Powered parachute

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A powered parachute with its wing stowed.

A powered parachute with its wing laid out in preparation for takeoff.

A powered parachute (motorized parachute, PPC, paraplane) is a parachute with motor and wheels. Their relative airspeed is 25-35 mph (40-60 km/h), and their operating height is typically 500-1500 feet (50-300 meters), albeit it might be as high as 18000+ feet (5.5 km) (the world record) or as low as 10 inches (25 cm). They may fly for up to 3+ hours. Powered parachutes have very short take-off and landing rolls, sometimes less than 100 ft (30m). A new one-person powered parachute typically costs around $10,000,and a top-end two seater can cost $15-20,000, while a converted motor scooter costs US$6000, making them among the cheapest motorized air vehicles. Empty weight is around 200-300 lb (90 - 135 kg). Payload can be upwards of 500 lb (225 kg). Typical single place (one person) variants do not require a license to operate (in USA), and can be learned in 5-7 days by an average student. Two place operations may have more restrictive legal and training requirements.

1 Safety
2 Operations
3 History
4 Model Engineering
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Safety

Side view in flight.

PPCs are considered by many to be safer than normal fixed-wing aircraft because of their inherent stability and limited response to control inputs. A PPC has two primary means to control the aircraft: engine power (affects rate of climb) and deflection of either (or both) trailing edge(s) of the parachute (directional control).

The power-off glide ratio of a powered parachute is 3:1 to 6:1. Glide ratio varies depending on the chute size and shape, and the weight that the chute is carrying. Engine-off landings are quite safe, assuming the pilot is within glide range of a suitable landing zone.

Although possible, it is difficult to cause the aircraft to get into a dangerous attitude, stall, or chute collapse by means of pilot control inputs.

Probably the most dangerous aspects of flying a powered parachute are associated with wind and obstacles. Flight should not be attempted in winds exceeding 10-15 mph, or in gusty conditions. Wind hazards also include terrain-induced air disturbances (stay upwind of trees, mountains, and other obstacles) and wake turbulence created by the passage of other aircraft. Power lines and trees are terrain obstacles requiring special care. Forced landings in water are extremely dangerous. It is easy to become entangled in the parachute lines of a sinking powered parachute.

[edit] Operations

PPC pilots typically enjoy flying 'low and slow' - the PPC is an excellent platform for sightseeing and photography. PPCs are also used in agriculture, and occasionally by law enforcement agenices and flight search organizations such as ELLASS (Emergency Low Level Aerial Search and Surveillance), a search and rescue organization founded by the PowerChute Education Foundation.

PPCs do not need an airport to take off and land, and can be used in any area which is not populated by humans or houses. Many pilots are flying from smaller airport and airfields as well as the common mowed hay field.

In the U.S., as is the case with other ultralights, PPCs are not allowed to fly at night. See FAR part 103 for regulations governing U.S. ultralights. Recently, the FAA has passed the Sport Pilot rule, which also applies to certain aspects of PPC operations.

[edit] History

On October 1, 1964, Jalbert applied for patent for his new "Multi-Cell Wing" named "Parafoil" (also known as a "Ram-Air" wing), which was a new parachute design. His ideas finally were registered as U.S. patent 3,285,546 on November 15, 1966. However a first motorized version by Nicolaides had already flown in 1964.

Finally in March 1981, the P-1 was created by Steve Snyder, Adrian Vandenberg and Daniel Thompson. The flight lasted 25-30 seconds and the paraglider suffered from torque problems. It took 2 years for them to fix these problems, and in 1983 they formed the ParaPlane corporation to produce first commercial paragliders.

In 2004 Don Shaw mounted a standard motor scooter with a parafoil and propeller. The combination can both fly and continue to drive on the road as a ground vehicle. A conversion kit is now commercially available.