Paragliding vs. Paramotoring (Safety and Wing Guide)

Paragliding vs. Paramotoring (Safety and Wing Guide)

Paragliding uses only the wind and gravity to fly and land. Paramotoring, however, uses a motor to accomplish these things. That is the major difference between the two disciplines. With this difference, what feature makes each sport safe or unsafe? Some common hazards of the two are getting caught in power lines if you fly too low. Another is running out of landing options if you are too far out in the water or flying over trees. Lastly, a midair collision with another glider, an ultralight, or an airplane.

Paragliding only has the wings to fly and depends on the wind or thermals to keep it aloft. A drop in the wind or if thermal activity stops can cause the wing to collapse and bring the rider down with it.

While paragliding needs the wind, paramotorists dislike it as it presents a threat to them if strong enough. Other paramotoring dangers include engine failure, getting your lines caught in the propeller, or getting a body part caught in the propeller.

What Is the Difference Between Paragliding and Paramotoring?

Obviously, the motor is the main difference between paramotoring and paragliding. The motor is the key to paramotoring and finding a more accessible launching site to make launches easier. It also allows you to gain elevation and momentum without waiting for a suitable wind. Paramotors do not depend on the wind or thermal current to fly. In fact, not having any wind when paramotoring is ideal.

On the other hand, paragliders need a brisk wind to launch and soar. Therefore, paragliding is wholly dependent on the weather. It requires a good, strong wind and thermals to function. Due to the weather factors, paramotoring is done during the early morning or late afternoon when the weather is cooler. Paragliding is performed later in the morning to midafternoon when thermals are present.

What Is Safer – Paragliding or Paramotoring?

Reported statistics show that paragliding has double the mortality rate of paramotoring. Paragliding accidents have an annual fatality rate of 0.13%, while paramotoring accidents have 0.066%. Compared to motorcycle accidents (0.072%) and car accidents (0.97%), paragliding and paramotoring have much lower fatalities. Based on these stats, paramotoring is safer than paragliding.

Launching a paramotor without any wind is possible, while you need a robust wind to launch a paraglider. If the wind doesn’t hold up when you launch with a paraglider, you can get in trouble really fast. Paramotors are not dependent on the wind, so this hazard is eliminated.

The wing is also less prone to collapsing with paramotors due to its steady forward momentum. While with the paraglider, you are dependent on the wind. However, these are not reasons for complacency when flying with a paramotor. If you are launching and flying in strong wind, the degree of danger is the same for both paraglider and paramotor.

Paraglider vs. Paramotor

Highlighted below are the similarities and the differences between these two exciting sports. You can decide which one is for you.

Paramotoring	Paragliding
It uses a motorized fan to fly	It depends on wind or thermals to fly
Flights, when there is no wind, are perfect	It needs wind to fly
The best time to fly is during the early morning or late afternoon	The best time to fly is the late morning to early afternoon
No need to depend on wind to launch	Will need at least a 3 kph (1.8 mph) wind to take off
Can take off from almost anywhere	It needs to take off on from an elevated point
Training and learning difficulty is easier than paragliding	Training and learning difficulty is more challenging due to meteorological factor
Maintenance cost is higher due to motor	Maintenance cost is minimal
The motor will add about 25 kg (55 lbs) to the pilot’s weight	Will need to carry only the pilot
More maneuverable due to wing design	Less maneuverable
Can travel faster than a paraglider	Travels slower than paramotor
You can control about 80% of the flight in paramotoring	You can control about 50% of the flight in paragliding
More expensive equipment than paragliding	Cheaper equipment than paramotoring
Generally safer than paragliding	More dangerous than paramotoring

What Is the Difference Between a Paramotor and a Paraglider?

Much has already been discussed about the differences between paragliders and paramotors. Aside from the obvious, there are subtle differences between a paramotor and a paraglider.

A paramotor can stay aloft for about 3.5 hours on a full tank of gas on a calm day. A paraglider has to rely on a consistent wind to stay in flight. Without the right wind conditions, a paraglider cannot fly at all.

