RCU Forums - View Single Post - Powered paragliding
View Single Post
Old 09-20-2004, 09:51 PM
  #3  
DKjens
My Feedback: (50)
 
DKjens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: Powered paragliding

Doing it is not hard, doing it safely is another matter. A paraglider is very convenient, in that it is very light, packs down to a backpack, is easy to transport and is easy and fast to set up and pack down. It is, however, a very very different anymal to fly, than a rigid wing. With a rigid wing speed is your friend, with a paraglider flying fast means lower AOA, which means lower pressure in the cells, which means bigger chance of collapse. Flying slow in a paraglider means higher AOA and higher pressure in cells and less chance of collapse. Just don't stall the paraglider, it will reverse and fly backwards so fast there's a good chance the canopy will end up under you the pilot, the pilot falling into it and getting all tangled up, eventually hitting the ground very, very hard.

I personally would prefer a trike, but if you do go ahead and get a powered paraglider, please do everybody a favor and don't treat it like a toy. Seek somebody locally with knowledge and experience about these and take lessons, more than three lessons.

Good luck if you do go ahead. I flew hang gliders avidly for 7-8 years, ended up at 17,300' one time, oh yeah, with O2.

DKjens