Powered also known as paramotoring Ontario PPG NEWS                          (for most recent news see scroller at the home page)  ______________________________________________________________________

April 10, 2003       Quick flight:

The weather forecast was good  I called Chris and we decided to hook up for some flying. Read more here. 

April 10, 2003      Perfect forecast - I am off to fly....

KIAG 101136Z 101212 09005KT 1/4SM FZFG VV001
      BECMG 1214 08005KT P6SM NSW SCT030
     FM1500 07007KT P6SM SCT250
     FM2000 05008KT P6SM BKN250
     FM0200 08008KT P6SM BKN150=

April 9, 2003      Another mile stone achieved:

No more waiting for Student Pilot Permits to arrive. I have been appointed Authorized Person in the Ontario Region to complete the certification of Aviation Personnel Licences and Permits on behalf of Transport Canada

Dear Mr. Zeman: 

I am pleased to appoint you as an Authorized Person in the Ontario Region to complete the certification of Aviation Personnel Licences and Permits on behalf of Transport Canada, while you are employed by powered paragliding also known as paramotoring Ontario. 

This authorization is for the endorsement of the following Aviation Personnel Licences and Permits, as it applies to Ultra-Light Aeroplanes -Powered Parachutes Only:

• Issue Student Pilot Permits

• Certification of photocopies as true copies

• Certification of flying times on applications

Your authority is effective this date April 9, 2003........

PS: Paul, Matt, Steve, Randall  - I have your permits

April 9, 2003      Availability of ground school or other training can be checked here.

As most of you know at this point I can only handle maximum of:

• 4 students  for ground  school

• and 2 students for paraglider ground handling and powered practice 

therefore it is very important to email or call me to book your spot as can not accept more students then stated above.

Please note that if you have already completed 3 - 6 hours of paraglider ground training you can work independently providing I have equipment available and charges per hour will be decreased appropriately. 

April 8, 2003      Another owner of new WJ - Simon XC plus and Sky Paraglider - Lift 30:

Thanks Martin, I appreciate the business.....

April 7, 2003      Do not give up - snow may melt by Sat:

Monday	Monday night	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Periods of snow High -1°C	Freezing drizzle Low -1°C	Chance of flurries Low -1°C High 4°C POP 60 %	Sunny Low -2°C High 6°C	Sunny Low 0°C High 7°C	Sunny Low 3°C

There is bunch of people trying to do some training this weekend. First of all, let's hope the snow will melt otherwise we are out of luck. Also please note that I can only handle 2 people for ground  glider inflations max so call or email and book your spot. I you have already completed 3-6 hours of training (Jerry and Matt) you can work independently and charges per hour will be decreased appropriately. 

April 5, 2003      Proud owner of new WJ Spider:

Thanks Jim, I really appreciate the business.....

April 5, 2003         Ground school # 2.

There were 3 people booked for the ground school for April 5/03 but since we had a freak snow storm that has dumped a foot of snow on the region it was clear that any glider ground handling will be out of question this weekend. Since two student were from far away it did not make much sense for them to come down for only four hours of ground school so I suggested to show up other time. Paul was coming from Hamilton so it did not matter to him and we decided to go ahead. Paul is on a bit of a deadline since he will be in the region for only 4 weeks. It all went well - Paul had many questions so we were a little behind the schedule and did not finish until 1:30 pm. I may have to revise the time frame for the ground school as I do not believe I have ever finished by 12 noon. More here.

April 4, 2003      Walkerjet  re-named some paramotor models - see WJ Page here:

• Spider SL - will be Spider

• Spider RR - will be Spider electric

• Simon XC - will stay Simon XC 

• Simon RR - will be Simon XC plus

• Simon Compact - will be Simon RR 

• Simon TD - will be Simon TR

• Superhawk - will stay Superhawk

April 3, 2003      New 2003 features on WJ paramotors:

• Simon models have now secondary kill switch mounted on the frame and the master switch is at the bottom of the throttle.

• The main ignition switch is not on/off switch but a spring loaded push button - no need to remember to turn the ignition on if you want to re-start in flight - Simon models

• The mufflers on Simon Models have a new bracket welded in for additional support

• Spider has a fourth generation muffler producing more thrust 

• The gas tank on all Spider and Simon models is easily interchangeable.

April 2, 2003      Paramotor stand is a great safety feature of Walkerjet paramotors. Report by unknown pilot taken from USPPA  http://www.usppa.org/IncidentReports.htm :

....... at about 75 feet AGL and before I had turned from my final approach, I suddenly started loosing altitude fast. I added power but it didn't change my decent. I added more power until I was at full throttle with the ground quickly approaching. I was by now screaming and waiting for what I was sure would be a severe beating. I hit the ground hard, flat on my back.

After the initial shock and with the smell of fuel growing more intense (I could hear it leaking onto the ground), I released by harness and stood up absolutely amazed, not a single scratch, bruise or bump. My paramotor was of course totaled. Every cage and frame section was either bent or broken. My WalkerJet paramotor had absorbed all of the impact and saved my body. I immediately sent the paraglider in for a full check up. It flunked the porosity check with a F for Fatal. I had purchased the glider "used" but was told that it was a demo model with very little air time.

I learned a couple of valuable lessons from my experience. First, look very closely at any equipment purchased used. I was going to send my wing in on it's 1 year anniversary but never made it. Second, if your wing ever does go parachutal and you are flying powered, do not add power as this just deepens the stall. Kill your engine and let your brake lines out. In a parachutal stall, you are falling 15-20 mph more or less vertical so let the paramotor frame take the hit. You would do serious damage to your legs and back if you hit them first.

If you are wondering why I fell flat on my back, it is because at full throttle, the thrust of my paramotor swung me into that position about the last 20 feet of my fall. Too bad it didn't act like a hovercraft. The most important lesson I learned is never fly past the recommended time between inspections and have any used wings inspected before you start flying them. $75-100 dollars for an inspection is cheap insurance....

OK guys, do not buy old gliders on Ebay! I recommend to buy only new, certified equipment unless it is checked over by someone with a lot of experience. Period! Also, the proper solution to going parachutal on old glider with high porosity is to push into the A risers! Andre

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