Paramotors and powered hang gliders

Paramotors and powered hang gliders are classified as a category of non-Part-21 gliders in the Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO), and as such non-public transport activities are unregulated with respect to registration, airworthiness and pilot licensing. Although they do not require a pilot licence or any form of airworthiness certification, they still must comply with rules of the air such as keeping above the minimum heights/distances from people and property, taking off/landing well clear of congested areas and not operating in controlled airspace.

We have published The Paramotor Code in cooperation with the paramotoring community to guide pilots on these requirements.

Most paramotors and powered hang gliders are foot-launched. However we have published an Exemption to this requirement to allow these aircraft to be wheeled, provided they have an unladen mass (including full fuel), of no more than 70kg. An additional 5kg is permitted if the aircraft is equipped with an emergency parachute. To limit the performance of the aircraft, the chassis and wing combination must have a stall speed or minimum steady flight speed in the landing configuration of no more than 20 knots. This is to ensure that the overall performance and kinetic energy of the aircraft is kept similar to existing foot-launched aircraft. The exemption is also limited to single occupancy. 

Aircraft flying in accordance with the exemption must also be insured in accordance with the applicable European aircraft insurance regulations, UK Reg ( EU) No 785/2004, since they will no longer by covered by the exclusion for foot–launched aircraft. Pilots should ensure their insurance meets the requirements applicable for the mass of their aircraft and carry their certificate while flying.

The full text of the exemption can be found in ORS4 No. 1655