Hello Everybody,

Three things”¦

Firstly, Thank you to all of you who sent me information on what turned out to have been a powered parachute flying at up to 3,000 feet near my emergency landing ground at Port Kennedy Golf Course.Here’s some detailed info from Matt Haunold”¦

Secondly, See some information below about the presence of Powered Paragliders (PPG) in the Serpentine area. This information is meant to assist pilots with the habits of the PPG and is not limited to all I mention below which is why I mention “usually” a lot. I strongly recommend staying vigilant in the Secret Harbour area and along the coastline at or below 1500′. There is a group called the WA Sky Pirates and they have land use permits to launch and land at the mentioned sites below. They are a good bunch who are always willing to work with all levels of aviation to ensure everyone’s safety. The governing body is Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA)

PPGs  come in 2 formats. Foot launched and wheelbase. Typically most pilots fly a foot launched unit which essentially is a seated harness with a 180cc engine mounted on the back as a “pusher”. They would pull up their wings like a kite in the wind then run into the wind with the motor pushing them as well until they get airborne. I will link in a video to give you some perspective.

The wings

The wings used are derived from free flight paragliders and have a wide range of performance depending on the level of the wing. The most advanced pylon racing wings have a capability to fly at just over 100kph on the “speed bar” and the slowest could be 15-20kph.  Paramotor wings are usually heavier in design and have a capability to introduce reflex into the wing which stabilizes the leading edge somewhat and provides additional stability in thermic and turbulent conditions.

Where they fly

There are 2 launch sites near Serpentine, one is the Lark Hill sporting complex on the north end (the horse race course near Port Kennedy) and the other is the southern end of Lake Wallyungup. Depending on the weather they would usually head direct to the coast after take-off then track north or south.  North track is possible to fly up to Scarborough or even further and South usually never goes further than Dawesville.  Usually the first leg is into wind to make the home leg quicker.

Altitude flown

Usually between 300-1,000 feet when tracking along the coast but sometimes they like to climb up to 3,000′ for something different which is usually above or close to the launch/landing area. I have assurances from them that if they are going to fly above 1,500′ then they will be vigilant with radio calls to keep other aircraft informed. Years ago we had no minimum height limit but now the min is 300′ unless it’s in an approved area where lower is permitted and no persons are at risk.

Weather and Time

The wings are very susceptible to thermic and turbulent conditions so it’s very rare for anyone to fly near the coast unless there is a westerly component in the wind. The wind also needs to be 10kts or lower to allow a safe launch. Most flying is done late afternoon as temps cool. 1530hrs or later is usually the favoured time when the air settles but the occasional morning flight does happen also. Morning flights are generally over by 11am if the pilot wants to brave the turbulent crossing from the coast back to Lark Hill. If there are any winds without a westerly component or above 10kts then it’s not likely to expect to see a PPG flying but it’s also not impossible.

Communication

Pilots flying around the Serpentine area are usually on the edge of the CTAF so they do their best to communicate their intentions on 135.25 as they have found most aircraft that do represent conflict with them are on this frequency. Due to the nature of the machines, the radios are usually set to a frequency and stowed so frequency changes can be difficult for some and impossible for others.

If you encounter a PPG in flight just do the usual see and avoid. Ideally be conscious of wake turbulence that you are creating as it does not take much to affect these wings greatly. The worst case scenario for them is an asymmetric collapse and loss of control due to wake turbulence. I have had a helicopter come over for a look once while I was flying and it made me very nervous.

“¦and finally, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and let’s hope we all have lots of delightful and safe flying in 2026.

All the very best, Bob