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Paraplanes: Buckeye Powered Parachutes, Motorized Parachutes And Aircrafts
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Published: June 15, 2007
Extreme personal sports have taken on a life of their own in the past several years as people grow tired of traditional adventures. One hobby that has taken off recently is the powered parachute. Soaring over the landscape in a personal powered parachute can be a breathtaking experience. Think of it as the hanglider for the 21st century.
Now that the powered parachute has started to grow in popularity, the public is starting to understand a little more about it.
The most common design for the powered parachute was developed by Don Shaw in 2004. This model uses a small land scooter to bring itself up to speed, and a propeller inflating a parafoil in back to take flight. This has become the standard model for creating a commercial powered parachute. The motorized parachute is considered to be one of the most stable and safe personal flying vehicles on the market.
This kind of motorized parachute are considered aircraft by the U.S. government, and must comply to all small aircraft standards. While a powered parachute, or PPC, doesn't need to take off at an international airport, most officials would rather they leave from small aircraft terminals. Still, a powered parachute is perfectly capable of taking off from a small field or street, basically any flat area. Paraplanes are restricted from flying after sunset, however.
The most popular model are the Buckeye Powered Parachutes from Buckeye Aviation. Buckeye Powered Parachutes incorporate a triangular crash frame painted to the consumer's specification around the scooter, with a large fan propeller and parafoil on the back. Buckeye is considered the premium brand in personal paraplanes and is the only model insured for physical damage by its manufacturer.
Mastering the PPC is a difficult task. While it is an incredibly stable and fun vehicle, like any other aircraft, it takes a while to truly master. If a pilot flies it too high or out of control, it can result in stall outs and parachute collapse. To this effect, there are eighty two listed and accredited powered parachute schools across thirty four states. These schools teach new pilots the basics of how to control this specialized type of craft.
The standard PPC costs somewhere between $10-$20,000 depending on the manufacturing. Still, this is extremely inexpensive for a self powered air glider. Even further, there are kits available to modify small scooters into a powered parachute. These typically retail for around $5,000, but don't have a lot of the same feature set as the more expensive designed models, like the roll cages. Neither the PPC nor the driver requires a specialized license, so there are no extra expenses.
The powered parachute is a new and exciting means of personal flight. It's not exactly a travel vehicle, but for fun and sight seeing, it's an exciting aircraft. While $20,000 seems like a lot of money to spend on a recreational vehicle, for flight enthusiasts it's a small price to pay for a vehicle that lets them glide miles in the air. As the PPC becomes more popular, expect to see more of them as tourist and personal recreation vehicles across the world.
Sources:
“Powered Parachute.” Wikipedia. 21 May 2007. 11 June 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powered_parachute.
The Development of the Paraplane. Inland Paraflight Inc. 1996-2002. 11 June 2007. http://www.paraplane.com/history.html.
Powered Parachute School. Air Sports Net. 2007. 11 June 2007. http://www.usairnet.com/powered-parachute/school/.
The Buckeye Factory. Buckeye Aviation. 2007. 11 June 2007. http://www.buckeyeaviation.com/about.htm.
The most common design for the powered parachute was developed by Don Shaw in 2004. This model uses a small land scooter to bring itself up to speed, and a propeller inflating a parafoil in back to take flight. This has become the standard model for creating a commercial powered parachute. The motorized parachute is considered to be one of the most stable and safe personal flying vehicles on the market.
This kind of motorized parachute are considered aircraft by the U.S. government, and must comply to all small aircraft standards. While a powered parachute, or PPC, doesn't need to take off at an international airport, most officials would rather they leave from small aircraft terminals. Still, a powered parachute is perfectly capable of taking off from a small field or street, basically any flat area. Paraplanes are restricted from flying after sunset, however.
The most popular model are the Buckeye Powered Parachutes from Buckeye Aviation. Buckeye Powered Parachutes incorporate a triangular crash frame painted to the consumer's specification around the scooter, with a large fan propeller and parafoil on the back. Buckeye is considered the premium brand in personal paraplanes and is the only model insured for physical damage by its manufacturer.
Mastering the PPC is a difficult task. While it is an incredibly stable and fun vehicle, like any other aircraft, it takes a while to truly master. If a pilot flies it too high or out of control, it can result in stall outs and parachute collapse. To this effect, there are eighty two listed and accredited powered parachute schools across thirty four states. These schools teach new pilots the basics of how to control this specialized type of craft.
The standard PPC costs somewhere between $10-$20,000 depending on the manufacturing. Still, this is extremely inexpensive for a self powered air glider. Even further, there are kits available to modify small scooters into a powered parachute. These typically retail for around $5,000, but don't have a lot of the same feature set as the more expensive designed models, like the roll cages. Neither the PPC nor the driver requires a specialized license, so there are no extra expenses.
The powered parachute is a new and exciting means of personal flight. It's not exactly a travel vehicle, but for fun and sight seeing, it's an exciting aircraft. While $20,000 seems like a lot of money to spend on a recreational vehicle, for flight enthusiasts it's a small price to pay for a vehicle that lets them glide miles in the air. As the PPC becomes more popular, expect to see more of them as tourist and personal recreation vehicles across the world.
Sources:
“Powered Parachute.” Wikipedia. 21 May 2007. 11 June 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powered_parachute.
The Development of the Paraplane. Inland Paraflight Inc. 1996-2002. 11 June 2007. http://www.paraplane.com/history.html.
Powered Parachute School. Air Sports Net. 2007. 11 June 2007. http://www.usairnet.com/powered-parachute/school/.
The Buckeye Factory. Buckeye Aviation. 2007. 11 June 2007. http://www.buckeyeaviation.com/about.htm.
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