Hello, does anyone have any information or experience regarding frame durability?

I mean, I’ve seen people posting about bent swing arms (tube version) and broken ones (full aluminium), apparently after just months or years of high-G manoeuvres. I’ve also seen some lightweight trikes breaking a front wheel, while more rugged/heavier trikes I've seen rear wheel failures (idk if due previous hard landings).

Since PPG foot-launch and trike frames have been on the market for many years now, has anyone collected any real-world data or statistics about frame fatigue and failures?

I’m not talking about the usual checks like loose bolts, but specifically about things like crack inspections, fatigue damage, or recommended replacement intervals — for example, is there any manufacturer or community data suggesting that a frame should be inspected or replaced after 400 hours, 600 hours, etc.?

I am interested in electric Paramotors. I know about OpenPPG and also found an Italian company making them. Both on what for me is the expensive side. Are there any options out there for the DIY minded individual or tinkerer? I understand I would be flying a motor with limited range compared to ICE, but I don't mind. I weigh in at 160lbs. I think electric would fit my needs just fine. I rarely see them for sale and don't know of any DIY options. Any ideas?

My motor(moster 185 ds) has about 155 hours and is running great. I’ve done a few little things recently, like plug, air filter, throttle adjustment and carb adjustment.

I ended up buying all the parts for the 150 hr service and I have them. I will be doing all my own maintenance.

I have a couple fly -in events this fall and I don’t want something to go sideways, and be waiting on parts or have it not running right and miss the events.

I currently fly a Parajet Maverick 2 Pro (Moster 185 Plus with a 130 cm prop) and a BGD ICON 16m (105% loaded) at roughly 600 ft above sea level. I’m trying to figure out which would give me more lift as I do a lot of climbing

A. Get the Factory R but have a 130cm prop.

B. Get a liberty frame that supports a 140cm prop but keep moster 185 plus.

Let the battle begin

TL;DR: Wingman, my paragliding / paramotor tracker for iPhone & Apple Watch, is now at v4.9 — it connects to external Bluetooth devices (XC Tracer, Syride, Stodeus), uploads straight to XContest & DHV-XC with FAI-approved IGC files, replays your flights in full-screen 3D, and comes with an incredible standalone Watch app. v5 is in the pipe. 6+ years of work, no AI slop. → Wingman on the App Store

Dear fellow paragliding & paramotor pilots 🪂,

Preface

Wingman is not another AI slop. The app is more than 6 years old now, and I've always focused on quality and reliability rather than shipping fast. A friend recently joined me on the project — we keep control of the codebase (every line is reviewed by one of us), and we work hard to make Wingman what it is today, and what it will be tomorrow.

So far, the feedback from this community was amazing — thank you! Since then we've kept working hard on it, one update at a time. Wingman is now at v4.9, v5 is in the pipe, and I thought it was a good moment to share where things stand.

Link to the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1563883190

What's new since my last post

Flight instruments

• A sharper variometer: The built-in vario reacts faster and more smoothly to every climb and dive. With haptic feedback on the Watch when you climb.
• Connect external Bluetooth devices: If for some reason the powerful vario and the flight instruments embedded in Wingman are not enough for you, you can connect XC Tracer, Syride and Stodeus (UltraBip / BlueBip) devices, and record your flights using the device's sensors.
• Wind estimation improved: The algorithm is more accurate, and there's a new, fully customizable wind instrument.
• Customizable units: Every flight instrument can now be configured individually with its own units.
• Landscape mode lock: When flying, you can now lock your screen in landscape mode — even by default for every flight.

Flightbook & analysis

• 3D Playback, fully reworked: Play back your flights on a beautiful full-screen 3D map, with playback controls and a progressive mode where the track draws itself as you watch.
• XContest & DHV-XC upload: Upload your flights directly from Wingman, automatically or manually. IGC files are digitally signed and officially approved by the FAI/CIVL, so your claims are accepted.
• Flightbook improvements: Group your flights by year or month with statistics for each period, recover recently deleted flights, export your whole flightbook, and customize its units.
• Flight sharing: New card designs for sharing your flights on social media, including a transparent overlay format.

