Explore Your World

Powered parachutes offer you the opportunity to experience the planet like you've never imagined!

Simple Patterns Become Beautiful

Things that are plain on the ground become stunning from above.

Easy to Fly

Simple controls and slower speeds mean you can fly lower like a bird.

Now THAT'S Flying

Speed and altitude are great if you are traveling, but if you are up for the experience, low and slow can't be beat!

Great Training

Powered parachutes are safe, but they are made even safer when the pilot in command is properly trained.

Join us in the Sky!

The opportunity to fly is yours. Easy Flight can help make it happen!

The Adventure

Do you ever look up and wonder what it would be like to fly like a bird? You're not alone!

Unfortunately most people never take to flight because they believe it’s too dangerous, too expensive, or just impossible for them to do. Some people begin learning to fly a 'conventional' airplane and quickly learn that while nice, it does not satisfy that true open-air dream of flight.

As it turns out, powered parachute flight is one of the easiest and safest forms of flight to master and offers the kind of flying experience that is unmatched by other forms of aviation. Powered parachute flight allows pilots to see the world from a low vantage point that is not safely attainable by most fixed-wing airplanes since they are traveling too fast to enjoy the view or avoid obstructions. A powered parachute is the ultimate site-seeing platform that offers you an experience you can share with friends!

Stand Out

The Easy Flight 12-Day Sport Pilot Training Course is not just another vacation holiday. At Easy Flight, you’re training with a goal in mind: becoming a pilot. That earns you membership into an elite group of people.

To put things in perspective, there are only about 500,000 people in America that are licensed to fly anything at all. Of those, only about 1,000 are licensed to fly powered parachutes. Your training will be fun, challenging, and will result in a Federal Aviation Administration pilot certificate that is good for life. How is that for a souvenir from your summer holiday?

Easy Flight has been safely getting people into the sky since 1993. Students have included equipment owners, instructor candidates, equipment maintainers, foreign nationals, and even US Special Operations Forces.

Invest in Yourself

The truth of the matter is that you will spend more time with your instructor learning to fly a powered parachute than the factory spent building it. That time should be quality time that is managed efficiently so that you can learn as much as you can in as short a period of time as possible. Spreading the time required to earn your license out over weeks or months is inefficient and makes little sense when you can quickly complete your training and then enjoy flying your friends and family both legally and safely. Don’t give yourself a chance to get discouraged with long training times. Studies have shown that extended training periods discourage students and sometimes cause them to give up before training is completed. This doesn’t have to happen to you! When you’re finished with the 12-Day School, you’ll have the satisfaction of having accomplished something very few people in life get to accomplish: you will be a pilot!

Powered Parachute Sport Pilot, Private Pilot, Repairman Training, Equipment & More

Sport Pilot in 12 Days!

If you have purchased or are considering purchasing a powered parachute; training and licensing is something that should be on your mind. The only way you can legally fly a two seat powered parachute is with an FAA Pilot Certificate.

Until now, getting that certificate has been a hassle if you were just starting out in the sport. The small number of certified flight instructors and inefficient training practices have made it difficult for students to get their licenses. This changes with a program offered by Easy Flight. Now you are able to go from 0 flight time to a powered parachute endorsed sport pilot in only 12 days.

Learn More About the 12-Day Course

2017 Training Schedule

2012 promises to be a great training year for powered parachutes and we hope that you can be a big part of it. Of course Sport Pilot remains the most economical and quick way to get an FAA license for a powered parachute. For those just starting out in aviation, you will be glad to know that there is a 12 Day class scheduled in July and another in September.

We also provide on an appointment basis:

Discovery Training Flights
Flight Reviews
Check Rides
Proficiency Checks
Night Training
Preparation for Private Pilot Ratings

For those wanting to get their maintenance inspection ratings for powered parachutes or trikes, 16 hour courses are offered in the fall.

