Why Fly a Powered Parachute?

Have you ever wanted to fly, but been turned off by expensive lessons or even more expensive licenses?

Since the beginning of time, man has dreamed of taking to the skies and exploring the wonders of the world from above.  Whether you want to escape the day's pressures, or just want more out of life, the Powered Parachute allows you the opportunity to realize your dream of flying.  It's easy!  It's safe!  And, best of all, it's affordable!

Why a Powered Parachute?

The most important reason is safety. Powered parachutes have well over a decade of unparalleled safety in the aviation industry. The reason for this is the wing employed by this type of aircraft.  The wing of a powered parachute is formed by the canopy, and because of its inherent characteristics and the constant airspeed of the craft, it is virtually impossible for the pilot to roll, loop or stall as you could a conventional aircraft.

Second, powered parachute training is easy and quick.  It takes only one to two hours for a student to complete ground school and solo in a powered parachute, and the training fees are surprisingly low.

How does it work?

To see a really neat sequence of photos of how it works, click here.

First you lay the canopy out on the ground behind the craft and the pilot buckles into the seat.  After starting the engine, the pilot gradually increases the throttle. As the craft begins to move forward, the canopy lifts off the ground and becomes inflated as more air is forced into the cells. Once the canopy is overhead and fully inflated, it assumes the shape of an aerodynamic wing.  The pilot continues to increase throttle until lift off is achieved.  Once in the air, the pilot need only adjust the throttle forward or back to increase or decrease altitude.

To turn the craft, you push on the rudder tube which has a steering line attached to it.  This in turn pulls down on the rear edge of one side of the canopy, creating drag, and turns the canopy and craft in that direction.  The pendulum stability of the craft suspended below the canopy adjusts for everything else.

Landings are equally as easy.  During the approach to the landing area, the pilot lines the craft up into the wind.  Gradually decreasing the throttle allows the craft to slowly descend, almost landing itself.

All of this can be learned in just a couple of flights, making the Powered Parachute, quite simply, the easiest and safest aircraft in the world to fly. 

Why are Powered Parachutes so popular?

We honestly believe that the Powered Parachute is not only the recreational aircraft of the future, but also the recreational vehicle of the future.

No longer do you have to wait for the right season to come along as you do with snowmobiles, dirt bikes or jet skis.

No longer do you have to pay admission or rent the use of someone else's facility to enjoy your sport. With a Powered Parachute, you can fly out of your own field or pasture.  The use of Skyrider Flightpark is also available to all powered parachute pilots in our area.

So, whether your interests are in flying solo in the single seat, or sharing the experience with that special someone in a two-seat model, we are confident that you'll find flying a Powered Parachute not only enjoyable, but also rewarding in ways you can't even imagine.  So come give us a try and remember: