Back in 2006 we we’re the first in the world to fly a Turbine Jet with a Paraglider, since then others have done the same, but no one has ever designed a purpose built system that is user friendly and easy to fly.
The current jet design has only been under development since 2019, and the reason is quite simple, it’s only now that the Jets and the Wings have progressed far enough, to make this a real product that’s a lot of fun to fly.
There are a lot of myths and opinions being thrown around the internet, so I’ve written this page to give some facts and answer all the questions we’ve been asked.
Let me start by saying that the Jet Paramotor has not been designed to replace, or compete, with traditional Paramotors.
The Jet Paramotor is equipped with a powerful engine that allows the pilot to fly fast and dynamic with les weight than a traditional paramotor.
It’s a very different and unique product, designed for a small group of enthusiasts who like to fly fast with an interest in doing something different.
If you’re interested in trying out the Jet Paramotor, it’s important to note that it requires extensive training and experience.
Safety should always be the top priority when flying any type of aircraft.
Can the Jets cause damage to the wing or the lines
This is a situation that is very easy to avoid, but just like traditional paramotoring, the pilot needs to make sure the wing or the lines stays away from the Jet exhaust, in the same manner as they do with the propeller.
The hot part is 4 inches long, and none of that heat is transferred too, or even comes close to the lines or the wing during flight.
Most pilots can launch and land a Paramotor without the canopy and lines going anywhere near the motor. With the jets it’s even easier, as all the weight is high on your back in a very compact bundle that is easy to manoeuvre and keep away from the wing.
The jets also come with our protective cowling to make sure the lines and canopy cannot touch the hot part of the jets during a bad launch or landing.
A little training is all that is required to prevent any damage, that can be caused by the Jets
How noisy are the jets when flying?
Pilots who have flown the Jets, say how quiet they are compared to a traditional Paramotor, because most of the noise goes towards the rear.
Bystanders on the ground are the ones that get to hear the noise, especially when the pilot, flies away from them.
The locations you should fly without upsetting people, are remote locations away from the general population
We fly them at our local airfield and out in the country, far away from people and livestock, and so far we’ve had no complaints.
All our flights have been short (Around 10 or 15 minutes) and all our pilots are happy for a break after that time, to calm down from the adrenalin rush.
How much do they cost?
This all depends on the size of jets and whether you want a single jet system or a twin jet system. It also depends on what options you’d like. What type of flying you want the jets for.
Our price list will be available shortly. The starting price for our small Jet system is £23,000.
What’s the throttle response like?
This seems to surprise pilots who expect a slow response, because of what they’ve heard about RC Jets.
Everyone who’s flown our Jets have commented on how smooth and instant the throttle system is. We designed the system to go from idle to full power in 2 seconds and full power to idle instantly, and spent a lot of time on the software to make this happen without causing any damage to the jets.
The thumb throttle is very easy to use and when attached to the control toggles it’s intuitive and always where you need it.
How expensive are they to maintain ?
Maintenance is very simple and much cheaper than most people realise.
The majority of maintenance can be done by the owner as the system has been designed to be as simple as possible with easy access to all components.
The jets should be serviced every 50 hours, so adding fuel, oil and maintenance costs, the hourly running costs are approx £120
Do the jets have a flame coming out of the rear?
No, there are no flames exiting the jets, so there are no concerns about setting fire to anything. Our jets use diesel, so no chance of a petrol fire like a Paramotor.
Can they be used on nil wind days?
Yes of course, the take-off distance depends on the size of wing and the power of the jets, they are very easy to launch in nil wind days and usually only need a few steps.
If you do need to run, due to using a wing too small for the jet size, then you’ll be surprised how easy it is to run with as they are high mounted on your back just like a good rucksack.
Why are the jets so close to the back?
We started our design by having the jets either side of the body to allow for air to flow into the jets un-restricted. This made it cumbersome and difficult to handle.
We decided on a trade-off by designing the frame to allow for air inflow to be routed from under the frame, from the sides and the top, and found this to be just as powerful as having an open inflow area. Basically, no loss of power noticeable and it allowed us to build a very sturdy compact system that was easy to manage and use. This also helps to protect the air intake.
What’s the weight of the Jet back pack?
This depends on the jet selection and whether you want a single jet system or a twin jet system.
The lightest is 19 kilos and the heaviest is our trike at 30 kilos.
Why does the Jet back pack have a high attachment point?
During the design and testing phase, we tried a low attachment harness but couldn’t get the geometry right to allow for a stable harness. The high attachment gives the pilot the best comfort and the most stability when launching and flying.
We have not dismissed the low harness attachment, but need to do further design and testing to make this as safe as we want it.
What is the flying time?
This all depends on the choice of jets and whether you want a single jet system of a twin jet system and also the size of the fuel tank.
The Olympus single jet system lasts 24 minutes with a 10 litre fuel tank and 48 minutes with the 20 litre fuel tank. The Titan single jet system lasts 12 minutes with a 10 litre fuel tank and 24 minutes with the 20 litre fuel tank.
How secure are the electrical connections?
All our electric cables are military grade with connectors that cannot accidently disconnect. They require a push and twist action to lock and unlock them.
Are the fuel connectors secure?
We use braided hose fuel pipes and AN fuel connectors that have been used on racing cars with great success for many years, they are very tough and secure.
Our fuel system has been designed to allow for air intake without allowing the fuel to leak out, with our one way valves system and header tank.
Can a reserve be attached to the harness?
Yes, we have both left and right hip attachments available. The reserve can be added and removed within 5 minutes.
We can also add an airbag which takes less than a minute to fit and remove.
Can the throttle control be separate from the steering toggles?
We designed the throttle to be part of the steering toggles. If you let go of the toggles during flight the engines will automatically go to idle.
We can provide a throttle system that is fitted to the hand separate to the steering toggle, for those who want to use power when not flying the wing.
How easy is it to monitor the fuel levels
We currently use a timer as a temporary solution for fuel control. It’s a digital display with a countdown showing remaining flying time.
We are working on an accurate fuel flow system that can be calibrated for different engines to provide a real time accurate fuel level and remaining flying time display.
Are they easy to fly?
If you can fly a Paramotor then flying the Jet Back Pack is very easy.
They are compact and simple to use, and produce no propeller torque.
If you are new to Paramotoring then you’ll need to master canopy control first, with a Paramotor Instructor.