USUA Flying Club 1 - PPG Group!

This page is meant to be a way for us to communicate with each other about certain gear, accessories, and associations that some of our pilots think have been useful. If you have an item you would like listed here, please send an email to pkarandi@yahoo.com. In the email, include a description, why you like the product or service, and a link to their website.

The United States Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA)

EVERY single PPG pilot in the country should belong to the USPPA. How can you scrimp on the $34 annual membership dues when the organization does so much for our beloved sport? The USPPA serves as a valuable resource to those thinking about starting powered paragliding, and also connects current pilots around country. Thinking about taking a trip with your PPG? Just go to the member directory and schools/clubs directory and hook up with local pilots in that locale. Only a comprehensive national organization can offer this - which the USPPA does in spades.

Plus, powered paragliding is just in its infancy. We need an organization that will promote PPG so the sport can come into its own as one of the premier recreational aviation activities. So, if you haven't already, sign up! With the membership you get a subscription to UltraFlight Magazine, which is easily worth the thirty four bucks anyway. Follow the USPPA link at the top of the page, or click on the logo.

High Energy Sports reserve parachutes

Reserve parachutes are an interesting thing. You certainly hope to never use one, but if you need one, it sure can save your life. And although they are meant to be a safety net, they can be harmful if not installed properly. Figuring out where to mount it on your motor can be tricky. It needs to be out of the way for normal use, but also accessible enough in an emergency. Where you mount it can also alter the weight balance of your entire setup. Another thing worth mentioning is that the reserve will add about 8 lbs. to your takeoff weight.

All that being said, they can still, obviously, be a wonderful thing. I think it's important to not just buy one and install it on your rig. Get some reserve training with your instructor (if he/she is qualified) or go to a reserve clinic when one is offered in your area. Since clinics are difficult to finance at random places in the country, many times you will see them listed as part of the itinerary at fly-ins. That way they can get a good concentration of pilots and not have to charge an arm and a leg for attendance.

I went to a clinic that was run by Betty Pfeiffer of High Energy Sports. She was really fantastic, and any research in this niche specialty of aviation will reveal that she is HIGHLY respected. Betty started High Energy Sports with the main purpose of manufacturing reserve parachutes and improving the entire field. She has been doing both successfully for years. If you have the opportunity, take one of her clinics and then buy a High Energy Sports reserve. The reserve will cost you roughly between $600 and $700 (depending on your weight and the weight of your rig).

You can get more info on Betty Pfeiffer, High Energy Sports, and their Quantum brand reserve parachutes at the
High Energy Sports website.

The Safety Siphon

Also known as: The Super Siphon, The Simple Siphon, and probably a bunch of other names retailers have come up with...

I use this awesome siphon tube to fill my PPG's gas tank. Don't ever waste your time with those clumsy funnels again! This siphon is simple to use, cleaner, and a LOT faster than any funnel. Just jiggle the siphon side of the tube in your gas storage tank while holding it at a higher level than your PPG tank. Make sure the other end is in the PPG gas tank. After a few jiggles, this siphon will transfer all the gasoline into your PPG gas tank. It is just a brilliant invention.

For some reason, these siphons are not available at local hardware stores. Bass Pro Shops has them for only $6, which is the best price I have seen. If you don't live near a Bass Pro Shop, you can always order from them online. (Get the 1/2" diameter one).

Bass Pro Shops - Safety Siphon

You can also get them from either of the following online retailers...

Siphons Online
B&A Products

The Tiny Tach

This is a battery powered tachometer made specifically for small engines. Everyone should install one of these on their PPG motors before ever starting them for the first time. Knowing your exact RPMs will enable you to break-in your motor according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Also, the Tiny Tach turns into an hour meter when the machine is not running, so you will have a very accurate measure of how much your motor has been used. This will help with maintenance cycles. Also, if you ever want to sell your motor, it can provide some idea of how used your motor is to a prospective buyer.

The company offers many different models for different types of engines. You can check with the manufacturer of your equipment as to which specific one to get. Each type also has the option of having a "reset" button, which will reset the hour meter to 0. My recommendation: get the one WITHOUT the reset button. The best use of the hour meter is to have an idea of how much your motor has been used. If you inadvertantly hit the reset button, the value of that meter is down the tubes.

The Tiny Tach costs about $40 and installs in about 15 minutes.

Design Technologies Tiny Tach

The MicroTim digital altimeter

This altimeter is perfect for powered paragliding. It's small, battery powered, and can be easily strapped to your leg. I like it for that reason because it is a lot easier to read than a watch altimeter when you are flying and have your wrists to both sides of your head. It's a little cheaper than some of the higher quality watch altimeters and, according to the manufacturer, it is also far more accurate than any watch altimeter. Of course, it can't offer the general functionality of the watch functions when you're not flying.

I actually own a cheap watch altimeter, but will eventually replace it with one of these. I look forward to being able to check my altitude by simply looking down at my lap.

MicroTim Digital Altimeter

Altimeter watches

Altimeter watches vary a lot with regards to cost and usefulness. First I will discuss the Suunto brand watches. I don't own one, but they are commonly used by PPG pilots. They are known for being rugged, reliable, and accurate. Suunto's website has models with altimeters that can cost up to $400, but I would say stick with either the Vector or Altimax models, which are $200 and $150 respectively. They are basically the same watch, but the Vector has a compass, while the Altimax does not.

