I'm posting this here just to get some feedback on my plans moving forward. I hope this doesn't turn into a mess of people second guessing everything that led to this point / my instructors / my equipment / etc. I just want to know if anyone has been in my position and if something like this worked for them OR if they did something different.

I have 24 flights. My training was interrupted multiple times for several weeks which resulted in me having to relearn things and get comfortable with the thrill /anxiety / stress that learning to paramotor can create.

My first 1-15 flights I was progressing nicely on my take-offs. Never sat on take off. Just had lots of trouble on my landings. Finally for flights 15-23 my landings were starting to click. Unfortunately, my take offs got worse and worse. During this time I was also changing to a different paramotor and at the end to a different wing.

I am not on my own equipment - a parajet mav 2 with a 28m Roadster 4. I weight 228 + gear + motor and I'm about 6' tall.

For some reason I have become afraid of the take off run and I have started sitting on take off. My last instruction session the instructor was really hammering home that I needed to stretch out my stride on the take off run. I got so obsessed with it I actually started getting all in my head and getting worse. My take off runs went from this cool "lean back and let the motor push you... your legs will do what they gotta do" to "running like a drunk man hoping I don't fall and praying the wing will pick me up and save me" - It is very frustrating.

- plans moving forward -

I took a week to get my frame unbent and install new prop (yeah, I broke two back to back). My next steps are to recheck my hang point to make sure the motor is not scooping me up.

One pilot who flies a Roadster 4 regularly and is the same size as me said that he now takes off and lands with the trims set to neutral -1. He said this slows everything down and makes the wing behave more like a Moxie/Mojo.

Another pilot said that he extended his take off run from 40 feet to 70 feet by just slowing down the throttle transitions and working on his running stride changes. Once he was comfortable with that he slowly decrease the distance back down to normal.

I plan to take a Roadrunner and my Roadster to a large field near my house and do some nice long taxi runs and work on my stride and controlling the wing with the motor pushing me. I think this will help me build back my confidence on the running and giving it the gas part.

It's like my brain doesn't trust my legs and my runs just seem like a hope and a prayer that they will keep running and not stop or sit. I don't know why it started happening, but I'm hoping I can rewire my brain to stop it.

I just replace the piston,ring,needle bearing, rehoned, and gaskets. I also changed the fuel lines, primer bulb, and filter. It's a my19 with low hours but had lost cylinder pressure last year. Did the break in steps again, went and flew for a few hours then found it sounding strange at idle the next day.

I pulled the carbine apart during the piston change, it was clean and no torn membranes. I didn't adjust any of the high low screws.

Im not familiar enough with engines to besure that I didn't miss something. What causes the strange idle inconsistency?

The Pacific Northwest stays pretty quiet when it comes to paramotoring. For good reason, the last time social media exposed the secrets of the Cascade Mountains, Washington became flooded with transplants from across the world just to get their chance at the perfect profile picture in a scenic mountain backdrop.

This is different. There aren't millions of people flying paramotors. Because of that, we'd like to share a little more of our beautiful home turf and extend an offer to help other pilots coming to Washington with the idea of flying mountains. These peaks aren't like any other in the USA and require the utmost respect. The rewards are worth it.

Washington (most people know Seattle) is an incredibly diverse landscape forged by glaciers and mountain ranges with over 3,000 miles of tidal shoreline.

We've developed a support network of LZ's, public and private airports, suggested routes, rescue support and more. If you are into the Big Mountain Adventure flying or want to get into that, drop us a line and we'd love to share our local info. As always, happy flying!

Hello!

I have been flying the OG freeride 17m for a 4 years and am starting to think about getting another wing.

I love how roll sensitive the freeride is as well as how easy it is to launch and land at a smaller size. Freeride 2 would be the default choice but I haven't been able to find anyone who has flown both the 2 and 1 alot to compare them.

Anyone have experience on both and want to share?

I was flying yesterday, my motor power seemed to get a little bit less. When I would give it full gas, it wouldn’t give the same push it normally would.

I let off the gas to coast a little bit, and it just died. I had to go land in a field.

I have a Blackhawk talon 190.

Is the carburetor the first thing to check?

I am looking everywhere, and maybe It exists somewhere, maybe not, in that latter case, there, should be a place for it.

PPG Beginner Wing Comparison Table (2026)

I will graduate and have my French PPG licence this year and am looking for information about what wing to buy. I am not pleased with what I can find. I am the kind to make a spreadsheet of options before buying, especially new. And as an inexperienced pilot I can't trust me to make a good choice alone: above is a table that I will edit to compile what is said in the comments. to help me and other make an informed purchase.

There we go, correct me and make suggestions for new entries or informations.

