ParaShop.co.uk Suppliers of Dudek and Apco
paragliders, Walkerjet paramotors and paragliding equipment
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Since
I started using a paramotor as a way of expanding my flying experience I soon
had a range of incredible flying stories to tell backed up by photographs to
help convey the amazing views I was a witness to. One day in April became
another classic example of a how a lightweight Rad paramotor,
a good paraglider and some thermic conditions can make a relatively ordinary day
into one of those great flying days you want to tell your friends about. My planned flight would be
around the east side of Doncaster in the middle of the week, so calling NOTAM
the evening before was essential, because the area between Doncaster and the
east coast becomes a bit of a RAF Tornado playground. I also decided to contact
Gary Hartley, a fellow paramotor pilot from Barnsley who has also become as
addicted to using powered paragliding to get high. The week before we had
completed a very pleasurable 20 miles out and return flight together on a warm
sunny evening. It wasn’t an outstanding distance or massive height gain
but it reminded me what a pleasure it can be when you share an enjoyable flying
experience with a friend. Until recently most of my powered flights had been on
my own because I was probably the first of the few in my area, but things are
changing and I look forward to the social aspect of flying with small squadrons
of foot launch powered aircraft roaming the skies high over Yorkshire. The day started well with
a good forward launch into Spring thermal conditions. I quickly took the lead
and headed to my local thermal source to go for a quick height gain without
using too much fuel. Don’t think that it’s a money saving
Yorkshire attitude to use natural lift as a way of getting high so you save
money on fuel – it is a free flying attitude to get a thermic elevator
ride to cloud base so you have fuel to complete a good cross country flight. My
known thermal source was junction 4 of the M18, which is a cocktail of heat from
lorry and car exhausts, warm tyres as they slow down and turn off the motorway
and the sun soaked tarmac. This combination causes the junction 4 roundabout to
be as reliable a method of gaining height as the Radne engines on our backs and
we were catapulted away from the ground like Zebedee on Prozac. At 1000ft above
take off we both headed towards our intended turn point of Goole, latching into
thermals along the way. With such an unfortunate
name, Goole has been the on the receiving end of a few jokes over the years, but
from the air it is a impressive looking inland port on a wide section of the
river Ouse and a clearly visible place to fly to. I was monitoring my ground
speed using my GPS and noticed that the tail wind was now increasing and
although we were only a mile away from Goole, I decided that it was time to turn
around and return to base. The landing field was ten miles away and seemed like
a very distant goal because we were battling against the headwind. I normally
complete the into wind section of an out and return flight first, but the
forecast for the wind speed and direction was wrong so we had to alter our
flight plan to make sure we would have enough fuel to get back. As we got close
to the landing field we both started playing with the thermals until we reached
cloud base, which was sparsely covered by wispy clouds. At this point we both
increased the throttle and went for a closer look at these ‘baby’
clouds, and as we drew alongside one of them I was absolutely mesmerised by a
beautiful white swirl that came out of the top of one of them and curled over.
These small swirling clouds were an indication of a more turbulent section of
air between the two levels and I decided it wasn’t the place to hang
around and take photographs. We descended to 1500ft above take off where the air
was dotted with Spring thermals, and for the last few miles of the flight we
yo-yo ed up and down alongside each other all the way back to the landing field.
I landed first to look back and see Gary switch the power off and set himself up
for his landing, but he couldn’t resist one last go in a thermal and he
began to disappear skywards again. As soon as Gary had finally landed I began to
discuss the possibility of another flight and this time with a different
objective. It was getting close to midday and the winds and thermal strength
were increasing, so I suggested we used the thermals to go for a height gain.
I squeezed the last dregs
of my fuel from the jerry can into the paramotor petrol tank and before I had a
chance to ask Gary if I could borrow some fuel he was already powering up and
leaving me behind. I quickly clipped in, started the motor and set off after him
in the hope that my seven litres, Freex Mission, Rad MXL
and thermaling experience would help me catch up with him. At 1000ft above take
off I edged out in front and guided my flying partner towards a water treatment
works which I knew was a thermal source and predictably enough we were
catapulted upwards. We both flew out of the thermal and Gary decided to power up
again and look elsewhere, but I went back and re cored the thermal I had just
left. I wasn’t sure how long I was circling before Gary realised I was
showing him the thermal stairway to heaven but I probably had a 1000ft height
advantage. It wasn’t long before he realised I had hooked into a good
thermal and joined me on the way to a thinning layer of cloud. At 4000ft above
the sunny flatlands of South Yorkshire the heat had got the better of the clouds
and we passed through a slightly misty level and climbed out over the inversion
layer into crystal clear blue skies. Flying above the inversion layer was like
breaking through into a new world with excellent visibility and smooth air. The
benign air allowed me to let go of the control handles and sit back to enjoy the
view while continuing to gain height. At 6500ft and with one litre of fuel
remaining I decided that the cold hands and feet, a decreasing rate of climb and
the realisation that we were getting closer to a flight level at 7500ft were
good enough reasons to stop the paramotor and start descending. Flying the 2500ft back
down towards the occasional and almost transparent cloud that decorated the top
section of the inversion layer was a very weird feeling. Once we reached this
level it felt like we had re-entered the earths atmosphere and the air was
noticeably warmer and more active. From this height with the engine switched off
I could have spent a long time touring the sky looking for more thermals, but I
achieved a good height gain so I was happy gliding around ignoring any lift on
my return to the landing field. Gary landed a few minutes after me, and the
elated look on his face was an obvious indication that he had enjoyed his flight
as much as I had. I usually do most of my powered flying at above 1000ft above
the ground but this flight has inspired me to try flying higher more often.
Since I started using a
paramotor nearly four years ago it has increased my flying range and options –
you could say that my flying window became a conservatory. I look forward to the
ever-expanding flying experiences that a lightweight paramotor can provide. Paul
Haxby
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