I just finished my training with Mike and Brandon at Blackhawk ranch.Speaking from my knowledge gained as a fixed wing pilot i can highly recommend their instruction and the Blackhawk gear.Mike Robinson and his instructors are safety driven in their training and construction of the equipment. Mike Gambrill has a background in aviation as an A&P and understands how to build safety redundancy in to a flying machine.Adding his helicopter,glider and paraglider experience in to his qualifications as an instructor means all the bases are covered.As a fixed wing pilot i found that the powered paraglider is a different animal,and Mike and Brandon Thompson made sure i understood the differences.So the only advantages i had over a non pilot was knowing what it feels like to leave the ground,and descending/approach for a landing.But because i had been taught to fly the wing on the ground before being allowed to fly it off the ground,once in the air i felt perfectly safe.They were in radio contact with me as i did some turns and got a feel for power and altitude management and then talked me thru the flare on landing.I loved it.The flights that followed just built in that consistency.I went home with a lite trike and a core 2 wing.Because of time constraints and weather i was not able to fly it under their instruction,but they did a hang test with me,and Brandon did the test flight. The next week i practiced flying the wing on the ground as i had been taught.I had to get used to a new motor,throttle and wing etc.A few taxis taken in good conditions over 2 days and the morning of the 3rd,, my first flight.A controlled take off and butter smooth landing thanks to Blackhawk instruction.No matter if your a foot launch or wheels student,you will be in good hands.
Terry best to call Mike Robinson for specifics but i trained with a young man who weighed 135lb and i would say was around 5'5" at most and he had no trouble steering the quad we did ground tows with.
I just finished my training with Mike and Brandon at Blackhawk ranch.Speaking from my knowledge gained as a fixed wing pilot i can highly recommend their instruction and the Blackhawk gear.Mike Robinson and his instructors are safety driven in their training and construction of the equipment. Mike Gambrill has a background in aviation as an A&P and understands how to build safety redundancy in to a flying machine.Adding his helicopter,glider and paraglider experience in to his qualifications as an instructor means all the bases are covered.As a fixed wing pilot i found that the powered paraglider is a different animal,and Mike and Brandon Thompson made sure i understood the differences.So the only advantages i had over a non pilot was knowing what it feels like to leave the ground,and descending/approach for a landing.But because i had been taught to fly the wing on the ground before being allowed to fly it off the ground,once in the air i felt perfectly safe.They were in radio contact with me as i did some turns and got a feel for power and altitude management and then talked me thru the flare on landing.I loved it.The flights that followed just built in that consistency.I went home with a lite trike and a core 2 wing.Because of time constraints and weather i was not able to fly it under their instruction,but they did a hang test with me,and Brandon did the test flight. The next week i practiced flying the wing on the ground as i had been taught.I had to get used to a new motor,throttle and wing etc.A few taxis taken in good conditions over 2 days and the morning of the 3rd,, my first flight.A controlled take off and butter smooth landing thanks to Blackhawk instruction.No matter if your a foot launch or wheels student,you will be in good hands.
Hey Wuff thanks for the review. I am thinking about going up and getting some instruction. I am currently a student pilot in vegas.
If you got little short legs like I do how do you steer that thing on the ground???
Terry best to call Mike Robinson for specifics but i trained with a young man who weighed 135lb and i would say was around 5'5" at most and he had no trouble steering the quad we did ground tows with.
They can easily move the seat towards the steering axel. You should have nothing but fun with a quad.