Airparamo GRAZhopper User manual

©2007-2010, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com
Airparamo
GRAZhopper Trike
Owners Manual
Version 1.3

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 2 of 10
Index
1. Introduction & General Information
1.1. Safety First
1.2. Commitment to Quality
1.3. Notation Used
1.4. Warranty
1.5. Service & Parts
2. Overview
3. First Set-Up Assembly
4. Set-Up & Breakdown
5. Take-Off, Flight, Landing
6. Care & Storage
7. Upgrades
8. Specifications
8.1. Dimensions & Weight
8.2. Main Parts List
1. Introduction & General Information
1.1. Safety First
All forms of aviation have inherent risks which can be hazardous to your physical well being
or your life. It is always a good idea to get qualified and proper training on the use of any
gear that will get you off the ground and into the air. The GRAZhopper is no exception.
Ultimately it is up to each individual pilot to make their own determinations of safety on
whether or not to fly; selecting the flying conditions and site; choosing gear to fly;
conducting proper maintenance and assembly; observing all applicable local, state and
federal laws; checking the airspace restrictions; and conducting thorough pre and post flight
checks. Given the complexity and variability of the numerous variables involved in each
flight, the pilot in command assumes ALL RESPONSIBILITY for known and
unknown risks for their and others safety in the use of any flying related gear,
including the GRAZhopper trike.
1.2. Commitment to Quality
Congratulations on purchasing the GRAZhopper.
Airparamo LLC has spent years in development,
using the highest grade of aircraft and marine
materials and hardware, and sound engineering
and design principles, to deliver what we
believe to be the best PPG trike available.
Designed and flight tested for a number of
years by numerous pilots in real world
conditions, the GRAZhopper has evolved over a
series of prototype models to be recognized as
the finest quality PPG trike available in the
world. This Owners Manual will provide you with
helpful information on the design details, operation, care and safety of this incredible trike
as well as set up, storage, flying tips, maintenance, and other useful information to help you
get the most of your GRAZhopper.

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 3 of 10
1.3. Notation Used
Certain special terms (NOTE, ATTENTION, WARNING) are used throughout this manual.
Their usage is defined below.
A NOTE provides supplemental information to help clarify a point being made in the text.
Generally, a NOTE is provided to help assembly, use, or maintenance of the product.
Disregarding a NOTE could cause inconvenience, but would generally not cause damage or
personal injury.
A ATTENTION provides supplemental information to help clarify an area where equipment
damage could occur. Disregarding a ATTENTION could result in permanent and significant
mechanical damage with a possibility of personal injury.
A WARNING provides supplemental information to help clarify an area where personal
injury or even death could occur from negligence in ignoring the WARNING. Disregarding a
WARNING voids all product warranties.
1.4. Warranty
Airparamo LLC fully warranties the GRAZhopper
to be free of any workmanship or material
defects for 1 full year from the date of
purchase. Airparamo LLC will, at its discretion,
repair or replace any damaged parts free of
charge. This warranty does not cover misuse,
neglect, abuse, unusually hard usage (such as
aerobatics or hard landings), natural breakdown
of materials, or normal wear and tear. The
warranty specifically excludes tire or bearing
damage, galled turnbuckles, cable damage due
to untwisting, parts corroding, severe UV
damage, or scratches to the finishes.
Additionally, the warranty excludes claims to any incidental or consequential loss to
personal property and does not apply to accidental damage, misuse, mishandling, or
permanent alterations. The user assumes all responsibility and liability in using this device.
1.5. Service & Parts
We at Airparamo LLC hope your GRAZhopper brings you years of reliable fun in the air. In
case you need service or parts for the GRAZhopper, Airparamo LLC has a stock of ready
parts that we can ship out to you immediately. Please contact your original dealer or
Airparamo LLC directly to order replacement parts for your GRAZhopper.
