Article written for UltraFlight magazine as a NAPPF Training article
May 2004 by Frederick Scheffel

 CONSIDERATIONS…Yes, considerations, and a few reminders.  As PPC pilots, there are a few things that I would like us to consider, things to remain aware of, to remember – as we continue to safely fly our powered parachutes.  [The following is an excerpt from the “PPC Guide & Training Manual by Frederick Scheffel”.]

Neighbors

I know you may have just finished the assembly of your new powered parachute, and I know you want to fly first thing in the morning – and the only thing left is to ‘Break-in’ the engine…but if you lived next door, would you want to listen to that engine for over an hour (especially at full RPM) while your favorite TV program is on?

Homeowners

Please keep your distance above and beyond homes.  Even if there is just one home within 1 mile – not everyone is going to find you & your flying machine a beautiful asset to the sky.  And some homeowner’s eardrums appear to be very very sensitive!  I would recommend 2000 feet to the side and 1000 feet above any home.  (Note: 500 feet above and 500 feet to the side is usually accepted as the minimum requirement.  But from the homeowner’s perspective – this is just too close!)

Farmers

A ‘Touch-n-Go’ is fun and good practice of throttle control for landings, but a Farmer might have just spent days planting a field.  And they just might not be able to find their ‘sense of humor’ when they return to find your tire tracks messing up their seeded rows!

Airports

Do NOT hold-up a runway.  When landing at an airport, be prepared to taxi.  Do your best to taxi to a locale that would allow your chute to fall in an area that does not interfere with the normal procedures of other aircraft – whether they be General Aviation (GA) or other ultralights.

On Take-off preparations, consider laying out your chute outside of the runway, or better yet, outside of a taxiway – perhaps on the nearby grass, and then kite and taxi your chute to the runway, whenever possible.

Please have an aviation radio.  Please let the other aircraft know your location & intentions when arriving or departing an airport (or ultralight park).  And of course, always let other aircraft know when you are clear of the runway.  Also, even though you may not have taken-off from the airport, and even though you may have no plans on landing there – please, when you fly within 5 miles of an airport (whether controlled or not) and you climb higher than 500 feet – please advise the local air traffic of your location & intentions. 

Wildlife

Yes, the pond is beautiful, and yes it would be great to fly with the ducks and geese, but many local citizens do not appreciate your flying over the pond and intentionally or unintentionally causing the waterfowl to fly away!

And yes, it is great to spot a deer in the wood and fields.  And it would be fantastic to fly down for a closer look of nature’s beautiful creatures.  But you need to be respectful of the wildlife.  [Note: Whether coyotes deserve the same respect is still under debate.] And from the law’s point of view… well many Game Wardens consider it to be wildlife harassment (a chargeable offense) when you make multiple “low-passes” over wildlife, even for just a closer view, or a few pictures of the animals!

And now please don’t bring up the following argument:

“So, it is OK to kill the animals during hunting-season – that’s not harassment, but I can’t fly over them for an observational view – because it makes them run! That makes no sense!  Sure I know that there are PPC idiots that run the wildlife (deer or elk to be more exact) to exhaustion.  But that is not me, I just want to see them.  And it must be obvious that I am not running the animals into the ground!”

 Well, that may be true.  But how is the Game Warden to know everyone’s intentions?  The Game Warden gets to subjectively draw the line, relative to your flying actions, between harassment and observation!  And then you have to prove otherwise. And if you fall on the wrong side of that line - he confiscates your PPC!  It is sort of like taxes and the IRS – you are guilty until you prove your innocents.

And while we are on this subject, you should also be aware that it is illegal within a day of the hunt (in most States), to spot wildlife for hunting reports.  If a hunter wants to hunt, let them do it – from the beginning to the end, without the tremendous advantage of knowing exactly where the animals are located.  So get it out of your head right now, that you are going to make a legal-living leading hunting parties with your ultralight!

Your fellow PPC pilots

Please be aware that your actions do not just reflect on you and your powered parachute.  Observers normally group all PPC craft and their pilots into one category.  So, when you violate a law, or irritate a homeowner, you are causing problems and creating a negative image for all PPC pilots.  Hence, do more than just stay within the local regulations, and well within the broad confines of FAR 103.  Please - do everything possible to maintain good relations with your community.