Paragliders have to take off from hills and glide down to their landing site. Paramotors can take off from any flat surface free of obstructions. Since they do not depend on the whims of the wind, they can land back from where they started. Doing this saves the rider from a long walk back to their starting point.

Are Paraglider and Paramotor Wings the Same?

No, they are not the same. The wings for paramotoring and paragliding may look similar, but there are a few critical differences.

For example, paragliding wings do not typically have trimmers. Extra lines are used to pull in the wing tips if you want to go faster. However, activating trimmers on a paragliding wing may induce violent whipping motions in the air, which a novice may find hard to control.

Using trimmers in paramotoring will be less risky. The trimmers can also increase the weight the wing can carry, which is important since the paramotor wing must carry the motor and the pilot as well.

There are other imperceptible differences between the two types of wings. The position of the wings relative to the pilot is also a little different to take into account the different weight distribution.

Can I Use a Paraglider Wing for Paramotor?

The short and sweet answer is a definite maybe. The paragliding wing is designed to carry only the pilot, while the paramotor wing is supposed to carry the motor as well.

When a paragliding wing is forced to fly a pilot and the motor, accidents could occur. The weight distribution and the position of the wing relative to the rider will be altered. This could cause problems, especially if the pilot is inexperienced.

However, experienced pilots have used the paraglider wing for paramotoring. Though they wouldn’t recommend it unless you know what you are doing. It’s definitely not for everybody.

It’s infinitely better to use the paragliding wing for its main purpose, which is paragliding. This will keep you out of trouble, and you get to enjoy the sport more.

Can I Use a Paramotor Wing for Paragliding?

Actually, you can (unsatisfyingly) use a paramotor wing for paragliding. But you may not enjoy it as much as using the wing designed for that particular sport. Moreover, the wings will not do an excellent job at each other’s sport. They are designed to do different things, and it’s better not to use one for the other if you can avoid it.

Without getting too technical, let’s say that paraglider wings are not that suitable for paramotoring. Paramotoring wings are not suited for free flight. Their wing profiles are different as they are asked to do different things.

Hybrid or universal wings are supposed to be suitable for both, but they cannot do both proficiently, a case of a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. If you can afford it, it’s better to get one of each wing. You get a better flight, and it will keep you safer as well.

Which Is Better – Paragliding or Paramotoring?

After all the discussions above, here are the pros and cons of paragliding and paramotoring. Ultimately, your safety will depend on your own vigilance. You cannot be complacent even in what you assume is picture-perfect weather. A sudden gust of wind can throw your day in disarray. So be alert and aware of your surroundings, and may your wings always be full of air.

Paragliding

Pros

• Low weight.
• Cheaper equipment and maintenance.

Cons:

• More dangerous than paramotoring.
• It depends on wind and thermals to fly; therefore unpredictable.
• May have long waiting times before the right wind comes along.
• It needs hills to launch the glider.
• It can’t react quickly if necessary.

Paramotoring

Pros:

• Safer than paragliding.
• Not dependent on the weather to fly.
• It can launch from almost anywhere.
• Flies in calmer weather.
• Wing collapse in sudden weather changes can be avoided.
• Can gain altitude quickly if necessary to gain time to react to emergencies.
• It can stay aloft even with a dead engine.
• More maneuverable.

Cons:

• Expensive equipment and maintenance costs.
• Noisier than paragliding.
• You have to carry the 25 kg (55 lbs) motor on your back.

Statistically, How Safe Is Powered Paragliding?

Is paramotoring safe? How does it compare to other types of flying? Driving? Motorcycle riding? Skydiving?

Numerical Analysis is tough but I suspect that we can get within an order of magnitude. Yes, yes, it’s as safe as you make it but lets take an objective look. If you fly a powered paraglider, what are the chances you’ll die doing it? I don’t address the much greater risk of injury because data is even sketchier. Of course you can improve your chances—dramatically it turns out—but I’ll approximate the overall odds.

Lets start with the year 2007 estimate of about 3000 active pilots (those who fly 5+ times per year—see sidebar) in the U.S. We’re averaging 1 fatality every 8 months. So we can say there are about 1.5 fatalities per 3000 participants per year which is 0.5 per 1000 participants. I use the per participant numbers because flight hour numbers are even harder to estimate. The comparisons below assume that average participants engage in the respective activity about the same amount per year.