2. Overview of Features
The GRAZhopper was designed and built from the ground up to be the pinnacle of PPG
trikes. Here is a brief overview of some of the qualities and features that establish the
GRAZhopper as the best of the best in PPG trikes:
•Tested, proven design. Airparamo LLC pilots have logged thousands of flights on
GRAZhopper trikes in single and tandem, instructional flights. The GRAZhopper has gone
through several versions, each time refining and improving the strength, weight,
shipping size, reliability, finish, build costs, and overall quality.
•Operation of the GRAZhopper can be single person or tandem. The conversion is
simple and quick.
•Fully FAA legal under Part 103 for single person operations.
NOTE:For tandem operation, special FAA recognized instructor certification is required.
Contact Airparamo LLC for details on this.

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©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 4 of 10
•Strong design. The design of the GRAZhopper is basically a triangulated truss, where
the cables act in unison with the rigid frame to form a strong, stable, lightweight
structure. Additionally, all tubing on the GRAZhopper is round, which is the strongest
and most efficient shape for uneven loading. The GRAZhopper has been thoroughly and
rigorously field and flight tested with heavy single and tandem operations and has
withstood many hard landings with usually no damage.
•Stable. The low center of gravity, wide wheel base, and the placement of the mass of
the motor ahead of the rear wheels minimizes rollovers and turtling (where the trike tips
backwards onto the prop).
•Protection for pilot and passenger. The
main frame wraps around the pilot and
passenger to protect the occupant(s) in the
event of a crash or roll over. It is made of
super-strong, thick walled, military grade
4130 Chrome Alloy tubing.
•Light-weight. The GRAZhopper weighs
only 32 lbs 6 ozs, without harnesses.
•Quickly folds up for transport or storage in
less than 5 minutes with no tools.
•Quickly disassembles into a small
footprint for easy shipping.
•A universal motor mounting system
accepts just about any PPG motor frame
available and connects or disconnects the motor to the trike frame in under a minute.
•A unique rear wheel alignment system makes it easy to keep the rear wheels
tracking straight. This adjustment can be done in the field in 5 minutes or less with a
pair of pliers or a wrench.
•Designed so that motor thrust angle points slightly upwards on takeoff and then
slightly downwards in flight. This helps with inflations and take-offs since the motor does
not disturb the layout of the wing on the initial motor run up. Additionally, the slight
upwards thrust line helps to minimize dust and debris from getting airborne and
consequently getting sucked into the prop or bothering bystanders.
•Designed and built for years of trouble free operation. For example, saddles,
spacers, or inserts are placed in the most stressed places to absorb and distribute forces
and keep the adjoining pieces moving freely as designed. As such, the GRAZhopper is
capable of absorbing repeated hard impacts with grace and ease.
•Aircraft grade materials used throughout: 6061-T6 Aluminum, 4130 Chrome Alloy,
and AN hardware are examples of the quality materials used. These are the same
materials and hardware used in certified aircraft. All AN hardware on the GRAZhopper is
sized, fitted, and fastened using certified aircraft standards. Any other hardware on the
GRAZhopper is aircraft or marine grade or is of the highest quality available.
•Designed and built using sound, tested, proven aircraft construction principles and
standards. For example, structural welds are made by certified welders (there are only
6 welds on the entire trike, all on steel). Every other connection is mechanically
fastened, which is the strongest method of joining aluminum parts (welding aluminum
often significantly reduces the temper, and thus its strength).
•Cables are aircraft grade, coated with a UV resistant PVC.
•All machined parts are finished with a tough powder coat or are anodized.
•Designed to accommodate the premium 12” (30cm) Rolleeze wheels with standard
with 1” nylon bearings on all wheels. These wheels are ideally suited for PPG trikes with
low weight, suberb suspension capabilities, flexibility and robustness on all types of
surfaces, puncture resistance, easy field repairs, and flat tread with low grip to help self-
correct wing oscillations
•The rear wheels can be upgraded to 16” (42cm) or 19” (49cm) sizes for a greater
ground clearance, higher weight tolerances, and better suspension capabilities.