See the Schedule

First Gold Seal CFI

On February 25th, 2007, Roy Beisswenger became the first sport pilot flight instructor to earn a gold seal flight instructor certificate from the FAA. Gold seal flight instructor certificates acknowledge flight instructors who have maintained a high level of flight training activity and who meet special criteria.

Roy Beisswenger also attended the very first FAA Designated Pilot Examiner class in Sebring, Florida in January of 2005. He is now the most senior DPE for powered parachutes in the country as well as one of the very first licensed pilots and certified flight instructors for the sport of powered parachuting. Roy has been training people to fly powered parachutes since 1993 and holds all of the ratings possible to be held for powered parachutes.

Learn More

About the Equipment

Buyer Alert!

If you are just getting into the sport, be aware that there are manufacturers that are producing aircraft that just aren't legal to fly in the United States. Only newly produced two seat powered parachutes from Powrachute, Six Chuter, Soaring Concepts, Infinity, Predator and Summit have so far met the ASTM standards and are authorized to produce Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) powered parachutes.

But remember, if the machine you want to purchase isn't already N-numbered and it:

has two seats
or has over 5 gallons of fuel capacity
or has an empty weight of over 254 lbs.

then it is not legal to fly in the United States. In other words, if the machine isn't N-numbered, it had better fit the definition of an ultralight. There are some dealers, owners, and even manufacturers who will try to sell you something that isn't legal to fly.

In some cases the seller may not be aware of the new rules. In other cases, they may be aware of the rules, but don't think they apply to them. (Sorry, there really isn't such a thing as a 'two seat powered paraglider trike' in the USA. Those machines are also considered powered parachutes by the FAA.) Unfortunately, in many cases sellers just want to unload their equipment or make a buck off of someone who doesn't know any better. Don't be that person.

Performance Designs Wings

If you need a replacement canopy for your powered parachute, Easy Flight is the place to go! Easy Flight is a US distributor for Performance Designs Paragliders. Performance Designs builds the canopy that others try to copy but can't duplicate. Do not settle for a lesser canopy. If you already fly a powered parachute, you know how important your canopy is, don't skimp! If you want to trade in your old PD canopy for a new color or style, we can help you there, too..

Standard colors are always kept in stock, but you can design your own wing, too. And you can have it built for no extra charge. Of course there is a waiting time while the custom parachute is built.

Some people would like to own a 'logo chute' so that they can share their message with the world. Whether the design is a fun one like a 'Red Baron' motif, a religous message, a logo, or a web address, Performance Designs can build it into a parachute.

And 'build the design in' is what they do. Instead of painting a design onto the parachute, PD cuts the design out of parachute fabric and builds it into the parachute skin, itself. That way the design lasts as long as the parachute does, doesn't flake, and doesn't degrade the strength of the parachute.

Performance Designs offers two designs for powered parachutes. The Sunriser 500 and 550 are for two seat machines and the Barnstormer 360 and 400 are for single seat powered parachutes. Test

Learn More

Roy's Powered Parachute Book

New for 2015 is Roy's Powered Parachute Book. Based on exerience gained from 20+ years of powered parachute instruction, this book is the ultimate textbook for powered parachute instruction.

Roy's Powered Parachute Book is organized to help you not only learn how to fly, but also to help you pass your FAA practical test for your sport pilot powered parachute license.

470 Pages
Over 450 Photos and Illustrations
Large 9" x 12" Format

Visit PoweredParachuteBook.com

Powered Parachute Piloting Options

Powered parachuting offers a variety of ways to get involved. That's because not only can you fly powered parachutes as an ultralight, sport, or private pilot. your experience in aviation may be very rich or this may be your first effort at leaving the ground. In order to try to address the different possibilities, tour the different options below.

Piloting Options & Training

Tandem Flight—How to Get Started!

The best way to get introduced to the sport of powered parachuting is to fly in one! If you have a friend who owns one, take him up on the offer to go flying. If someone nearby isn't available, you can also go through a tandem training flight. One of the Easy Flight instructors can take you up for a half hour or hour flight showing you the fun and ease of our kind of flying. It also gives you a chance to get used to flying in a very open cockpit! Better yet, the training time with an instructor is time that can be logged towards your pilot license. And, with Easy Flight, we deduct the price of the introductory training from the price of the course.

