A complete PPG setup costs $7,500-$12,000 depending on the paramotor type, foot-launched or trike/quad, and how many accessories desired. Most PPG pilots do not have a vario, GPS unit, reserve, and other flight accessories which helps reduce the cost.
You should invest in top quality equipment not just because it works better and lasts longer but because it is increases your margin of safety. Remember: All forms of aviation are inherently dangerous.
The Wing and Paramotor -- Below, pilot Lee Boone is launching a Niviuk Koyot, a LTF A glider. The paramotor below is the Miniplane Top80. These paramotors are good for pilots up to 180 lbs. Please contact us for availability. These are the lightest and most agile paramotors available in the world and are our top seller.
Pictured below is the Miniplane ABM Top 80
foot-launched paramotor ($5,700) and the Niviuk Koyot glider ($3,400).
The Koyot is a premium glider that can be used for both free flight and
powered flight. We also feature the Paramania line of paragliders
which are very fast and well made for the rigors of intensive PPG.
They have the best performance of any PPG glider. For those who
are on a budget and performance (glide ratio, maneuverability,
durability) is not so important, we can recommend gliders like the APCO
Prima ($1,900). These prices can change -- please check with us.
We also sell bigger paramotors for bigger pilots, including the
Blackhawk line of paramotors.
The Trike Paramotor -- Below is a typical trike with the Fresh Breeze Simonini 122
paramotor called the
TrikeBuggy. Most paramotors can be
worn on the back for foot-launched PPG or mounted, as here, on a trike or quad. This PPG setup has a reserve parachute mounted. Most PPG
pilots do not have reserves as they only fly in calm conditions.
If you fly near sunset or sunrise, you should use a strobe to help other
aircraft see you. The Fresh Breeze paramotor with trike pictured
below costs less than $7,300. It is one of the most durable and
well performing of all trikes/quads. The trike is able to travel
great speeds over the ground and is very stable, unlike quads. The
frame is also very tough -- a heavy pilot can land hard with these
frames and not damage them. Repeated testing by El Paso
Paragliding has proven how tough they are. The tougher the frame,
the less chance of injury to a pilot who comes in for a hard landing.
The Helmet -- PPG helmets must have communications equipment
built in that allows the pilot to safely communicate with others in a
high noise environment. The helmet below (the
FlyLite Aviator Helmet) has an excellent noise canceling microphone
and comfortable speakers that make communication with others easy.
Cost: $329.
The Radio -- The radio is
far more than a convenience when flying. It is your connection
with other pilots and the ground for weather information, pilots in
distress, and other emergencies. It must be simple and easy to
operate. Most PPG pilots use simple family band radios. They
are cheap and reliable. Below is a photo of the Motorola MR350R
radio available at stores like Academy Sports. Cost: $ 75/pair.
However, if you fly more than a few miles from other pilots, you will
want a modified 2-meter radio that uses the USHPA frequencies.
Contact us for more information on these radios. We sell the
modified versions.
The GPS -- How fast am I
moving over the ground? What is the wind direction on the ground?
How high am I? Where did I go today? What does my track look
like on Google Earth? All of these questions can be answered with
a GPS. While it is optional for PPG, we highly recommend its use. With a GPS we can tell whether we are starting to slow
down and in what direction we are going. If we ever get in trouble
with authorities per "you were flying over X" but we were not, the GPS
log can prove our innocence (but only if our GPS can log our tracks and
we have set it up properly). If we have plenty of money, we can
buy a variometer that also has a GPS but those of us who really know and
use these devices generally prefer a separate unit which can double for
hiking and driving as well. The most common, rugged, and easy to
use GPS is the GARMIN top-of-the-line models for hiking, like the
Garmin 62s. The older Garmin 60csx pictured below is also excellent and can
be had for a good price on the used market and is still available new
from suppliers like Amazon. Cost: $150 - $350
The Variometer -- If you
want to thermal in your paramotor, you must have one of these, preferably one that
also has a recorder. The variometer (or "vario") measures your
vertical speed through the air instantaneously. It gives an easy
visual indication as well as a varying tone, if the pilots wants.
It can even give an audio tone indicating when the pilot is in sink.
The vario also can tell you your relative altitude, your actual
altitude, air temperature, and (optional) airspeed. A GPS
can give vertical speed but there is too much of a delay in the display
of the information to be useful for thermalling. A recording
variometer records all of the above for your whole flight. You can
download it to your computer and analyze your flight carefully.
How well did I thermal today? Here
is a photo of the Flytec 6010. Cost: $579
Other Equipment -- Things like a flight suit, gloves, catheters, etc. can be useful, depending on conditions and where/when you are flying. Most PPG pilots do not carry a reserve but if you would like more info on rescue systems go here. Contact us for more info on these equipment items.
Gear Size: Some foot launched PPG equipment can fit in two suitcases. Many wheeled PPG setups can easily fit in a pickup truck bed or in the trunk of a small car.