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You Can Learn to Fly in One Afternoon at Easy Flight!
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If you want to experience the thrill of solo flight and do not want to spend the time or money it takes to fly a conventional aircraft, powered parachutes might be your dream come true. They are safe, easy to learn to fly, and inexpensive to own.
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What is a Powered Parachute?
A powered parachute is a flexible winged, aerial recreational vehicle. It combines an engine with a flexible parachute wing technology similar to that used by sport parachutists. The parachute, unlike the rigid structures of airplanes or ultralights, is built of Nylon fabric with Spectra suspension lines. The forward motion of the vehicle forces air into the multiple ‘cells’ along the wing’s leading edge, pressurizing it and holding its precisely calculated airfoil shape.
The airframe is suspended below the wing by multiple Spectra lines. The airframe supports the pilot, the engine, the propeller, and the controls. It rides on its three wheels when on the ground.
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You begin your flight on flat ground with your canopy spread out behind your machine. As you drive into the wind the parachute wing kites up and begins to take the shape of an airfoil.
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Once your wing is fully inflated, you begin to add even more throttle.
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Photos courtesy of Six Chuter, Inc.
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As you add throttle, the machine speeds up until it lifts off of the ground. You have achieved flight!
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Controls & Stability
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The vehicle is inherently safe because the airframe is suspended below the wing, giving the system what is called ‘pendulum stability.’ For example, if a gust of wind swings the airframe out to one side in flight, gravity will swing it back into position below the center of the wing. This action will keep the wing level; and this is why a powered parachute will fly straight ahead with no attention from the pilot. Of course, controls allow turns whenever the pilot wants. Simply applying pressure to a foot pedal will guide the vehicle away from the “straight and narrow path” it tries to maintain.
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| In addition, the wing is designed to always fly at the same ‘angle of attack’ (the angle at which it meets the air as it moves forward.) This means that a powered parachute will always fly at basically the same airspeed (26 mph.) If the pilot increases power, the vehicle climbs and increases altitude; at an intermediate setting it will cruise at level flight; and, if power is decreased, it will gently descend and land. With only left and right steering and up and down controls, the vehicle is very easy to fly.
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Landing
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You begin to land by finding your field, lining up into the wind and then lowering the throttle to start your descent.
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Photos courtesy of Six Chuter, Inc.
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As you get closer to the ground you adjust the throttle to maintain a gentle descent.
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After the aircraft touches down you pull completely back on the throttle, shut down the engine and collapse the canopy. You have completed your flight!
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Pilots normally land a powered parachute under power just like you would most any other aircraft. But if a powered parachute pilot shuts down the engine in flight, the vehicle becomes a normal, steerable, unpowered gliding parachute, just like those used by sky divers. Actually, because the parachutes used are much larger than sport parachutes, the vehicle would come down at a rate of only about two thirds as fast as a jumper under canopy. And since the vehicle has a suspension and padding, the pilot has yet another added protection.
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Safety
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Fun & Convenient
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With their low takeoff and landing speeds, powered parachutes do not need an airport; open fields work well. A pilot’s license is not required because powered parachutes are classified by the FAA as ultralight vehicles. These features make flying very inexpensive.
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| A powered parachute’s unusual configuration offers you the magic of pure recreational flight, combining low cost with simplicity and safety, and without the necessity of extensive instruction or experience. |
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To Learn More:
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| Call or E-mail Easy Flight or visit the powered parachute pilots at the Greenville Airport. It is always better to call ahead to see if someone is available at the airport unless there is a scheduled event. |
- Roy Beisswenger
- PO Box 38
- Greenville, IL 62246
(618) 664-9706
• E-mail Roy •
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