Generally tandem flights are conducted on weekends. However, if you would like to fly during the week, we can usually accommodate your schedule. In any case, it is always best to call ahead for an appointment. That way we can make certain to do the final coordination needed.

All you need to do is call or E-mail Easy Flight with your flying plans. Most flights begin a couple of hours before sunset, but sunrise flights are also available for the early birds.

After you have your appointment, we should stay in touch the day of your flight to make sure that the weather will hold for us. For a look at forecast winds for tonight, check out the link below. Like most weather tools, it is not always right, but it tries really hard.

Looking forward to hearing from you!.

Ultralight Pilot

The ultralight rules are spelled out in Part 103 of the Federal Aviation Regulations or FAR's. The rules allow for some of the most free flying in the world, although it is restricted to single place operations. Ultralight powered parachutes may also be known as powered paraglider trikes or paramotors, with the largest differences being in the control systems and power available. Conventional powered parachutes usually have a little more power (normally two cylinder motors vs. one cylinder motors) and use foot steering rather than hand steering.

Training to become an ultralight powered parachute pilot is more about safety than earning a license, especially since there is no license to earn! Training should begin with dual training, which is why it is always good to seek out a powered parachute CFI for your initial training. They can take you flying allow you to control the aircraft and prepare you to solo your own powered parachute. Make sure that you log that time with your instructor, too. That's because that training time can be applied towards a Sport Pilot certificate if you some day want to advance in the sport.

Sport Pilot Powered Parachute

Becoming a Sport Pilot Means Becoming an Accomplished Pilot

The biggest benefit to becoming a sport pilot is the ability to take friends and family along for the ride. Many of us not only enjoy flight, but want to share the experience with others. Two seat powered parachutes and the sport pilot rules allow that to happen. Of course becoming a Sport Pilot is a lot more rigourous than becoming an ultralight pilot. After all, when you are taking someone with you, the FAA wants to make sure that you meet some kind of qualifications.

If you are just starting out in powered parachutes and you don't have any FAA licenses yet, the whole training and licensing process can seem a little daunting. It doesn't have to be. Flying a powered parachute is one of the easiest skills to pick up while at the same time being very rewarding. But while the skill of flying can be picked up quickly, powered parachutes still share the sky with plenty of other aircraft and their pilots need to know the 'rules of the road'. That is where training and licensing come in. Visit "Becoming a Sport Pilot Powered Parachute" to learn more.

Becoming a Sport Pilot

Private Pilot Powered Parachute

Being a Sport Pilot for powered parachutes satisfies the flying needs of most pilots. After all, the big benefit is to take someone along for the flight. Private pilot offers some additional advantages, mostly being the ability to fly at night, flying powered parachutes with more than two seats (Yes, they exist!) and being able to fly at higher altitudes. Some people just want to possess one of the most exotic ratings in the FAA inventory!

Whatever your motivation, Easy Flight can help you become a Private Pilot for powered parachutes. The best approach is to earn your Sport Pilot rating first because the total time needed to become a private pilot for powered parachutes is 25 hours, which is quite a lot of flying. Since much of that time can be done solo, it makes sense to earn the Sport Pilot endorsement, go home and fly, and come back to finish up the private pilot certificate.

Learn more about Private Pilot Powered Parachute

Transition from Private Pilot Airplane

If you are already an airplane pilot (or glider pilot or hot air balloon pilot or weight shift control pilot, or gyroplane pilot or helicopter pilot for that matter) the transition to becoming a powered parachute pilot is pretty simple if you want to fly with sport pilot privileges. If you want to fly as a private pilot, there is a little more work to do.

