Preparing for the Clinic

Contents:

1. Confirming Everything

Field training occurs FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND MONDAY, when weather and all other conditions allow (never Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday).

At least THREE DAYS NOTICE, and a PHONE CONFIRMATION (voice or text) the NIGHT BEFORE any potential training day is REQUIRED.

Nick Antonaccio: 215-630-6759

Please PREPAY for the session (Venmo: @nick-antonaccio | Zelle: 215-630-6759 | Paypal: paypal@guitarz.org | or check by mail: Nick Antonaccio 758 Durham Rd. Newtown, PA 18940), confirm the location, and check with me about the current schedule 24 hours before heading to any training event.

Please ensure I have your current height, weight and contact info before leaving for the event. YOUR INFO MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE FOLLOWING LINK IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE TRAINING SCHEDULE:

http://paramotr.com

Training is necessarily weather dependent, and predictions only start to become reliable 1-3 days beforehand. We also need to ensure that there are no flight restrictions, flooded fields, or other logistical limitations. PLEASE NOTE: I can't check email reliably during training days, so please keep in touch with me by phone (voice or text) 3 days beforehand. Important schedule info and cancelled/blocked training days can be found at http://ppglessons.com/schedule.txt.

2. Links to Submit, Read, and Bookmark

To be included in the training roster, please be sure to submit your info here (and confirm by phone at least 3 days ahead of time):

http://paramotr.com

read:

http://ppglessons.com/clinics.html

and bookmark:

http://ppglessons.com/links.html

The 2nd link provides some basic info about what to expect during the clinic.

The last page contains all the resources we'll use during the clinic (most importantly, the weather links for 'Allen').

3. Waivers

Please read, print, initial each page, and sign the following waivers:

Tandem Waiver Nick Antonaccio (for working with me)

Financial Responsibility Agreement (in case you break any equipment)

USPPA Waiver (for the land owners)

Blackhawk Purchase Waiver (for working with their equipment)

Fitness Waiver  

If you have any trouble printing the waivers, I'll have paper copies ready to sign, but getting them done beforehand saves us precious time at the field.

4. Things to Bring

Please bring good shoes that can grip the grass, with ankle support if you need it. A pair of sport shoes are most common. Trail runners are a great choice, as are light weight hiking boots. Heavy boots can be too tiring. It's not uncommon to walk ten to twenty miles on a training day!

Helmet: most students use an inexpensive skate or bike helmet (~$25 at Walmart). Any type that provides a clear line of sight upward is best (i.e., avoid visors). I'll have comms that work best with helmets that have open ears, but you can use any other type you own (again, heavy ones can lead to fatigue, and you'll want to be able to hear well around you with your helmet on). I'll have a few extra helmets, but likely not enough for the entire group.

Please bring PLENTY OF DRINKING WATER (much more than you think you'll need - 1 case, or several gallon jugs is suggested), snacks, SUN PROTECTION and bug protection (the sun is going to be brutal out there all day, even when it's overcast), clothing appropriate for running around outside all day, light work gloves, and a phone/tablet with an Internet connection, if you have one. We'll use Internet devices to look at weather links, air space charts/TFRs, etc.

Since we'll be in a field, please bring a light weight chair and an *umbrella to protect from sun and rain.

I've likely spoken with everyone about bringing the right size engines, harnesses and wings, but please send me your current height and weight, to ensure I bring everything required.

5. Location and Schedule

Training sessions typically get organized THREE DAYS BEFORE A CLINIC, and confirmed the DAY BEFORE. The next anticipated training session is kept updated at http://ppglessons.com/schedule.txt, usually 1-3 days before the event.

The only sure way to schedule with me, or to confirm any event/location, is to call or text: 215-630-6759 (I do not respond as quickly to email).

Addresses for the most commonly used training and flying locations are listed below. Every one of these locations may require permission from the owner for access, signed waivers, certification verification, site briefing, rental fee, and/or other restrictions imposed by the property manager. Please do not ever show up at any location and begin flying without confirmation:

Allentown:             1369 Old York Rd., Allentown, NJ 08501 
Montague:              150A River Road, Montague Township, NJ 07827
Lufker Airport:        115 Montauk Hwy, East Moriches, NY 11940  (Long Island)
Keymar Air Park:       1585 Francis Scott Key Hwy, Keymar, MD 21757
Woodsom Park:          208 Lions Mouth Rd, Amesbury, MA 01913
Allen Air Strip:       231 Landing St, Southampton Township, NJ 08088 (no training, flying only)
Van Sant Airport:      516 Cafferty Rd, Erwinna, PA 18920 (currently not in use)
Tyler State Park:      101 Swamp Rd, Newtown, PA 18940  (KITING-ONLY location)

If you have any other potential local site(s) that you'd like me to check out before training, if you want help speaking with any property owners, etc., please let me know as soon as possible.