Sources

ITV prices: https://www.itv-wings.com/images/pdf/ITV-Public-Rates-2026.pdf

Ozone prices: https://airaile.fr/les-ailes/ (but I did not find speed ratings)

Apco F5 price: https://paramaniac.shop/en/apco-f5-beginner-intermediate-paramotor-wing/

Niviuk link price: https://www.airetaventure.com/fr/519329-aile-de-paramoteur-link-3-niviuk.html

Dudek prices: https://www.airetaventure.com/fr/1054-ailes-de-parapente-dudek

Gin pegasus price: https://www.boutique-parapente-propulsion.com/7-ailes-paramoteur

Reviews

Baja review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkYMzDQ-3J8

Spider 4 review (Ozone reseller): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHVgZU-WeZg

Mojo pwr 2 review (Ozone reseller): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_yQxC7hgRQ

I think I have confused myself so now I'm asking multiple sources to see what answers I get. As I remember it, I was taught you should have about a fist of space between your leg and the strap. I don't remember what the effect would be if it was too tight or too loose. I was trying to keep myself from sitting too early on take-off (it feels like the motor scoops me) so I loosened the straps quite a bit. My thought was that this would make it less likely I could accidentally sit. Some sources online are saying that had the opposite effect and made it MORE likely to cause a sit. They are saying tighter straps prevent the sit BUT make it harder to get in the seat when you want to. Opinions?

While changing the motor and looking at other people's pictures, I've noticed that I sit a bit high in my harness. Picture attached.

The harness is an APCO SLT with low hook points, size X/XL, with the baseplate open (unzipped).

In this picture the radiator is behind my back; normally it should be at head height.

Am I missing some adjustment, or is this just the wrong harness for me?

Also should my shoulder be inside the U of the gooseneck?

I'm really excited right now. Had my first flight yesterday.

Took months of ground training and planning and I finally did it with my instructor.

Launch: I told myself I would not stop running at launch, still managed to bellyflop my first attempt (and was successful on the 2nd one). Instructor was pissed that I stopped running XD. I thought I would be better than that, but it definitely is harder to keep running when your brain is convinced you should stop because you're lifting than I thought it would be. Also, having to go full throttle at launch was not a joke and definitely necessary in my case (also: no wind that day).

Landing: I can't stress how uneventful the landing was, I even managed to come to a full stop on my feet... then my brain just kinda froze and I gently bellyflopped again XD.

Stress/fear: Surprisingly, absolutely no stress or fear from the moment I began running to the moment I landed. Was extremely calm and in the zone, and was enjoying the view and following my instructor's commands. I was also really confident in my kit's quality so that is also one less worry on the back of my mind. I was surprised how much more brake I had to give on my A-Wing than I thought I would need to to actually make the turns. I mean, I knew it would be that way, but until you're up there its hard to really register. I did not want to come back down (had too much fun), but all things must come to an end and came back down after 15-20 ish minutes of flying around at 500-1000 feet.

Best investment of money and time I've ever made in my entire life so far. Would recommend.

Solo pilot at the SE Michigan/NW Ohio border, don't personally know any other pilots, none of my fiends are mechanics in any sense, been having to learn this all from the ground up on an engine that is not beginner friendly, so forgive my lack of technical expertise at the moment and please help me learn. EDIT - I have good flight training from LE-PPG, just not engine repair experience, and that's what I'm asking for help on here.

Polini Thor 202, Dellorto carb, new-ish three blade Helix 140cm prop from a Helix two-blade 130cm, recently changed jets from 122 to 120 due to constantly fouled plugs and new bogging at high RPMs. First ground tests afterward (about a week ago, no actual flights) ran great and the bogging went away. However it just came back with a vengeance and now I have a new problem.

My engine starts, runs for a few seconds and then stops. A few seconds after it does that, the white nozzle on the hose I'm pointing to (which goes between the side of the carb and a 3-way connector with black hoses that has a fourth clear hose that used to go to my smaller gas tank) spurts out a little fuel. In addition, the center hose that goes from that three-way to the jet connector on the carb (research says this is my impulse hose) lets fuel run down from the hose at the three-way connector for several seconds, spilling fuel on the ground.

I've taken the center (impulse?) hose off and it's free of blockage, I've reseated the jet and put the float bowl back on a couple of times and it's still doing it. I've drained, inspected for cracks and reseated every hose I could and re-primed and it's still doing it. What might be wrong, what should I check and why?

Thanks for any help you guys can give me!

Edit - Could a bad fuel pump be causing this? AI (yeah I know, I'm desperate for knowledge) suggests it could be a ruptured carb membrane. Any of these sound like a thing?

Edit 2 - I DO have training and PPG1 cert through Leading Edge PPG, haven't made it back to Rick at Florida FS for my PPG2 but I'm good for it. I just don't have anyone around to ask about my engine, that's what I'm still learning (and LE-PPG is hours away from me). Safety first!

Hey everyone- I have a Blackhawk made in 2005 that I bought from the original owner, and I’m wondering what a realistic resale price is. They flew it only five times on their farm. And I haven’t flown it once. Fogged the engine, and put it in storage in my basement because I wasn’t able to find a flight school and take classes due to the pandemic.

EAA is coming up, and I live in Wisconsin, close to the event, and I’m wondering if it would be a good time to find a buyer. However, I don’t know the value of the equipment that I have because it’s been years and I’ve lost interest. Can someone let me know how much this stuff would be worth in today’s market?

