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Past Pilot Profiles
 Pilot
Profile: Nick Scholtes
Added
Oct
10, 2005
Name, Age, Weight: Nick
Scholtes, 41, 165 lbs
Started flying when? 1995
I'd also make it more difficult for somebody to be an instructor.
Just because a guy learned how to fly 3 weeks ago doesn't make him an
instructor.
Who had the most influence on your flying and how?
When I started PPGing, I didn't know of anyone else in the midwest that was
flying at the time. I've learned since that there were some guys flying at that
time, but I didn't know about them, so I was on my own. I wasn't progressing
very quickly. One day I got a call from a guy lived nearby and who wanted to
learn about the sport, so he flew his own helicopter over and landed in my
pasture. I showed him my stuff, a few videos, did a demo flight, and he left. I
thought I had turned him off to the sport. About a month later, he called back
and told me that he bought gear, got training, and was ready to fly! Let's fly
together! So we started flying together, and we both progressed pretty rapidly
from that time, we went to a maneuvers clinic together, etc. He flies for the
airlines and so he provided me with airline tickets and we went all over the
country, exploring, meeting people, flying in all different conditions and lots
of different sites, we took up PG and flew a bunch of PG sites. Without his
influence, my PPG career would have been much more limited, narrow, and
progressed slower. That guy was Jeff Goin.
Describe your first flight
including where and when. My first flight was in my pasture, in the fall of
'95. I had gone to an instructor and taken one lesson, and bought gear. In '93 I
had ruptured a disc in my lower back and I was injured so badly that I couldn't
walk for 6 months. I didn't start walking again until the spring of '94, and was
still limping in the fall of '95. The thought of carrying a heavy PPG motor on
my back was really unappealing and I wondered if I could even do it without
re-injuring myself.
I tried on a "ParaMonster" that I saw somewhere (it
weighed 90 lbs without fuel!) and it just about killed me, so when this
instructor showed me a little DK Beat direct-drive that weighed 33 lbs (no
really, I weighed it myself!) I bought it! Anyway I had had one lesson that
kinda' showed me how to kite, so I went home and kited in my pasture until I was
pretty good at it. I put the motor on and brought the wing up and added a little
power (that little DK only HAD a little power!) and just lifted off a few feet
and then set it back down. I kept doing that straight down the pasture for like
20 times (got real good at foot-drags real early in my career!). Finally one
time I added enough power to get about 20 feet in the air, and I did a lap
around the pasture and came in and landed. That was my first flight!
Your first motor and wing? First
motor was a DK Beat direct-drive, twin-cylinder 250 cc. Still have it, it's as
good as new. It's in my "PPG Museum". First wing was a UP Vision. By
the way, if anybody has any old PPG equipment that they think would be worthy of
a "museum" and they'd like to donate it, I am starting a "PPG
Museum" and would love to display any old PPG stuff.
Your current motor and wing (if different), SkyCruiser with an RDM100 and
Mac-Para Eden II for solo flight, LaMouette-based homebuilt tandem trike with
Mac-Para Pasha for tandem flight.
Where you usually fly? I
usually fly from my pasture, the Scholtes International ParaDrome!
How often you fly? I fly
pretty often, it's pretty easy 'cause it's right in my backyard. For the last 4
years or so it's been pretty consistent, I usually fly right about 100 tandem
hours per year and about 125 solo hours per year. This year though I've had
other things going on and so I haven't been flying as much.
What do you do for a real job?
I spent 18 years in the telecommunications industry as an electrical engineer
and in a variety of corporate roles. Right now I run the Entrepreneurship Center
at the Illinois Math and Science Academy.
What you like about ppg?
There's lots I like about it! I enjoyed being "early" in the sport, I
really liked meeting lots of the people in the sport. I enjoy the type of
flying, there are so many things that can be done with a PPG that can't be done
with any other aircraft, and we seem to be inventing new things to do with it
all the time like the water-ski thing. I also like being able to modify machines
and motors and I like being involved with the motor aspect of it, although
sometimes I work on them too much!