Peer Pressure

Not everyone will have the will power to hold-strong to their Flight Code standards. [Note: We will talk about Flight Codes in a later article.]  So please, do not pressure your friends to go flying when their experience and training has not taken them to a skill level that allows them to handle the current or forecast flying conditions.  Yes, we know you want company on your flight.  And yes, eventually all pilots will need to improve on their flight skills to handle the flying conditions that you are now comfortable with – but let them challenge themselves on their time and in their space.  They may or may not decide to advance their flying skills to your level. 

If your friends are not comfortable flying in the current conditions, and they decide not to fly now, congratulate them on their stand – don’t tempt them into a flying situation that may come back to haunt you the rest of your life!

Peer pressure can be an extremely strong motive to force someone to fly in conditions that they simply are not ready to fly in.  If they are pushed to far, to fast - then they are not safe to fly in the questionable weather condition and they will not be safe, just because you are close by – you will not be holding their hand!

The Sun

The Sun is usually a problem. The ultraviolet rays of the sun are public enemy #1 when it comes to destroying the structure of the canopy material.  Both porosity and strength will be lost via the sun’s constant ultraviolet rays.  So don’t leave your chute lay – spread out – absorbing these harmful rays while you ‘chit-chat’ with your friends.  Take the time to bag your chute, or at the very least, bundle your canopy into a small ball while you consider the possibility of the next flight (or gab about the answers to the universe).

Another Sun liability: Your skin.  Don’t forget to protect your skin with a sunscreen (recommend 45-spf or higher).  Remember, two factors: the higher you fly and the longer you fly, both directly correlate to the sun’s damage to your skin. And don’t forget to protect your lips with a lip gloss (like Chap Stick). 

However, the Sun can be used as an asset:  Placing the canopy between you and the sun while you are flying is a great way to inspect your wing.  You can immediately spot most defects in the material of the canopy when the sun is behind it; regardless of what side of the wing the defect is located.

Fly-Ins

When you attend a fly-in, remember that you are a guest.  Your behavior at these events affects the attitude of the local community about powered parachutes.  After the event, while you are back home watching TV, the local PPC pilots that sponsored the event have to continue to deal with your actions while you were at their ‘home-turf’.  The City Officials that heard of your illegal ‘mid-night’ flight; the farmers whose homes you ‘buzzed’; the spectators (and possible clients) that witnessed your unsafe flying shenanigans and overheard your rumors, these people are all going to negatively affect the reputation and freedoms of the local PPC pilots you left behind.  So please be considerate.

Most PPC events are put together by local Dealers.  Some of these dealers make their sole livelihood by selling and training-on powered parachutes – this is not a part-time job (hobby) for them.  There is a considerable amount of time and money that goes into producing some of the powered parachute events.  Sure these dealers do have the event so that we can have fun, camaraderie, and advance our PPC education.  But they also generate the event as marketing tool.  These dealers need to make a return on their time and investment – so please, do not try and take advantage of the hype & excitement of the spectators and steal a local sale. Consideration of the local dealer’s welfare should also be part of your business ethics – not to mention common courtesy - while attending the event. 

Yourself

Are you the type of personality that is going to push the envelope on safety limits?  If so, after you take even ONE small step over the recommended Safety Limit - what is next?  Will two steps be enough for you?  Were will it stop?  Will you be signing the PPC incident database report?

Do the spectators, and of course your pilot peers – really need to know just how “good” you are?  (Who hasn’t seen an EGO produce flying complications?)   Why do you need an audience to prove yourself?  Isn’t it enough that you know what you can do?  For who are you performing the experimental flight maneuver that pushes the edge of the envelope?  Why do these people – the spectators - need to be impressed by you – are you that important?  How is your risky action going to help anyone?  When one considers these things – isn’t your silly stunt really just narcissistic and ineffective – to say the least - in helping the PPC community?

[Note: If you want to pursue new, unique flight techniques, then do so on your own time, in your own space.  And do so in order to advance the sport and to establish solid safe, well-grounded techniques.  Then perhaps your practiced & reputable flight routines can be enjoyed by most at the next controlled Air Show.]

Related word of advice: Long hour pilots have learned to lean to the conservative & safety side! 

Until next time…keep preparing for the possible by maintaining a position with options and remember that the easiest way to solve a (flying) problem is by avoiding it!  

Frederick Scheffel, CEO, AFI
Southwest Regional Director - NAPPF

Frederick is the author of the “PPC Guide & Training Manual” and the lead AFI of SkyTrails Ranch, Inc. – a full-time, year-round PPC training center in the beautiful color country of southern Utah .

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