could objectively communicate what turbulence they’re feeling or felt. When used properly, an experienced pilot’s 5 will be a new pilot’s 5. That is why it is tied to specific tip collapses. Acro Ace’s 5...
by Tim Kaiser | Apr 13, 2019 | 07: Weather Basics, 09: Airspace
Calling a Flight Service Station (FSS) We have an amazing resource only a toll-free dial away—Flight Service. It’s easy to be informed so don’t slough off the call. I know, you look out, winds are light, gear is ready, you’re running late, and you...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Accident Reports
It’s insidious. You look down for just a moment to take care of some problem and lose focus on your primary task: aviating. Jets crash because of this, too. Plus, focusing on distractions frequently breaks the all-important routine. Surprisingly simple little...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 07: Weather Basics, 19: Risk & Safety
So majestic from afar, so nasty when approached. Some pilots get lulled into thinking they can fly near these because frequently nothing happens when they do. But on those occasions when a storm reaches out to touch, it won’t have a happy ending. Choosing...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | 27: The Motor Unit, Propeller Safety
Safer machines for the real world. Updated Mar 10, 2020 to add illustration. Yes, they have to be fun, comfortable, light, powerful, look cool and be convenient. The most talented designers will accomplish all that and provide decent protection. No, they won’t...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | Propeller Safety
Hardware Improvements Here is a centralized location to learn all about the causes and cures of our sport’s most likely serious injuries: body contact with spinning prop. It is broken down into several sections to ease the search. There are a number of hardware...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2019 | Events
See where powered paragliding pilots are gathering (updated automatically from USPPA) Here are the events as listed on USPPA’s calendar. This is the most complete listing since any U.S. (os occasional international) event, open to the public that welcomes...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Reserve Parachute
See also Reserve Parachute: Safety Considerations & Repack Video Emotions run high regarding the decision to carry a reserve, or rescue parachute. It’s a safety device, like many others, that has benefit with some tradeoffs. If you do choose to carry...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety, Reserve Parachute
The Good and the Bad | See also Chapter 28 On Reserve Pros and Cons If you have a reserve parachute, there are some things to know in order for it to do any good. Our two primary concerns here are that the reserve deploy properly when needed and that it not deploy...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | Reviews: Other
Rescue systems are now available from both the air and the water. Auto Inflation Auto-Inflation Device: About Agama | Resetting the Agama I put the Agama system to a realistic test (see the results here) and it passed with floating colors. Don’t bet your life on...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | 02 Gearing Up, 27: The Motor Unit
Harness Terminology: How the Harness and frame interact to provide a hook-in point. See Also Harness Adjusting | Hang Points: High or Low? | Harness Myths | Understanding Paramotor Torque | Tandem Paramotor harness systems can be categorized by their in-flight hang...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | Airline Safety
This great article addresses the myths of brushing off accidents as “Pilot Error,” a conclusion as useless as saying a death was caused by “gunshot wound.” While true, it sure doesn’t shed much useful light on what we’re really...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | 19: Risk & Safety
Is paramotoring safe? How does it compare to other types of flying? Driving? Motorcycle riding? Skydiving? Numerical Analysis is tough but I suspect that we can get within an order of magnitude. Yes, yes, it’s as safe as you make it but lets take an objective...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 12, 2019 | Educational
Click on the chapter to see related articles in order of Chapter like the book. Additional material not in the book is in Section VII. Go here to buy the Powered Paragliding Bible Go here to buy Paraglider and Paramotor Instructor Section I: First Flight Chapters...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 8, 2019 | Events, Log: Enterprise
Sun & Fun is over, and it was an eventful, fun time. This may be the first year I got a briefing early on in the process but didn’t fly at all. In fact the only time I flew during Sun and Fun was to do a demo at our house when a bunch of people came over....
by Jeff Goin | Apr 6, 2019 | Reviews
Whenever possible, gear is reviewed while the manufacturer or dealer is present so they can make adjustments or explanations to help ensure a fair trial. I want to know for my own benefit. Gear can be uncomfortable, or even dangerous if these adjustments aren’t...
