To Infinity…and Beyond!

Infinity’s line of PPCs includes the two-place S-LSA and E-LSA, as well as a single-place, Part 103 ultralight-legal PPC.

In addition to the two aluminum
angle bars that beef up its frame,
another distinguishing feature of
the Infinity PPC is its raised second
seat and an aluminum grate
beneath the fuel tank to protect it
from puncture.

Infinity Power Chutes earned S-LSA approval for its PPC in January of this year and
announced it would offer both an S-LSA and E-LSA version. The ready-to-fly S-LSA
will sell for $17,900 while the E-LSA kit is priced at $16,400.

Infinity offers its machines with the Grand Rapids engine information system (EIS)
as standard equipment, as well as a prop balancer. Its S-LSA version is available with
either a 65-hp Rotax 582 engine or a 100-hp Rotax 912S.

The world of light-sport
aircraft (LSA) includes five
classes of aircraft-airplanes,
gliders, powered parachutes, weightshift-
control aircraft (commonly
called trikes), and lighter-than-air
aircraft (balloons and airships).
While fixed-wing airplanes may be
the most prolific, they are not the
only way for flight enthusiasts to
take to the sky. Weight-shift trikes
and powered parachutes (PPCs) are
also popular modes of flights. Each
offers a different experience to pilot
and passenger.

Some fixed-wing pilots claim
no interest in powered parachutes.
While PPCs certainly aren’t fast,
they do offer one of the best viewing
platforms in aviation and have
attracted a higher percentage of
non-pilots as buyers than any other
aviation segment. That fact alone
should cause more aviators to look
closely at them.

So far three powered parachute
companies have obtained special
LSA (S-LSA) approval for their
models. The first to achieve this
was the Summit 2 from Summit
Powered Parachutes in April 2006.
In January 2007 the Commander
from Infinity Powered Parachutes
gained S-LSA approval, and just
before Sun ‘n Fun this spring,
Powrachute’s AirWolf 912 also
won S-LSA approval.

To many observers, all powered
parachutes seem virtually identical.
But that’s like claiming all airliners
are alike. Sure, most PPCs have
evolved to visually similar shapes
because that’s what works well. Dig
down a bit deeper, however, and you
begin to uncover unique distinctions
each designer thinks makes his or
her machine a better aircraft. This
month we’ll look at how Infinity
Powered Parachutes differentiates
its Infinity Commander 582 from
other PPCs.

Closer to Infinity

I flew the Infinity Commander 582
in September 2004 just after the new
sport pilot/light-sport aircraft (SP/
LSA) regulation became effective. SLSA
powered parachutes were still
beyond the horizon. But as 2007
arrived and the U.S. Sport Aviation
Expo opened in Sebring, Florida,
Infinity Power Parachutes became
the first American powered parachute
producer to win S-LSA approval.
Infinity owner Alvie Wall proudly
displayed his Commander 912 at the
LSA season-opening event.

Alvie started his business in mid-
2001. Prior to starting Infinity, he
was a mechanical engineer for about
10 years working for enterprises
that made specialty manufacturing
tools, experience that now assists
him in his aviation business. Before
starting his own operation, he
gained valuable experience working
with the now-defunct Destiny
Powered Parachutes.

The Infinity Commander resembles
most powered parachutes, but the
company has taken several steps to set
it apart from the others-refinements
that Alvie feels makes the machine
better in noticeable ways. Perhaps
the most obvious are two substantial
rails that run from the nose wheel to
aft of the prop guards on each side
of the machine. These 3-inch angle
aluminum “spars” lend rigidity to
Infinity’s frame. Most other PPCs use
a tube structure that tends to allow
greater flexing of the carriage. The
rest of the frame uses 4130 chromoly
steel, 6061-T6, and 6063 aluminum,
with AN hardware fasteners.

Alvie also positioned Infinity’s fuel
tank atop those front-to-rear rails
rather than hanging below the main
seat structure. In this more protected
area, debris and obstacles cannot
compromise the tank’s integrity,
adding to pilot and passenger safety.
A small aluminum grate below the
engine further protects fuel lines
routed through this area. On the
left side of the carriage a high-push
fuel pump is mounted. It reportedly
doesn’t draw as well as it pushes, so it
is optimal to mount this pump below
the fuel tank. Again, the grate helps
protect this equipment.

I liked Infinity’s translucent fuel
tanks. Because you can see the fluid
inside you’re less likely to overfill,
and you can check the fuel remaining
while you’re airborne. You don’t have
to turn far to make this visual check.

Infinity models have a double hoop
structure surrounding the prop that
also gives more rigidity to its frame.
That’s good for two reasons-one
is for roll-over protection, and the
second is to save replacing expensive
props in the event of a mishap. In
2004, Infinity extended the beefy
front-to-rear rails all the way back to
the hoop ring for more strength.

Infinity’s axle system is a threepiece
affair. On the exterior is a
flexible ribbed cover. Doing the
real work underneath is a fiberglass
gear leg with two layers of sleeved
chromoly steel. The gear leg mount
allows 360-degree movement of the
axle, as opposed to merely up and
down on most PPCs. In rough fields,
this may help the gear last longer.

Alvie also paid close attention to
the canopy attachment points. “Our
canopy attachment points are located
at a near perfect position in relation to
the thrust line of the prop,” he noted.
Placing these connection points too
high can cause a PPC to fly with a
porpoising motion. He said the width
of the chute attachment points is also
important to allow the chute to have
the proper crown.

