What's inside? Chuck's new Minari 180 paramotor! Since Wednesday looks like it will be unflyable, we will be putting this bad boy together and getting it ready to fly as soon as the weather permits. This is going to be fun! 

Fall weather is challenging for paramotoring. Windy, rainy and early sunsets really cut into our flying time. However, Sunday morning the conditions were great! Chuck, Bernard and Matt B. all were able to get some flying in before the rowdy fall winds returned mid-day ending our flights. Dave was even able to get some trike/kite training in. All in all, a fun and productive morning.

Chuck's new Mac Para Charger arrived just in time for him to make his first paramotor flight with his new wing. After a couple flawless practice runs with the new wing. I gave him the go ahead to attempt his first flight and he executed it perfectly. He brought the wing up straight, taxied precisely and rolled smoothly into the sky. Then he made four controlled laps of the airfield and set the Trikebuggy gently back on the runway. You're a natural! Congratulations Chuck!!

Chuck's orange Macpara Charger 28m was delivered to me today! The weather looks good and we may actually get it airborne tonight!! 

Way to windy Friday and Saturday so Dave and I plowed through all the ground school, motor and simulator requirements for his PPG1 training. He even aced his written test! Nice work Dave! 
Sunday was calm but wet. The rain never stopped so Bernard and I spent the afternoon assembling and breaking in his new weight-shift Top80 Miniplane in my garage. We hoped it would clear so we could get him airborne with his new baby but that will have to wait until next time. 

I ordered some 2"x6" Madcity Paragliding vinyl cutouts to tag my gear. I've got a few extra. Let me know if you want one!

This Bad Ass Windsock will now be seen flying wherever Madcity Paragliding is flying. Thanks Amazon! 

Matt smoothly launched into the surprisingly warm fall air for a short flight last night! He practically broke my eardrum shouting for joy moments after leaving the ground. He even managed to stand up his landing! Way to go Matt!!! I love first flights! Unfortunately the sun set before we were able to Matt back into the sky. (Talk to Matt for the rest of the story of his first flight.)

Unfortunately the wind was too gusty for flying tonight so I used the time to do some upgrades to the fleet. The trike got a new 5" mirror. Hopefully that will make it easier to see what the wing is doing during launch. The Miniplane's left comfort bar finally gave out after being bent multiple times from mishaps involving the dirt with several pilots. So, I replaced the fractured one with a brand new one. I also added some support to the right comfort bar in hopes of prolonging its life. The Miniplane also got a new net as the original was really showing its age. The Blackhawk got the idle adjusted. So everything is back to 100%, now we are just waiting on the weather. Come on sunshine!

The new Matt and I had a blast taking "Sled runs" down the mighty Elver Park sledding hill last night. Standing an impressive and awe inspiring 182' high (heavy sarcasm) Elver hill is a great place for those first motorless flights. When the winds are from the north we can soar from the top to the bottom and never be more than a few feet off the ground. I lost count of how many flights we made and we only stopped because it got too dark to see the landing area clearly. Thanks for a fun evening Matt! Next step is to put a motor on your back and extend your flight time.