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 |
160
to 400 lbs |
| MZ
34 |
313
cc |
30
hp |
160
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. |
| |
|
|
|