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 5 of 10
•The standard nylon bearings can be upgraded to all steel bearings for improved wear
and service life. Wheels and bearings can be quickly swapped out in minutes with basic
hand tools.
3. First Set-Up Assembly
The first time you assemble the GRAZhopper, it is helpful to have a few tools handy: a
rubber mallet; two wrenches in 1/2”, and two wrenches in 7/16”, or two adjustable
wrenches to attach or tighten various bolts and nuts; and a flat head screwdriver. Estimate
1 to 2 hours to assemble and hang test your GRAZhopper for the first time.
To begin assembly of the GRAZhopper:
3.1 Start by separating and checking the parts: the
main frame, the wheels, the front fork components, the
roll bar components, all hardware, and the harness(es).
The small footprint of the basic components makes for
simplified and inexpensive shipping of the GRAZhopper.
3.2 Fill the Rolleeze wheels with the correct air
pressure as listed on the tire.
ATTENTION:Do not over-inflate the Rolleeze wheels.
This could damage them. Be careful to not leave the
Rolleeze wheels in the sun on a warm summer day or in
a hot vehicle. Also, be careful when traveling to high
elevations. The tires could burst or be damaged due to
over-inflation from high temperatures or drastic changes
in altitude.
3.3 Assemble the roll bar components with the
supplied hardware. See photos in this manual for
specific details.
3.4 Attach the front wheel onto the fork. See photos in
this manual for specific details.
3.5 Attach the roll bar to the main frame. See photos in this manual for specific
details.
3.6 Open up the GRAZhopper.Begin by vertically standing the trike up on the front
wheel, facing and holding the underside of the trike. Next, undo the velcro strap that
holds the trike and cables together. Next, with both hands, carefully balance the trike
by holding the rear wheel axels, one in each hand. Next, lower the trike onto its
wheels by pulling out and lowering the rear wheel axels
to the ground. Next, release the quick release pin on the
end of the roll bar. Next, undo the turn buckle and place
the cable on the back of the main frame. Next, lift the
center frame up and around the roll bar and between
the tabs of the roll bar. Next, align the quick release pin
to connect the roll bar to the lower hole of the main
frame vertical support. Next evenly tighten the
turnbuckles to the point where the cables have just a
little slack and play. The cables should be a little loose,
but the trike structure should be complete.
3.7 Attach the rear wheels. First check the clevis pin is in the correct hole (for standard
12” (30cm) wheels use the outer hole, for the 16” (42cm) or 19” (49cm) wheels use
the inner hole). Next, insert the wheel bearings into the wheel axel with the stem
facing outwards. If you encounter resistance with the wheel bearings going into the
axels, use a rubber mallet to lightly tap the wheel into place. Next, secure the wheel
with a clevis pin and ring in the outer hole.
3.8 Align the rear wheels. First, be sure the cables are loose. Next, loosen the thumb
clamp on the wheel axels. Stand directly over the large main cable and visually follow

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 6 of 10
the angle to the wheel axels. If the wheels are towed in or out, simply move them into
the right position. When the alignment is complete, retighten the clamps on the wheel
axels.
ATTENTION:Do not overtighten these wheel axel clamps. Use a wrench or pliers to
gently tighten the thumb clamps.
ATTENTION:Wheel alignment is critical to maximize the ease of launch and longevity
of the tires and bearings. Wheels that are not properly aligned create a huge drag
resistance on the ground, which makes for longer and slower takeoffs. Also unaligned
wheels put enormous lateral forces on the wheel bearings, which causes them to fail
prematurely and quickly.
3.9 Attach the harness(es). The GRAZhopper trike accepts a multitude of different
harnesses. Use straps to pull the harness forward for better comfort and to adjust the
flight nose wheel angle. See photos in this manual for details.
3.10 Attach the wing hang point position. Use the rear hole for single and the front
hole for tandem positions.