Training typically begins between 10am-noon, and we'll work outside until dark. We'll punctuate stretches of kiting practice with simulator work, engine-on practice, mechanical setup, pre-flight routine, and ground school throughout the day, as everyone takes turns getting physically tired. It's always a fluid schedule, you can come and go as you need, and take breaks whenever you need to rest.

Please check with me each day before the next morning's start time, to ensure that there are no special quiet hours which need to be observed.

6. Coming and Going

There are porta potties at most of the sites above, but often no source for water or food. We'll likely do a couple group meals at local fast food restaurants (to get some indoor rest, and to cover ground school topics together).

You can leave from, and return to the field as you please, rest whenever you need, and bring friends to watch, but I will likely be occupied helping students the entire day, and will have very little time to hang out casually. Use your time as needed, I'll cover everything multiple times with everyone, we'll take turns doing simulator work and ground school between long runs of kiting practice. It is NOT recommended that you bring family or friends who will distract you on your first day of flight (or others on their first day of flight).

7. Watching the Weather

You can find an overview of forecast winds and weather at:

https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/lakehurst_joint_base-mcguire-dix (enter the city, state if other than Allentown)

When unanticipated weather interrupts flying, kiting, or other outdoor activities, we'll cover ground school materials (air space, weather, laws, etc.), simulator training, machine setup, and other study. If the clinic looks like it will get completely blown out, we'll make the call to reschedule.

Any flights will typically occur during the first few hours of the morning, and the last few hours before sunset. Flying is often not safe midday.

8. Will You Get To Fly?

Safety is my #1 priority. If weather doesn't allow for safe flights, or if you can't keep the wing stable over your head while kiting, then launching will not be possible. Please be aware that during your first 2 days of training, you almost certainly won't be getting up in the air. I'll do everything possible to use our time together effectively, but if you rush to launch with an oscillating or pitching wing, you can be sure to rip expensive lines and fabric, break machine parts, and potentially hurt yourself. Most students spend the first two days practicing kiting and simulator, working with the engine and the wing, and then go home to practice with their own equipment, and return to take first flights, once wing and engine handling can be performed reliably. Please read http://ppglessons.com/clinics.html to ensure there are no surprises about what to expect during your first training sessions.

If weather allows, tandem flights are a great way to get practice in the air, but they are only possible if wind conditions are perfect. Running together in a dual harness setup, while kiting a massive 42 square meter wing and carrying the heaviest engine available, is only manageable if winds provide gently helpful air speed. Too much or too little wind, wind coming from a hazardous direction, high density altitude conditions, or any other weather which could hinder launch does limit the potential to take rare tandem flights.

Please understand that I'll do everything to get you flying as soon and as much as possible, but I will not take any chances with safety.

9. If You Want To Study More Before Training

The PPG Bible by Jeff Goin is the preeminent reference to study, but it's filled with a volume of info which can be overwhelming during your initial training. The following tutorials document the core ground school topics we'll cover to get you up in the air. If you want to spend time studying before training, these are the concise materials and dense checklists you'll need to learn in order to earn ratings and to fly safely ("Kiting-and-Simulator", "Flight Dynamics and Maneuvers", and "Checklist" documents cover the training skills we'll work on at the field and in the air. The other documents cover other general required knowledge):

Introductory Info  (pdf)  
Checklist  (pdf)  
Weather  (pdf)  
FAR 103 Notes  
Air Space Charts  
Choosing Equipment  
Kiting-and-Simulator  (pdf)  
Flight Dynamics and Maneuvers  
Aerodynamics  (pdf)  
Comms  
Don't Self Train  
Tutorial (2008)  

10. Other

Training is exciting and a lot of fun, but also a lot of hard work. Please come well rested and completely sober. If you have any physical ailments, if you are taking any medications, or if you otherwise have any challenges that may impair your performance during our time together, please let me know before taking part.

I'm looking forward to meeting everyone! Please call me if you have any questions at all.

- Nick Antonaccio 215-630-6759