SAFA Skysailor Magazine

6 SKY SAILOR July | August 2021 by Jeff Hoffmann “What if the engine stops?” Which PPG pilot has not been asked that question? And who among PPG pilots has not had it happen? We have a parachute open above our heads before we even leave the ground, so engines stopping should not matter. Over many years of flying powered paragliders (PPG), my only injury happened following an engine out. Not long ago, I witnessed a crash after an engine out, resulting in a broken pelvis. When I look back, I have had more than my share of engine outs and witnessed quite a few. The one that caused my injury is noteworthy if you habitually launch and climb out under a lot of power. I was flying a Parajet Macro that had plenty of grunt for someone my size, and a very docile Sting Arcus wing. The engine had an obstruction in the nipple where the fuel line comes out of the fuel tank. It may well have been there from the beginning because it should not be possible for anything to get past the pick-up filter in the tank. I headed for the sky, only to have the motor stop suddenly at treetop height. Controlling the surge is easy. Too much, and the wind in your face stops and the ground comes up from below your feet fast. I walked away, but on fractured ankles. I may have come off worse on a different wing, or if I had not controlled the surge enough, and come in on the downward swoop. The lesson: Assume the motor may stop during launch. Do a flat climb out so the transition from climb under power to glide, is not so dramatic. Recently, I watched a pilot do a low-level pass (15 to 20m up, at a guess) over the launch downwind, and the engine stopped. A steep turn to get back into wind turned into the start of a spiral dive and resulted in a broken pelvis. The lesson: Choose a tailwind landing straight ahead rather than a steep low-level turn. Fly the aircraft! Powered Paragliding Engine Out: So What?