Most memorable flying moment? Wow,
that's a toughie! There have been so many memorable ones, it's hard to choose.
Let's see, "most memorable" means "hard to forget", I guess
the time I crashed into the, no, wait, how 'bout the time I crashed into the,
no, well how 'bout the time I went into the Pacific?....... Well, I guess the
most recent memorable moment was when I took my 7-year-old daughter up for her
first flight. She was SO nervous! She liked it, thought it was great, had a good
time, showed no signs of problems. But when we landed, she barfed! We've got it
all on video too.
Comments on how you acquired
your gear. Nothing unusual here. I did build my own tandem machine, along
with help from quite a few locals, some of the best guys I've ever met.
If able, what would you change
about the sport? I'd change the commercial aspect of the sport. I think
there is too much motivation by some to make money, at the expense of providing
good and "true" advice and the best equipment for people. I mean
c'mon, nobody "learns to fly" in 3 days. Maybe somebody can fly one
time with guidance, but they sure aren't a "pilot" at that point and
they sure need further instruction and they sure aren't ready to go out on their
own and make their own decisions. I've seen many people who did the 3-day thing
and ingrained bad habits early on, and they still struggle with those bad habits
after several years.
I'd also make it more difficult for somebody to be an
instructor. Just because a guy learned how to fly 3 weeks ago doesn't make him
an instructor.
Pilot
Profile: Jiri Macak
Added 08/30/2005
Experience: Hahaha! Well when i was about 12 years old i was allowed to pull the wing on the little airstrip right next to my house here in Thailand . I dare to say i'm the "world champion" in ground handling - that was all i could do for many hours, every single day, for more than one year time, period.
When i was 13 i had my first direct drive solo and 3 more short 20min flights to figure out what only would be the "Love of my Life" and a possible career. I had been guided and trained by the owner of Fly Castelucco and his famous pilot friend Michele Francis,as it was them who first brought this new sport to Thailand. Then the first paramotor enthusiastic and pioneer pilot, Mr. Bamroong Ruamsup, along with Mr. Michele Francis established here the first official flying club, where they made me to be their the only true "test pilot." They've made me to fly just with anything we were able to find on our "poor and cheap" market, mostly some factory's "non-success prototypes", some extremely "tired-old" crap what nobody else was willing to even touch, etc.
It was a lot of fun but a "high school" as well. At this time there was not any PPG wing "born yet", so most "normal" flights were with PG wings and I have tried them all
(Perche Sonic & DHV, Apco, Paratech, Elle, MacPara, Edel, Power Play - Sting, Gin, etc.)
Since about 4 years ago we finally could have much better fun and experiences with new real and exciting PPG wings from Silex, ITV, UP, MacPara and GIN. There've also been some cheap and not really bad wings from Poland and Russia.
As soon as I turned 18 years old, I established my own "BMG paramotor TEAM" and registered the First Paramotor Club, Center & School in Thailand, obtained my pilot & instructor license and started to manufacture our own paramotors. We make the engines, frames, provide the maintenance, inspection etc. Plus we designed and produce our own modified harnesses, propellers, etc.,
The local DOA have made me issue training manuals for the Pilot instructors and Students.
We have been helping to set up the traffic rules and many competitions. BMGteam has got now about 70 registered members from Thailand and worldwide, used to win most of local competitions, being a fair leader of this sport in the Kingdom ... i myself have more than 1.700 flight hours, about 3.000 flights already and still looking keenly forward to every single next one to take off as this extreme brilliant sport is still too "young" here in the Kingdom of Thailand. I would very much love to obtain some qualification and experiences from and through USPPA, to be able to compete in within USA,learn and share much much more ... thank you and blue skies!
