I'm pretty sure that comes from misunderstanding of FAR 91.119 (c), which does apply to aircraft, but it specifically says in (d)(2) - "A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section." Notice "powered parachute", not ultralight/powered paramotor too - which we be solely under 103 if I understand it right. But either way the 500' rule doesn't apply. Have fun explaining all that with hand gestures though :)

@@bobtheowl2 - Prepare an information card you can drop with a piece of candy attached. That way you can explain the rules and give them a treat. ;-)

What kind of insurance? Is it seperate from the general insurance? How do you get it if youre a tourist wanting to fly there?

@UpcomingJedi in France you need a licence, Ultra light pilot licence class 1, for Paramotor and Paratrike, if you have equipment for passenger transport, you need "emport passager" marked in the license. In Germany it is about the same with German names. The insurance is aircraft related ( for this aircraft with its registration number). I don't think anyone takes his Paramotor in plane luggage to his Europe vacation. It is easier to go to a flying school, show his US license, make a flight with instructor nearby, and he will decide if he rents you a Paramotor for some flights.🪂😊🇫🇷

Hi Matt :)

Local government cant make a ordinance or law over airspace. I mean they can but legally we dont have to follow it. The only thing is if there is a ordinance and we takeoff from an area. However they cant prohibit overflight or make altitude restrictions. Only the Faa and federal government. The whole Gulf coast of florida the local government has a ordinance you cant fly within so many feet of the shore.

@@matthewholmes8638 - the reality is when you are fined, you have to go to court and fight there. Typically it would require an appeal to a higher court if the lower court wont dismiss especially if you aren't represented. It is an expensive scenario that the local government counts on and as such pass the ordiances anyway to be persuasive. 1 case was dismissed because the guy went to court, but the state didn't show up. The others just paid the fine because it was cheaper. It sucks, but that is the way it is in reality and precisely the situation recently near Salton Sea. If one has money its worth the fight to protect others, but in most cases the government passing the regulation has the upperhand.

As per FAR 91.1 (e) limitations listed in 91 do not apply to what is governed by FAR 103. As I mentioned in separate comment here... It is useful to be able to point to 91.1(e) when the circumstances arise. www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-A/section-91.1

@@dronepanoraI think this the most underappreciated point. You may be legal to do what you are, but are you willing to spend thousands of dollars in court to prove it?

We've trained a 385lb student! There is definitely equipment available.

Over congested areas, yes. That is not a clearly defined term, though there is case law around the definition.

Yes. There are no height restrictions of any kind except restricted air space and in relation to clouds.

You also have to consider turbulence around that building.

Usppa and 1 other organization (cant remember their name) have tandem exemptions from the faa. You can take up passengers and charge for a introductory instruction flight. You have to have your certifications for it before the exemption applies.

It’s like you are going to teach the passenger?

@@user-ls1fw6ou9f My wife and I did a tandem before I took training. While you might just be going for a fun experience, they will allow you to steer and they will teach you some basics so they meet the 'training flight' definition. They can charge you for a training flight so all is above board. The 'paid' restriction basically means you cannot use the paramotor commercially or for business purposes....except parameter training.

Thanks a lot for your answers!)

Pretty much, yes.

The FAR says two things: You may not fly over congested areas or assemblies of persons. For the most part yeah, you wouldn't fly over a city because that's congested. There are a few exceptions. My town has a public use park on the edge of town with a huge swath of land cut out and flat. You could absolutely take off from there. Even though it's in the city limits, as long as you fly in from the south or take off to the north and turn around immediately, you're over trees. The other part is, no one may operate an ultralight in a way that presents a hazard to persons or property. So you're flying along in the countryside at 1000 feet and you pass over a house. You haven't created a hazard. But then you start doing SATs and wingovers above that same house and get down to maybe 150 feet above the roof. If you take a collapse, you're going to crash into the house. Therefore, you are creating a hazard. Those are MY interpretations and I'm not a lawyer. I think it would be almost impossible in all but the most remote area to avoid flying over every single house out there.

Looking at youtube videos, you HAVE to fly over homes now and then just like any other air traffic especially when you take off from a park but they leave te area promptly. Then theres the Karens who think they can ban pilots from flying over their fields with horses.

@@UpcomingJedi the FAA leaves this vague on purpose I believe. If they want to punish you for flying somewhere they don’t want you to, they can use you flying over a house as flying over a “congested” area. Very likely they never would, but they could. Also, there is no prohibition for licensed aircraft flying over congested areas like there is for us. Again, I don’t like it or think you’d get violated for it, but that window is open to the FAA.

Call the US Embassy in your country....or come visit on a tourist visa and join us in the air....no license means anyone can fly paramotors in the US. Schools or places to rent the parameter probably require proof of training and may have a minimum number of flights. They probably require a deposit in case of equipment damage as well. I know people have also shipped their own equipment via UPS or packed it into suitcases partially disassembled.

6:04 seems like a plausible definition

Will add it, thank you! Nice reminder!

@r Thank you, sir. I wish you a really nice weekend. Many hugs from Sweden :)

@@mrsonor1090 I hope to fly with you in Sweden someday!

@@aviator I hope I can go to you as well one day. Never been to the US. It's on the list :) Looks like you have a really nice spot there in Florida. A lot of sun and a few handbags with teeth at the water canals. Take care.

​@@mrsonor1090is there a similar video that explains Swedish air laws and requirements needed to be met by someone coming there on vacation? Such things as permits, certain insurance coverage. I understand even owning a television requires a license.

Having access to small airports is a crucial opportunity for us to get in the sky! Agreed wholeheartedly on the staying out of the way though.

@@aviator I'm just saying in general not you guys per se. Paragliding we tend to avoid airports at all costs. Just something I've always wondered.

@@carlcolorado3549 Believe it or not, access to large open fields is not something that is easy to find. Land owners don't like the liability and few own large acreage, especially flat and cleared of trees and water. Airports are perfect as the areas around the runways is usually pretty flat, mowed, and free of obstructions. Also, small uncontrolled airports in the USA that receive government funds (almost all of them) are REQUIRED to allow ultralights, including paramotors. Where paramotors are based the airport and pilots usually have agreements on where they will take off and land and what traffic patterns they will follow. Ultralights are required to give way to all other manned aircraft, so it is the responsibility of the parameter pilot to keep an eye out and avoid all air traffic, including in the airport's traffic pattern. Believe me, it is seldom ever a problem at all. With a radio, we can even go into controlled airspace and airports. Just like a helicopter will have a unique traffic pattern at airports, paramotors and other ultra-slow aircraft will be treated differently to keep them safe and out of the other aircraft traffic patterns.

We ARE real aircraft. We can crash and splatter just like people in a Cessna. My local municipal airport actually likes ultralights coming and going as long as they follow the pattern and have a radio. Every takeoff and landing is a use of the airport that they can log and goes to help them defend their budget to the City. I've had flight instructors ask me lots of questions about them, and they do airport days and young eagles events and like us to come out.

ParaMotors are real aircraft whittled down to just the seat and engine. Not all parks are friendly to paramotors and may have powerlines nearby or trees in the way. There have been instances where Santa Claus learned this the hard way in Sacramento or Rio Linda in California. To say that paramotors should stay out of the way of 'real' aircraft us like saying bicyclists and pedestrians should not cross intersections to stay out of the way of 'real' cars. Cagers are no more important just because they are riding in a car