Run into the air and fly like a bird….
Hi I’m Michael, that’s me with the hat.
There’s a big smile on my face because earlier that evening I ran into the air and flew like a bird with one of the most brilliant flying machines ever invented, the paramotor.
My friends in the picture are experienced “paramotorists” and were there flying that evening as well. The difference being is that they soared like eagles whereas I was more like a bumblebee :o)
Ivan, the guy in the yellow shirt, is the paramotorist you see in the sunset picture above. He had an extraordinary experience that evening extremely unique to paramotor flying.
That’s my trainer in the green shirt, the legendary Higinio Morinigo-Gill “aka” Ike. He’s been flying since these machines were little more than homemade flying contraptions and has seen the paramotor evolve from the earlier (and riskier) models to the high-tech, powerful and relatively safe machines we fly today.
I’m building this site to share my experiences building and flying a paramotor, the aircraft you wear like a backpack that enables you to run into the sky and soar with the birds.
Something most of us have daydreamed about since we were kids.
Maybe I can inspire you to fly as well. :o)
But you don’t have to wait for me
Let me introduce to you the three paramotorists (those who pilot paramotors) who inspired me to get involved in this sport. They are, Chris Reynolds, James Allred and Tucker Gott.
These pilots were my original inspiration and as of November 2017 Tucker has went on to win the the Icarus Race while the other two seem to have tapered off in making videos.
Paramotor Alaskan Glacier – Flight of Fantasy
Chris can definitely make epic paramotor videos, this first one might be my all time favorite so far and definitely inspired me to check out the sport. You have to watch this video in full screen to view it properly.
From the You Tube description – Three pilots fly paramotors from the Butte, near Anchorage Alaska, to the Knik Glacier by way of the Knik Valley. It is Sept. 15 2013 and with the flooded river valley and fall colors along the way to the glacier it makes for a “Flight of Fantasy”
“Peak To Peak” Paramotor Alaskan Mountains
This is my second all-time favorite paramotor video. Watch as the paramotorists fly over jagged snow-covered peaks and fly out into the setting sun.
From the You Tube description – STUNNING footage of mt. peaks in the Chugach Mountains just behind Anchorage Alaska January 2016
This is Tucker Gott.
If there was ever an American poster boy for paramotoring, I think Tucker would be him. Tucker’s mom is a hot air balloon pilot so he basically grew up in the sky.
And it shows.
Tucker is a highly skilled paramotorist who is currently part of a paramotor acrobatic team.
I came across one of his You Tube videos and ended up watching most of them. Tucker has a talent for not only making stunning paramotoring videos but also for creating informative content that gives good insight into the world of paramotoring.
Tucker’s paramotor is a carbon fiber Scout propelled by the popular Vittorazi Moster 185 engine.
Above anything else it was probably Tucker’s videos that convinced me to get into the sport of paramotoring.
Flying Our Paramotors To Breakfast
Eddie and I head out for a morning cross country flight. The winds at altitude turn out to be higher than expected so we took a detour and grabbed some food.
How I Got Hooked On Paramotors
For the first test of my new helmet setup, I figured I would share a little life history. Riveting, I know.
Paramotor SAT – Live Com
Turns out I make some pretty awkward noises while entering a SAT.
Flying my Scout Enduro and 20m Hadron.
And then there’s James Allred.
When I saw James’ video were he decides to fly on his lunch break instead of eat, I thought “How fricken cool is that?” So James skips the calories and goes on a paramotor diet that takes him through some amazing scenery and alongside an old passenger train.
James is also a highly skilled paramotorist and like Chris and Tucker, it’s fun to fly along with him because he keeps his videos entertaining while adding bits of paramotor education along the way.
So there you have it.
If you’ve watched the videos above you have a pretty good idea of what paramotoring is all about.
Imagine taking your own personal flying machine out of the trunk of your car, strapping it on your back and then running with it until you are flying through the air…that’s just downright sweet :o)
I created this website to follow my adventures in paramotoring and to also develop it into a portal for all things paramotor. Since this site is a hobby I’m not sure how fast I’ll be developing it but the more interest I see in it the more work I’ll put into it so if you have questions, comments or ideas please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