Pilot
Profile: Alex Varv
Added 07/15/2005
 Name, Age, Weight
Alex Varv, 54, 186 Lb
Started flying when?
Since 16; I flew sail planes, motor gliders, ultralight aircraft, GA and PPG
Family status (married, kids, dogs, etc.)?
Married, one son, one dog; two PPG wings and two paramotors
Where did you first see PPG?
Many years ago in Florida....
How you found out about it?
I got interested after having flown a....Parasail in Clearwater Beach Florida
Who had the most influence on your flying and how?
It was me and the first instructor I met, Eric Holmes of Dover Fl.
Describe your first flight including where and when.
My first flight was in a Prairie Preserve and I was alone and a little scared (read description below)
Your first motor and wing?
Trecking RITMO and Fly Products Power 115;
the second machine was a newer Fly Power 155 and a DK Hathor Symphony
Your current motor and wing (if different),
AIRFER Titanium caged Tornado with the Cors-Air M21Y engine; AIRFER Titanium BIMAX with the electric start
Cors-Air M25Y/Black Devil engine.
Wings:
Mac Para SPICE and Reflex Mark 2
Where you usually fly?
All available places in the Chicago are and any fly-in I can get to
How often you fly?
At least once or twice a week or more often depending on weather and available time.
What do you do for a real job?
Owner of AEROCORSAIR USA Inc. (the US
Cors-Air engine line importer) and I also have a painting and decorating business
What you like about ppg?
The freedom it gives along with...the challenges
Most memorable flying moment?
It was my first solo flight.
Since in those days there were very few instructors, after having three tows in Florida with Eric Holmes, I decided to teach myself to fly. Finally after ONE Year of ground handling I got up in the air by ......mistake!
Being too afraid to fly on my own, I postponed this for a year. One day, I decided I would not fly, just fift off, release the power, pull the brakes and settle on the ground.
Being too nervous, I did not release the power and I found myself climbing. Once airborne, knowing that at one point I would have to land anyway, I put aside my fear and kept flying for about an hour.I tried as much as I could to feel the wing, the engine and the brake inputs along with the reactions of the gear. After several low passes and brake work, I understood I could slow down the wing and touch down. I landed with power just like flying a regular airplane, thinking that in case of a mistake, I could help myself with the power.
My first landing was good, because I walked away from it. As a matter of fact, after touch down I ended up on my knees. By this time the engine was stopped.
The rest...is history!
Comments on how you acquired your gear.
I bought my first gear from Dixie Chopper Motorsports in Indiana. It was a Fly Products Power 115 with a Solo 210 engine
If able, what would you change about the sport?
Keep it as little regulated as possible, increase safety by
encouraging pilots NOT to fly on their own and look for good instruction and also have all pilots understand that this is aviation and technical issues and equipment maintenance are the secret for a long and safe flying "career"!
Pilot Profile: George Foisel
Added 02/03/2005
- The name on my birth certificate reads, "George Gerald
Foisel". My real name is actually just plain, "Jerry
Foisel". The tired old anecdote is (and I got this from my parents in
bits and snippets due to its sensitive nature) that Mom wanted a
"Jerry". Dad wouldn't have any part of that since Jerry was the
name of Mom's ex-boyfriend. Dad was willing to compromise with a
"Gerald" though. But, only if it was preceded by a "George
the Third". Well, due to the maternal powers that moms wield I was
called Jerry by everybody from day one. I am an unbelievable 50 years old! I
say this because when I started flying hang gliders way back in 1974 everybody
was convinced that I had a death wish and was gonna be dead before I
reached 25. Weird and scary thing about that insensitive prognostication
was that most of those proclaiming it, died within months after burdening
me with it. I am a shameful 230 phreaking, fat-assed, pounds now!