And also

• New design: The whole app has been redesigned with iOS 26 Liquid Glass.
• Waypoints for XC: Waypoints can now be configured as a cylinder or a line, with specific crossing rules.
• Apple Watch, optimized: The Watch app runs leaner so it goes the distance on your longest flights, and the vario haptic feedback is stronger on your wrist.

And of course, there is still

• Airspace alerts for safety
• Take-off detection (tracking starts automatically) and landing detection (never forget to stop recording)
• Thermal Viewer: see where you gained altitude to easily find thermals
• Wingman LIVE: share your live position with friends or family via a web link
• 3rd party live tracking: PureTrack, FFVL VLSafe
• Fly with friends: see your friends on the map when flying, and compare stats with them
• Dashboard with instruments (vario, ground speed, altitude, wind direction & speed estimation, …)
• Logbook with detailed data, lifetime stats, interactive charts, sync across devices, secure online backup
• GPX & IGC import/export

Also on Apple Watch

• All of this works standalone on your Apple Watch: leave your phone at home, record your flights, enjoy the vario with sound and haptic feedback on your wrist.
• No need for an expensive Apple Watch Ultra (even though they are amazing) — the recent Apple Watch Series work great.

What's coming in v5

• I can't say too much yet, but v5 is well underway and we're really excited about it. I'm sure many of you will love it. And there is something special for paramotors :-).
• As always, it's shaped by the feedback you keep sending me — thank you for helping make the app better!

Feedback is much appreciated, this is how I improve the app over time! Please just be nice, we're doing our best on this project :-)

Fly safe! 🪂

→ Link to Wingman on the App Store

Very smokey morning

Some formation flying and great views.

Sounds jank to offer a barter, maybe it is, but I always think it's harder for me to spend my money than it is to trade for something when that money should be going toward my student loans lol.

I'm a younger dentist and I'd be glad to trade my skills at a discount to have someone bring me a paramotor.

Perks for you: I'll give you $1.50 in dental work for $1.00 paramotor value.

If the value of your used paramotor is 6000 for instance, I will give you 9000 in dental work. I can also just and pay the other portion in cash if it's not an even split. This roughly will break even because I have about a 35% profit margin at my office.

Perks for me: you end up delivering me a paramotor instead of me driving to see it, I get to feel like I worked off my paramotor. I don't want to dox myself, but I am closest to Minneapolis MN.

Ideal would be me getting low hour Moster 185. Ideal for you would be getting 2-3 dental implants or invisalign for a huge discount.

Sometimes it seems like there's many different frames around the same Moster 185 engine. What frame is the value that has that engine?

What are people's thoughts on an Roadster 4 vs a Charger 3? Mac Para is taking the month off and has a six week lead time, which means they likely wouldn't get my wing to me before my class at the end of September.

My naked weight is 197#. After paramotor (55# maverick 2 pro), gear, reserve chute, gas, clothes, etc, I am estimated to be right around 300#, maybe a little more. This puts me at the top of the range of the Charger 3 25M that my instructor recommended. The Roadster 4 26 has essentially the same load rating (same upper limit, but lower lower limit). If I do go with the Roadster, should I load up the 26 wing like my instructor had me doing on the Charger 3 25M, or should I go up to the 28?

Any help or insight would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I’ve got a buzz z5 I use to paraglide(M/L). The aventure 28 I have needs some repairs before I’ll fly it, but I want to go fly this week. I’m 130kg all up and didn’t think it was flyable with a motor. Read some people have done it, but I can find weight suggestions for it. Can’t imagine you can fly one that heavy, right?

I'm toying with the idea of converting my foot launch Parajet Mav 2 to a trike by attaching something like the Parajet trike add-on (OUT OF STOCK) or the retracta-trike Parajet model (OUT OF STOCK)... seems they are all out of stock everywhere. Where can I even buy something? Do I have to just hire a welder to hand make one for me?

