Sible Heddingham

Well, it's a paramotor blog too, and on friday night I had my first flight for about 5 months!

Parajet still away being repaired, but a fellow Lemming (the paramotor club) Steve kindly loaned me his brand new PAP top80 paramotor for a flight.

Obviously a bit nervous what with it being so long. Plus the wind was light and swishing about 180 degrees.

Still, I sorted myself out for a takeoff, and pulled the wing up. It didn't come up very quickly, but I perseveired and kept pulling and applied full power.

jeez... loads of gyro effect from the big prop that I'm not used to, and it flung me towards a row of 10 feet high hedge.

Still, I got control of it and was now gaining speed for a takeoff.

Unfortunately I was now running towards the 10 feet hedge.

However, I figured I might just clear it, and my brain tends to switch off at this point and is committed to a take off whatever the hell.

So, now I am airborne, about 20 feet from the hedge. hmm.. aint gonna make it.

got about 10 feet of height, and just managed to pull the wing round into a sharp right turn to miss the hedge by mms. Well.. I didn't miss it actaully and ended up with a few bits of hedge in the prop cage... but I am airborne!! yeh!!!

Awesome to be in the air again. Steve's paramotor is great. far quiter and smoother than my parajet. I gain some height up to 500 feet or so and start to get my bearings - I didn't bring any instruments with me, so I have no GPS, no vario (for altimeter), no compass and not even a camera.

I remember I have my casio watch though which has a (crap) compass on it, and try that.. hmm.. better than nothing.. if I take 3 or 4 readings in might be within 45 degrees.

From the take off field, I fly west for 15 mins just enjoying being airborne again. I keep looking back trying to remember the lie of the land and where the landing field is, but it is tricky as it's flat as a pancake and no real landmarks around. Eventually it gets to the point that I look back and can't see it anymore, and then I have no idea what the hell way it is.

At 1000 feet one little village and windy road looks much the same as the next little village and windy road, so figure I'd better try and work out where the hell I am.

10 mins of flying in circles later, taking multiple readings from the compass and I finally work out my position, orientate myself towards Coyne railway and Heddingham Castle, and fly on.

After a total of about 30 mins I get to the steam railway and fly low over the locos for a good view, then up again and on to heddingham castle.

Heddingham Castle is a big square turret:

http://www.ecastles.co.uk/hedingham.html

I flew over it last year, and it's a pretty cool place to fly around. A few people around waving. I circle a few times, and fly over the lake, and then figure I'd better head home.

Steve said there was enough fuel for about an hour. I've been flying 35 mins and figure it'll take 15 as the crow flies to get back.

So I turn round, but can't resist goingback over the railway again.

I get near the take off field again. Beyond that is an RAF glider airfield we need to stay north off - it's being heavily used and quite a few planes and gliders have shot by me while I've been up.

Been about 45 mins now, and really don't want to land. I gain some height up to 1500 feet or so, so I can do a few 360 spirals... get a good 2Gs or so, and stomach into the mouth when I come out of them.. woohoo. sweet.

Humph.. well.. don't want to run out of fuel, so better land.

Set up my approach, and come in to land. It is a centrifugal clutch on this paramotor, so with no revs it doesn't turn anyway, but I still want to power off before I land - one less thing to worry about.

The landing approach is a bit awkward - the wind has changed direction (I can see the directions from the others kiting their wings), so I need to come down really low over a few cars and trees to land in the field if I don't want to be walking miles.

Engine off, glide glide glide... apply brakes a bit early at about 3 feet from ground, so flare stops me about 6 inches in the air and I land on my feet, but then just go down on my knees anyway as I'm not going anywhere. colapse wing. acceptable landing.

I strap out, and find that I have only used 3 litres of fuel (would be about 8 with my parajet) and could have easily stayed up for another hour at least !

Can't thank Steve enough for the flight, and I am now seriously considering upgrading to the same paramotor as his - it only has a little 80cc engine (mine has 185cc), but a bigger prop (1400cm cage rather than my 1000cm). End result is about the same power, but about 1/2 the weight on my back (I ran around with it on my back when I landed!!! I'm lucky to be able to stand after a flight in the parajet), and a max flight duration of 3-4 hours rather than 1 1/2.

Anyhoo, should get the parajet back next week so might get a flight with it too soon.

sweet to be back in the air.

- pilot stu