Flying With Powered Parachutes

For many people, at some point in their lives, they have an overwhelming desire to fly high in the sky just like the birds do. For centuries, human beings have struggled with the idea of flying breathlessly into the open skies. To quench this thirst, hang gliders, para-sails, parachutes, airplanes and helicopters were invented. With advancements in the fields of science and sports, it was only inevitable that powered parachutes would be invented.

The main hazards that may be faced while flying powered parachutes are generally associated with obstacles and wind. You should never attempt a flight in winds exceeding ten to fifteen mph or in any type of gusty conditions. Some wind hazards you may have never considered before include terrain-induced air disturbances called rotors. This is essentially trees, mountains and other natural obstacles that can disturb the flow of the wind.

A hydro-copter is an amphibious aircraft-propelled catamaran and is considered to be a type of powered parachute equipment. The vehicle has hull similar to a boat, with small wheels and pontoon skids. An aircraft engine with a propeller and rudder pushes the hydro-copter across ice, water, snow and land, where other vehicles or aircraft simply cannot travel in such conditions.

The first patent for a powered parachute prototype was applied for on October 1, 1964, by a man named Jalbert. He described his new vehicle as a multi-cell wing and called it a parafoil. A parafoil is a non-rigid airfoil with an aerodynamic cell structure that is actually inflated by the wind. Air inflation forces the parafoil into a classic wing cross-section, which was a new parachute design. His ideas were finally registered as U.S. patent 3,285,546 in November of 1966. But, a motorized version similar to this design had already flown in 1964. In March of 1981, Steve Snyder, Adrian Vandenberg and Daniel Thompson created the P-1 powered parachute. Their first flight only lasted around twenty five to thirty seconds, mainly because the paraglider they used suffered from torque problems. It took two more years to fix the problems, and in 1983, the first commercial paragliders were produced.

You can get very simple versions of the motorized parachute that consists of a backpack-sized mounted motor with a propeller and can be useful as a replacement for all terrain vehicles on difficult terrain. Powered parachutes are a versatile tool for both recreational and practical uses.

Article Source: http://www.avidarticles.com

Cindee Ross loves parachuting and shares that love with many around her. For a wealth of resources on quality parachutes, parachuting equipment and gears, extreme skydiving sports, and where to go to for that perfect skydiving vacation visit Parachuting Paradise.

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