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| PARAMOTOR |
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| PARAMOTOR |
| You are now at paramotor FAQ. To get some background of what is paramotoring are all about? Look no further, you'll find all the facts right here. Let browse it to give yourself a better view and understand of the sport. | |
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We
would like to invite you to step off the Earth for a while... |
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Almost
anyone can learn to fly a paramotor. However, a degree of fitness and
mental agility is required. Although it is easy to fly, it is nonetheless
still "aviation". The pilot’s attitude to safety and
airmanship is what ensures an accident free flying career. Remember
there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but no old bold pilots!
You have to learn to control a paraglider very well before you embark
on any paramotoring. You have to be familiarised with the powerpack: Assembly, disassembly, starting, throttle control, power cut off, fuel/oil mixing, maintenance, torque and thrust effects, special dangers. When proficiency has been reached in those two elements, they can be combined to tackle powered flight. As well as the practical work, you will have to learn some basics in the following subjects: principles of flight, meteorology, aviation law and safety(ground & flight). Obviously if you already have an aviation background, your learning curve will be accelerated. Typically, an established paraglider pilot will be able to "upgrade" in a couple of days. A complete
beginner with no aviation background will need upwards of 10 days of
tuition.
You will be thoroughly introduced to the equipment, learn safety techniques, canopy handling and inflation techniques, as well as performing solo flying tasks at 300 feet above ground level. At all times your progress will be monitored, until you are ready to conduct a first solo flight. You will continue to consolidate your paramator skills as and when appropriate. Under radio
guidance, you will perform first solo flying. The course ends with a
first solo flying, which will be performed to the satisfaction of your
instructor in order to achieve the rating. There is an examination to
pass during your licensing process. Our instructors are registered with Malaysia Paramotor Association (MPA) and certified by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Malaysia, who is the governing body for the sport.
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 Paramotor equipment |
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This new sport allows pilots to operate by themselves from a small field; ideal for flat areas of the country! A small 2-stroke motor mounted onto the rear of a dedicated harness drives a propeller and thus provides thrust. This self-contained unit transforms a standard paramotor wing into a powered aircraft which can be transported in the back of an average car. Paramotoring is regulated by the DCA in this country, Titan Dive Team joint cooperation with MPA and were proud to be the center to be able to offer a complete training package for paramotoring, whether for beginners, or conversion from an existing paragliding licence. A motorized paraglider or paramotor is an aircraft that allows people to fly alone or with a passenger. This is aircraft is build with a wing of a flexible material under which with cables and belts a power unit is attached with one or two seats. The most common description often given is 'a parachute with a propeller'. It is this simple description that often leads to confusion about paramotoring. A paramotor normally does not parachute from an altitude, and one does not jump from a plane. A paramotor flies and takes off from the ground like an airplane. The so called parachute/glider is actually a wing that is inflated through air movement. Once inflated the wing has similar properties as the wing of an airplane. Take off with a paramotor is from the ground up. Before take off the wing is inflated through a forward movement. Air must be flowing for the wing to retain it's shape. On a calm day this means dragging the wing through the air. Once the wing is above the pilot a start can be undertaken after a quick check above the head. "Building
a wall" The engine can be switched off once airborne to glide gently back down to earth for a slow power-off landing. Alternatively you can use thermal lift to climb to cloudbase, or soar in ridge lift in the same way that sailplanes, hang gliders and paragliders can when favourable conditions exist. An electric start allows re-starting of the engine in mid-air, extending the possibilities of this versatile motor-glider. With the
paramotor disconnected, you can use your paraglider wing and harness
to fly from hills or mountains, joining the thousands of people who
already enjoy this unique sport throughout Europe and beyond.
However,
paragliding wing normally not advise for paramotor. Further
it needs to be noted that paramotoring is not an extreme sport. Statistics
prove that flying a paramotor is the safest way of flying. The limited
mass and speed make paramotoring very safe. So, never fly without properly
being trained in theory and practice by a qualified instructor. Ignorance
is often more dangerous than flying.
[top]
NO! Experience
with paragliding before learning Paramotoring does have advantages,
but is not required. One can start Paramotoring without any experience
in Paragliding. Paragliding and Paramotoring are related techniques,
but nevertheless very different. If have no intention to do Paragliding,
a training in this discipline is not required.
No! Paramotoring and Paragliding are different. Mass is different and a paraglider experiences a different position and inertia. The power unit also has its effect on flying. The size and weight of the equipment are different. Primary and secondary effects may cause unpleasant surprise to the Paraglider. Please be careful and get Specific Paramotor Training!
A good theoretical training contains following parts:
A good practical training has following parts:
Practical
Training Once you know how to get the wing above your head, you are ready to try with the motor on your back. Once you feel confident, you can try with a turning motor. Getting the wing above your head is something you can practice on your own. It is however easier with a trainer. His tips make you learn faster. It is not necessary to get out of your harness everytime. The goal is to be so experienced in setting up the wing that you know how to react in all situations. With radio, you can then make your first flight. The instructor will tell you what to do. After three or more flights you are used to the wing and you have enough feel to fly. You should not be overconfident. You still have to exercise precision turns and precision landings. Expercise a lot and don't take unnecessary risks! Avoid accidents! [top] |
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 Final check from the Paramotor instructor before student take off for their first solo flight... |
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It is certainly
the most predictable air sport; because it uses a flexible wing like
a parachute, if the engine fails, it is this parachute which allows
a gentle descent, giving a gentle stand-up landing. If the wing is not
perfectly set up, take-off becomes very difficult, reducing the risks
of taking off in poor conditions. The canopies used are designed to
cope with flying in very strong conditions (mountain flying for example),
but while paramotoring, are only used in calm, laminar air, so paramotoring
offers even more safety than free flight. It is the easiest air sport
to learn, and the best of all...
