Paramotor

The term was first used by Englishman Mike Byrne in 1980[1] and popularized in France around 1986 when La Mouette began adapting power to the then-new paraglider wings.

Unlike unpowered paragliding, launching from an elevation or catching thermal columns to ascend are not required.

The angle of attack can also be adjusted by a pulley-style system activated by a bar pushed by the pilot's feet, called a speedbar.

Once kiting the wing on the ground is mastered, the motor is added to the process to practice with the weight of the paramotor included.

Paramotoring has evolved, and as of the 2020s many advanced pilots perform extreme maneuvers such as wing-overs, barrel rolls and loops.

[citation needed] These types of maneuvers present a significant danger, as if the wing is subjected to negative G it will unload, allowing its lines to go slack, losing lift.

These maneuvers are typically practiced only by very advanced pilots, who wear a reserve parachute to use in case of loss of control.