Karan has completed his paramotor training at Pune (some while ago now) and has moved to Hyderabad. He has started free flying to gain experience – to get some ‘miles on the clock.’ The growth of MHASC is happening in the background with steps being taken by Karan to establish a company in Nepal, he is also taking tentative steps with the Nepali CAA. Establishing a working relationship is essential, the basis under which paragliding runs within Nepal is, shall we say, a little unconventional.

The silence between posts here is related to this protracted process. We hope to have more to report when moves start to come to fruition.

Today I did 4 launch and each launch was with successful take of.

Wind and weather is good. one thing still confusing me. It was same motor which i fly yesterday. Mangesh done one flying and land. Same instruction control on throttles and everything is fine.

I am ready for flying, i did reverse launch and control the wing and go go go and srrrrrrrrr I am in Air nicely. I press throttle very carefully and i get the point of throttle. one time its again try to loose power but now i get the point of correction of throttle control i release the throttle little and again its come on power and i start lifting nicely. I spend more then 18 to 20 min in first launch. I feel really like hawk flying in sky and watching the world from hawk eye. Its very beautiful scenery from sky i enjoy lots I have no word to express it.
Eric sir call me for landing, but i didn’t want to come back to land LOL. After make approch i came for landing Mangesh sir told me make a power landing. I prepare my self for power landing and land but with knee folded because my flare is not react nicely. every thing is ok.
Read the rest of this entry »

It looks as though it was too breezy to fly so the boys ground handled the wing. Karan is helping Sandeep with a little GH.

Karan with friends/family in Nepal

Hi, Daji Namaste, How are you?

Daji Its my 4th day of regular practicing the ground handling with OASIS. Now I have developed full confidence in ground handling, but I say learning have no endpoint. The wind condition is good, not to much violent . I want to ground handle lots and lots. Again I understand that ground handling is also a flying, the difference is sky and ground.

Now Sandeep is also little bit improving in his ground handling and I also assist & guide him what ever i can I help him to learn easily and perfect. I tell him the fault which i made earlier and beware for that. By own glider I get lots of time for practice without any time limits and I practice both morning and in evening. In morning I and sandeep alone practicing and in evening they (Flight and Wings) came to assist .

The member are change Joy and Kris leave the wings & flight. Joy have good skill in PG and he teach me well. He is also practicing because he flying 50 to 60 flight four year ago and leave now he again join the Flight & Wings. Joy Start his own commercial flying club in Hill station (Panch Gani 100 km from Pune).

Daji i am little late to send mail and pic of my training. because of picture which i take from mobile camera memory card is infected with virus so it defficul to download, today i correct it and i send some photo and video of my ground handling.
pic- 1 to 5 (5 Nov with out any assist) and some more photos with Nepal aeronautical chart not clear but understandable.

today i done one winch launch free flying which help me to recall my previous flying experience and now i am fresh up for PPG. tomorrow is my PPG flying.

Eric and Mangesh both asking about you & asking is he come in Hydarbad ? I say yes and we mates there and he gives me this glider. Eric also checked and told its good ( Gin products are good).

I have video which i take it from 2MP mobile cemra so its not to good at that time the wind is high I am just strugling with wind LOL. and some pic.

Karan

Here is a note from Karan after the days flying.

Karan is now back at Pune to finish his training. He had to slip back to Nepal to see his family as his daughter was unwell. Thankfully all is now well. Karan is sharing his experiences with a friend on the course, Sandeep is also learning to fly.

More to follow I am sure as the flying progresses.

I had a long chat with Karan on the phone yesterday morning (UK time) and we discussed his plans for the next few months. He is going back to Varanasi to rejoin his unit and prepare for his duties and posting. When we spoke he was just starting out.

As you will see from the Climate page (similar for India as Nepal) this is the monsoon season and not really suitable for flying. When it finishes in September conditions once again become ideal for flying. Karan is committed to returning during October when he has more leave to finish the balance of his PM-1 paramotor course. Over here his support team will be planning his next move and raising money to put toward his equipment.

T

Today Karan had a a tumble during launch, I will leave it to Eric to describe what happened. Nothing serious thankfully, just a milestone.

Dear Norman,

Mangesh, our Paramotor Instructor clicked a few pictures of Karan flying the paramotor. I am with the radio instructing Karan. Next to me are a few of my paragliding and paramotoring students.

Today, there was a set back. Karan has a habit of bending forward while launching. For some reason he still does it despite warning him. Today, he did the same and the risers put a lot of load on the cage and pushed the cage backwards during his take off. The cage touched the prop and shattered it. Karan aborted the flight lost his balance and toppled. The cage got bent on one side. Had to terminate the training session.

Karan has decided to go back to Nepal. He is being called back urgently. He has promised to return back in the month of October for the completion of his training.

Norman, if you happen to visit India in between please let me know. I would like to meet you. I wish to plan a few Paramotoring safaris with your team in India. There are very beautiful places to fly in India. Let’s plan it out and do it in the coming season.

Krish is limping to normal. He has just joined office today. He doesn’t seems to be 100% yet. Will take some more time to recover completely.

Cheers, Eric Menezes

And so ends the first chapter.
Learning to fly has always been challenging both of skills and personal resources. Falling over with all that noise and weight on your back can shake the best of us. I know this to be true as I have done it myself; if you paramotor, then you have probably done much the same.
The process seems to be a series of triumphs and minor disasters. We only hope that we can see them for what they are, all part of the process of learning and building respect for the sport and the act of flight.

Karan’s recall to his unit has been in prospect for a couple of days, they need him back despite extending his leave slightly. I understand he wants to have a day or two at home before his return.

Norman

Karan has flown his first solo with a paramotor. I got a brief email from the Cyber Cafe with a bunch of photos attached telling me he had run out of time and just managed to make it before the place closed. He has been working during the evenings as well. You can see the focus and determination coming through can’t you?

Dear Karan,

Congratulations for your first paramotor solo flight.

Date: 25th June 2009 Time : 08 :15 AM
Location: Gliding Centre, Pune   
Altitude: 560 m above MSL Altitude gained : 150 m AGL
Glider:   APCO THRUST (M)
Paramotor: G 6 power
Wind:   12 kmph
Clouds:    7 Octas
Duration: 20 minutes

Witnesses: Eric, Col Sil, Daniel, Mangesh, Rhone, Joe, Sachin

Regards
Mangesh Dighe

More photos …..

Read the rest of this entry »