The #1 selling brand Powered Paraglider & Paramotor equipment in America!
What Others are saying about ParaToys
We've pulled together some of the emails and letters we've received over the years.
We will update this as we receive new ones.
As you can imagine, there's quite a difference between the Skycruiser and the Talon. Launching the Talon requires a hell of a lot less space. It's like being strapped to the front of a bus - lots of thrust. I really don't need this much thrust (I weigh 168lbs) but, I like having a motor that doesn't have to work hard all the time like my MZ100 does. I flew for an hour last night. No wind at all - none, and I expected a difficult launch. But, this thing snatched my ass off the ground and I was gone. When it hits the power band, the thrust hammers you and I may have pissed myself just a little bit. So far, I think I like this thing. Later on, I might get a quad to attach it to. I've never flown a quad and would like to try it now that I have a paramotor with enough power. Well, thats my report on the Talon. Hope you're getting some good air this year.
Jeff Osborne
I'm back home and finally getting to fly my new BlackHawk quad after several weeks of high wind and bad weather. I absolutely love it! I am so glad I finally made the decision to do this. Flying has been a life long dream of mine that I thought I could never afford. I originally started checking into ultra light pricing or a trike (powered hang glider). Then I remembered seeing a powered paraglider flying a few years ago and thought I would check into that. Well, after about two weeks of researching dealers, pricing and safety specs. Oh, and countless videos on the web, I decided to go with ParaToys and gave Mike a call. He was friendly, very knowledgeable and my excitement for this sport grew even more. I couldn't even sleep at night after I arranged the date with Mike to come to Valley Springs to get trained. I just decided that I was tired of life passing me by with always the excuse of "I can't afford it". So, I put it on my credit card and said "I'm gonna start living my dream". And God am I glad I did! My only regret is that I didn't do it years ago. The ranch at ParaToys is just beautiful. I can't think of a better place to be trained. I remember my first flight (I will always remember that) and looking down at the trees right after lift off and thinking how it looked like model train set scenery. I was in complete awe of my surroundings and the fact that I was the one in control. I was emotionally overwhelmed. It was the third greatest day of my life (the first and second was the birth of my two sons). I couldn't have done it without the training and patience from Rick Hallowes. My warmest thanks will always go out to him. You will never forget the people that helped make your dream come true. I also appreciate the use of Rick and Pam's home while I was in training. They are good people. In fact, all of the people I met at ParaToys were very friendly and receptive to all of my newbie questions that they have answered a thousand times for others no doubt. The only problem I had with any of my gear was the 'A' assist on my quad came off the mount so Mike gave me one off of his quad. The engine has been running great. I was told I got the first blue anodized engine, and it looks as awesome as it sounds. I am very glad Mike talked me into the 313cc. This engine has so much power and I am saving my $ now for a bigger wing so I can convert to tandem as well. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for buying my ppg and not something else. About four week ago at the dry lake bed right outside of Las Vegas here, an ultra-light aircraft crashed the weekend I was going to fly my ppg. Unfortunately the pilot of that aircraft died. It was on all the news channels here as witnesses described how the aircraft seemed to stall and then just nose dive. I didn't fly that weekend out of respect and not wanting to get caught up in a media circus. But, it just made me even more thankful I bought the safest form of personal aircraft there is. My gratitude goes out to all of you at ParaToys and I hope to see you all soon at the fly-ins!!!
Best Regards,
William Baby
William Baby put this video together for us in thanks and to document the training process. Enjoy.