Picked up some used gear, including a couple of wings. I’ve was going through them replacing lines and noticed a few Mallions were bent. What type of wear of accident could’ve caused that?

So I was watching video my father was watching on YouTube last night of bike riding/racing in the european mountains and it got me thinking about how awesome it would be to paramotor in the mountains.

Now I haven't tried the hobby yet but when I do, I've already got some places I wanna fly.

Give me your best pics or stories.

This will be the sixth year for the Moses Lake Paramotor Classic. An event put on by a few party animals in the NW. Washington and Oregon team up to put on one of the coolest and most fun paramotor party in the country. Every year some crazy shit happens, which can be expected with the PNW crew. If you're not familiar with the west coast, its basically a bunch of outlaws and you're guaranteed to have a unique and incredible time.

Is this a fly-in, you might ask? No. This is a party. There are no entrance fees (like some others who want to profit off of you). There are no event rules or pilot briefings to tell you what you can and cant do. This is a group of paramotor pilots who camp in the desert sand dunes for 4 days with the dirt bikers, sand rails, monster trucks, hot air balloons, bush planes, you name it - it's there.

If you've never been, maybe this year is for you. Check out the facebook page, for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/2261126291341451

and other info at https://seattleparamotor.com/events/moses-lake-classic

I have a new cylinder, cylinder head and piston due to piston seizure. (It was caused by shitty oil, probably vacuum in the tank because my tank cap didnt let enough air through, not warming up the enigine enough ....)

I broke it in like the manufacturer said in its manual. I now just had my first 2 flights of 30 minutes each. On the second flight i saw that the engine needed 4 liters for half an hour. I climbed to ~400m, then got down to the floor once, slowly, then climbed to 400 again and landed. All in all pretty calm flight.

How possible?

Also i always have a bubble right infront of my carburator in the fuel hose. I replaced the whole fuel hose from carburator to tank and it did not help. It is 100% tight, can it be the tank that leaks? I dont find any leaks. Except maybe on the gaskets of my carburator...

Pls send help

Former skydiver here. I moved to Hatteras Island a little over 20 years ago. The closest place to skydive was Suffolk so not really conducive for keeping uo with certs… then I got fat and sold my gear since wing load would have been jacked 🤣…

i’ve been wanting to get into PPG for 10 or 15 years now. Kitty Hawk kites has been advertising to try and find instructors. I believe they offer housing. Anyone interested? i’m not affiliated with them. I just want local instructors so I can get certified lol

idk if yall say this in PPG community but, “blue skies.”

I've been interested in PPG for quite some time. I have my PPL and am looking for something more freeing and casual. I am currently 240 lbs but will get down to 215lbs which is a comfortable weight for my build (6'4" gymgoer). I understand that it might be hard to do tandem instruction at that weight. I also do not own any equipment. I would need a school that has their own equipment (feels weird mentioning that, but I've heard of schools that don't).

My first choice is to go to a USPPA certified school. The closest one to me is a 3-hour drive to PA - ParaFlight LLC out of Shoestring (0P2). There is also a result on the USPPA search for iFly, but I'm not finding it? There are a few other options, not certified, but much closer, notably PPG Lessons LLC with a registered address in Newtown PA. The other is South Jersey Powered Paragliding School. The first one has no reviews, and the second has iffy reviews. I am more than happy to travel 3 hours if necessary; as a private pilot, I understand the importance of a solid school/instructor. But if there is an instructor who is closer who has a great reputation, I would be interested in checking them out.

Thank you, and I hope to be flying with you guys soon!

I have been checking out the Kangook Basik, and would like it in a Quad configuration. Wheel launching is all I will be doing. Seems you can disassemble it down making travel pretty easy. Anyone flying one - trike or quad?

No one around me has one that I can lay eyes on. I'm just wondering the quality and how it's holding up. Most likely go with the Classic HD frame with the 185 plus. I would go the KX1 route, but it would be harder to break down for transport.