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The ability to travel so
readily with your aircraft is unique to powered paragliding. It's not
always easy, but it's almost always worth the effort. Taking just the wing
and a harness for free-flying is even easier.
Using public transportation,
especially the airlines, has gotten tougher since the book was published
and has become even more of a gamble. Transporting by any form of air may
get even more challenging as the TSA (Transportation Security
Administration) considers requiring all cargo to be screened, even what
gets shipped on cargo-only aircraft.
Fortunately, the other methods
outlined in Chapter 31 are still just as viable and affordable.
Gear Carriers From Cabella's
2008-03-12
Thanks to Daren of Connecticut Paragliding School for providing this tip
Cabella's
Outdoor Sporting Goods stores have hitch mounted gear carriers for the
4x4 quads. Put on a piece of plywood and some hooks and you have a very
nice PPG motor carrier for your car. Price complete is under $80 bucks
and is perfect for any size motor.
Borders
Crossing borders has problems
lately, too. Pilots traveling to Mexico have reported being turned
around because their craft are not registered and, even when they showed
registration documents, the border guard wouldn't let them through.
Consult with locals whenever possible before taking your gear across the
Mexican border. I've not heard of any problems going to or from Canada.
Be careful about offering bribe's, too, one pilot carefully offered to
cover any "expenses" and was rebuffed. There are certainly those willing
to accept bribes but it's no longer as universal as it once was.
Suggestions for success include
1. Have the machine disassembled so it doesn't look like an aircraft but
never do anything that would appear "sneaky". Do be honest if they ask.
It's "sporting equipment that lets you fly under a large kite." A
picture is helpful. 2. If
possible, have the paramotor out of view but not in a way that appears
hidden.
3. Like all human
interactions, treat them with complete respect, be honest, forthright
and friendly. 4. Register the
craft with USUA and have the documentation with you.
Alternative Travel
There's always a different
way to get around with this gear. God love portability.
Dave Moore, who lives in a Chicago suburb, has a field near his house
but it's too far to walk, especially toting his aircraft. His elegant
solution is pictured at right—a bicycle with trailer. Of course he made
it himself by crafting a simple bike hitch and welding it to a hand
truck that he bought from a hardware store.
Perfect!
Paramotor Protection
 2009
Sept 27 My poor motor used to travel unprotected on the
Enterprise's rear rack (see picture above right) but now she stays
covered. There are better covers, especially custom versions that cover
everything including the bottom then zip up to keep dust out. But for
something quick and dirty, a grill cover works well. Beware, though,
grill covers are far from equal. After wearing a couple out, I can tell
you the cheap ones aren't worth it. And the expensive ones from home
depot are still dramatically cheaper than custom covers.
The cover depicted at left is
a Charmglow 58" wide, 44" tall and 24" deep model made of pretty stout
fabric. It has no grommets, though, so you'll have to add those yourself
to secure it on the paramotor. I bought an inexpensive grommet kit where
you pound your own holes then pound in the grommets. All you need is a
hammer and block of scrap wood, the kit contains everything else. Add
four grommets then use a bungee at the bottom to the cover in place.
Connecting the bungee to two grommets and around the bottom holds the
cover's bottom fast so it won't ride up the paramotor cage.
With these covers being open underneath, dusty roads will leave your
machine covered in powdery dust depending on where you're driving. But
they keep UV off the harnesses and avoid rain issues.
Airline Travel with PPG
2011-Aug-15
Every time I hear someone
tell of their success at taking a paramotor on the airlines it makes me
cringe. Kind of like when someone says they stalled their wing and "it
wasn't that bad." Maybe THAT time it wasn't but, in fact, it's damned
risky. So is airline travel for PPG's.
You may, in fact succeed. But what if the airline balks? After all,
every U.S. airline that I'm aware of officially prohibits taking engines
that have had fuel in them and most just prohibit taking them at all. My
airline, Southwest, is like that. They may not all adhere to the rule,
but if someone does, you're screwed.
Here's the latest story from a flyer, we'll call him Ted, who was
planning a trip to Brazil. Thanks to him and his girlfriend for
being willing to share.
Ted
was planning a trip to Brazil with his PPG and flew out yesterday on
Air Canada with his PPG and made it to Chicago. He had successfully
flew with it in on Air Canada earlier this year to Australia with no
hiccups. Not this time.
He was pulled off the plane in Chicago (after
he boarded) by TSA who said he wouldn't be allowed to take it on the
flight to Sao Paulo as it is considered "Dangerous Goods". Most of
the point of the trip was flying the PPG so he had to abandon the
trip and return home.
The safest bet for traveling
with a paramotor is to remove just the engine and ship it separately.
You can take the frame, cage, netting, redrive, prop, and anything else
that doesn't smell, even to a dog, on the airline trip. Hopefully your
engine is small enough to keep the cost down. Most engines come off with
6 bolts and a few other connection--one of the beauties of it being the
world's most portable aircraft. |
