The PPC Airframe

The PPC frame is really the backbone of the aircraft.  It supports the pilot, connects us to the wing, and holds all the systems that make us fly, turn, stop, and go.   Before we get to the main instructional video for this lesson with master teacher Mike Lersbak, let’s watch a few videos that show just how important a strong frame can be! Keep in mind that powered parachuting has proven to be one of the safest ways to fly.  Still, things can and do happen, and a properly built frame can make all the difference, both to your life and to your wallet!

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While reviewing the online video sites such as YouTube and Vimeo, we found that there just weren’t that many videos of PPC crashes.   Now PPG crashes, that’s another story.   These craft are more affordable, using much lighter construction techniques, and the pilots are often self taught…a combination of factors that seems to lead to more problems.

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Let’s quickly review the differences between a Powered Paraglider trike(ppg) and a Powered Parachute (ppc).   While the line separating the two is getting increasingly blurry, the PPG trike shows it’s heritage of the back-mounted PPG, using hand controls on the wing instead of foot controls. PPG trikes are often very light weight, with some weighing in at less than half the weight of your typical PPC.  PPG’s also generally fall under part 103 rules, with few of the pilots opting for Sport Pilot training.  If you aren’t sport pilot rated then you can’t take up passengers.   Finally, while a few PPCs use elliptical wings, all PPG trikes use them.   We will go into greater detail on wings later.

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Videos:

Powered parachutes are considered to be one of the safest ways to fly.  Just surf services such as YouTube and you’ll be sure to find dozens upon dozens of videos highlighting these wonderful craft, flown by talented and capable pilots in some of the most beautiful places on earth.   Sometimes, though, you can learn more by looking at videos where things didn’t go exactly according to plan.   Don’t get discouraged or frightened, as these are clearly the exceptions, not the rule!

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The lesson of this first video is: an emergency can happen, anytime, anywhere, and you may not be able to chose your landing site! The people in this video had options, a relatively good place to land, probably due to thinking ahead.   Still, there were potholes, fences and trees that could test your frame. In this case, pilot planning, skill, and a good aircraft delivered a good outcome.  Watch.

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There are several lessons we can learn from this next video, but for now let’s just say we want to have a frame that can take a sudden forced landing, even if it’s “just” in corn!  Watch.

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There’s multiple lessons here, such as how to decide whether you fly or not on a given day, but for now, you’ll see that the frame protected the pilot, but not his wallet.  Watch.

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A self taught flyer learns a hard lesson.   He’s OK, thanks to his frame.  Watch

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The pilot, the lines, and the propeller are OK, in spite of a rather embarrassing roll-over!  The frame did it’s job!  Watch

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The beginning of this video has many powered paraglider mishaps, but pay attention to the PPG about 6 minutes in.   He falls over backwards but damages nothing other than his pride, which is more than you can say for what would happen with many other PPG frames!   Then, this pilot, who is in need of much more training, tries again.   He hits pretty hard, but the frame does protect him!   Watch

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Now this looks scary.  This PPG took a pretty bad hit, but something tells me the frame didn’t fare as well as the one in the last video.   Watch

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In our search for videos of PPC crashes none was scarier than this, as it involved broken bones, and really, could have been worse.   Once the craft hit the house, it slides off the roof, falling back to the ground.  In a later lesson we will discuss ways to keep out of this sort of accident ourselves, but for now, let’s think about the framework and it’s role in protecting pilot and passenger.    Watch

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Before we go to our master lesson this week, let’s quickly collect some thoughts on the videos we’ve just seen.  First off, this sort of thing can be scary to see.  Do I REALLY want to do this?   Let us assure you that, while accidents are always possible, most of the accidents above could have been avoided if the pilots had gotten the training you are getting now! (Though you will certainly ALSO get actual flight instruction!)  Watching videos of car crashes may make you question driving again, but that does seem a bit of an over reaction, doesn’t it?  Many of the videos involved people in small PPG trikes, craft that are MUCH lighter in weight, and with their elliptical wings, far harder to control.  Many had insufficient training.  We highly recommend learning to fly PPCs, as their safety record is second to none.   But it is worth noting that in all cases the pilot survived.  In the case of the PPC forced landings the aircraft were undamaged as well.  The frame did its job!

Master Lesson #  1

While you watch the master lesson video keep an eye out for the answers to these questions:

Video Outline