Flat
Top Design: From a close study of paramotor incidents there
seem to be 4 weak/danger areas associated with circular cages. Top left
& right where hands and break toggles go through or around cage netting
and bottom left & right where minor trips & falls result in major damage
from prop strikes. With the Flat Top design the danger areas are
further protected with an extra 2-3 inches of prop clearance because of
the circular path of the prop around a non-circular cage. This way you
can have the smallest cage possible while still providing maximum
protection especially in the known danger/high risk areas…all this
without increasing the height or bulkiness of the unit! This
revolutionary design also enables a more uniformed size of the cage
pieces to allow for a minimum break down size of the frame/cage unit for
packing, shipping & travel.
Riveted
Kevlar netting: Kevlar has 5 very important attributes, it
doesn’t stretch, it’s very strong, extremely lightweight, heat resistant
to 400 degrees and very aerodynamic for it’s size & weight. These are
perfect for paramotoring. Plastic & nylon nettings have been known to
stretch into props with many different cage & mounting designs. For
maximum strength, prop clearance and ease of stringing/restringing we
riveted Kevlar line right to the face of the cage. By being riveted to
the face of the cage we added half a tube width of extra clearance. In
addition, it helps ensure any prop strike will hit the tubing before it
strikes the netting. Also being strung around a smooth steel rivet with
an aluminum head prevents it from being cut by the tubing which can
happen under pressure when strung through holes in the tubing. We string
our units very tightly to help prevent anything larger than 3 fingers
going through. Using Kevlar also provides the least amount of weight
and wind resistance of any other design. One more added bonus is that
it is so strong it actually strengthens the whole cage like spokes on a
bicycle…it’s easy to see why Kevlar line is the only reasonable choice
6"
prop/netting clearance The most common injury in paramotoring
has been prop strikes to hands, fingers and other parts of the body.
People seem to like to run their motors up to full throttle while
standing right in front of it. The most common reaction to a unit that
lurches towards the pilot it to put hands and arms against the cage or
netting to stop the motor from lurching at them…bad idea. We attacked
this problem in numerous ways, first with a very stiff/strong cage, then
with riveted Kevlar line that doesn’t stretch, the Flat Top design,
placement of tubing in high risk areas and leaving about 6 inches of
clearance between non-stretch Kevlar netting and the prop
Dual
hoop cage design The hoop has to provide 3 major functions:
one, it has to be strong/stiff enough to prevent it from collapsing into
the prop; two, it needs to provide for maximum clearance of the cage
netting to help prevent as many injuries as possible; three, it has to
allow a smooth surface for the paraglider risers to slide up during a
forward launch. After much thought and research we decided the dual
hoop was the best way to go to provide the best accomplishment of all 3
tasks.
Machined
aluminum cage lugs Cage connection points are very
important. Many companies use plastic cage lugs as they are cheap and
easy to get. We have found over years and years of experience that in a
crash the plastic cage lugs just snap off, the prop strikes the cage and
your whole safety cage is instantly thrown to the 4 winds leaving you
defenseless without your roll cage/safety netting. Although far more
expensive and difficult to manufacture safety is the ultimate goal so we
wanted to best ensure that your roll cage/safety netting stays with you
as long as possible especially in the even of a major tumble. We think
the extra expense is well worth it to provide you with maximum
protection.
Super
strong main frame & engine support Frames breaking and
cracking have been a major issue. We’ve seen engines ripped off of
their frames during simple slips and falls and others break off during
hard impacts. Yet others have cracked off from years of engine
vibration. Our main frame rail is 1/8th inch thick aluminum. It
provides both the majority of lateral stiffness for the comfort bars and
ensures the engine is mounted to something very strong. It also
stiffens and strengthens the entire unit by giving everything something
very strong and solid to mount to.
Kung
Fu grip We don’t recommend you stand in front of an
unsecured paramotor and start it, but for those that will completely
disregard this advice we provided a special grip designed to be strong
enough to hold back the full thrust of the motor. If
180lbs or more thrust should overwhelm you and you can’t seem to figure
out how to let off the throttle fast enough we designed the grip so the unit will quickly secure
you in a wrist lock and throw you to the ground hopefully away from the
danger of the spinning prop. Yes that’s right; the spacing of the
tubing above the Kung Fu grip is designed to engage the back of your
wrist when the motor is tilted forward locking your hand into position
preventing you from grabbing higher or going over the back of the unit
into the prop.
Comfort
bars with more comfort The comfort bars hold the
harness open during flight. Unlike other designs where the carabineers
are hooked directly to the harness and the harness collapses on you
squeezing you during flight the comfort bars prevent any uncomfortable
pressures on you so you will be able to enjoy much longer flights.
They also catch the motor in case it should fall forward preventing
damage or soiling of the reserve & harness. Also, should you ever fall
down while being drug by your paraglider, they will hold the motor off
of you. With the unique design they also allow for better leg mobility
and freedom giving you maximum agility and comfort during reverse
launches and side stepping. On top of that with the new lateral support
welded directly to the super strong main frame the rigidity & strength
obtained is amazing.
Single
or Dual Fuel Tanks The worst thing about PPG is having
to come down when you are having fun or not getting to know exactly
what’s beyond that next hill because you are low on gas and have to turn
back. Now with the dual tank option you can easily switch from 1 super
light gas tank to 2 tanks for maximum range. With quick release bars,
switching back and forth is a breeze. Also notice that with the
placement of the tanks directly below the frame it keeps the center of
gravity low and very much apart of you. This makes the whole unit feel
very tight, light and just right. The standard kart hook in allows you
can use a wide variety of gas tanks ranging in size and weight.
The fill cap is also to the rear making for very easy access from
behind. On top of that each tank is fitted with a one way breather
valve so when you lean forward for your motor run up you won’t be
dousing yourself in gas.
Greatly
improved electronics and in-flight access Much larger
batteries, greatly improved electronics & wiring, very solid and
reliable quick release electrical connectors and easy access to all of
it should eliminate the agony of yesteryears. All of the electronics are easy to
access, diagnose, and replace. They are very simple, reliable,
bulletproof and water resistant. They are also placed very neatly and
intelligently in order to provide the best cooling with minimal
failure. The whole electronics pack can be removed in seconds to be
shipped back for immediate replacement or for simple trouble shooting.
Batteries can also be easily removed & replaced. The housing also
doubles as a firewall & back plate minimizing weight while providing
maximum protection Much thought has been taken to place the
carburetor, priming bulb and master kill switch in an area where they
can all be accessed from both sides of the unit. Now you can easily
reach back in flight and adjust your carburetor for altitude or reach
the priming bulb so you can get your motor running again after long
engine off thermaling sessions. Also, should a need arise, the master
kill switch is easily accessible from either side of the unit and while
in flight.
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