• Compared to motorcycle riding. In 2003 the National Center for Statistics and Analysis reported about 0.7 fatalities per 1000 registered motorcycles. I’m assuming that anyone bothering to register their bike is probably active. Some bikers ride all the time and others just keep them registered with very occasional use. Same with PPGers although the avid riders take their bikes to work every day—PPGers can’t do that. So, although it appears that PPG is about 30% safer than motorcycle riding, the number may easily be skewed more than others. Here’s a 10 year reference report that shows more on motorcycle fatality rates per 10,000 registered vehicles. Graph at left is from the listed report.
• Compared to paragliding. The U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) has about 10,000 members of which approximately 4500 are paraglider pilots. To be conservative, I’m assuming all are active (at least 5 flights per year). Over the past 5 years they have experienced about 3 fatalities per year. That’s about 0.7 fatalities per 1000 participants—almost identical to motorcycle riders which means that paragliding is about 30% more dangerous than powered paragliding. Given that its entirely possible that paraglider pilots have even fewer yearly flights (they are more weather dependant) than paramotor pilots, paragliding could easily be far more dangerous than this suggests.
• Compared to driving. Unfortunately, driving to the field is much safer than paramotoring. The NTHSA report used above (to compare motorcycle riding) finds that driving is 16 times safer than motorcycle riding so we can infer that paramotoring, which is 30% safer than motorcycle riding, is about 12 times more dangerous than driving.
• Compared to flying light airplanes. According to Flying Magazine, a light airplane pilot has 10 times more likelihood of dying on a personal flight than on a drive—about the same risk as paramotoring.
• Compared to flying light helicopters. Yes, this is a ridiculous comparison but, since I fly a helicopter, wanted to quell the common accusation that they are highly risky. Helicopters can land safely after an engine failure and, in fact, have a nearly identical risk of fatality, per hour, as light airplanes. That means helicopter flying is about as risky as flying paramotors.
• Compared to Sky Diving. Not surprisingly, sky diving is incredibly dangerous! It’s a skydiver myth that flying up in the airplane is more dangerous than the jump out. According to the U.S. Parachute association (USPA), a sky diver is 4 times more likely to die on the jump out than the flight up. That means that sky diving is about 4 times more dangerous than powered paragliding. 4 paramotor flights is the same death risk as one skydive. That is, in fact, how I decided to go skydiving—I decided the fun factor would equate to 4 paramotor flights. Risk and reward.

But I Don’t Do Risky Things, Am I Safe?

Once you’ve been trained and have achieved approximately PPG2 skills, the risk drops dramatically. Then, if you start exploring steeper maneuvers, flying low or accepting stronger weather conditions and tighter sites, the risk goes back up just as dramatically. Avoiding those things keeps your risk low.

This isn’t a preachy “don’t do such-and-such” but rather a point-out to where risk lies. Hey, we accept x amount of risk just by strapping these things on, but lets know when we’re hanging it way out there.

The motorcycle rider can do only so much because he’s dependent on others. Multi-vehicle crashes produce nearly half of all the motorcycle deaths. But if we die, it’s probably our own doing.

Wanting to fly again is enough reason to be careful but, for many pilots, there are even more compelling reasons.

Most FATAL PPG accidents have been related to:

• Training. Sorry to say but this is a dangerous phase. Make sure your instructor goes through the USPPA syllabus methodically, using a simulator and having you rehearse reaction to his instructions. THIS IS CRITICAL! If you have not flown, then your reactions must be made automatic. Just being told won’t cut it.
  You must rehearse! The more realistic the rehearsal, the more it benefits.
  Get a tandem or do hill flying before going aloft alone. Your life depends on it. A flight can go from fun to fatal in a matter of seconds with inappropriate control inputs. Towing is another way to get a flight before soloing with the motor but that has it’s own risk. One student has died during a towing accident—treat it with great respect.
• Water. Never, ever accept any situation where you could end up in water over 12″ deep if the engine quit. By avoiding the possibility of water immersion you improve your odds of surviving the sport by at least 25%.
• Steep maneuvering. Spirals are the worst because they can quickly cause pilot blackout which will almost certainly be fatal since steep spirals do not recover on their own. Wingovers are the next worst because they involve so much vertical and can easily result in wing collapses.
• Low flying. Wires pop up everywhere and, if you fly low enough, long enough, eventually you’ll run into one. When you do, there’s roughly a one-in-30 chance it will be fatal. Other risks of low flying involve being confused by the “downwind demon” illusion and whacking into something from inappropriate reaction. That illusion only causes problems when flying low.
• Weather. Fly within the first 3 and last 3 hours of daylight on days with benign conditions and no major changes forecast. If it’s windy aloft, it will soon be gusty and turbulent at the surface. Strong conditions have been a likely factor in three fatalities that I know about and overlap a couple others. Training in strong conditions, for example, is a particularly bad idea.
  Some pilots seek out thermals to stay aloft. I have, too. This trades some safety for the fun of soaring and a reserve parachute is essential. It’s not uncommon for paragliding competitions to see several “saves” after pilots take large collapses in strong thermal conditions. A reserve is no panacea, though, top pilots have still died at the hands of strong conditions even though they carried reserves.
• Midair. If you fly with others you are at risk. If you hit someone there is about a 1 in 10 chance it will be fatal. “look, shallow, up/down, turn” means look in the turn direction, start a shallow bank while looking up and down in the turn direction and finally do your turn. It doesn’t take many pilots in the air, either. The one fatality I’m aware of happened with 4 pilots aloft and neither was in a landing pattern.
• Equipment. Using someone else’s equipment adds risk. A 2007 fatality happened to a pilot who took off in borrowed gear and got a brake wrapped in the prop. This is more likely in low hook-in machines but there likely other risks that apply to all machines.
  If you have a low hook-in machine, make sure the cage has sufficient protection above and on top (covering the prop, preferably) to prevent a brake toggle from going in. It depends on the wing, too, since they have different brake pulley positions and some pilots have modified their brakes to hang below the pulley. Otherwise it will be up to you to insure it doesn’t happen. I’ve seen or heard of brakes going into the prop about 12 times and this is the second fatality resulting from it.
• Sites. Flying from tight or unknown sites has proven risky. Scope them out, walk them off, if necessary and don’t accept places where you don’t know how much wind may be present if rotor could be a factor.
• Landable areas. Landing in or colliding with a tree gives about a 1 in 50 chance of being fatal. Always have a safe landing option. This is painlessly easy to heed for most of us. In fact, if you land into the wind, out of any significant rotor and on dry surface, the chances of dying are very, very small (I don’t know of any). But don’t land in trees or water!

Injury

As to the risk of serious injury that’s a different story. Of course the fatal causes listed above can certainly also leave serious injury but there is one category that beats them all for non-lethal but debilitating injury: body contact with spinning prop. It’s dramatic, too. Even experienced pilots have been severely injured by getting body parts, usually an arm or hand but sometimes a leg or shoulder, into the prop. And it usually happens during engine start, especially if the engine is being difficult to start.

What’s remarkable about this category is that it’s so preventable. The Safety ring or SafeStart would likely dramatically make machines safer but these technologies have not been adopted by the manufacturing community. Check out articles under Prop Safety.

How Many Paramotor Pilots?

My observation is that there are about 80 active pilots in the Chicago Metropolitan area with a population of about 10,000,000. That’s means that 0.0004% of the population flies PPG. That would be about 2800 pilots but there is a higher concentration in warmer states so I’m assuming there are about 3000 pilots in the U.S.

There are probably 10,000 paramotor units out there although many pilots have more than one and many units are languishing in storage. The sport is replete with those who have big intentions but falter when they discover it’s not so easy, especially without good instruction.

Thanks to John Will & Mike Nowland for input and correction on the fatality rate computation and units.

https://outuro.com/paragliding-paramotoring/https://www.footflyer.com/statistically-how-safe-is-powered-paragliding-ppg-in-the-u-s/