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  • BlueSkyPPG
  • BlueSkyPPG
  • BlueSkyPPG
  • BlueSkyPPG
  • BlueSkyPPG

Welcome to Blue Sky PPG!

Click on our logo below for a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
about Powered Paragliding(PPG) and our school!

Northern California and Sacramento Area Powered Paragliding

Proud member of the Sacramento "SodFlyers" Powered Paragliding (PPG) and Powered Parachute (PPC) club - the largest PPG club in the United States with over 150 members!

Blue Sky Powered Paragliding is a locally owned and operated Powered Paragliding/Powered Parachute school. We service the Sacramento, Wheatland, Marysville, Olivehurst, Yuba City, Chico, Oroville, Lincoln, and Davis areas.

We offer the following on-site services:

Powered Paraglider (PPG) and Powered Parachute (PPC) Instruction
Parachute and Paraglider wing and line repair
Motor rebuild, servicing and repair
Propeller repair
Reserve parachute repacking and inspection

All instruction takes place at the Yuba County Airport in Olivehurst, California.

We are the ONLY Powered Paraglider and Powered Parachute school that provides ALL equipment for our students during training. Training costs $2000 for Powered Paraglider and $1200 for Powered Parachute. What do you get for that cost? Check it out:

Powered Parachute (PPC) $1200

• The use of our Powered Parachute equipment at no additional cost- that is the wing, motor, and fuel!
• 12-20 hours of instruction depending on how quickly you learn.
• Minimum of 10 take off and landings (PPC) before you are complete with training
• Use of our flying site(s)
• Access to our club message board after your solo flight
• Optional deluxe package with helmet and radio set for an additional $300 ($400 value, helmet with intercom, two FRS radios with docking station for recharging)

Powered Paragliding (PPG) $2000

• The use of our equipment at no additional cost- that is the wing, paramotor, emergency parachute and fuel!
• Helmet with intercom built in ($400 value), two FRS radios with docking station for recharging. Yours to keep forever.
• 60-80 hours of instruction depending on how quickly you learn.
• Minimum of 20 take off and landings (PPG) before you are complete with training
• Use of our flying site(s)
• Access to our club message board after your solo flight


So what is the difference between Powered Paragliding and Powered Parachute!?

We have three types of flying available; foot launch powered paragliding (PPG), trike/quad (wheeled) powered paragliding (PPG), and Powered Parachute (PPC)

PPG can be single or tandem, foot launch or with wheels. If you want to do tandems you need a license to do them legally. You steer with your hands. Very portable, single cylinder two or four stroke engine. You will need a minimum of 12-16 hours of training before you are ready for your first solo.

PPC can be single or tandem. If you want to do tandems you need a license to fly legally. You steer with your feet! You usually need a trailer of some sort to transport. Dual cylinder engine usually 2 stroke however some new 4 strokes are emerging. This is the Cadillac of flying and 90% of the new students solo on their first day! The motor is far more reliable and the machines cost less.

The single biggest difference is in the design of the paraglider/parachute wing. A paraglider can be flown with the engine on or off. It has a glide rate of 7:1 typically or as high as 9:1 and requires a lot of skill to operate. Take off is considerably more difficult in a PPG. Minimum of 12-16 training hours before you can fly for the first time.

A PPC parachute should be flown with the engine on- it can be flown and will still glide with the engine off but this is reserved for practice and emergencies. It has a glide rate of 3:1 or as high as 5:1 although some newer parachutes have higher glides! The amount of skill to operate is very low. Minimum training time before first flight is about 1-2 hours.

PPC instruction will get you 10 take offs and landings minimum before you finish training for $1200

PPG instruction minimum is 20 take offs and landings before you finish for $2000 (special note: if you want to learn foot launch instruction, you have to purchase your own machine once we get you to that stage- you train on my ppg equipment however they all have wheels) The reason for this is foot launch requires a lot of skill and generally speaking results in damaged equipment that as a school I can’t absorb the cost.

Powered parachute (bigger motor/machine steer with your feet, very easy to learn) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJQzwYHTnEM
Powered paraglider (smaller motor/ steer with your hands, more difficult to learn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIhf7sbXYlU

 

**********NEW STUDENTS READ BELOW**********

New students are eager to buy stuff, so there are a couple of things you need to realize, and these are IMPORTANT.

You DO NOT and SHOULD NOT purchase equipment prior to getting instruction from anyone anywhere.

You don't know what to look for yet! With training and a few flights, your experience will help you make an informed opinion so you purchase the proper equipment and don't get sucked in by a "good deal on eBay". This is especially important with regard to paragliders. If anyone tells you that is "feels crispy" that is not an indicator of a good glider. The glider should have an inspection with porosity check (this measures the pores in the glider determining how much life is left). If they can't provide that to you, you are probably wasting your money.

You do not have to buy the same machine or brand your instructor flies!

Many schools and instructors want you to buy their equipment because it’s the "best". It may be, but just like cars, there are other brands that may suit your needs and financial disposition better. Fly first, buy later. We make it a point to avoid selling PPG or PPC equipment to our students or pressure them to buy anything from us after they sign up for lessons. We do have equipment available for purchase after you are flying but we would rather focus on giving you great instruction and not feel like a used car salesman. We can either be good at teaching or good at selling but can't do both and give you 100%.

If you are searching for a school/instructor, make sure they are using a lesson plan/syllabus.

This sport has way too many instructors that teach off the "top of their head" instead of using known techniques. Using a lesson plan or syllabus ensures that you learn by the book. It’s also common place to offer discounted training if you purchase your equipment from the school. Always remember that you get what you pay for. Discounted training usually means inadequate training.

OK, that should protect your pocketbook for now. Moving on...

Our company offers a variety of products and services designed to meet your needs and get you flying as quickly and safely as possible and if you've come this far, you probably have a ton of questions. No problem at all! Just click our Blue Sky School logo above for some of the most commonly asked questions new students have.

If you can't find the answer to your question at the frequently asked questions (FAQ) area then click on the "contact us" link and we will respond immediately - usually within 24 hours. Make sure you check your spam folder, just in case your email program accidentally sorted it. *We will never send you another email unless you email us first, basically no spam from us, we hate getting it and definitely don't want to be guilty of sending it.

Once you have read through the FAQ you can call to set up an appointment or just ask when we are flying, no obligation at all! You are simply calling to see when and where we will be flying so you can meet up with your future instructor and see the equipment and maybe get some hands on. Our number is (530) 308-3523 and we are open from sunrise to sunset on fair weather days. If it's raining or really windy you can still call, but please - let us sleep in...trust me we need it!

Our website is always evolving and we try to update our website often. If you see a mistake or something that doesn't make sense- contact us and tell us.

Our reputation is all we have and we go out of our way to make sure that you, the customer, are happy. We can custom design and build your ideas to meet your needs, no order to small.

Contact us for pricing information on specialty custom items



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