I've only been flying since April of 2009. Before then I had been collecting information on all the paramotors out there, and I still have that folder. Just to be clear, I had been looking at powered paragliders for 7 freaking years. That gave me more than enough time to look all things over. Your right, I could have bought this one or I could have bought that one. Why did I go with ParaToys and BlackHawk? My decision rested on the fact that their engines have a 2 year warrantee, they stand by their product, the engine is perfect on both takeoffs and landings. Why? At every level possible the engine runs smooth as can be. When I want power, it's there to respond quickly and I'm a big guy at 240 pounds. I haven't had a single problem yet in the over 30 flights that I've logged so far. Recently I added an additional 2 gal tank, cross countries are a blast, especially when you can trust your engine. I opted to go with the quad unit known as the, BlackHawk LowBoy II. I'm just one that doesn’t want to do that running around crap, especially when it's dead calm. You would have to work a lot hard to tip this unit over. The fact that it's light weight combined with the MZ-34 makes gaining altitude a breeze. Not all my landings have been perfect. In fact some of them have been down right ugly. the stability of the LowBoy II quad is unreal. OK, here it is, at one of the fly-ins I crash landed in a wood pile, bad judgment on my part. What damage was done to me and the cage or quad? none!
Hope to see ya in the air, if not, maybe you should consider a BlackHawk.
Scott Daniels
Sacramento, California
A friend of mine purchased a new BH 313 with a Rhino cage and picked it up at
the show. Although he had a few issues with the starter at first, Mike and his
staff worked tirelessly until his unit was ready to fly. They even offered to
give him another new unit, but he patiently waited until they had it fixed.
They were genuinely concerned about taking care of the problems and making sure
he was happy. Even Leon Massa from the Compact Radial Engines was there to make
sure the problems were resolved. My friend is now the new ParaToys dealer for
Tennessee!
I was so impressed with the hospitality Mike showed to us, and the time that Bob
spent with me the year before, I sold one of my units and bought a new BH 313
and Rhino cage at the show and had it shipped home. When it arrived, I found
that UPS had damaged the frame during shipping. I contacted Mike and he
immediately contacted UPS and had it picked up and he sent me new unit. Within
a short time I had it mounted to my TrikeBuggy Bullet and I was in the air.
To Bob, Mike, Michelle, and the whole ParaToys crew, THANK YOU! I wish you all
the very best success in your new endeavors and thank you for your dedication
and continued contributions to this wonderful sport of Powered Paragliding!
Very Best Wishes,
David Schultz
It was nice to meet you last weekend…always good to put a face to a name. You've got a great a place, and the improvements you're doing will make it that much more enticing to train and fly at your ranch…I am looking forward to visiting again!
I'd like to express to you what a great experience I had training with Rick Hallowes! My wife and I were warmly greeted by Rick upon our arrival at his home. He had all of my equipment, that I would be taking home, laid-out and described the unfamiliar items to me. As you know we got off to a slow start with the broken axle on the quad, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time watching you and the other pilots flying about.
Although I felt my progression was relatively slow (given my past experience with free-flight), Rick was very kind with his patience and diligence. His knowledge and experience on both the equipment and his ability to convey procedures was greatly appreciated. He was able to make the most use of our time with taxiing during the calmer parts of the days and teaching about the equipment and kiting during the windier conditions. Alas, during the final hours I was able to get aloft! What a great time! It took a few minutes to get the feel of a different wing and a motor, but Rick coached me through it with ease. We were able to perform a couple of low level fly-bys and landings before darkness set upon the field. Rick also took several pictures which he has since e-mailed me. Good memories!
Hope to fly with you soon,
Mike Flowers
I want to give a big thank you to Rick and Mike of ParaToys for helping me fulfill my life long dream of flying, a feeling I can’t begin to explain.
Rick's instruction is very well laid out and precise with safety number 1, not to mention Rick’s patients. I was made to feel like part of the family. Mike’s products are the best out there. Having health problems, the quad made flying possible for me, Mike’s ranch is the most relaxing place to fly and camp while watching the horses and cattle grazing or flying over the lake. Mike and Rick and the ParaToys family are the best.
