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| Q: |
How safe is it to
fly a powered parachute? |
| A: |
Powered
Parachutes in general are probably the safest of all aircraft
to fly. This is due to several important factors.
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You
are always flying under a fully deployed parachute.
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You
can not "dive" a parachute like a hard winged
aircraft, hence you will never exceed a forward speed of 26
mph. Everything happens in slow motion.
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The
only conditions that make powered parachuting dangerous are
wind/turbulence, an un-airworthy aircraft, or pilot induced
problems such as inadvertently flying into obstructions.
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Never
underestimate the power of the wind. Your life support system
is nothing more than a pressurized bag of air. The only thing
that keeps you aloft and under control is the forward movement
of the aircraft as a whole. When the air currents come into
contact with the envelope in a less than direct and stable
manner they will create immediate disruption in your flight
path. These disruptions will not necessarily be a threat to
your safety, but they will be noticeable and disconcerting.
This is especially true when the student pilot begins his
training. This is why we always recommend to fly the
Para-Cycle in the calmest of winds.
One other danger worth mentioning is the danger of turbulence
generated by other aircraft. Avoid any air that has been
disturbed by another aircraft. With larger aircraft you need
to be aware that their wingtip vortices generate what is
comparable to a horizontal tornado. This rolling air will last
a lot longer than most people suspect. It spins off each
wingtip in opposite directions and generally fall downward and
with the wind. It can last to up to several minutes depending
on the weight (displacement) of the aircraft. If you happen to
fly close to a full size aircraft first avoid it, then try to
maneuver yourself so you are not heading into its turbulence.
Fly above its path, or to the upwind side. These
recommendations also apply to all other types of aircraft
(especially helicopters).
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