Lisa Coffey
“Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss”- Douglas Adams
To fly – wearing a superhero cape, the wings of birds or a petite pixie dust – is a serene dream which we all share. However, only few dare to explore this dream. And for all those adrenaline junkies, Paramotor (Powered Paragliding) Flights can absolutely turn their dream of flying – Into a Reality!
Guide to Paramotor Buying
Powered Paragliding (Paramotoring):
Powered Paragliding is the most affordable and the safest way to take to the air. It’s the most exclusive form of flight as there isn’t any barricade in between the sky and the pilot. And quite distinct to other forms of ultra-lights, PPG (Powered Paraglider) are so portable and compact, these can easily fit in the car’s trunk which makes them extremely easy to travel with.
Now Powered Paragliding is a type of super-light aviation where the pilot flies along with a motorized Paraglider, also called a Powered Paraglider (PPG) or a Paramotor. A Paramotor includes protective cage, a motor propeller as well as a harness which is attached to the Paraglider to permit smooth powered flight.
Cabo Paragliding
A PPG (Powered Paraglider), which weighs about 40 to 80 pounds (21 to 37 kg), is convincingly supported by the pilot at the time of the takeoff. After a usual short 10 feet up to 3 meters run, its wing uplifts the motor as well as the attached pilot off the earth.
After attaining the takeoff, the pilot acquires the seat and sits perched underneath the puffed up wing of the Paraglider. A hand-held throttle as well as the brake toggles is utilized for control purpose.
The article offers a complete guide on things you should consider while buying a Paramotor (Powered Paraglider):
Engine weight and size:
It is vital, for your protection as well as for the enjoyment of Para-motoring, to seek for an engine which can thrust the correct amount of power. And though your weight is one of the chief-decisive-factor, however, there are numerous other factors which include your physical capabilities as well as the launching site’s altitude.
Engine Specifications:
The Horse Power quotations offered by the engine makers are not always precise. Furthermore, take a feel of the engine displacement but even that can’t always reveal you the entire story. For instance, the ‘Solo-210’ was considered a grand engine many years ago, though today this aged 210 cc engine can thrust the equivalent amount of power which any latest 100 cc engine motors can (these even weighs quite less comparatively).
Purchase the lightest affordable Paramotor:
Most of the pilots begin with heavy and powerful Powered Paragliders (Paramotors). There are loads and loads of used Paramotors available for sale purpose as most of these pilots sooner or later realize that light is the king, except when you’re launching on wheels.
And if you’re launching by foot, the lighter your Paramotor is, the easier it would be for you to stand-up, begin, launch and all other things you wish to do with a Paramotor while you’re on the ground. However, beware! As many makers do lie about weights. Never trust figures posted on the web. Visit a dealer personally and if you don’t do this, you may feel very sorry later!
Too-much power!
Now though more power could make the launching easier, these powerful engines are way too heavy, which in turn make the ground-handling work far more challenging. Powerful motors even consume more fuel, so as a result your cross country distance would be lesser and the fuel amount you’ll require would also increase, which will furthermore increase the ground-handling works. However, in case you’re launching on wheels then certainly weight is not an issue.
Not enough thrust!
Now in case your engine possesses not-enough power, then surely your run before the takeoff would be longer, enhancing the chances of tripping as well as falling (in case you’re foot launching). You’ll even require a larger launching ground without any hustle and bustle. And even if somehow you’re able to get airborne, you might not possess enough climb power to securely avoid any of the obstacles.
Weight Ranges:
Weight ranges recommended by manufacturers are most of the time incorrect. Physical ability as well as altitude do play a vital role and should be given due consideration. Therefore prior to making any final decision, converse with your pilots and instructors to get a vibe of what skilled pilots are using essentially. The manufacturers as well as the distributors are only interested to sell their stuffs to you. So, hunt for those skilled Paramotor instructors who trade for more than a single range of equipments.
Altitude:
The higher is the altitude, the thinner is the air and therefore, the more is the power requirement. In case you reside at higher altitudes, you might require opting for a powerful motor. Though, in certain cases, somewhat larger wings do make up for the difference.
Every circumstance is diverse! And only a skilled Paramotor instructor is capable to zero-in on the finest piece for you.
Opt for Bigger propellers:
Do purchase a Paramotor with the bigger propeller (as big as possible). And in case you are tall enough, you can even possess the biggest propeller! The bigger is the propeller; the better is the efficiency and power. A minor motor with a bigger propeller could be more powerful than a bigger motor with a smaller propeller.
Certainly the Paramotor cage is required to be big enough for bigger propellers. The majority of the pilots with height of about 5‘9 inches or even taller are able to fly a 51-inch (approx. 130 cm) propeller. The bigger propellers can surely reduce the ground and cage clearances on certain Paramotors. In case you’re anxious about propeller clearance, then you should begin with a 48-inch propeller and after that put on a 51-inch, in case your skill-level raises.
We genuinely believe that the article would greatly assist all Paramotor enthusiasts in picking the correct specifications, which in turn will help them to enjoy the ultimate Para-motoring experience!
