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USES OF POWERED PARACHUTES & MICROLIGHTS
POWERED PARACHUTES

Pure Unadulteratrated Fun...is the reason why most people want to fly. These are aircraft designed to be FUN. Aircraft which are simple and comfortable, yet rugged and above all...SAFEST!!!

This is where the grassroots of flying are, one should never byepass the experience, infact by far the best way to enter the world of powered flight is from the pure fun end.

These aircraft can be put to many uses, few of the ones worth mentioning are:-

ADVERTISING & FLOWER SHOWER

Powered Parachutes have the ability to fly constantly at low speeds and therefore are very good for 'Banner Towing' as well as 'Flower Shower or Flower Dropping'. This kind of activity with Powered Parachutes is becoming quite popular these days as it a cheaper and more affordable than using helicopters or aircraft for the same.

 
SPORTS AND RECREATION

Powered Parachutes are being utilized the world over as recreational aircraft especially because they are anytime anywhere aircraft which do not need to operate from an airport. Due to the absence of regulations for Powered Parachute operation, you can even operate them from your farm or a place as small as a football field. At a gross weight of just 500 kg and with 80 to 100 hp 4 stroke engines, these aircraft climb like rockets at the rate of 800 to 1000 feet per minute, while their top speeds can go upto 45 kmph with an average cruising speed of 40 kmph.

 
AERIAL SURVEILLANCE & PHOTOGRAPHY

Powered Parachutes can very effectively be utilized for aerial inspection, surveillance and photographic purposes, not only due to their slow flying characteristic like helicopters but also due to the fact that they are very quiet and can be flown and maintained at a fraction of the cost of helicopters.

 
MICROLIGHT / ULTRALIGHT

Microlights are aircraft that can be flown slow enough to chase rabbits around the field, yet fast enough to reach the lure and magic of far away destinations, just like a sportscar. Aircraft which are simple and comfortable and above all very safe.

To learn real flyng...take up microlighting first, you'll be far better pilot to have learned on microlights. This is where the grassroots of flying are, one should never byepass the experience, infact by far the best way to enter the world of powered flight is from the pure fun end.

These aircraft can be put to many uses, few of the ones worth mentioning are:-

PERSONAL TRANSPORT

With fuel tankage of 60 litres and a mileage of 18 to 20 kmpl, a microlight with two persons can fly 1000 to 1100 km at a stretch (with reserves) and that too on ordinary automotive fuel (petrol). Their ability to land and take-off within a short distance makes them a real go-anywhere aircraft.

 
ADVERTISING

Microlights have the ability to fly at low speeds and therefore have become a favorite for 'Banner Towing' the world over. It is mode of aerial advertising where an advertisement in the form of a banner is towed behind a flying aircraft. This kind of activity is quite popular in the US and Europe but still uncommon in many parts of the world, especially India.

 
AERIAL CROP SPRAYING

Both microlights as well as gyroplanes are ideal crop sprayers due to their inherent ability to fly slow and low. Their STOL characteristic augments their capability to land and refill in the vicinity of the area where they are undertaking spraying operation, thereby saving on time and fuel and hence outspraying larger, faster and costlier specialized crop spraying aircraft.

 
SPORTS AND RECREATION

Microlights and Gyroplanes are being utilized the world over as recreational aircraft. At a gross weight of just 450 kg and with 80 to 100 hp 4 stroke engines, these aircraft climb like rockets at the rate of 5 to 8 metres per second, a feat unparalleled even by higher powered single engine aircraft. Their top speeds can go upto 290 kmph with an average cruising speed of 180 kmph.

 
GLIDER TOWING

Many microlights are certified to carry out glider towing operations in the US and Europe and have started to replace many costlier conventional aircraft due to their sheer power, speed, rate of climb and comparatively lesser fuel consumption. Glider towing is relatively new phenomena for india because in India ground based winches are used to catapult the gliders into the air.

 
AERIAL SURVEILLANCE

Gyroplanes can very effectively be utilized for aerial inspection purposes, a forte till recently held by helicopters. Gyroplanes are well suited for doing the job of aerial inspection or observation not only due to their slow flying characteristic like helicopters but also due to the fact that they can be flown at one tenth of the cost of helicopters and maintained by a much less qualified and skilled crew.

 
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS)

Microlights are nowadays being effectively used as unmanned aerial vehicles for uses as diverse as spying and reconnaissance. At less than half of the pilots weight, instruments are fitted on the microlight which remotely control the aircraft as well as take video shots of the terrain below. Some high performance microlights can even fly for ten hours without refueling thereby providing a cheaper alternative to the latest and very high priced UAVs.

 
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