Photos by Sheila Chirico, pilot & composite photo editing by Dana Hague

Always a Work in Progress

There is a small but growing group of paramotor pilots in Connecticut... some of us are quite passionate about it. Another page dedicated to flying in Connecticut is here. NEW: You can now talk to other local flyers at the Yahoo Connecticut PPGers email list. I usually fly at Griswold Airport in Madison or Haddam Meadows State Park, though I'm starting to use a couple other spots, and I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting places to fly. Unfortunately, Griswold airport is in danger of closing.

The Fall 2005 Connecticut Yankee PPG Boogie at Griswold Airport was a great success, with great weather and a good time had by all.

Learning to Fly

Prospective Connecticut pilots will have to travel a bit to learn to fly a paramotor. My instructor was John Kenealy of Northeast Skycruisers in Randolph, Vermont, and I can't say enough good things about him. He not only knows paramotoring, but just as important, as a high school gym teacher, he knows how to teach. Bill Walsh of Powered Paragliding Sports on Cape Cod is also highly recommended, and stops by to fly at Griswold occasionally. There are other instructors around, somewhat farther away; links to most of them can be found on the U.S. Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA) website.

Talking about PPG

It's safe to say that paramotoring wouldn't be what it is today without the Internet. There is a large online community dedicated to these weird and wonderful machines. Two of the major sites are the Yahoo pilotsppgclub and ppgbiglist discussion forums. Although the signal to noise ratio gets a bit weak when the flame wars start, they're still probably the best source of information about paramotoring. You can also contact local pilots on the Connecticut PPGers Yahoo email list.

Equipment

I'm currently flying a Walkerjet Superhawk paramotor and a Mac Para Eden II wing, both of which I bought from Northeast Skycruisers. Although the Superhawk is no longer made, Walkerjet still makes excellent machines. I have, however, built an entirely new design paramotor which will become my primary mount once flight testing and some additional development are complete.

Why I PPG

Paraglider pilots ask, “Why do you want to fly around with a noisy engine on your back?”; airplane pilots ask, “Why do you bother with those flying lawn chairs when you can get in an airplane and go somewhere?” Well...

I can be in the air with a PPG within 10 minutes of leaving work in the afternoon, fly for an hour, and still be home in time for dinner.

I've cruised low along the beach, admiring all the pretty girls, returning everybody's waves, close enough to see that they're all smiling and giving me "thumbs up".

I've followed a meandering river for several miles, below treetop level, carving turns around the bends.

I've followed a rocky coast and seen fish swimming in the shallows, undisturbed by my shadow passing overhead.

I've flown a few miles from my takeoff point and landed in a farm field on a hot summer day, been served ice cold lemonade by the field owner, then launched and flown back to my starting point.

I've done touch and goes on tiny islands a half mile offshore.

I've launched just as the morning fog started to break up, and spent an hour dancing among big cotton puffballs with tops only 100 feet above the ground, the ground only visible through occasional holes at first, brilliant sunshine above making a rainbow surrounding my shadow on the clouds.

I've seen deer grazing in a meadow at sunset and spiraled down for a closer look before climbing and continuing on my way.

I've played tag with a red tailed hawk who seemed to be perfectly content sharing the same piece of the sky with me.

I've shut off the engine and glided on rising air currents with only the whoosh of the wind in my ears.