Airspeed – Powered Paragliding with Bruce Brown

Check out the audio for a great description of the fast-growing sport of powered paragliding. An aircraft that costs less than $7,000 that you can easily fit in your trunk and that you can learn to safely operate with five days of training? You bet!

Not much in the way of transcript for this episode. I managed to get up on a flight this morning and did the intro and other housekeeping over the aircraft intercom for that “Yes-Captain-Force-actually-flies-aircraft-every-so-often” effect that’s been so lacking since the weather and my professional obligations have conspired to keep me on the ground.

We were recording for an upcoming episode that’ll be called “Test Pilot: You” or something to that effect. The order of the day was to determine the minimum altitude from which one might consider returning to the runway in the case of an engine failure on departure. The larger mission was to show how GA pilots can – and should – explore the actual operational capabilities of their aircraft and themselves under controlled conditions.

We had a lot of fun and I also got in some steep turns, slow flight, stalls, and pattern work. The VFR rust is basically off and I’m ready to go back under the hood for the last push toward the instrument rating!

Photo courtesy Ohio Powered Paragliding. Forward launch sequence performed by Bruce Brown as photographed by Rick Grimm. http://www.flyohio.com/Bruce%20Launch%20small%2072.jpg

Other information about Ohio Powered Paragliding and Powered Paragliding in general:

Bruce Brown
Ohio Powered Paragliding
20683 Hull Prairie Road
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
419-823-1270
brucebrown@wcnet.org

In northwest Ohio near Toledo at the crossroads of the Ohio Turnpike(I-80/90) and I -75.

FAR Part 103: http://www.usppa.org/Resources/FARs/part103_far.htm

US Powered Paragliding Association: www.usppa.org