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Paraglider size selection for PPG demystified:

There is a lot of people inquiring about what size of paraglider to pick to fly with a paramotor. It is proper to choose glider within pilot's weight range so it can be used for non powered flights and fly it over the specified weight with paramotor. The reasons are that the weight range for each glider size such as 24, 26, 28 or 30 only refers to achieving same glider ratio and minimum sink for different size pilots. This is not important to PPG pilots since when flying powered your gliding ratio can be what ever you wish to be based on your throttle power setting. With more weight you get more safety as slightly overloaded glider is flying faster therefore creating more internal pressure therefore there is less chance of glider tip collapses. I often fly Sky Para Lift 24 with Simon RR in very windy conditions overloading the glider by as much as 60 %. 

 

-

Lift 24

Lift 26

Lift 28

Lift 30

No. of Cells

-

42

42

42

42

Wingspan

m

10,94

11,4

11,85

12,31

Area

m2

24,0

26,0

28,0

30,3

Sink rate

m/s

1,15

1,15

1,15

1,15

Glide ratio

 

7,7

7,7

7,7

7,7

Aspect ratio

-

5,0

5,0

5,0

5,0

Minimum Speed

km/h

22

22

22

22

Maximum Speed

km/h

45

45

45

45

Weight

kg

5,7

5,9

6,1

6,5

Take-off weight

kg

60-75

70-90

85-105

100-125

Certification SHV

-

SHV

SHV

SHV

SHV

Category

-

Standard

Standard

Standard

Standard

So for example if you are pilot who is 70 - 75 kg you  have 2 choices. You can fly larger wing or smaller wing such as Lift 26 or Lift 24. Some benefits and non benefits are summarized in table below. These day most PPG pilots will fly with smaller glider as glide ratio has improved and smaller glider offers as good of a glide as bigger glider few years ago.

Size Benefits Non benefits
Smaller glider Faster air speed, smaller probability of asymmetrical or symmetrical collapse, easier to inflate in no wind conditions, easier to handle in higher winds, Worse glide ratio and worse sink, your take off run will be longer, faster landings, no possibility to add trike or auxiliary fuel tanks, worse fuel economy
Larger glider Better glide ratio and minimum sink, your take off run will be shorter, slower landings, it is  possible to add trike or auxiliary fuel tanks, better fuel economy Slower air speed, higher probability of asymmetrical or symmetrical collapse, harder to inflate in no wind conditions, harder to handle in higher winds, 

See video of load test here:

 http://www.poweredparaglidingontario.ca/video/load_test.wmv .

See more pilot resources here.