Powered chutes?

[RobertGary1]

I secretly hope to someday get a call from the FAA that they can't fit any more ratings on my certificate. Going to talk to a guy about powered parachute lessons tomorrow. How many people here fly? I'm told there is nothing more fun.

 

-Robert

[A64Pilot]

  On 4/9/2021 at 12:31 AM, RobertGary1 said:

I secretly hope to someday get a call from the FAA that they can't fit any more ratings on my certificate. Going to talk to a guy about powered parachute lessons tomorrow. How many people here fly? I'm told there is nothing more fun.

 

-Robert

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You’ll get two certificates or three if it takes that.

‘I think if my knees would allow it I’d like to try the backpack motor ones, but the big trikes I don’t understand, but sure why not, I got a sea plane rating just for fun,it’s not likely I’ll ever use it, but it was fun.

Report back, I’d like to hear if it’s fun or if it gets boring 

‘No, I’ve never flown a PPC

[Hank]

  On 4/9/2021 at 12:31 AM, RobertGary1 said:

I secretly hope to someday get a call from the FAA that they can't fit any more ratings on my certificate. Going to talk to a guy about powered parachute lessons tomorrow. How many people here fly? I'm told there is nothing more fun.

 

-Robert

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The backpack kind? Or the go kart kind? I know a guy with two go kart ones, and a handheld radio. His French Canadian accent is a challenge to understand over the wind and engine noise . . . . But he really, really enjoys it. 

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:08 AM, Hank said:

The backpack kind? Or the go kart kind? I know a guy with two go kart ones, and a handheld radio. His French Canadian accent is a challenge to understand over the wind and engine noise . . . . But he really, really enjoys it. 

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Whatever they offer. I have two choices. The first guy can only issue industry rating which is legal for non passengers but doesn’t result in an faa certificate. The other guy I’ve not spoken to and is further away but he can do FAA sport pilot certs which does show up on your ticket. 
doesn’t look like private level is possible because the FAA requires night flying in a chute. So I doubt anyone has ever gotten that. 
commercial doesn’t exist. 

Edited April 9, 2021 by RobertGary1

[gsxrpilot]

I've flown the go kart kind. Once. 

I've flown paragliders but without the powered part. I started with those but never could get comfortable with them. They are so slow and easy to collapse in rough conditions. Hang gliders made more sense to me and that's what stuck.

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:43 AM, gsxrpilot said:

I've flown the go kart kind. Once. 

I've flown paragliders but without the powered part. I started with those but never could get comfortable with them. They are so slow and easy to collapse in rough conditions. Hang gliders made more sense to me and that's what stuck.

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Do you fly them as ultralights or did you get the sport pilot weight shift rating?

[N201MKTurbo]

I’ve always wanted to get one of the backpack motors, put on my inline skates and go for a cruise.

[gsxrpilot]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:44 AM, RobertGary1 said:

Do you fly them as ultralights or did you get the sport pilot weight shift rating?

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I didn't get any FAA rating for them. I just had the USHPA ratings. I think I technically needed something more for the PPC, but the guy who loaned it to me for a trip around the pattern didn't care, and I figured, how hard could it be. 

I have an NZHPA (New Zealand) PG2 rating, an HGFA (now SAFA Australian) HG Advanced rating, and a USHPA Hang 3 rating in the US.

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:52 AM, N201MKTurbo said:

I’ve always wanted to get one of the backpack motors, put on my inline skates and go for a cruise.

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They’re pretty good for blowing weeds too. 

[Hank]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:58 AM, RobertGary1 said:

They’re pretty good for blowing weeds too. 

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Just don't use it to CUT the weeds . . . .  

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 2:00 AM, Hank said:

Just don't use it to CUT the weeds . . . .  

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Trim hedges. 

[BDPetersen]

Seems like the takeoff is the hard part with the backpack (Wiley Coyote) kind. I’ve watched my Dr. friend have some ugly spills (harmlessly) and had one newbie crash into my hangar door on a failed attempt. But if I had the knees . . .

[steingar]

Hope you like flying early in the morning and just around dusk...