Doug Smith
(view the actual letter)
I am not a pilot with a lot of experience but do know the difference of a quality product. On my trike, I struggled with launches for some time because of a frame that flexed and not having the stability of a fourth wheel. When the frame on my trike flexed the risers moved and the wing would start to fall in one direction or the other. I learned to overcome the flex with braking but knew this was not something that I should have to deal with. In addition, when launching in winds of more that 2-3 miles per hour, the lines would flex the cage towards the prop. There were a couple of times when this occurred and I nicked the tip of the prop. One other irritant I had with my previous unit was the motor. The mid throttle, or cruising speed on the simonini motor ran rough no matter what I did to adjust it. I found this a common complaint amongst other Simonini pilots. It idled fine and the top end had plenty of power. However, the midrange always ran irregular and it was very annoying and made it hard to taxi before launching
After a lot of research and demoing equipment, I now own a BlackHawk LowBoy II quad with the 313cc motor. What a difference! The unit is extremely well built. Neither the fame nor the Rhino cage flex under pressure when launching or landing. With my trike, the center of gravity was high and on rough fields the thought of tipping was always in the back of my mind. With the LowBoy II quad, even with a cross wind, I never worry about going over. The motor runs very smooth and the power band is smooth through the entire power range. No hesitation when passing through the midrange.
I am also flying the new ParaToys Momentum wing. I find this wing to be a great intermediate wing. It is very fast when you let the trim out and floats like no other wing I've ever experienced. The handling is very responsive and very stable with very light controls. I can’t begin to tell you how much more I’m enjoying flight now that I’m flying a quality PPG.
Ted Thivierge
I just opened last night and I must say this thing is awesome! Literally the craftsmanship and toughness of this thing blows me away. It looks way better in real life than any of the photos I scanned through on my computer. After staring at my BDs for the last few months, I honestly didn't expect a ppg engine to be this rigid and look this well made. With luck I'll be able to fire it up tomorrow night for a few flights.
The one thing I do need to ask about is the torque settings. The manual recommends the head gasket be torqued to 9+2 NM. Is that 9.2 NM? If I understand it right, that would be about half the torque of the black devil which was 2.2 NM. Do the needs just change that much with a different thread? Probably a dumb question.
Anyway, the motor is beautiful and I thank you for encouraging me to buy this motor!!!
I received the prop balancer today. I would just like to take this opportunity to say thanks for your speedy responses to my emails and your very quick mailing, excellent customer service.
Thanks again
Brett
A flying friend bought a new paramotor from a local PPG instructor/dealer in June (not Black hawk). There was barely enough thrust to taxi his trike, and not enough to climb after take-off. It took a month from the time it was deemed to be an ignition problem till the new parts arrived and were installed. The test flight ended after 10 minutes when the carburetor fell off (the pilot glided down OK).
The instructor/dealer stated that:
The *** paramotor has no warranty. As you know any 2-cycle motor, paramotor, motorbike etc. can fail at anytime and no one will warranty them. Well, I see that your Black Hawk motors have a two year warranty, so the above statement isn't true.
Is it an exception, rather than a rule to expect paramotors to come with a warranty?
Thank you for your time.
Glen
Hi Glen
Our Black hawks and all ParaToys products have always come with a 2 year warranty. Many of the lesser quality brands do not offer warranties at all, I would imagine as they could not cover the cost of warranties with poor products.
The Black Hawk model I purchased was equipped with the Cors-Air Black Devil 172 cc engine, which is rated at 25 hp. It arrived from ParaToys within a few days of being ordered, and was shipped in one box via UPS.
I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. I've flown old and used motors for three years, and this was my first brand new unit. Anticipation was running high to say the least. I finally got everything out of the box and onto the shop floor. I located the book of instructions and the ParaToys assembly CD.
Like most of us, I read the directions when all else fails. So get yourself a cup of coffee, sit down in front of the tube, and relax. The CD is an excellent production, and the subject matter is presented in orderly and clear format. All manufactures could benefit from a similar CD for their products. I found the harness set-up and hang test section to be very helpful. On the last page of the instruction manual, ParaToys includes a list of tips I found very useful and informative.
The cage radius tubes are numbered with yellow paint and slip into the frame at the corresponding number. I used my electric engraving tool to mark the parts in case the paint rubbed off over time. If you disassemble your unit for transport on a regular basis, this might save some frustration later on.
The engine started very quickly after being primed. The automatic compression release makes pull starting so easy, it renders electric starters obsolete. I left the original carb settings unchanged until I had run it for two hours. After run in, I leaned out the low screw and obtained a 2400 rpm idle that was incredibly smooth. The midrange on the Walbro 37C is very good, but the throttle is a little touchy. The left-hand throttle is the smoothest I've ever used.