Suunto Altimeter Watches

Now if you really want something cheap that basically works, you can get a Timex Expedition Adventure Tech altimeter watch. I actually own the predecessor to this watch called the Timex Helix. When I first got it, I simply thought it didn't work and was disappointed with it. Then when I realized I simply had to calibrate it before every flight (takes 10 seconds), I realized it worked ok. It does not update that often and probably isn't that accurate, but it is probably also THE cheapest altimeter you can find. Plus, does it really matter if your altitude reading is off by 50 feet? Probably not. If you need to get one on the cheap, this will do what you need it to. If you can afford a Suunto or the MicroTim mentioned above, go with either of them.

You can pick up one of these Expedition Adventure Tech watches for about $65 from a bargain online retailer - the Timex website has them listed for $100 though.

NOTE: These new Timex models (as opposed to my older Helix model) are listed as having an altimeter range of 2,300 ft to 29,500 ft. This does not make any sense to me and I suspect it is a typo, and that the lower limit is actually NEGATIVE 2,300 ft. I have emailed Timex for a clarification but have not heard back from them. When I hear back, I will update this page. Until then, beware, because as a PPG pilot, you won't have much use for an altimeter that doesn't start working until you're at 2,300 ft!

Timex Watches
Joma Shop - Timex Expedition Adventure Tech watch (bargain online retailer)

Remote kill switch by 3Built

This remote kill switch can provide a way for your instructor to kill your PPG motor if you are having difficulty with a launch. While I was training and still trying to get my launches down, I broke a few props and some cage pieces. When you are new, even if your instructor is yelling "ABORT!" on the radio, you may not react quickly enough and subsequently do a face plant. Instead of yelling on the radio, with this device, your instructor can simply kill your engine for you. If you hear the engine stop, you know it's time to reset.

I don't actually know anyone who uses this device, but considering I broke two props, each costing ~$200, this switch easily could have paid for itself. It only costs about $80. I think the installation process is a little involved, so you would most likely just install it on your motor and simply leave it there. (I don't think it is something that can be easily transferred from one motor to another, although you can verify that with the manufacturer if interested).

3Built.com

The Powered Paragliding Bible

This book is a mandatory purchase for any PPG pilot. It's probably the first PPG book that covers almost every aspect of our beloved sport. Jeff Goin, the author, has been a figure-head of this sport for years now. If you have ever seen him fly, you can see he has a ton of experience and talent. Jeff Goin can also be credited with starting the United States Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA). His contributions to this sport are vast and numerous. Plus, the cost of this book is negligible ($40) compared to how much information is packed in it.

Before the PPG Bible came out, most PPG pilots and students were relegated to reading free-flight paragliding books because there weren't many options for pure PPG books. This was a real pain because there are just too many significant differences between the two. I think other people have written PPG books in the past, but they were in other languages and then translated into English, which made them difficult to read and possibly lost some of the author's intent.

You can get a copy of the book from Jeff Goin's website FootFlyer.com. This website is also packed with a lot of useful PPG info not found in his book.

FootFlyer.com

Risk and Reward DVD

This DVD is a mandatory purchase for any PPG pilot. It's extremely well produced and covers a great deal of safety information and footage. Although powered paragliding is a really safe form of aviation, it does have significant risks. This video does a good job detailing those risks and showing you how to avoid them. In general, it's smart to remind yourself of the dangers once in a while - it will keep you humble and it will keep you from getting complacent. To do this, I recommend watching this DVD at least once per year.

I believe this video's MSRP is $40, but they have it on sale for $30 (don't know how long that will last). If you belong to the USPPA, you can get a special USPPA member discount and get the DVD for only $20. (Yet another reason to join the USPPA). $20 is a steal for this excellent video.

If you want to get a copy with the USPPA discount, follow the links from the USPPA's homepage. If you just want to pick up a copy at the sale or retail price, you can go directly to the Lite Touch Films website.

Lite Touch Films - Risk and Reward

Trailer hitch and cargo carrier

One of the greatest aspects of powered paragliding is how transportable our rigs are. What other sport out there enables you to OWN your own aircraft for less than $10K and transport it around in even the smallest vehicles?

If you have a small car like I do, the easiest thing to do is put a trailer hitch on the car and use a cargo carrier attached to the trailer hitch. You can tie your completely assembled motor to the cargo carrier. This is way better than tearing your PPG motor down to fit in your trunk every time you want to go fly. For the tie-downs, make sure you buy the ratchet-style tie-downs which are available at any hardware store.

Most trailer/truck shops will install a trailer hitch for you (if you don't already have one). But you can do it yourself and save about half. Go to either of these sites below. They both have thorough vehicle search capabilities so you can find the exact hitches that fit your car. They also have the installation instructions with an installation difficulty rating. If the difficulty rating is high and you don't want to bother, you will know that BEFORE you purchase the equipment.

Of course, if your vehicle already has a trailer hitch, all you need to do is buy the cargo carrier, which will install in about 2 minutes. The only thing you will need to keep in mind is that trailer hitches can have 1 of 2 possible sizes: 1.25" and 2". Just buy the right size cargo carrier for your hitch and you're set. Most small cars can only have the 1.25" hitch size fitted to them, while with SUVs, minivans, and trucks, you can typically choose either size. Obviously, pick out the hitch for your vehicle first and then pick the appropriate size cargo carrier.

eTrailer.com
Trailer-Hitch.com