5015 in Poland

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

As of now, Marcin Okrój has the unofficial Polish altitude record for foot-launched PPG. He used for his flight a Plus 30 (similarly to Karen Skinner in her altitude record) and EcExtreme paramotor.
The flight took place on 23rd August. Marcin launched soon after 6 pm in good meteorological conditions: 4-5 m/s wind, temperature slightly over 27 degrees Centigrade. His first 1000 m Marcin climbed in 25 minutes, but each following meter came increasingly harder to win. Temperature was falling 6 degrees for kilometer, so that at maximum altitude the instruments registered -9,4 Celsius. The wind was strong enough to carry Marcin over 25 km away from the airfield (some 10 m/s at 5000 m). All in all, the climb took 1 hour 45 minutes. 

All the gear passed the exam with flying colours. It consisted of Vittorazi Moster engine with Helix propeller (attack angle 0,7) completed by EC Extreme company and Dudek Paragliders Plus, size 30.

Marcin Okrój recalls:

While climbing presnted a thrill and opportunity to test my skills, it was the descent that proved to be the real challenge. It took over an hour to lose the altitude and I was forced to land in Kalisz at dusk. My friends encouraged me all the time and helped a lot by stationing several cars with their lights switched on for safe landing.