Paintball Warfare – Epic Paintball Battle – YouTube.

I had to return to Colorado Springs for work but I came armed with my GTR 20 and my Parajet Volution Thor 100.  If you don’t know Colorado Springs it is in the middle of the United States in the eastern edge of the Southern Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 6,035 feet (1839 m). 

“Once she is inflated it is as if you are flying a “fixed wing” aircraft”

I was a bit worried about climb performance and how hard it was going to be to take off at such an altitude, but the GTR never fails to amaze.  My first attempt was this past Friday, on my 28^th Birthday, I set out determined to fly next to the Garden of the Gods.

After leaving work at about three in the afternoon I headed out for a takeoff spot that I reckoned on Google Earth just about a mile northeast of the red rocks.  The temperature was about 20 degrees C and the wind was gusting about 20 knots, thermals everywhere but it was time to fly.  I really wasn’t worried about anything as I knew how solid the GTR 24 was after flying it in some of the worst turbulence of my life at the Grand Canyon, the GTR 20 would be even more reliable.

“I was being bounced around every which way but not even a wing tip collapse.”

Sure enough, the wing even at over a mile high popped straight up over my head, the easiest wing I have ever launched and off I went.  I probably should have waited for the thermals to die down but my confidence was high that this wing would be like a rock in the air, once she is inflated it is as if you are flying a “fixed wing” aircraft.  I flew over and along the red rocks of the Garden of the Gods, it was spectacular to see from the air, but I was unable to take my hands off the controls to take pictures the conditions were so rough. I was being bounced around every which way but not even a wing tip collapse.

After this day I have full confidence in the abilities of the GTR and the technology that has been placed in her, she is solid and faithful, and even at over a mile high with a 85 k pilot and a measly Thor 100 engine she still wants to fly, and fly as fast as ever.  Stay tuned for more mile high adventures!!

Glenn Tupper

Later I joined Glenn Tupper In El Paso, Texas. Glen is an Army surveillance pilot who loves the maneuverability and low flight capacities that a paramotor allows. Flying together, we followed the US/ Mexico border toward a mountains overlooking the city. After circling the crux on top of the hill, we came down the Rio Grande. The trip started under the best auspices.

At Apache Junction, Arizona, we continued on Lost Dutchman Road, turned second right on Gold Trail and were within a wingspan of Superstition Mountain. According to the legend, in the nineteenth century Jacob Walzer a German immigrant discovered a vein of gold ore. He only revealed the location on his deathbed. Another legend native Indians believe is that there is a hole which leads down into the lower world and is located in the Superstition Mountains . Winds blowing from the hole are supposed to be the cause of severe dust storms.

What did we find? Which legend did we verify?

The breeze was light, the Mountains turn golden at sunset, and we had some priceless flights. The silky fabric of the glider was dwarfed by the rock solid flat iron Peaks…

The full story will be published in the coming issue of Paramotor Magazine.

- Franck Simonnet