Powered paragliding

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Powered paragliding, also known as paramotoring, is a form of ultralight aviation where the pilot wears a motor on their back (a paramotor) which provides enough thrust to take off using a paraglider wing. It can be launched in still air, and on level ground, by the pilot alone — no assistance is required.

In many countries, including the United States, powered paragliding is minimally regulated and requires no license. The ability to fly both low and slow safely, the 'open' feel, the low equipment and maintenance costs, and the portability are claimed to be this type of flying's greatest merits.^[1]

Powered paragliders usually fly between 15 and 45 mph (25 and 70 km/h) at altitudes from 'foot-dragging in the grass' up to 18,000 ft (5400 m) although most flying is done under 500 ft (150 m) AGL (above ground level).^[2] Because of the low forward speed possible and sensitivity to crosswinds, paramotoring is impractical for most of the year over much of the globe, and is generally a summer sport.

The paramotor, weighing from 45 to 80 pounds (20 to 36 kg) is supported by the pilot during takeoff but then, after a brief run (typically 10 feet or 3 metres), the wing lifts the motor and its harnessed pilot off the ground. After takeoff, the pilot gets into the seat (previously folded for takeoff) and sits suspended beneath the inflated paraglider wing. Control is available using brake toggles in each hand and a hand-held throttle.

Prices for a complete package (wing, harness, and motor) vary from approximately $6000 USD to $9500 USD.

License and training

Neither a license nor specific training is required in the U.S., U.K. or many other countries, often, due to lack of specific regulation. In countries where specific regulation exists, such as France and Italy, pilots are required to be trained, both in flying theory and practice by licensed instructors. Some countries that require formal certification frequently do so through non-government ultralight aviation organizations.

Regardless of regulations, powered paragliding can be dangerous when practiced without proper training.

For a pilot to get through most organization's full pilot syllabus requires around four weeks. A number of techniques are employed for teaching although most include getting the student familiar with handling the wing either on small hills or on tandem flights.

With special gear it is possible to take a passenger, but most countries, including the U.S., require some form of certification to do so.

Regulation

In most countries, paramotor pilots operate under simple rules that spare them certification requirements for pilot and gear. Those laws, however, limit where they can fly—specifying that pilots remain in sparsely populated areas where risk to other people or aircraft is limited. U.S. pilots operate under Federal Aviation Administration regulation Part 103.

Safety

Research done by the USPPA estimates that the activity is statistically safer than riding motorcycles and more dangerous than riding in cars. The most likely cause of serious injury is body contact with a spinning propeller. The next most likely cause is flying perfectly good gear into something other than the landing zone. Some pilots carry a reserve parachute designed to open in as little as 50 ft (15 m)

The lack of established design criteria for these aircraft led the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch to conclude in 2007^[3] that

Only when precise reserve factors have been established for individual harness/wing combinations carrying realistic suspended masses, at load factors appropriate to the manoeuvres to be carried out, can these aircraft be considered to be structurally safe.

Associations

In the USA, the sport is represented primarily by the US Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA) which also holds an exemption allowing two-place training using foot launched paramotors. The US Ultralight Association (USUA) and ASC also offer some support. Unpowered paragliders are represented by the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) which distanced itself from any motorized flying in 2006.

In the U.K., the sport is represented by the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA).

Military Use

In some armies, powered paragliding is used to insert special forces soldiers into specific areas. The Lebanese Airborne regiment adopted this technique in 2008.

Trikes and powered parachutes

Light-weight carts or "trikes" (which may have three or four wheels) can also be mounted on powered paragliders for those who prefer not to, or are unable to, foot launch.

In some countries, such as the UK, adding wheels changes the craft's status and requires a license to fly. If the aircraft meets the ultralight definitions in the United States (single place, 254 pounds or less, 5 gallons fuel or less), no license is required. However, if the machine has two seats, it is no longer an ultralight and is governed under the Sport Pilot rules and regulated as a light sport aircraft powered parachute which mean that the aircraft needs an N-number and the pilot must have a license.

A powered paraglider differs from a powered parachute (PPC) primarily in size, power, control method, and number of occupants. Powered paragliders are smaller, use more efficient, but more difficult to manage paraglider wings, and steer with brake toggles like sport parachutists. Powered parachutes typically use easier-to-manage but less efficient wings, have larger engines, steer with their feet, and may be able to take along passengers. There are exceptions; a growing number of powered parachutes use elliptical wings, some use hand controls, and many are light single seat aircraft that meet FAA Part 103 requirements.

World records

Determined by the FAI, RPF1 category.^[4]

• The current world altitude record for powered paragliders (RPF1) is 6,102m (20,019 ft). It was set by Ramon Morillas Salmeron (Granada, Spain) on 06/10/2006 while flying an Advance Omega 7 paraglider and a PAP 1400 Ross power unit.

• A highly publicized altitude record attempt was made by Bear Grylls on 14 May 2007 at 0933 local time over the Himalayas using a parajet engine invented by Gilo Cardozo who also flew in the attempt. Gilo had engine problems that ended his climb 300m short of the record. Bear went on to claim an altitude of 8,990m (29,494 ft) though satisfactory evidence of this claim was not submitted to FAI and therefore was not ratified as a world record for this aircraft class.^[5]

• Distance in a straight line without landing : 1105 km (686 miles) set on 23/04/2007 by Ramon Morillas Salmeron flying from Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz (Spain) to Lanzarote, Canary Islands (Spain) with an Advance Omega 7 paraglider.

Community

Many forums exist online that support the powered paragliding sport.

Images

Launch of a powered paraglider

Two powered paragliders in flight

A powered paraglider in flight

A tandem powered paraglider

See also

• Hang gliding
• Powered hang glider
• Powered parachute
• Powered skydiving, where the man jumps out of an aircraft
• Kite
• Kite applications
• Kite line
• Kite types
• Ultralight trike

References

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External links

• Learn PPG - Powered Paragliding Tutorial
• USPPA - United States Powered Paragliding Association
• World PPG - The Powered Paragliding Show
• Talk PPG - Powered Paragliding Forum