WARNING:Be sure to have the correct hang point arrangement for single or tandem
configurations. Flying in the incorrect hang point position would cause the trike to be
unbalanced (with the front wheel too high or too low) in the air and could be
extremely dangerous or even lethal to fly and land.
3.11 Attach the front foot bar as desired. There are 8 user selectable positions
depending on your comfort or leg length.
3.12 Fully tighten the cable turnbuckles.
ATTENTION:On turnbuckle tightening, special care
must be taken when tightening or loosening the
turnbuckles. DO NOT use any tools to loosen or tighten
the turnbuckles (or nuts on the turnbuckles) or the
threads will quickly gall and jam. Several users have
found success with a stainless steel anti-galling lubricant
on the threads of the turnbuckle, but this can become a
messy ordeal with the lubricant sticking to anything it
touches and attracting unnecessary dirt into the turnbuckle.
ATTENTION:We also recommend our tested, proven approach to loosening and
tightening the turnbuckles, which will insure you years of trouble free operation:
3.12.1 Pull the frame in such a way to release any cable tension on the turnbuckle
you desire to tighten or loosen. It is helpful to use your foot to push on the lower
main frame and one hand to pull the vertical main frame support towards you. This
releases all cable tension on the turnbuckle you want to tighten.
3.12.2 With your other hand, use your pinkee to keep the lower cable from turning.
Then use your thumb and other fingers to tighten or loosen the turn buckle.
3.12.3 Use the supplied bungie loop to go through the key ring on the turnbuckle
and up to the bolts on the roll bar. See photos in this
manual for details. This provides a secure system to
insure that the turnbuckle will not turn loose in flight.
3.13 Position rear cable into stay under the rear portion
the of main frame. It is ok if this rear cable is a little
loose. See photos in this manual for details.
3.14 Attach your motor unit. Use the Universal Motor
Clamping System on the GRAZhopper to connect the
bottom and upper frame tubes. Also, use the supplied
doublesided Velcro to attach the motor unit to the
GRAZhopper wheel axels and as a safety backup for the top motor clamp.
ATTENTION:With some motor units, the Universal Motor Clamping System may need
to be modified to fit properly. Be sure that your Universal Motor Clamping System is
securely holding the fame of your particular motor. If you have any doubts, do not
hesitate to contact your product dealer or Airparamo LLC directly.

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
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3.15 Do a thorough flight check of the GRAZhopper, motor and attach points.
WARNING:Always turn off the master switch on any PPG motor when conducting a
preflight check.
3.16 Warm up the motor.
WARNING:Always loudly announce “CLEAR PROP” before starting any PPG motor.
WARNING:Do not attempt to start a PPG motor without instruction from a qualified
instructor. There are dozens of instances of pilots and spectators who have been
severely injured by coming in contact with a spinning propeller.
3.17 Hang test the GRAZhopper. This helps to
test your harness and hang point
positions. To do this properly, set up a
rigging arrangement where you can safely
and securely hang the trike while you sit
in it. It helps to have an observer,
especially with a camera, to report or
record the correct prop angles (between 2
to 5 degrees downwards while hanging in
the air) and seating positions.
WARNING:Do not attempt to fly a
GRAZhopper trike that has not been
properly hang tested. It could be out of
balance, resulting in an undesirable or
dangerous flight attitude.
WARNING:Be extremely cautious to run the motor on the trike while it is being hang
tested. If you do want to run up the motor in the hang test rig, be sure to do this in a
secure, sturdy hang test rig and with the assistance of an experienced instructor who
is thoroughly familiar with motor runups in a hang tester.
3.18 Test drive the trike for a few minutes.
WARNING:Be careful to not turn too sharply with any speed. This could initiate a
rollover.
ATTENTION:The GRAZhopper has no brakes. When you need to slow down ground
speed, use your feet to bring the GRAZhopper to a halt.