If you are wanting to fly as a sport pilot, you don't have to take a knowledge test, fly lots of hours with a powered parachute CFI, or visit a designated pilot examiner (DPE). All you need to do is train with one powered parachute CFI until that CFI is confident that you are safe, competent, and ready to take a proficiency test. Then that CFI provides you with a recommendation to another CFI who uses the practical test standards to administer a proficiency check. If you pass the check, you get signed off with sport pilot powered parachute privileges.

If you already have a private certificate, you may want to get a private rating in powered parachutes. Check out the link below to discover more of your options.

Private Pilot Options

Practical Test

The Practical Test is the last step to becoming a sport pilot, private pilot, or flight instructor. There aren't many powered parachute examiners out there (only 22 nationwide) and not all of them are always active. That means that after working with your local flight instructor, you may be taking a roadtrip to visit with a DPE to complete your journey to pilot. It's important that you go prepared, because your examiner is prohibited from training you during the test. He (and yes, all 22 are he) can only administer the test.

Before you make an appointment with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) there are things you can do to best prepare yourself for the powered parachute check flight. Visit the link below to help get yourself prepared!

Expect to spend about half a day on the practical test including both the oral and flying portions. Closer to a full day for the CFI practical test. Naturally, that kind of commitment is not done on a 'walk-in' basis. You should be coordinating with your DPE well before you arrive for your appointment.

Preparing for the Checkride

Become an Instructor

Some of the most important people in the sport of powered parachuting are the flight instructors. Without flight instructors, we can't train new pilots and get more people interested in the sport. Powered parachute instructors often end up also being regional experts in the sport, being the go-to folks for questions about flying, regulations, maintenance and more. It ends up being a natural requirement most aircraft manufacturers have for someone becoming a dealer for them. After all, the person selling the powered parachute will probably be the person whom the customer goes to for instruction. Even if your interest is simply in helping other people —and perhaps that's the best reason— you should consider becoming a powered parachute flight instructor.

Like becoming a pilot, there is more than one way to become a powered parachute flight instructor. If you are already a flight instructor, then the transition is pretty easy. It is similar to the transition process for an airplane pilot becoming a powered parachute pilot. If you aren't a flight instructor now, there are some requirements (including flight time, knowledge tests, and a check ride) that the FAA needs you to complete before you can begin teaching others.

Roy Beisswenger is one of only a dozen examiners in the country who are authorized by the FAA to administer the Sport Pilot Powered Parachute CFI Practical Test. If you want to begin helping others get into the sky, Easy Flight is the place to go. He can advise you on the steps to take to become an instructor. However, a good starting place is the link below.

Become a PPC CFI

16 Hour Maintenance Inspection Course

If you own a two-seat powered parachute, chances are that it was certified as an 'Experimental-Light Sport Aircraft' or E-LSA. The good news is that the FAA already allows you (or anyone else) to perform any needed maintenance on your experimental aircraft. However, once a year every aircraft needs an annual inspection in order for it to be considered airworthy. If you own an E-LSA powered parachute, you can visit an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, a Light Sport Repairman Maintenance mechanic or —with proper training and certification— you can do the inspection yourself.

The process is not that difficult. FAA regulation §65.107 allows the owner of an Experimental Light-Sport Aircraft to earn a Repairman (LSA) Inspection rating by attending an FAA accepted course. Successful completion of the course allows you to perform the annual condition inspection on any Experimental-LSA powered parachute you own now or in the future.

The courses only take 16-hours to complete and are normally held over the weekend to make it easier to fit into aircraft owners' schedules. The class goes over the regulations and information you need to perform your annual inspection.

If you would like to get your certificate for inspecting your own powered parachute, contact Easy Flight and ask to be put on a contact list.

For more information or to sign up for the course, visit here or call 1-877-735-9572.

Visit the Schedule

Designated Airworthiness Representative

If you purchase a new powered parachute or other Special or Experimental Light Sport Aircraft, you may need an airworthiness inspection if the factory does not do it for you. Easy Flight is the only DAR location for E-LSA and S-LSA Powered Parachutes, Airplanes, and Weight Shift Control aircraft in Southern Illinois. If you need an aircraft inspection you can get it done here.

DAR Services

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