The same speed as paragliders, which is around 20 kph (slowest) and 35 to 50 kph (depending on the type of wing used). The slowest take-off speed is around 40 kph. This is dependent on the air mass in which you are flying. Ground speed is obviously dependent on the current wind-speed. Contrary to popular perception, a more powerful paramotor does not fly faster, but will climb out quicker. Whichever engine you use, you will have the same horizontal speed.
To the maximum height at which the motor will function, that is to say several thousand meters. In use, a 2-stroke combustion engine gives out less power at higher altitudes - when the motor gives out less power, the thrust from the unit is less, and the climb rate decreases. When the climb rate is nil, with the engine just allowing you to maintain level flight, you have reached your maximum height. It is worth
knowing that a paramotor has already passed over Mont Blanc at 5,100
meters - at the moment the officially recognized height record is 3,050
meters, many Adventure factory pilots have ascended to 3 or 4,000 meters.
This kind of height gain is of mostly academic interest; one thing,
though, is certain - it is very pleasant to cruise about at 150 or 200
meters, visiting different areas.
Yes technically;
no legally... it is effectively possible to take off almost anywhere,
as long as conditions are right, you are taking off into wind, and you've
not set up in the lee of a mountain, building or suchlike. Every country has different air laws, and while the general guidelines are the same world-wide, local details may differ.
This depends
essentially on the weight of the pilot, the performance of the chosen
wing, and of course on the quantity of fuel on board! A <<typical>>
paramotor, using a canopy of reasonable performance, with a flier whose
weight is in a reasonable range for the combination, will use between
3 and 4 liters of fuel per hour on average, giving around 2 hours and
a half range with a 9,5-liter fuel tank.
Take-off
can be achieved with no problem up to 8kph - any more than this, and
you need to perform a reverse inflation and then turn round to take
off. Adventure
paramotors range from 14kg for the F1, up to a maximum of 20kg for the
larger units, around 22kg if you include an electric start option.
Any canopy
designed and constructed for foot-launching can be used. It is advised
that paragliding canopy is not use for paramotor (like using motorcycle
engine on a bicycle).
Any petrol is suitable, preferably 4-star leaded, used in a mixture with synthetic 2-stroke oil at 2% mixture.It is very important to use synthetic oil at 2% or mineral oil at 4% in normal use to avoid problems.
For a complete novice, it takes around 5 days to achieve complete freedom on a paramotor and it takes further from 20 to 30 sorties more to be proficient.
Yes, and new ones devised all the time. The first people to realize the potential of paramotors professionally were photographers. They found it a very simple method of taking aerial photos for a very small cost (the total cost of a paramotor rig is equivalent to a few hours of helicopter hire). It allows one to arrive by car at shooting locations, take off on the spot, and get the required shots. [top] YES! A
Private Pilot Lisence (Restricted), PPL(R). Training is required to
become proficient in the proper use and operation of the Paramotor. All aircraft must respect the DCA Order and international aviation law. Pilots must carry at least an airspace map and an altimeter, in order to avoid flying in prohibited areas. Landowner’s permission is required for take off and landing. Aviation
law spells out the rules of how close one may fly to towns, clouds,
airports etc., and there are some special rules applying to paramotors,
which must be complied with.
With a budget of RM30,000 (depending on the unit chosen) you can buy new equipment and cover the basic tuition fees, making it by far the cheapest form of powered flying available. Second hand equipment is sometimes available, reducing the figure a little. The beauty of flying a paramotor is that you won’t need to pay landing fees, hangarage, trailer, CofA renewals, check flights etc... Running costs are minimal - an hour’s flying costs less than RM10 in fuel and oil! There are many other accessories which you may want to buy although they are not essential - this includes instrumentation, a GPS (global positioning system), wind speed indicator, windsock, radio transceiver, headset, electronic rev. Counter, flying boots, helmet with ear defenders, barograph, etc. (emergency back up parachute, map holder, thinsulate flying suit for high altitude flying). [top] Directional
steering is controlled through the Paraglider canopy, therefore not
dependent on engine power. You are already under an open parachute that
comes down 6 to 10 times slower than those used by skydivers. In all
of these training methods, students are introduced systematically to
flying:
They are
also shown the equipment and go over it so that they understand how
it works. A Minimum
of 40 hours over 10 days maximum of training is usually the norm. YES! However
Titan Dive Team requires student to have minimum 10 days course to be
able to conduct first solo flying on paramotor. First solo
flight will be 20 minutes. Later, the flight depends on individual up
to 2 hours.
In general,
the prospective student should be in reasonably good physical shape
and be able to carry 28 kg of weight. [top]
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 landing... |
 take off... |
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You will
be given a certificate upon graduating. You will fly under our supervision
until you able to sit for exam and obtain lisence from MPA/DCA once
competent. You have the choice of having your own gear.The equipment is very expensive, in the range of about RM30,000. Our advice is, for your first few fly, it is better for you to rent it from us. Once you are hooked to the sport than you can decide to buy one for yourself. The ground training will be held at Serdang Perdana. Flying will be at Pulau Indah, Klang or other designated places for outside klang valley student.
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We required
a maximum of 10 day course. Which will be: Simply walk-in to our office at Ballzaction or contact Steven Kiyoda at 012 2681636 to enquire for the course. You may also email us your enrolment confirmation to titan@maxis.net.my enquires when the next courses are held and the number of student/friend is participating. If you have a group and the number is sufficient to run a course, you can fix your convenient date and we will try to accommodate your request. The class require minimum of 5 students and above to start the course. [top] |
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Titan
Dive Team
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