ATTENTION:The original bearings in the Rolleeze wheels are designed for walking
pace speeds only. If you go faster than a walking pace for more than a few seconds,
the bearings will heat up and potentially melt the housing.
NOTE:A bearing upgrade is available to replace all the original nylon bearings to all
steel bearings. Please contact your product dealer or Airparamo LLC for more
information on this or other upgrades.
4. Set-Up & Breakdown
Once the trike is fully assembled, set up and break down can be accomplished in under 5
minutes. For the set up, refer to sections 3.6, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, and 3.15 of this Owners
Manual. For the break down, refer to sections 3.14, 3.13, 3.12, and 3.6 of this Owners
Manual and detach and loosen parts.
5. Take-Off, Flight, & Landing
WARNING:Do not attempt to operate or fly a GRAZhopper trike without qualified flight
instruction. The PPG trike is quite different from other types of PPG or PG flight and the
subtleties of learning to fly a PPG trike can be unforgiving and dangerous. There are dozens
of examples of PG and PPG pilots and complete newbees that have attempted to self-train
on PPG trikes and ended up severely damaging themselves and their gear. Consider that the
flight training is cheap compared to a broken arm or torn up wing and cage. Contact your
PPG flight instructor or Airparamo LLC on recommendations for instruction.

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
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ATTENTION:The original bearings in the Rolleeze wheels are designed for walking pace
speeds only. If you go faster than a walking pace for more than a few seconds, the bearings
will heat up and potentially melt the housing.
NOTE:A bearing upgrade is available to replace all the original nylon bearings to all steel
bearings.
Here are a few tips to help you in flying a PPG
trike:
•WARNING:Always preflight your gear
prior to launch. As the famous saying goes,
it’s better to be down here wishing you were
up there than up there wishing you were
down here.
•ATTENTION:Airparamo LLC strongly
recommends a strong motor cage for any
PPG trike flying, preferably one with a
double ring cage. A weak cage with a single
ring cage is a recipe for expensive
equipment damage.
•WARNING:Beginners should only fly in calm conditions with winds not exceeding 8
mph. Skilled and experienced trike pilots can push these limits as they progress within
their capability as pilots.
•WARNING:Always loudly announce “CLEAR PROP” right before starting the motor.
•WARNING:Always wear a helmet when you fly the GRAZhopper or any PPG trike.
•WARNING:Always take-off and land into the wind. Cross wind take-offs are to be
done only by skilled and experienced pilots.
•ATTENTION:On the initial inflation, be careful to not whiplash the lines too hard with
lots of thrust. This could flex even the strongest motor cage and cause the prop to come
into contact cage or wing lines.
•WARNING:On the initial inflation if the wing is oscillating, reduce the thrust and
either abort the launch sequence or attempt to get the wing under control. If the trike
shows any hint of rolling, abort the launch and immediately shut off the engine.
•WARNING:Assume your engine will quit any time during the flight. In other words,
always have at least one place to safely land.
•ATTENTION:After landing, shut the motor off as the wing falls behind you.
•WARNING:If the wind picks up past 12
mph while you are flying, on landing try to
get the wing to come down straight behind
you. If the wing falls to the side with winds
exceeding 14 mph, there is a strong
likelihood of rolling the trike, physical injury,
and getting dragged.
•WARNING:The GRAZhopper has a wide
wheelbase and a low center of gravity. It is
difficult to roll over the GRAZhopper.
However, if the trike begins to roll over,
quickly bring your arms inside the roll bar.
The roll bar may protect you from physical
injury if you are dragged or rolled. However,
if your arm gets caught under the roll bar as
you are flipped upsidedown, it could cause immediate and painful injuries to your arm,
including broken bones.
