Mike Forwood is an experienced PPG pilot. He has flown PG for 12 years and PPG for 4 years. Mike has built 6 home made paramotors and he is now working on a PPG trike soon to be released. He is one of the Australian importers and distributors of the well known Cors-Air M21Y engine based AIRFER Tornado and Bimax Paramotors from Spain.
Alex Varv
Improved Trim Tabs
During my flights, I noticed many times that due to higher loads (inflating in stronger winds or using lots of power) the trim webbing slipped.
Below, I will describe how I permanently remedied this without any complicate
modifications. All one needs is a little time, a needle and heavy duty thread.
In the picture below, we can see clearly that by using a needle and heavy duty thread and that by threading the needle through the cross section of the webbing, the thread is inside the webbing so does not get worn by the trimmer buckles sliding on it like other fixes that people use .
We simply start at the bottom near the main riser connection and work our way all the way to the top in a zigzag from one side of the webbing to the other .
The thread is the style that is used for making canvas tents ,i.e. quite thick aprox 1mm diameter.
The thread simply makes the webbing strap thicker allowing the buckle to grab correctly on the strap and not slipping .
Unlike other stitching methods, it will never wear out the thread as it is inside the strap and because the buckle no longer slips no wear on the trimmer strap happens either.
Fuel Tank Mirror
I have seen Alex's extendable fuel mirror and other mirrors published on the Inventions Page. They all need to be turned or extended in order to see how much fuel is left in the tank.
I built a mirror that is permanently attached to the frame in such a manner that the pilot by simply turning his head to the side, can easily monitor the fuel consumption.
Simply get a small wide view mirror from an auto parts store . Plastic is best. Drill two holes on either side so you can pass a long cable tie through it . Get a piece of rubber fuel hose about 50 mm long.
Thread the cable tie through the fuel hose. Next , thread the cable tie through the two predrilled orifices in the mirror, back through the rubber hose. This will make a short stand - mount for the mirror.
Now place it on your frame above the lower frame support bar and on the inside hoop. My AIRFER Tornado has two rings (hoops) on the cage. If you fly a paramotor with a single hoop (ring) on the cage,
you will have to place it in such a way that it will not interfere with the lines during the inflation.
By placing it on the spot shown in the picture below, it cannot swing back into the prop and hit it but is far enough out to give clear vision of your tank .
Being so low it should not catch your lines but if it does, it will flex and not tangle them. I have never had it getting my lines.
Fasten the cable tie very tight so when you adjust it in flight ,which is quite easy, it will not change its angle and will always give you a clear vision of the tank.
I am sure everybody will have one of these as soon as they see the pictures. This mirror is very inexpensive and it only costs $1.00 here in Australia.
For more info, please feel free to contact me at your convenience at:
Regards,
Mike Forwood
Correction:The real author of all the above pictures is Vance Marcolla and not Mike Forwood as stated. I apologize the author for these editorial errors.
Alex L. Varv
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