I attribute this gain to the violent change in the social structure of Las
Vegas. I used to ride exotic recumbent bicycles to and from
work, around town, and just plain everywhere (up to 300 miles a week),
rain or shine, summer or winter.One day in July of 1990 I got
hunted-down, run-over, beaten-up, and thrown off a bridge by five
drunken rednecks that went berserk after I told them the boat they were
towing hit me. Even with a lady witness I didn't know from Jack writing
a statement about what went down: cop-democracy was demonstrated. "5
lies beat two truths", even with photographs.
- I started flying in 1974: hang gliders.
- Due to my "alleged deathwish" and being told I
"wasn't gonna live to see 25" I saw no reason to get married only
to widow some poor girl. I did help raise my abandoned niece and nephew
though. But the biggest part of my family has been and probably always
will be: dogs. It's a real bitch having a dog for a buddy though, cuz you
inevitably fall in love with something that has to die every 12 to 16 years.
I have two of "my sons" buried out at the Craig Road Pet Cemetery
already. Old Gus was the only schnauzer that I know of that
flew a 1/3 scale, prototype hang glider alone and unassisted (well with the aid
of Eddie Monty & RJ Sadowski strapping him in and launching him off Shaw
Butte after me. I still remember thinking, "Boy that glider looks
familiar, and who is that hairy little kid flying it?).
- I saw my first powered paraglider (PPG) on the Aussie Cable
Show, "BEYOND 2000"("Can you say, ALUMINIUM?).
That was in the middle 1980's when the year 2000 seemed like science fiction
(it was the famous PagoJet being used to shoot pictures of the Namib Sand
Dunes in Africa).
- I "found out about it" in real life in
the middle 1990's when Patrick Sugrue of the British School of Paragliding
demonstrated his PagoJet for my trike buddy (Albert Harrison)
and me at Eldorado Dry Lake (near Boulder City, Nevada). A couple of years
later Kevin Bernacki opened the UPPER LIMITS paraglider and paramotor
company here in Las Vegas. I shot some awesome video of him piloting his DK
Beat/Whisper in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada.
- RJ Sadowski had the most influence on my flying. He was
the moral support I needed to finally solo my custom made, foot-launched,
alcohol burning, McCulloch engined, Electra-Flyer Cirrus 5A motorglider. One
of Romuald Drliks Soarmaster power units was the basis for that souped-up
skyrod. Horst Honacker (Romuald's grim German partner) was always asking me,
"Why you want to change? Is good with Chrysler engine now!"
- My first flight was aboard an Electra-Flyer 20/18
Pathfinder hang glider. It had beautiful Batman insignias on each
side. When it eclipsed the sun, black-bat shadows sped across the earth
below me. But that first flight, ah it was like my first loving
kiss. It happened during the summer of 1974 at Merriam Crater, Arizona. I
was an anonymous member of a group of about 20 other pilots that had set-up
on top of the old cinder cone volcano. The wind was blowing at around 25
miles per hour. I was in a que working my way towards the rim of the
volcano. I watched other pilots walk up to the rim of the cone and then
shoot away from it like lava erupting out of Kilauea. My turn came, I
rotated my wing back just a bit, heard the polyropes on my seat sing out
with a twang, and was pulled up into the sky like a homesick angel. My
landing bent the right upright of the control bar but considering I had
trained myself and had only pulled off a couple of very frustrating hops on
the bunny hill I was satisfied!
- My first motor and wing have been described already.
- My current motor and wing are a Paramotor brand
paramotor ("Yeah, silly. Like having a Car brand car!"). It's a
beautiful aviation orange FX5 powered by a very sano looking Zanzottera
MZ-34, 310 cc engine. The wing is standard Paramotor issue. Wayne Mitchler
of Skybiker Aviation has looked at it and says it is probably a Trekking
construct. Wayne was puzzled to see the trim line adjusters sewn up (to
prevent adjustment). I am presuming that this is Paramotor's way of keeping
tinkering, first time pilots safe. Can anybody confirm this or let me know
more about why they're sewn up?
