Flying the Scorpio
Section 5
33
WARNING
Always fly with sufficient speed when
you are near the ground (well above
stall speed) to avoid an unintentional
stall.
Landing with stationary propeller
Landing with stationery propeller reduces
the risk of damaging the propeller and lines
during landing. However, you then do not
have the option of making a “touch-and-go”
if the landing approach is bad or correcting
the approach.
For a landing with stationary propeller,
switch off the motor 30-50m above the
ground. The Scorpio’s angle of attack
reduces because there is no thrust from the
motor, and the glider picks up speed
noticeably. The sink rate also increases so
that the landing approach initially begins
very quickly and with increased sink. In the
lower brake range, the Scorpio then begins
to convert the energy and flares noticeably.
Landing with the Scorpio therefore has
much higher dynamics than with a
conventional paraglider
.
Landing with motor running
Prepare for a landing with the motor running
by making a straight final approach into the
wind and allow the Scorpio to level out with
the motor running. One meter above the
ground, pull down the brakes as far as they
will go, so that the glider is fully braked
shortly before touching the ground. Switch
off the motor immediately after touching
down.
Further tips on paramotoring
P
lease observe the following points when
flying with the Scorpio:
•
never start the motor downwind from
the glider
•
check the seals on all fuel lines
•
check whether you have enough fuel
for the flight you have planned
•
check your personal equipment and
harness for any loose parts which could
get caught in the propeller
•
go carefully through each of the points
in the pre-flight check before every
flight
•
turn off the motor as soon as you have
landed, to avoid line and propeller
damage
•
avoid flying over water and electricity
lines, never fly between trees and in
general avoid areas which have no
landing options if the motor fails
•
if the noise of the motor changes or if
there is increased vibration, you should
land immediately and attend to the
problem
•
bear in mind that the noise of a motor
can be annoying, and avoid making
flights low over residential areas
Rapid descent methods
Many flying situations call for a very rapid
descent to avoid a dangerous situation, e.g.
the upcurrent from a cumulus cloud, an
approaching cold front or a storm front.
Rapid descent methods should all be
practised in calm conditions and at sufficient
altitude so that a pilot is then able to employ
them effectively if extreme conditions arise.
Spiral dives
The spiral dive is the most effective method
for making a rapid descent, and can allow
