EasyUp Parapropter

Role Powered parachute
National origin United States
Manufacturer EasyUp
Designer Tom Tate
Status Plans no longer available (2015)
Unit cost
US$99.00 (1998)

The EasyUp Parapropter is an American paramotor that was designed by Tom Tate and produced by EasyUp of Medford, Oregon. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of blueprint-style plans and an instruction manual for amateur construction. A kit was also available at one time.[1][2]

Design and development

The Parapropter was designed as an inexpensive way for beginners to start flying and complies with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules. It features a paraglider-style wing, single-place accommodation and a single engine in pusher configuration. As is the case with all paramotors, takeoff and landing is accomplished by foot.[1][2]

The aircraft plans allow the builder to create the backpack portion of the aircraft, including the propeller cage, built from bolted and welded aluminium plate and tubing. The plans recommend purchasing a used paraglider canopy to save money and a variety of engines can be fitted. The recommended propeller is a wooden fixed-pitch unit. Inflight steering is accomplished via handles that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw.[1][2]

The standard day, sea level, no wind takeoff with a typical engine and canopy is 30 ft (9.1 m) and the landing distance is 1 ft (0.3 m).[1]

The designer estimated the construction time from the supplied plans to be 40 hours.[1]

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that 750 sets of plans had been sold.[1]

Specifications (Parapropter, typical engine and canopy)

Data from Purdy[1]

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 337. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  2. 1 2 3 Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 67. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/24/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.