Ever wanted to get into paramotors?
Paramotors are one of the purest forms of flight. Living in the Pacific Northwest in the Seattle area gives us an especially beautiful location to experience it. If you have wanted to try it yourself but aren’t sure (or just want to learn more about it before taking the leap), you have found the right place. Iris Paramotor now offers instructional/introductory tandem flights to teach people about this wonderful form of aviation. An experienced certified tandem pilot will show you the basics about how paramotors work, take you up on a 20-40 minute flight and even let you take control of the glider (if the conditions permit it). We will also show you some of our paramotors (as well as other brands) and when you are done with your flight, give you an option to connect to one of the local instructors.
Where will the flight happen?
The primary location for a tandem flight is our home airport in Arlington, WA. There are several other locations in the Seattle area that can be used as alternatives and other (further) locations can be accommodated at extra cost. These include Centralia, Woodland, Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Cashmere, Ocean Shores and Moses Lake.
Please note that all locations are weather and season dependent. We do not schedule specific dates/times and will need to connect several times to establish a flyable window that works with your schedule and follow up a few hours before the flight. Also, sometimes conditions can simply change. It’s very possible to end up in the field and the wind is stronger than forecasted.
How much does it cost?
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Introductory Flight $195
A basic 20-40 minute flight that will teach you about paramotoring and give you a chance to control the paraglider.
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Longer/Scenic Instructional Flight $245
Same as above but you will also get to experience some stunning scenery such as the Puget Sound shoreline, mountains, wetlands.
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Special Clinics $150-$200
We want to help existing pilots build their skills. If you are an existing pilot and either struggling with a specific area of flying or want to learn new skills under supervision, this is a great option for you.
What will I experience?
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Learn the basics about how paramotors/paragliders work
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Ask questions from an experienced tandem pilot
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Fly in a beautiful area with many stunning sights
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Experience a 30+ minute flight (condition dependent)
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Learn how to control the wing/motor (if conditions allow it)
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Learn about different types of paramotoring and equipment
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Learn about pricing and best training paths
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We will apply the tandem flight cost toward gear purchase
Passenger Requirements
Although there is virtually no physical limitation for who can become a paramotor pilot, there are physical limitations for being able to perform a safe tandem flight. Please understand that these limitations are the physical limitation of the equipment and they are not meant to be discriminatory in any way or to discourage anyone from paramotoring. We know pilots that weight well above 300lbs and in poor health that make exceptional pilots. With certain types of weather conditions it is possible to extend these limitations but it may mean flying in a different location or more turbulent conditions.
For most passengers, a tandem trike flight is the safer and more appropriate way to experience paramotoring. It does not require the passenger to do much except follow direction when needed during setup and when time comes to take over control.
Foot launch tandems are absolutely magical but they are a real team effort and are very limited to the passenger/instructor size and physical abilities. Both the pilot and passenger must coordinate together during all phases of flight and the passenger must be able to understand and follow directions. To maintain safety, the instructor can at any point of the process decide to switch to a trike.
Foot Launch
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Max weight: 190lbs
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Max height: 6'2
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Good physical health
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No history of motion sickness
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Ability to run fast
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Strong ability to follow directions
Trike
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Max weight: 220lbs
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Reasonably good physical health
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No history of motion sickness
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Strong ability to follow directions
Already a pilot?
We offer specialized 1-on-1 instructional clinics to further build your skill. Ever wanted to learn how to search for thermals and fly your motor with the engine off? Want to learn about active piloting? Want to practice safety by doing a simulated emergency situations (motor outs)? Want to better your landing approaches? Please don’t hesitate to talk to us. Teaching existing pilots extra new skills and helping with progression is the primary reason Iris Paramotor got into tandems.
Sign Up for your Tandem Flight
Important Note:
Please understand that flying Paramotors is very weather dependent and we cannot schedule flights more than a few days in advance. We will need to pick a window with you and watch the forecast for the best day/time to fly. We usually fly evenings within a couple of hours of sunset. We also cannot guarantee that the weather forecast pans out. It’s entirely possible we will need to wait or even reschedule the day if the weather is not cooperating.