I understand the wing is basic starter wing, and it may have to be re-certified.

Thank you for your help.

I’m located in central Texas looking for recommendations for training.

Hello,

I have already some flight experience with helicopters and similiar and I think I will get the hang of this quickly. I don't have loads of time tho, and have been wondering, does everyone who does this, have a license?

Because I just wanna buy a paramotor with the wheels (trike I think it's called) and take in the great views of nothwestern italy from time to time. I looked up and I need a license, which requires training and money even for without the wheels version. And the training is usually only in Italian and my Italian is not good enough yet for that sort of thing....

Any advice on how i should start?

Thanks

Hi there, I live in downtown Toronto and I am interested in trying paramotoring for the first time. I think the closest place to me is called Toronto Powered Paragliding and it is operated by Manuel Morales. Does anyone have any experience with this company?

All of the schools near me have horrible websites that haven't really been updated in several years. I'm a woman in my 30s and would like the assurance of a solid recommendation. Thank you!

Hey everyone!

Over the past year I've been dedicating all of my time into the website/app called WingVoyagers. No sales pitch or asking for any money. You can even just tell me what you would want in an app for us pilots and just want some honest feedback from people in the community. I also won't be putting anyone that joins behind some possible future paywall as a token of my appreciation. All feedback is taken seriously and I want this built by pilots for pilots. It's already on the Play Store and on Apple Test Flight (If the link doesn't work for you then dm me or email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) your email you use for the Apple Store so I can invite you). Thank you so so so much! I know this is reddit and I understand any roasts, I'm all ears!

Edit: WingVoyagers isn’t trying to replace Gaggle’s live tracking, it’s built to be the all-in-one PPG hub for planning flights, finding spots, connecting with pilots/trainers, discovering events, and eventually buying/selling verified gear.

Edit 2: There is a guest mode and you are not required to create an account

I felt that sharing my experience thus far may be useful for anyone who is going through similar thought processes that I did.

I am a newb. I only have 34 flights in; 30 of which were part of my training.

I had my eye on the sport for over ten years and over this past winter, I committed to buying gear and registered for training. I was so stoked......couldn't stop thinking about it. Dreaming.

Then, in the weeks leading up to training, I was second guessing myself (you can check my post history for some of those thoughts). Probably normal emotions.......am I being selfish, am I taking major risk, etc.

I stayed committed and began my course. This was an emotional roller coaster. I was very nervous about my first flight and tbh, it scared me. There were all sorts of sensations that I didn't anticipate. The little bumps in the air, the feeling of slow ground speed when there is a headwind, the amount of pressure I needed to pull on the brakes, the torque of the engine, etc. In short, those things made me uncomfortable. At some points during training, I was second guessing as to whether I made the right decision. I enjoyed some flights and was terrified on others. By the end, I was enjoying each flight more. Then, as training ended and I was heading home with my gear in my truck, the thought of being on my own scared me. I felt somewhat comfortable flying when I had my instructor in my ear, but was nervous otherwise.

I was very nervous for my first unsupervised flight but I stuck to my training and broke each part of the flight into individual steps. Focus on this step THEN think about that step instead of thinking of the entire thing all at once. Training REALLY helped me in that regard. It helps you break the process into a number of well rehearsed steps. I could not imagine self training.

Now, I am four unsupervised flights in and I am already noticing that the nerves are decreasing and the enjoyment is increasing. I still experience some jitters both on the ground and in the air but I try and let logic and training prevail. Example: flying along and intrusive thoughts about catastrophic gear failure creep in. I let logic prevail. Remind myself that the majority of accidents are pilot error and not gear failure.

If I'm nervous as I'm driving out to the LZ, I remind myself that I don't have to fly. If I get there and feel off, I can bail. I have not bailed yet, but I have the mindset that I can if I want to.

An odd element of this process was the conversations I had with ChatGPT. I would say something like "I've enjoyed many flights but now that I'm on the ground, I'm nervous to go again. Why is that?" or "I've completed my training and now I won't have my instructor along. How should I overcome my fears?". It did an incredible job of assuring me that my emotions were normal and legitimate. It would say things like "It sounds like you are taking a very cautious approach to this sport. It would be more concerning if you were NOT scared". It was really cool how much those conversations helped. It may sound hokey but whatever helps, helps.

All in all, I am VERY glad that I remained committed to learning how to fly. I had some very serious doubts heading into it AND while I was a few dozen flights in. I'm still nervous, I'm still trying to get comfortable with the most basic things, and I have so much to learn. And I take comfort in knowing that I set the pace of my learning. I don't have to rush anything. If I want to fly with my beginner wing with the trims in and flight-see for the rest of my time, so be it. I'm in control of all of that. Oh, another thing that helped was to set little mini-goals for each flight. Examples: letting the trims out, do some no brakes flying (just throttle and leaning), take a picture, listen to tunes. Small things that you can do if you choose but if you don't want to, don't.

If any of you that are considering this sport or are going through some of the emotions that I did feel like reaching out, feel free to DM or comment.