Cool!
I edited the link try it now.


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QlPffxD1EhE

I am just not keen on a giant food processor strapped to your back and your legs as the undercarriage

I like to be able to stuff a landing and break the undercarriage without getting hurt.... if your legs are the undercarriage.... ouch!

I tried one of those powered parachutes back in the 80's and didn't like them either (the parachute and 3 wheel buggy) it felt like sitting in a ferris wheel seat how it rocked back and forward, it was too slow and the lag in controls made a gyro seem snappy

I would like to try actual parasailing one day, just fly around without going anywhere.... Hey Gabs, there you go, you can get a 4 seat parasail?

I'll be posting pics and vids in a few weeks hopefully. gear is on order!

Cool Benry!! Are those things hard to learn to fly?

A

Benry, are you getting the backpack one or the one with wheels? The one I flew, a guy was going to import the one with the 3 wheel buggy, he was testing at a turf farm at Windsor near Sydney and every time he got it off the ground, he shut the throttle I kept saying just flatten the throttle and see what happens, he got the shits and said you try it.... so I just nailed it and flew off.... it was a turf farm so acres of nothing to hit, so I got it to about 100' and flew around. It had 2 levers, each one pulled down the rear corner of the chute.... that and the throttle were the 'controls' I just flew around for about half an hour then landed it, or should I say, just let it fly on facing into the wind..... when flying S&L if you pulled the right lever and counted to about 10..... it commenced a turn to the right.... talk about lag I guess the backpack ones would be more controllable because you can use your legs also? Like I said, I didn't like the constant rocking, like in a ferris wheel seat, but I picked it up really easy.... but didn't like it a lot.... it was very 'nervous' especially as the wind came up. Also, it was a cloudless day and only miles of flat land.... some thermals or mechanical lift from hills and things would have been more interesting I bet.... they are a machine you don't want to be half on the ground, it had no nosewheel steering, so you give it beans and get off the ground or you will get dragged all over the place....

You would pick it up easy Scott

I a getting a paramotor. That is the foot lauch set up.
As much as I will always LOVE my time in gyros, these rigs offer a LOT of benefits particularly for someone on the road like me.
It took a week for me to transition and all of the time was ground handling! they can be a bit tricky on take off, but once your in the air a 5 year old takes 30 seconds to get it.two toggles left right. throttle up both toggles or no throttle down.
The flying performance for what I like to do (loiter and look) is actually better than my gyro was. I can stay airborne for 2 hours on a tank.
My instructor (Joe at Emerald Paragliding in Pensacola) was referred to me by Tim Chick after my crash, casue he knew Joes father was a gyro pilot!
I talked with Joe and his dad. Joes dad told me once he started flying a paramotor, he sold his gyro!!! I asked about the flying limits on wind and all and his response was awesome. He said" It takes 10 minuets to set up and fly, and that instead of schlepping to the hangar when he had time and taking a whole day to fly an hour or two in his gyro, he can launch and fly 30 minuets when the winds are right and go back to his honey do list"
He says if you look in his logbook, he has more time in the air by average than he ever did in his gyro!

I'm very much looking forward to flying again!

Hmmmmm it took you a week to transition......... but a 5 year old can get it in 30 seconds

Getting old are we?? Just askin'

The ground handling took a week. The flying was intuitive. (that means it didnt require training)

I know Hen, that was actually 'attempted humor'

That's bad ass camping!! And looks like a lot of fun getting there.

Yes Muz, that was my attempt at sarcasm!
Ooo look I did it again!

I think it would be cool to fly out west, better than flying over trees! Flying over the beach would be cool too.

Ben- Powered Sport Flying magazine always has excellent articles on back pack flyers. I enjoyed watching one down at Bensen Days a few years ago. That has to be a unique experience. Enjoy the ride!

Hey Benry, what color is your canopy going to be? I ask, because if it is red, or yellow (or red and yellow) I'm sure if you ask Gabs nicely, he will lend you his red spandex chicken suit?

People on the ground will stare up in amazement and say "Look up in the sky....is it a bird ....is it a plane no it's.....it's.... what the phuck is that??"

I would check that suit thoroughly! There might be skid marks in the seat area.

about the only thing i noticed right away about the feel of the paramotor when flying was that (and Im a noob) if you swing hard one direction and then turn back, it sort pendulums you. Instructor says that's me not controlling the wing very well and it will come with time.
I am going to leave MD in a few weeks and head back down to Pensacola to pick up my gear and get some refresh training!
All these plans I have and I just got a call about going to Afghanistan....I doubt I'll take it. they probably wouldn't let me fly over there!

The Red chicken suit would be funny to fly around in....

this is one of my favorite videos Ive found yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jeI8z5CV4E


there is a whole lot to the flight envelope you can do with these you cant do with the gyro and vice versa. Loking forward to learning new shit again!

I have a friend that has a PPC; the trike style, it is a tandem, powered by a blue-head 582.
Been up in it a few times... the flying experience is fun, however limited.

About 2.5 years ago (summer/fall of 2011)... was interested to get into aviation again. Started looking around... decided a 172 (including hanger, ins, etc) was too much $$$. Looked at PPC's, ultra-lights, trikes, and then gyro's.

IMO the gyro offers the best bang for the buck... with the limitation that most stick-builts are not really XC machines... they can... however it does beat up the pilot.

Benry... looking forward to your posting of pics and movies from your new flying machine....
AFTER you feel comfortable as a pilot and can handle the extra workload of pics and movies.

Man, they have big kahunas to fly that low over water in those things or anything else without floats I would be too scurrrrrred the motor would stop

they do have floats!
I bought one as well, self inflating co2 inflation ring.
It could still be a very bad thing to be in water with all the shroud lines, but I was trained for just such an occurrence by the Gov't during W.I.C training.
I still don't plan on flying that low over the water.