Training | Powered Paragliding Ontario

May 20/16 pm – PPG course day 6

May 21, 2016/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

Started at 4:30 pm as all students are flying at this point.

Ryan just flew for pleasure.

Kevin added 3 more flights to his log. All reverse inflations. Kevin is much better at the reverse. I think it was 3 flights out of 5 tries. Thats is pretty good. I still owe Kevin 2 training sessions so hopefully he can manage the remaining 21 flights as he has 9 in his log book now.

Kevin S also came and completed one more flight. He is really under powered – its hard to watch his marginal take offs. His flying is very good and and so are his landings.

Very hard but very rewarding week.

May 20/16 am – PPG course day 6

May 21, 2016/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

Started at 7:30am as both students are flying at this point. Ryan added 3 more flights to his log book to total 30 which is Transport Canada requirement to apply for ultralight pilot license. Congratulations Ryan on completing course practical requirements. I still owe Ryan one training session so he will be coming back one day to tweak his PPG flying.

Kevin added 3 more flights to his log. We tried at least 20 forwards though so we have to improve efficiency.

May 15/13 – Jeff, 8 flights

June 16, 2013/in Training/by Andre Zeman

Jeff is a “machine”. 8 flights this morning. Videos say it all…

Stunning morning

Jeff setting up

Jeff flying

VIDEO: Jeff landing numero tres

VIDEO: Jeff getting set up

VIDEO: Jeff touch and go

VIDEO: Jeff fly by

VIDEO: Jeff tricky touch and go between heavy machinery and cars

June 7/13 – Darren’s flight # 2 – from GoPro.

June 7, 2013/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

VIDEO: Darren’s flight number 2 footag from Go Pro camera.

I sell them – see this.

June 4/13 – Ground handling with Graham, Greg and Kiarash

June 4, 2013/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

Forecast called for 20 km/h steady to 10 pm which would be acceptable for flying. Graham, Greg and Kiarash all have 4 flights in their respective log books and we were hoping to add more. At 5 pm when Kiarash has arrived we had nice breeze, bit too gusty but that was to be expected 4 hrs before sunset. We started with kiting as last time Kiarash flew was in Sep 2012. He did not forget anything. I guess once you know how to kite, it is like riding bicycle – you will never forget. After 30 min wind started to pick up and becoming gustier which was quite unusual especially since the wind was coming from SW which usually guarantees great flying. Not this time. By the time Greg and Graham showed up we had gusts up to 30 km/h. We all ground handled for an hour or so. At one pont we had to sit out as it was quite gusty. I looked at the forecast again and it has changed, current conditions were going to stay till 10 pm. That was it. No chance to fly. Bummer.

Kiarash kiting

VIDEO: Kiarash kiting

These puppies stayed in the trailer ;-(

May 25/13 – Graham PPG course – day 3 – pm – Working on reverse inflations

May 26, 2013/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

Worked on reverse inflations – they are coming along nicely.

My new wind sock pole.

Graham

Graham – reverse 1

Graham – reverse 2

May 23/13 – Please do not call me on days when forecast for flying is bad.

May 23, 2013/in Training/by Andre Zeman

Please do not call me to ask if we are going to train if the weather forecast is bad. Here is a simple way to be able to figure out if the weather will be suitable for PPG training.

Download free app called “AeroWeather” – 4th from top on the right side.

Once you download it, under STATION tap the + button.

Go to ICAO and enter KIAG, select the Niagara Falls International Airport then “add selected” in the bottom right corner.

Update the forecast info by hitting the left bottom refresh icon. Then go to settings – bottom right

Go to Units

Go to Wind

Select km/h

Add your own airport if you wish. I look at KIAG – Niagara Falls International Airport and/or CYSN – St. Catharines regional Airport

To get forecast, tap the desired airport. You will first get METAR. METARs typically come from airports or permanent weather observation stations. Reports are generated once an hour. If you scroll down you will see TAF – a terminal area forecast

Scroll down and you will see TAF time periods – ignore the first one – it is an average for the next 24 hrs.

If the forecasted winds are more then 30 km/h we will not ground handle.
If the forecasted winds are more then 20 km/h we will not fly
If the forecasted winds are more then 10 km/h we will not trike.

May 21/13 – Graham PPG course – day 2 – pm – Working on kiting

May 22, 2013/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

We were planning to get together at 5 pm but the wind was still gusting to 37 km/h. We decided to wait and by 6:30 conditions were OK to start kiting. There was large cumulonimbus near by but since we were not planing to fly – just ground handle – that was ok. We started with Fides XS and a small gust front came through so we went to my very small training glider then back to Fides. After couple of hours Graham was able to forward inflate and do wicked 400 yards runs up and down the field with great canopy control. He will fly soon.

Graham disappearing towards highway…

Graham at the end of training session.

May 15/13 – Pat’s video from his second flight – 50 % glider collapse and quick recovery.

May 16, 2013/in Training, Uncategorized/by Andre Zeman

Pat forgot to trim his glider to safe position and got 50 % collapse 50 ft off the ground. Luckily he was flying Cima K 2 and it recovered instantly… he just landed cross wind.

Pat flight number – 2