Learn How to Fly PPG

Learn how to fly and enjoy the bird eye views.

Imagine running along the ground… you see the wing overhead filled with air, trembling slightly as you run. While running, the motor, at full take-off power, becomes lighter and the straps around your legs tighten as the wing accelerates forward.

A few more steps and you are airborne, supported by the harness with nothing around you other than the lines and the wing above, now filled with air and easily lifting you higher; 5, 10, 15 meters… let go the brake lines and push into the seat.

Now fully comfortable, a few seconds to catch your breath and time to relax and enjoy the satisfaction of a perfect take-off.

Reduce the throttle and do a right hand turn and fly fast down-wind and wave to others on the ground.

You are now flying - with the sky as your playground.

Everyone is talking about paramotoring. What is so special about it? Another hype?

One thing is for sure, the "aeroplane in the boot of the car" is catching the public's imagination.

Wing

The Engine

Water Safety

There is no doubt that a paramotor is the minimum powered aircraft par excellence. Only the rocketeer's backpack could beat it!

The success of paragliding is mainly due to slow flying characteristics and the absence of rigid parts. The air never hurts, only the earth (or contact with it) can hurt. So the ability to land slowly and safely anywhere with no airframe to bend is priceless.

In aviation simplicity is safety, and remember: "What you haven't got, weighs nothing and cannot break down".

Foot-launching is a great asset. It is all terrain aviation: Pebbled or sandy beaches, ploughed or cropped fields, snow covered or flooded land and the roofs of royal palaces are all suitable surfaces for paramotor operation. The short turning radius, combined with slow flying speed makes even a cricket pitch size field surrounded by trees a safe place to fly from.

For the existing paraglider pilot, it is a practical add-on means of self launching: no need to drive miles to a crowded hill, chasing the wind or lift. The main advantage is that he or she already possesses the wing and knows how to fly it.

Of course it is not the real thing! Nothing can beat paragliding on the right day in the right place. Petrol smells, oil sticks, noise is a pain and the ozone layer is thinning. Saying that, driving 50 miles to a hill and burning 4 gallons of petrol getting there is surely worse than using a pint of 50:1 mixture around the corner for half an hour of thermal seeking on your airborne lawn mower.

The other useful side of paramotoring for purist paraglider pilots is the possibility to experiment with different conditions and locations: sea breezes, wave, over water or above clouds, etc. Flying onto an unlaunchable hill is great. Retrieving oneself is also possible. Self sustaining and self launching sailplanes exist for exactly these reasons.

Ridge soaring close to the hill is a buzz. A paramotor allows you to do the same thing over flat ground. Chasing foxes and rabbits, following rivers, slaloming through trees, dragging a foot through powdery snow or long dewy grass is fantastic.

Where to fly a paramotor?

The main drawback with all powered flying is the noise pollution, not so much for your ears, but vis-a-vis the neighbours. It is essential not to spoil existing harmonious relationships which BHPA clubs & schools have enjoyed (or struggled to keep) so far, by the nature of its environmental friendliness. Consideration when choosing where you take off from and who you over-fly is critical for the long term survival of paramotoring. It is easy for an individual to approach a land owner for permission to fly in small numbers. Paramotors should operate in a diluted format throughout the country and avoid overcrowded repeated buzzing around.

Interested in Learning PPG?

With over two decades of experience, our instructors will lead you through a natural progression of skills training you to be a safe, accomplished pilot.

Think of your relationship with a paragliding school as a long-term relationship. While it may only take a few lessons to earn your novice certification, you want to choose a school that will be involved in your development as a pilot through your advanced rating and beyond. Make sure the staff respects you and your time and are dedicated to giving you professional instruction and long-term support.

Give us a call today.