If you live at higher elevations,
estimate your power required is as follows: Add 5 lbs for every
1,000 feet. For example, if you live in Denver, about 5,000 feet
MSL, and you weigh 180 lbs, assume a pilot weight of 205 lbs.
If your motor has insufficient
power, your takeoff run will be longer, increasing your chances
of tripping and falling. You’ll also need a bigger launch
site. And if you do get airborne, you may not have adequate
climb power to safely avoid obstacles.
On the other hand, although more thrust can
make launching easier, a motor that is in excess of what you
need can also make life more difficult. Powerful motors are usually
heavier, making ground handling more challenging. Bigger motors
also use more fuel so your cross country range will be less,
and the amount of fuel you'll need will increase, which further
increases your ground handling load. Of course if you are launching
on wheels, you don't have to worry about weight for ground handling,
but range is still an issue.
 |
|
Riser
Twist
Flying a motor that is too powerful for you also puts you at risk
of something called riser twist. As the prop turns, the drag on
the prop makes the motor try to twist around a verticle axis. To
more power you apply and the quicker you apply it, the more the
paramotor will try to twist.
All paramotors are subject to the torque
effect to some degree. Most can be adjusted so that it
is hardly noticed. The key is avoid flying a motor that
is too big for you. For example, if you are a light pilot
around 150 pounds, flying a powerful 313 cc engine, you
would have to apply power very gently in order to avoid
twist. This motor would at best be pain in the neck to
fly, and at worst, you could find yourself spinning around
backwards with your thrust pointing the wrong way, a
bad situation. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
Power
enough for Tandems
Some pilots start powered paragliding with the idea that they will
eventually want to fly tandem. These new pilots may want an engine
that is too big for them to fly solo, but will be perfect for tandem
operations in the future. Depending on the pilot weight, it may
be possible to have a motor that you can fly solo or tandem. This
happens when the pilot is at the bottom of the weight range for
the motor or moves up one level in power. However, it not always
appropriate or safe to do this.
Call us. We help people with these
decisions every day. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
A
starting point for weight ranges
Manufacturers reccommended weight ranges are not necessarily accurate.
Here is a weight range guideline based on our experience for the
best engines available. Remember that altitude and physical abilitites
also play an important role.
| Engine |
Size |
Power |
Pilot Range |
| MZ 100 |
100 cc |
18 hp |
up to 180
lbs |
| Black Magic |
120 cc |
20 hp |
140 to
200 lbs |
| Black Devil |
172 cc |
25 hp |
160 to
280 lbs |
| Simonini |
206 cc |
28 hp |
200 to
400 lbs |
| MZ 34 |
313 cc |
30 hp |
230 to
440 lbs |
As you can see, the weight ranges are
very wide. Before making your final decision, check with
us so we can review your specific situation and help
you make the optimal choice. |
| |
|
|
|