•WARNING:If you decide to use a reserve parachute system on the GRAZhopper,
have a knowledgeable rigger who is extremely familiar with reserve use and
deployments install or do a safety review of the reserve mounting system. Also, if you

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 9 of 10
fly with a reserve, become knowledgeable about the operation parameters, risks and
benefits, maintenance, care and exact use of owning and deploying a reserve. An
excellent way to gain this knowledge is through a reserve clinic, which can offer much
assistance in the set-up, use, and maintenance of reserves.
6. Care & Storage
The ideal place to store the GRAZhopper is in a
cool, dry, dark location, such as a garage. To
clean your GRAZhopper, use a mild cleaner and
degreaser (such as Simple Green) and rinse
thoroughly and generously with water. Be sure
to dry any excess water on the GRAZhopper
after washing. You can also use finish protecting
or polishing products to clean, seal, protect, and
beautify the finish.
7. Upgrades
The GRAZhopper has several upgrade and add-on kit options, as listed below. Please
contact your product dealer or Airparamo LLC for more information on this or other
upgrades.
•Tandem upgrade. The GRAZhopper can be flown in single or tandem versions.
Converting the GRAZhopper to tandem involves adding a passenger harness. Tandem
operations require a powerful motor with a strong cage and a tandem sized wing.
NOTE:For tandem operation, special FAA recognized instructor certification is required.
Contact Airparamo LLC for details on this.
•Wheel upgrade. The standard wheels are the 12” Rolleeze wheels. Upgrades can be
done to the rear wheels only, by increasing the size to 16” or 19”. The larger wheels
offer better suspension over rough terrain and a higher ground clearance to better
handle tall grass, brush, deep sand, or
larger rocks.
•Bearing upgrade. The standard bearings
on all wheels are 1” steel bearings on a
nylon housing (some earlier models have ½”
nylon shaft on the front wheel). These
bearings can be upgraded to all steel
bearings for much smoother rolling and
extended service life.
•Launce (A-line) Assists. An upgrade kit
that includes lines and hardware that
connects to your A risers to the rollbar to
help with inflations.
•Pilot Stick Control. An upgrade kit that
allows the pilot to operate their paraglider
much like a fixed wing aircraft is operated. The stick control is located between the pilots
legs and controls the paraglider steering and flare control using a series of lines and
pulleys.

GRAZhopper Owners Manual Version 1.3, Updated on June 2010
©2007, Airparamo LLC www.airparamo.com Page 10 of 10
8. Specifications
8.1. Dimensions & Weight
Length: 69” (176cm)
Width Assembled: 82.5” (210cm)
Width Unassembled: 22.5” or 57cm
Height Assembled: 46.5” (118cm)
Height Unassembled: 19” (48cm)
Weight w/ 12” wheels, w/o harnesses: 32 lbs 6 ozs or 14.75 kgs.
8.2. Main Parts List
Here is a listing of the main fabricated components of the GRAZhopper trike:
1 x GHT-01A Front Fork
1 x GHT-01B Front Fork Support
1 x GHT-01C Pilot Foot Bar
1 x GHT-01D Passenger Foot bar
2 x GHT-01E Front Wheel Hub
1 x GHT-02A Main Frame Front
1 x GHT-02B Main Frame Rear
1 x GHT-02C Main Frame Vertical
2 x GHT-02D Main Frame Insert
2 x GHT-03A Rail Side
2 x GHT-03B Rail End
4 x GHT-03C Rail Insert
2 x GHT-03D Rail Bracket
2 x GHT-04A Frame Connect Plate
5 x GHT-04B Frame Motor Clamp
2 x GHT-05A Wheel Mount
2 x GHT-05B Wheel Strut
2 x GHT-05C Wheel Strut Insert
2 x GHT-05D Wheel Strut Bracket
2 x GHT-06A Launch Assist Tab
2 x GHT-C1 Front Cable
2 x GHT-C2 Upper Cable
1 x GHT-C3 Back Cable
1 x GHT-C4 Main Cable
1 x GHT-B1 Bungie Cord for Back Cable and Turnbuckles
1 x GHT-L1 Launch Assist Line Assenbly
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