Map Example

Pilot Information

Key information for pilots and teams can be found here.

This page provides useful information for pilots, to support and expand on the published local regulations and task catalogue.

A more detailed FAQ section with specific relation to the tasks will be published here soon.

Competition Entry

The Championships are open to all Active Member and Associate Member countries of FAI who may enter: 6 male pilots plus one female pilot in the PF1 and PL1 classes. Therefore a team size is maximum 6 pilots in any class if all pilots on that team are male, but 7 if at least one female pilot is included in the team.
– Entries must be made on the official Entry Form.
– If applications, with fees paid, are not received by 29/07/24, the entry may be refused.

The entry fee is:
– £500 for pilot in each class if paid before 30/04/2024, £600 thereafter.
– £100 for each Team Leader and accompanying persons (team assistants).

The entry fee includes:
– Competition operations (setting, controlling and evaluating the tasks)
– All competition materials (maps, task descriptions, control point atlases, etc.)
– Loan of one Flymaster Live Tracker (logger) for scoring
– Free use of the airport and free entry to all official events.
– Camping place for each team with water, electricity, shower & toilet facilities
– One official competition T Shirt
– Celebration meal on final evening after award ceremony.

The entry fee is to be transferred to the designated account before competition entry is confirmed. Account details will be provided with registration forms.

Competition Format

The ‘endurance’ competition format has been extensively tested in British National Paramotor Championships since 2018. This event is a unique first time for it to be delivered at World Championship, FAI Cat 1, level. The full task catalogue, and local regulations for the event, can be downloaded here.

Fundamentally, the competition is a series of navigational and piloting challenges, many of which can be attempted at any point during the allowed flying hours of the competition, which takes place over a period of several days. Further bonus points can be gained by collecting turn points en route to and from the precision tasks. Pilots are permitted a maximum number of flying hours each day, within a longer flying window that utilises the majority of daylight hours. Pilots may make any number of flights and refuelling stops within each daily flying period. Pilots will normally conclude their day’s flying by returning to the airfield; occasionally an alternative final landing point may be briefed if windy conditions dictate. Careful flight and weather planning across the period of the competition is therefore essential, as is equipment selection to maximise the distance/fuel economy balance of long distance flight.

Competition Maps

The competition will use the Ordnance Survey 1:50 000 Landranger map, scaled to 1:66,666 (1.5cm to 1km). These will be printed on A3 size paper and a set of 6 maps will be issued to each pilot and team leader during registration. Pilots may also request the same maps, scaled to 1:100,000 (1cm to 1km) if they wish. An example of this map, with a representative task route, is shown below.

Map-example

Competitors can purchase digital copies of the Ordnance survey basemap (excluding any task detail) from Memory Map through this link. This is recommended because the software will allow you to scale the map to 1:66 666 before you print it.

Hard copies of the map, at 1:50 000 scale, can be purchased from Ordnance Survey through this link, map number 189.

Trackers

All pilots will be issued with a Flymaster Tracker for the event, and a charger cable. It is the responsibility of the pilot to ensure that you are familiar with the operation of the trackers to ensure that they are switched on and transmitting, and to keep them charged. During navigation tasks, the pilot locations will be broadcast live through the live tracking page of this website. Pilots are strongly advised to carry a second backup tracker of their own; the competition organisation accept no responsibility for loss of track data due to error or failure of the devices that we issue. Any GPS tracking device that is CIMA approved is acceptable – but if it contains a screen to aid navigation, it must be sealed in a bag by marshals before takeoff. It is the pilots responsibility to ensure that they bring appropriate connection cables / software etc to enable us to read the data off their device if needed.

Additional backup trackers will be available for pilots to rent at a cost of £20 for the event. An option to book this will be provided on the pilot registration form. These are offered subject to availability, and on a first-come, first served basis.

No electronic aids to navigation are permitted to be carried by pilots. Mobile phones, back-up GPS, etc must be sealed in a bag by marshals before each flight. The organisation team will conduct occasional random spot checks for such hidden devices, on pilots who are on the deck ready to fly or landing from tasks.

