EVOLUTIONARY

AV8ER

EVO and TITAN

PARAMOTORS 

Look Different,

Feel Different,

are Different

- By Design - ! 

AV8ER Paramotors - Structural Design

Paramotors - The way it is

We are immensely proud of our machines and extremely interested in Powered Paragliding.  The testing that we do ensures we offer only the best and safest equipment available. Our testing ensures  we offer what we consider to be the ultimate design in terms of power to weight ratio - combined with structural integrity and ease of use. And we use rugged and reliable power plants picked specifically for the ease of starting, and gentle  fuel consumption.

Unreliable and poorly designed units are seen less and less these days - but some older machines may be  real dogs, or have no electric start at all, and don't fly in a straight line due to poor design!. Don't be fooled by those that say - "Electric Start - its just extra weight!".

If you fluff your take-off - in the cold - you may have to unclip to get enough movement to re-start. You'll wish you had one! (The difference between battery and electric start in weight is about the difference between an aluminium and stainless steel cage) - think about which you prefer in the real world!

All AV8ER machines Dismantle into small packages for easy transportation

Our Pilots have been examining, building and flying a whole range of paramotors since October 1995.  Our  first purchase - was the best available machine at the time - a Japanese Paramotor - still a fine machine!.  Since then - we have purchased or flown a large number of machines  - and are continually being introduced to new power and varied power plants, and producing new products for sale to paramotorists. 

There are 101 manufacturers of paramotors in the world. Selecting and Buying a good paramotor can be a minefield - buying a bad one can be a nightmare, down right dangerous, and a partial or total loss of your original investment. 

Remember - the older the paramotor is  - the less likely the machine is likely to hold value, and the longer the manufacturer has been in business the more quality control practices will be in place. So very cheap machines, may not be the bargain you need or want. Old machines may be hard to start due to weak electronic ignition - and may have poor carburettor - meaning high fuel consumption. Anything fitted with a Low cost carburettor - is likely to be thirsty. Machines fitted with Tillotson, Mikuni and Bing all spell "better carburetion", and better fuel consumption, with smoother throttle response across the range.

AV8ER machines can compete with anything out there for quality, performance and durability. Amongst the features we think you need are:-

Load Tested to ensure nothing breaks in high G turns

Start easily and consistently in flight 

Electric start with all the control buttons in your hand

High energy ignition systems to start easily and every time + conserve battery use

On board charging for GPS/Phone/Heated-Suit/ Radio use

Light and tough  using the latest high quality materials and good engineering

Have tough, durable chassis and cages designed to take everyday use. 

Polished to perfection for easy chassis inspection ( not covered in paint or plastic making fatigue cracks difficult to see)

Parts and materials

Commercial Aircraft have for a long time used Aluminium - properly constructed - to ensure lightweight and high strength - with no deference to structural failure due to vibration from piston or turbine engines. And take daily flying stresses with ease!. 

Some manufactures continue to use small-bore soft walled stainless steel for ease of welding and low cost in spite of the large weight penalty, or fit obsolete engines that have been left in stock from old batches. Check for current serial numbers by contacting the engine manufacturing factory. No factory - or no response? how do you get the engine parts when you need them then.....!

Engines and Controls 

We use engines which are finely balanced - have been proven in Formula one kart use - or in independent aviation use. This means they don't fall to bits shortly after purchase. And all the starter controls and exhaust systems stay intact.  Our engines have hi-energy ignition systems and tuned exhaust manifolds which are gas flowed, proper carburettor, and electric start so you can start and stop them in flight and thermal too - without worrying if you can get your foot starter in place in time, or pull the starter cord behind you  - or if you can find the buttons to press when needed. Our starting systems requires no anxiety!

Vibration

By constructing a lattice chassis which resists and absorbs a range of frequencies  -  exhausts stay together and chassis stay strong - for the life of the machine. And our paramotors are strong enough to take large bumps with  the occasional fluffed landing - without spoiling propellers or cages. Our cages use high quality materials and are quality controlled during manufacturer to within 0.5mm - and welded within 0.1mm using expensive state of the art AC T.I.G machines and Qualified Welders with years of practice using computerised non-ferrous welding techniques.