While some PPC models offer
an optional nose pod including
a windscreen, Infinity offers a
removable frontal bar system. Some
feel these bars offer additional
protection for the pilot, but they also
provide structure so that an optional
windshield can be added to shelter
the occupants from windblast in
colder weather.

Alvie has also gone to considerable
effort to offer a wide range of standard
equipment. “We include dual throttle
controls, dual ground steering, the
Rotax 582 engine with B drive, electric
start, the Grand Rapids digital engine
information system, a Prop Master
prop balancer, side storage bag, chute
bag and line sleeves, strobe, 22-inch
smooth tundra tires mounted on
polished spun aluminum wheels,
and chute steering line trimmers.”
Infinity offers all this equipment with
a three-year chassis warranty. Such
warranties are not common in light
aircraft, and such a long one is good
proof that Infinity feels it is building
good hardware that will last.

Up and Down

My Infinity flight experience came
with Infinity’s Minnesota dealer, Tim
Norling. He came to our flight review
with two years of experience and 300
hours of flying time. He’s a relative
newcomer to aviation, one who got
excited by powered parachutes and
is fulfilling his dream of flight. He
was eager to show me the feature of
this machine.

Front seat entry into an Infinity,
as on most PPCs, is simple. You only
have to avoid catching your feet in the
steering lines. Getting into the back
seat, with more structural members
around that location, requires a
different method. Tim’s technique
involves ducking underneath the
forward line support tube and then
plunking his rear end in first. You can
use the overhead to leverage yourself.

The seats on the Infinity adjust for
people of different leg lengths. While
this may be a convenience on lots
of aircraft, it is quite important on
PPCs where your feet do the primary
steering and flaring in flight. On the
ground, steering is handled via the
power lever. The taxi steering system
is to push forward to go right, pull to
go left. While it may not be as obvious
as rudder pedals, it’s reasonably
intuitive after you examine how the
linkage works. A brake at the top of
this steering lever aids in stopping.

As Tim prepared the Infinity for
takeoff, his inflation technique started
with the chute’s center section cells
tucked under the lower side, which
is on top during the pre-inflation
layout. This method keeps the center
section from filling up too quickly
while he warms his engine. (A reverse
technique, pulling the upper leading
edge from under the lower surface, will
help it inflate quicker when repeating
takeoff with a fully warmed engine.)

While PPCs certainly aren’t fast, they do offer one of the best viewing platforms in aviation and have attracted a higher percentage of non-pilots as buyers than any other aviation segment.

Overall, takeoffs in the Infinity
are as straightforward as in most
PPCs. And, other than planning
good approaches, landings are also
quite easy. Tim delivered my first
deliberate engine-off PPC landing.
He believes the front-to-rear rail
system, paired with the strong
yet flexible axle, can withstand
such landings with no damage.
Indeed, no damage occurred, but
the landing was rougher than I
expected. I was glad we did it, and I
appreciate Tim demonstrating this
on his own machine, but it showed
that an engine-off landing can be a
somewhat harsh affair. Even if your
flare timing is perfect, I can see how
front to rear rails or other structural
parts might be damaged on other
designs.

In flight, PPCs are interesting
aircraft to maneuver. While Tim
and I flew around the countryside
of rural Minnesota, the effort
to control direction and stay on
heading demanded only small foot
movements, though you hold the
motion longer than on a three-axis
or weight-shift aircraft. In fact, if you
back off the foot bar, the turn stops
and the canopy returns to straight
and level flight-the place it always
wants to be without pilot input. For
a sharper turn, by pushing hard on
one foot bar you get a reasonably
rapid result. If you push on the foot
bar and pull on the correct steering
line, you can quicken the turn rate
substantially.

PPCs are highly stable aircraft,
but fortunately they respond
well to steering control. Optional
elliptical canopies can make
much sharper turns, but they
are recommended only for more
experienced PPC pilots.

Tim’s Commander is powered with
the 65-hp Rotax 582, but Infinity now
offers the 100-hp Rotax 912S. The
bigger engine can produce a 900 fpm
climb with two 200-pound occupants
onboard, whereas a comparably
loaded 582-powered model would be
closer to 400 fpm. That’s the figure I
saw while Tim and I flew somewhat
under gross weight. When Tim flies
solo, he sees about a 600 fpm climb
with the Rotax 582. Fixed-wing pilots
need to put this in perspective. When
your forward speed is only 26 mph,
the resultant climb angle appears
reasonably steep.

Infinity uses all Apco canopies,
built by the long-established Israeli
company, with 500- and 550-square
foot models standard for its twoseat
PPCs. Pilots seeking a boost in
performance may choose an elliptical
canopy, also supplied by Apco.

Elliptical chutes may increase a PPCs
speed to as much as 40 mph and
their glide is reportedly substantially
better, some say as high as 7-to-1, but
I had no way to measure this.
Elliptical canopies also have a faster
turn response. All these performance
differences combine to suggest
elliptical canopies aren’t for all PPC
pilots, and they are not recommended
for newcomers. Elliptical canopies
inflate and come up so fast they can
fly over the chassis and collapse on
the ground in front of the PPC frame.
Consequently it’s important to learn
how to handle these chutes.

If you’re looking for a new kind
of flying experience|or think that
powered parachutes might be the
right “flying carpet” for you, check
out the Infinity. It just might lead
you to places you never imagined.