Powered Parachutes - A New Way to Fly

There is a new way to fly, and it is on display at the Lancaster Event Center during the 2011 Lancaster County Super Fair.  The concept was conceived in the mid 1960's at Notre Dame University by a professor of aeronautics and a student. The student went on to develop the first commercial vehicle in 1983.

What is it you ask - - basically a parachute with motor, seat, and wheels. Their official name is Para Plane, or more commonly known as a Powered Parachute, or PPC. They fly as low as a few feet above the ground, or as high as 10,000 feet and above. They are the perfect camera platform, observation point for search and rescue, or just simply experiencing the most spectacular view of the earth from above. Depending on fuel capacity, flight times can last as long as 5 hours with a speed of 30 miles per hour, dependent on tail or head winds.

The aircraft on display will range from small single seaters to larger two seat aircraft which allows passengers to enjoy this amazing way to fly. These aircraft are flown under Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Sport Pilot rules. They are owned and flown by Tom Henry, Butch Lottman, Kim Metzger, Bill Rohe, and Bob Workman, all from the Lincoln area. The pilots are supported by both the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter No 569 in Lincoln www.eaa569 , and the Nebraska Chute Flyer's Association of Nebraska.

In observation of Military Appreciation Day, the aircraft will be placed on display in the Exhibit Hall on Monday August 8th and extend through Wednesday August 10th.