[Yetti]

Before I got a pilot certificate.... I started with thinking the trike would be fun.  But then learned that the Winds of Texas and those things don't mix.  Did not want to get blown out to the Gulf.

[A64Pilot]

  On 4/9/2021 at 12:38 PM, steingar said:

Hope you like flying early in the morning and just around dusk...

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Most of my just out to fly for fun is done then in any airframe, smooth air is so  much more pleasant.

‘I wonder how well they handle cross winds?

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:57 PM, A64Pilot said:

Most of my just out to fly for fun is done then in any airframe, smooth air is so  much more pleasant.

‘I wonder how well they handle cross winds?

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I know it’s on the checkride.  
im kind of already used to the winds concern as a glider pilot. You don’t fly gliders in calm air. Windy.com plans your week. 

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:57 PM, A64Pilot said:

Most of my just out to fly for fun is done then in any airframe, smooth air is so  much more pleasant.

‘I wonder how well they handle cross winds?

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Although when you touch down at a brisk walk probably not much need to land crosswind.

-Robert

[Hank]

  On 4/9/2021 at 1:57 PM, A64Pilot said:

‘I wonder how well they handle cross winds?

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Land in the grass beside the runway, even perpendicular it should be long enough. I've seen the go-kart models do that all the time.

[gsxrpilot]

I've never landed a hang glider or paraglider cross wind. It doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing, I'm landing directly into it.

[A64Pilot]

  On 4/9/2021 at 4:35 PM, RobertGary1 said:

Although when you touch down at a brisk walk probably not much need to land crosswind.

-Robert

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I wondered if that was the case, then just wondered how well they do crosswind

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/9/2021 at 10:20 PM, A64Pilot said:

I wondered if that was the case, then just wondered how well they do crosswind

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From what I’m seeing standing out here it looks like they don’t do so well. But I’m not sure what I’m seeing. Looks like the wings want to collapse when slow on the ground jn cross wind. 

[RobertGary1]

Did the discovery flight. Flew out over a woods at treetop level at 25 mph. Saw an owls nest in the top of the tree. If you love the sensation of flying you get it far more with this than airplanes. It’s amazing. Much closer to the sensation of being a bird. 
The catch is they are very wind sensitive so you have to be opportunistic about when you fly. Usually dawn or dusk a bit like hot air ballooning in that sense. 
And they don’t do crosswind. Usually they’re flying from a field so they’re always aligned with the wind. 

[A64Pilot]

Have you done a hot air ballon ride? My daughter and I did when I was stationed in Germany,I knew there would be no wind because your drifting with it, but I wasn’t  prepared for the silence, you hear everything, people talking, birds chirping etc. Except when the burner lights, that thing isn’t quiet.

‘Set up, tear down etc was a real pain though so I wouldn’t own one.

‘He told me a story of ballooning in Tx, near Austin, he floated over this large house with the long gated driveway etc, there was a guy by the pool drinking coffee, so he said good morning, the guy spilled coffee all over himself, hearing this voice from the sky directly overhead.

[RobertGary1]

  On 4/10/2021 at 1:08 PM, A64Pilot said:

Have you done a hot air ballon ride? My daughter and I did when I was stationed in Germany,I knew there would be no wind because your drifting with it, but I wasn’t  prepared for the silence, you hear everything, people talking, birds chirping etc. Except when the burner lights, that thing isn’t quiet.

‘Set up, tear down etc was a real pain though so I wouldn’t own one.

‘He told me a story of ballooning in Tx, near Austin, he floated over this large house with the long gated driveway etc, there was a guy by the pool drinking coffee, so he said good morning, the guy spilled coffee all over himself, hearing this voice from the sky directly overhead.

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Yes and I’ve considered doing that too but the training schools are far enough away id need to plan it as a week or two long vacation. But it looks like fun. Will probably do powered chute first. Plus doing mes late summer. Will overflow my FAA ticket  

[RobertGary1]

My first lesson. Unfortunately this guy only issues association certification (which is legal to fly with) but not an FAA instructor so if I want it to appear on my FAA certificate I’ll have to train with someone else. 
 

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