Now that everything was ready, it was time for the big test. On the ground, the motor was comfortable on my back. I thought the comfort bars might create an awkward feeling on the ground like they did on my Walkerjet, but that was not the case. The carabineers were easy to operative with gloved hands and snapped into the open position. After warm up, the motor was easy to pull start on my back; a quick easy pull is all it takes.
The wind was not going to assist with this launch as indicated by the limp windsock. Fortunately, my ParaToys wing likes no wind conditions. I started to pull the wing up and added a little power to assist. Normally, I can feel the wing through the shoulder straps on my Adventure. On the Black Hawk, I could feel it from the shoulder straps all the way through the leg straps. The positive feed back through the harness made it a snap to tell what the wing was doing during pull up.
The time had arrived to pour on the power. I was prepared for a lot of torque effect, but it didn't happen. When the power came on, I was ripped off the ground in less than two steps. That and the rate of climb left me breathless. I let off the throttle immediately and slipped into the harness. I looked at my altimeter, and I was already passing 150 feet. This made my old Solo 210 seem like a Model A Ford by comparison. I tried two mid-air engine restarts, and it fired up both times with an effortless pull on the cord. At full power, torque induced turn is noticeable but not at all overwhelming. At cruise power, where we usually fly, it was barely detectable.
In the air, the Black Hawk is as comfortable or more so than my Adventure, which is that motor's best feature. I set the 'angle of dangle" at 12 degrees, which made for a comfortable upright seating position. I found it very easy to make weight shift turns, which is not a requirement for me, but it does makes flying hands-free for photography much easier. Fuel economy improves as the motor breaks in, and the nine-liter tank will deliver more than two hours of flying time.
I added a Tiny Tach, my special 'pink eraser" cruise control, and a second kill switch. I mounted the second kill switch to the lower frame and utilized a separate ground location. It's usually the kill switch ground that prevents shut down, so using a separate grounding location for the other switch will usually eliminate the problem.
I checked everything over after the first hour in the air. I found the exhaust bolts at the head had loosened slightly, but that was all. Quality control is apparently alive and well at Black Hawk, because I have found no fault with any part of the motor.
There has been a lot said about the perfect paramotor, but I always felt it didn't exist. The sport needed someone to blend all the good qualities of the various motors into one unit, and this is it. There doesn't appear to be anything new or ground breaking in the Black Hawk; it just does everything very well. What more could you ask for? If you're considering a new motor and want exceptional value, you don't need to look any further than ParaToys or the Black Hawk paramotor.
Tom Scott - Washington
I wanted to share this picture of John Blair flying my low boy quad. Without Johns help I don't think I would have even thought of buying anything that was Paratoys. John has shown me a lot of things that only a very experienced flight instructor would know. He went as far as to have my quad setup for me and had the mz34 engine broke-in and test flown when I came for my first day of ground handling. I was very impressed with the low boy quad and the feel of a ParaToys wing. This wing is easy to inflate and its performance is awesome. With this setup I feel that I have made a great choice and will only fly a ParaToys wing for life!!!
Best Regards
MATT LAWSON
Paul from PA.... Just wanted to drop you a line about my first two flights last night! Both the wing and the Black Hawk paramotor worked PERFECT! I got off the ground in less than 5 steps and I'm 220 lbs. I also didn't notice any torque and the rate of climb was IMPRESSIVE! The ParaToys wing is ROCK SOLID!
THANKS AGAIN!
Paul from PA
I have been having an absolutely great time with my new BlackHawk, thanks a bunch for such an incredibly fun toy.
Jared, Arizona
First, I just want to take the opportunity to thank you for the Black Hawk package I received last week. I did my first solo Saturday evening, and already have 4.0 hours flown. I would have even more if the weather would cooperate here in Indiana. Everything came as advertised, and I am impressed with the thought and engineering that goes into this machine. Thanks again for such a great product!
Ryan R.
