Towing Adam and Brad’s new machine...

Towing Paraglider students was the task of the day. The wind was forecast to be right down the runway so Adam and Mariyan met me at the hanger with their free flying rigs about 11am. Paraglider pilots have a different mindset than paramotoring pilots. Midday thermal activity isn’t something to be avoided, it’s to be embraced.
After some time in the simulator practicing the tow line release we moved the operation to the field. I set up the winch midway down the runway to use it as a pay-in winch and pull the guys towards the Jeep. Mariyan went first to show Adam what exactly to expect. Adam’s paramotoring experience made the wing handling part of the launch easy. The wind was strong enough for a reverse launch so once he had the wing cleanly over his head he turned around to face the wind. Then I gradually added tension to the winch helping him run faster and eventually leave the ground. His first flight was admittedly sloppy but he learned a great deal. With each subsequent tow he got better and better at controlling the wing while being pulled. This meant I could get him higher each time. He made about a dozen flights and his confidence and skill grew with each one. Now he is ready to try his hand at soaring some of the bigger hills. Next up for Adam is a trip to the bluffs around Lake City. Well done Adam!
Charles made the trip to the airport to work on kiting. He spent several hours refining his skills. Keep it up Charles!
Brad’s new Adventure Pluma paramotor arrived Monday. This machine is a piece of art! All carbon fiber frame and spars, aluminum outer hoop, comfort harness and Moster 185 dual start motor to push it into the sky. Wow! Assembly was pretty simple and didn’t take that long. So, after a quick hang test we started the 2 hour break in process. We hoped to be flying this gorgeous craft before the day was done but mother natural had other plans. A nasty storm rolled in just as Brad completed the ground portion of the break in. Bummer. Hopefully we will get it flying Friday when Brad is available next.