Blurred Vision

NB. If you don't balance your prop - or use an unbalanced prop then  reduction drives can shear, bolts can fall off and your vision will blur in flight if its bad! Sort it before damage occurs!

Unbalanced propellers or propellers with a chunk out of them can cause damaging vibration to steel, stainless steel and Aluminium alike. Our machines can be ordered with a full toolkit and sealed propellers and an balancing kit for your prop. You can balance down to 1/10 of a gram to keep your machine running nicely!

Design parameters

Good Thrust available - And - static and dynamic thrust outputs. (Does it reduce when a pilot is in front!)

Swept volume - Tiny or inefficient props make a lot of noise and have low swept volumes increasing fuel consumption even on short flights

Fuel consumption on full throttle and cruise - 1 hour is not enough!

Total Duration of flight possible - Min and Max. 2-3 hours is usable!

Design parameters on a good machine should encompass 

How the thrust of the motor is transferred to the glider  (not  through the pilot is best) . 

How and where the wing is attached - weight shift more accurately allows for hands free flying with a suitable glider

The weight of the unit is important - Lighter the better as long as strongly constructed

Below is our guide to what we think you should be looking for in a well designed Paramotor. 

Many will tell you that stainless is stronger (Essentially True - but not necessarily true in a formed structure). 

Structural Strength depends only on the dynamics of the structure it is used in.  

Some will tell you a stainless steel cage and chassis are almost the same weight as an Aluminium one (not true unless the SS one has 50% less material) Our chassis and cages are over 70% lighter than the same size stainless version we produce, and 72% lighter than a well known manufacturer of stainless steel machines.

If you bend your machine! 

You need skilled welders and good quality control at the welding stage to use Aluminium. (An AC T.I.G welding machine to weld Aluminium is several times more expensive than a DC T.I.G  welding machine which you can weld steel or stainless steel with). The strength issue is usually eyewash as most constructors don't back flush the stainless during welding (pump Argon Gas on both sides of the weld during welding to prevent oxidisation). 

Small stainless  welds may look great - but may be weak on the inside. If in humid climates - corrosion and oxidisation may occur from the inside out. When was the last stainless steel push-bike or aircraft you saw?.  All current strong pushbikes use large bore Aluminium tube, as it is stronger and lighter and if constructed properly, and will not flex in use. You need clinical quality control too to use Aluminium properly - but the "lack-of-weight" rewards are great - if properly constructed!

If you need to straighten your machine out - it is worth taking it back to your dealer for a proper check rather than using a lump of wood and a rubber hammer to straighten it out yourself! Soft walled stainless can be straightened with a lump of wood and a hammer maybe - but soft wall stainless deforms very easily in the first place.

Our machines are used in our training program. A structurally strong design will resist many of the training bumps that our students give them - without damage. We have testimony to the strength of the machine from our many students who have used them during training. Properly constructed machines should take abuse without costly damage for each bump and grind.

We work on 28% of your weight is the maximum you want to lift, and 60% of your weight is the minimum thrust you need. (70% is better)! So a 100KG pilot can lift 28Kgs inc. fuel fairly easily - whilst 70KG of thrust would give him all the climb rate needed. Simple!

We believe that a minimum of 300 feet per minute is about minimum in still air.

When was the last time you saw a starting handle for a car! Easy starting and small amounts of required maintenance comes with well proven designs.

If you need a part, you should be able to get it quickly and at a fair cost - from a number of sources!!. 

AV8ER stocks parts and engines within 8 miles of the flying site!!

Check you can still  order parts from alternative sources  - in case you fall out with the local dealer in your country.  And check that you can get parts for your engine in most parts of the world where you may want to fly. A good stock of parts around the world means that on your next major 500 or 1000hr overhaul - all your bits are available - and a friendly rate!