Columbia City, IN
I realize I have already said it but thank you again for your help and support. I fully realize that it is a business but it is rare to find someone who offers so much for so little. Please feel free to use me as a reference to absolutely anyone in the future and we expect to see you in the UK later this summer.
Regards
Derek - UK
It took a few months, but I finally found a used 172cc BlackHawk paramotor. Your Bh sure holds its value, that's all I've got to say about what I had to pay for it. Light, comfortable, and big balls for easy takeoffs. Now my parabuddies look like it takes them forever to get off the ground, since I take off so much quicker. I actually pull started it in the air, numerous times. Wow, you rule all. This is the 4th paramotor I've owned, and the best by far. The cage is strong, and the motor even looks sexy.
Thanks for making such a great paramotor. I've enjoyed flying it immensely. Having owned 3 other paramotors, and flown another few on top of that, I'd easily say this is the best paramotor on the market for overall value and performance. Keep up the great work.
Taylor Moffitt
I finally got the chance to fly my new BlackHawk tonight. Because the left-handed throttle is different than my old motor setup, I blew two launches before getting airborne. But once in flight, I was amazed at both my climb-out and and the smoothness and power of the /Black Hawk/Black Devil. Before flight, I was concerned about the significant increase in power I would be getting, but in flight, the extra power was comforting since I knew I could climb more rapidly if need be. I didn't want to land. WOW what a machine!
Todd Gaerke
JUST RECIEVED MY PARATOYS 30 SIZE GLIDER. I CANT BELEVE I STRUGGLED WITH MY RANGER PARAGLIDER FOR 2 YEARS. THIS WING IS AMAZING IT COMES UP CENTERED EVERY TIME. I KITTED IT IN LIGHT VARRIBLE WINDS AND IT IS VERY EASY AND FORGIVING. NEVER BEFORE WAS I ABLE TO HOLD A ,WING UP FOR SO LONG ,YOU HAVE A FINE PRODUCT AND SHOULD BE PROUD.
THANKS PAUL R.
Wanted to thank you again for working with my 15 year old son Cameron and I. No doubt, one of the wisest decisions I ever made was switching instructors from claude to you.
We had such a good weekend and we met a lot of nice people. I was so excited for my other son Tyler also. I mean how many kids get to go on a tandem ride on a ppg and also get to ride in an ultralight plane on the same weekend...for free! When Tyler gives me the go ahead, I'll sign him up for lessons but I'm not going to rush him. I want it to be his decision.
After you left, Cameron went up for another 3 more flights and I took mine up once , All of Cameron's take offs were excellent. In fact, when he was having trouble doing a reverse launch due to the diminishing winds, he went to a forward launch and nailed it perfectly. All his landings were excellent as well. He had such a good time and we're looking forward to doing a lot of flying together. We're hoping to go back down to Salton Sea Friday night and fly Saturday. Although it's a bit of a drive, I think it's a good idea to get in our initial flights where there's stable air currents and lots of room.
Bob, we slept with smiles on our faces all night. Thanks again for making our introduction into PPG"S not only informative but a pleasurable one. I'll be up there Wednesday or Thursday to drop off your wind sock.
Ron Nagin
YES, I do recommend ParaToys.
I live in Northern California and Bob is in Thousand Oaks. I didn't know of Bob or ParaToys when I purchased my equipment; and even though I hadn't bought equipment from him he gladly answered my questions each time I called him.
I was fortunate to meet Bob when I traveled to LA in 2002. I had gotten his phone number off the web before I left for LA and I called him out of the blue. He told me he was training some students at Ventura Beach and encouraged me to come over there to meet him (we had only spoken on the phone a few times) and watch his students. I had already soloed in my equipment so we just shot the breeze while his students practiced kiting on the beach. When his students were done kiting he had them gather and he strapped into his PPG gear and gave a demo of some great PPG flying.
A year later I went to the ParaToys PPG convention in 2003 (held @ Port Hueneme). I found his whole clan, Bob, his wife Debbie, and [even] his daughters to be very nice people. The PPG convention was great too.
Since I met Bob at the convention I've purchased some equipment from him. I think you will be very pleased if you do chose to receive instruction and/or purchase equipment through Bob (if he's still operating his school as he was in 2002 he has school owned equipment you can train on before making a purchase).