- I usually fly at either Apex or Eldorado Dry Lakes
here in Southern Nevada. Before it was outlawed I used to fly Mount
Charleston too.
- I would like to fly at least once a week but with Las Vegas
getting as regulated as Los Angeles that is getting tough.
- I am a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's: Environmental Response Team (contracted out to Lockheed Martin). I
am the T3 Radiation Specialist working as an Environmental Technician. This
is a Homeland Security supported office that responds to potential terrorist
and environmental threats from Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical substances.
It is a cool, but potentially deadly job that lets me work with everything
from spacesuits to armed robots, and remote controlled submarines.
- The thing I like the most about PPG's are their
lightweight portability, ease of storage, and elemental but elegant design.
This opinion comes from 32 years of flying ultralight and experimental
aircraft ranging from hang gliders to the much maligned gyroplane. When I
spent more time worrying about what I may not have safely connected than I
did in just enjoying the experience: it was time to get back to elemental
simplicity!
 My most memorable moment came from a formation flight I
made with my buddy RJ Sadowski. We took off, orbited around each other, and
than landed in unison. RJ died one week later at Cottonwood
Airport, Arizona. Jimmy Vaughn reported that RJ had an awesome but
borderline flight amongst monster thermals. This after launching from Mingus
Mountain (ironically near the charming old ghost town of Jerome, Arizona).
Either that or the midnight flights I used to make up and down the Las Vegas
Strip aboard my foot-launched motorized hang glider ("Yeah! I know
about the obvious FAR violations but heck, I was young, inspired, and
foolish."). I used to fly up to the top of the Sahara Hotel Tower, park
my wing over the huge blowing air conditioners, throttle back and hover:
slowly rotating like a ballerina on a jewel box turntable. That was usually
followed by a high speed lunge towards the tower only to pull out at the
last minute near stall over the penthouse patio (with a dumbstruck,
half-naked, blonde, mouth agape, staring up at me just feet away from her).
I'd then flip a quick wingover and go screaming down the side of the
skyscraper until the built-in recovery system forcefully leveled me out
around 60 miles per hour! Or was it my flight into Black Canyon to get at
least one good picture of the mighty Hoover Dam! I went to a shrink
once in response to some really awful nightmares and uncomfortable feelings
about thunderstorms. I was allegedly hypnotized and regressed back to 1976.
I supposedly recalled an experience in which I was sucked up into a fully
developed summer thunderstorm. I nearly died wrestling my way out of that
aerial maelstrom and then promptly forgot it all for 10 years. Then it
started seeping out in nightmare visions around 1983. I wrote, "The
Edge of Forever" after that. I even produced a dramatized spoken word
version of it complete with a musical soundtrack later. I suppose that was
all therapy for me. I really enjoy thunderstorms now, but I still miss my
late friends. Anyways, due to post 9/11 America, my health, and face
it, my fear: those renegade adventures won't ever happen again.
- I bought my current paramotor from Brian and Bonnie
Paulson. They had bought over $20,000 worth of Paramotor, Inc. products
while living up in Idaho. They were planning on using them in a business
called ParaFlyte Tours. Brian told me he got off one flight in the heavy old
"Paramonster" under the tutelage of his general aviation licensed
uncle. They came to the conclusion that their paramotor dreams were a lot
more demanding than they imagined, moved to wicked Las Vegas, and sold the
whole lot. I bought the majority of it (which even at half
price is a mixed bargain due to some of the peculiar aspects of the
Paramonster). Brian is putting Bonnie through med school now.
- If I could change just one thing about this amazing
activity (that grants its participants a God like ability)? Well, I wish
more PPG pilots would be inclusive towards all other forms of aviation
and vice-versa, more conventional pilots be more interested in all of those
others. Even if you can never participate directly in all of the many other
flavors of flight, an open mind will allow you to at least taste them:
consequently delivering yet more pleasure and an understanding of all the
wonderful machines, people, and visionaries that also fly our Sky's.
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