Insurance

Third party liability insurance of minimum £1,300,000 (or equivalent currency) is obligatory. This is a requirement, in order for the championship organisers to be granted their own insurance for the event. Personal accident insurance for team members and insurance against damage to aircraft are highly recommended. Documentary proof of insurance as specified on the Entry Form must be presented to the organisers at registration or provided digitally in advance. 

£1.3 Million is aligned with the €1.5m cover that competitors may take out through Flyinsure / AXA. Details available here:
https://www.flyinsure.eu/english/index.html

Any pilots who do not hold a policy providing at least £1.3 Million third party liability cover for paramotoring will be required to take out BHPA day (“introductory”) membership each morning before they undertake flying activities.  Each introductory membership is valid on the day of issue only.  The cost per day will be £29.

This can be arraged through the one-day membership form on the BHPA website that can be used by overseas competitors in UK competitions.  Membership (and insurance) is only valid for the day on which the pilot applies and pays. Therefore all pilots who choose to use this option must inform the organisers that they are doing so, and marshals will be checking that this has been arranged, each morning before the pilot is allowed to take off.

Application form is available through this link.

Accommodation

Camping on the airfield is available free of charge for all registered competitors, team leaders, and team assistants, and teams are encouraged to use this as their primary choice for accommodation. A campsite space will be allocated to each team. Full facilities (toilets / showers) will be available on site, and a full catering service provided for breakfast / lunch / dinner (to pay by the meal or as a package).
Team marquees may be rented by prior booking through the organisation at additional cost. Details on this will be provided with the booking form. A power supply will be made available with an outlet to all team marquees.
Details of alternative local accommodation for pilots who do not wish to camp, are provided on the visitor information page.

Catering

Food and drink will be provided on site by a food van and a bar.  The same caterers provided for our recent British Open Paramotor Championship on the same site, and were popular with pilots. Food can be bought by the meal directly from the caterers, or in advance for a set price of £22.50 per day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Details of how to buy in advance will be circulated to team leaders.

Menu examples are:
Breakfasts:
Choices of cereals or toast + Jam. Bacon / sausage / egg / combination sandwich. Prices £4-6, tea / coffee £2.
Lunches:
Choice of sandwiches: Ham salad, cheese, cheese & pickle, tuna mayonnaise, egg mayonnaise, cheese & ham salad + crisps + fruit + cold drink / tea / coffee. Price £7.50
Evening meals:
Range of main meals different each evening, with both vegetarian and meat options, and salad.
Examples:
Beef burger / chicken burger & chips, chicken curry & rice, lasagne, cajun chicken, Thai green curry & rice, BBQ, 
Quiche & potatoes, Greek salad, halloumi wraps, vegetable kebabs
Prices £11-13 per meal.

Briefings

A primary objective of this competition format is to minimise briefings. Therefore, the primary and most extensive briefing for team leaders and/or competitors will be held on the day preceding the first flights of the competition. At this briefing, detailed maps containing the precision routes will be distributed to competitors.

A further short briefing will be held in the evening of each flying day for information updates. The time and place for briefing meetings and any postponements will be prominently displayed; There may also be short briefings at other times as weather and conditions dictate.

All briefings will be in English and be recorded in notes, by tape recorder or video. A full task description, meterological information, flight safety requirements, penalties and details of any prohibited or restricted flying areas will be given in writing, as a minimum, to team leaders, Jury members and Stewards.

Flying hours

Competition flying will normally take place between 07:00 and 21:00 daily, throughout each day of the competition. Shorter windows for particular activity or task types within this period will be briefed.

A maximum total number of navigation airtime hours a pilot may fly for any particular competition day will be defined by the director at the evening briefing the night before. This will be based on weather forecasts, and will be no more than five hours in any one day. Pilots should note that the flight window will normally be longer than the maximum permitted airtime hours, to allow pilots to choose the best period of weather to fly in.

Airtime will be computed automatically from the GPS track, and there will be a penalty for exceeding this. The computation of airtime shall be defined as the time between the first time a pilot crosses one of the defined SL/FL points after take-off, and the final time that they pass an SL/FL before landing. This rule is in place for safety reasons, because it removes any incentive to rush a landing approach in order to avoid penalties for a late return. For pilots who fail to cross the SL/FL on either their outbound or return flights, their flight time will be computed from the precise moments of take-off and landing at the airfield, and all points gained on that particular flight will be subject to a 20% penalty.