I am responding to your email on a loaner computer because my other one "crashed" or I'd send you some jpegs of Bob instructing at Ventura Beach.
Bob is extremely knowledgeable about PPG. He is personable, loves what he is doing, and maintains a smile while he is instructing. I'd encourage you to call Bob and see if you can come out and observe his students like I did and see if you think he'd be a good match for you as an instructor.
If you have any further questions (about Bob or PPG) please feel free to email.
Best regards, Evan
Would you please share this email with Larry and David. They were so very helpful and kind while I was there. All three of you made the learning and experience a positive one for me.
Larry, thanks for the help with turning around and with holding my hands out straight in front for kite lift off.
David, thanks for the help in sorting lines, advising on how to practice kiting up,down, and sideways along the beach.
Thanks to both of you for being encouraging and directly supportive during training.
Bob; you are a masterful teacher and meant to do the work you do. Look at the influence you've had on Larry and David that they would willingly help / share
their experiences with a novice. I hope to be back there in June; must work out the time yet.
The Wing is beautiful.
Regards,
Tom Mccoy
I wanted to drop you a quick line and say thank you again for the last two weekends. I had such an amazing time learning how to paraglide and I owe it all to you! It was such an amazing experience to be able to fly like a bird! You are a great instructor, and I really appreciate your patience and guidance. I learned so much, and I am successfully hooked on the sport. Thank you for allowing me to use your gear and for making me feel so welcomed and comfortable. Your encouragement, support, and enthusiasm really helped me through the process. I am really looking forward to the air show, and I will see you then!
Hugs,
Rochelle
Thanks for the great experiences during your training program! I was thoroughly impressed with your patience and demeanor throughout the challenges and triumphs of training. I've always dreamed of flying (literally) and wanted to actually do it. The Paramotoring experience is the difference between riding in an airplane viewing the world, like watching a TV vs.. living the experience.
I represent the 36 year old male with 3 kids, wife, cat and home in the suburbs, so safety was a key factor in my decision. I chose to travel there from upstate New York to train under your supervision after extensive web & phone research. Among the factors in making my decision was your experience in training so many pilots from around the world, no other instructor came close to the numbers of people that you have trained. I hope to visit you training grounds again or be a part of a national "fly-in" event in the near future.
Thanks for the excellent training and great experience!
Bob Kimmel
It was fantastic learning the sport and you're an exceptional instructor. Hope to send you more clients.
Many Thanks
Richard (fast hands) Joyce
Just wanted to Thank you for a Great experience going thru your training course. It was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to getting back up there to play some more. I am glad I took your course! Your experience and understanding of PPG gave me a confidence I would of never had. It made a great difference. You are a great teacher and I am glad and thankful you are willing to help others like myself enjoy a totally awesome form of recreation. I can't thank you enough.
Dave Owens
Thanks for your excellent training this past weekend. You are good at keeping training fun and interesting.
I had a great time.
Jeff Hamann
Just wanted to thank you for one of the most exhilarating and fun experiences of my life! Paragliding is a marvelous sport and I had a great time taking the lessons with you. I feel that I have found the “hobby of a life time” and made a personnel friend too.
Thanks for being so patient and supportive,
David Siddall.
I just wanted to let you know how much of a pleasure it was being trained by you. Ingrid and I definitely cannot say enough good things about the training I received and also your pleasant approach to helping me learn. Thanks once again for such professionalism.
Michael S.
I just wanted to write to you and tell you how much I respect and appreciate your enthusiasm for this sport. It clearly shows up when you teach and it gives me a real joy to know that I am being trained by a true professional who is passionate about his work. Your insights and background information has made this learning experience an absolute pleasure. Also your ability to asses my abilities and create a lesson plan around those abilities is an asset that I wish most instructors possessed. Not only did I learn more efficiently I retained the information!
I have three wishes...
1. That you educate OTHER Instructors on how to train the way you do.
2. You keep doing what you love!
3. Lastly, I wish we could go flying together again soon!
