A Paramotor (also called motorized paraglider or power paraglider - PPG) has two main components for getting airborne : a paraglider (also called canopy or glider) and a harness on which an engine is attached. The main advantage of the Paramotor on other type of powered flying machines is that it does not require much storage space : the glider can be folded and put in a bag while the harness with the engine can easily get in the boot of your car. On the other hand, it requires no heavy maintenance because of the technical simplicity of the parts. Another good point for the paramotor is that it does not need a large space such an airfield to take-off : an area as large as a tennis court is the minimum.While flying a paramotor you do not have to worry to much if the engine fails : just spot your small emergency landing area and glide to it very smoothly...
Paramotoring is fun and rewarding, you exceed the thrill found in other flying sports : you can fly very low and climb very high  if you respect and apply the fundamentals of safety. Your flight can last for more that an hour, your cruise altitude can vary from a couple of feet to a thousand of them. You do not need any help, hill or towing equipment. The fuel costs you peanuts money, the maintenance and handling are simple. For the price of a good motorcycle, you can now fly with CONTROL for a period lasting sometimes hours. Paragliders and hang-gliders needs thermals, ultra-lights are too expensive and bulky. The Paramotor is the right choice for somebody who wants to fly with a compact and safe equipment for a reasonable price.

The glider

The glider is the wing of the paramotor. It is made of special nylon composites. The material is strong enough to cope with adverse environment effects such as sand, snow and ultra-violet light. It is not a flat piece of nylon but has a basic structure made of cells. The cells have an air-intake at the front of the glider. The cell is automatically inflated when the air penetrates from the intake. This phenomenon results in the gradual building of the aerodynamic wing.
The glider is connected to the harness by mean of lines also made of hard nylon such as kevlar. The lines are organized in a way that they first distribute equally the weight of the pilot and the engine during flight. The lines are connected to the risers who controls the shape of the wing. Most of the gliders have 4 risers named A,B,C and D. 'A' riser controls the foremost part of the glider : this specific riser is intensively used on take-off in order to inflate the cells. Brakes (or steering toggles) are provided but not like in a car ! The brakes are two handles that controls specific lines attached at the left and right end side of the glider. By pulling the brakes, increased drag is produced. The brakes helps you mainly in turning and controlling your landing. Total weight of the glider with its transport bag is about 15 kilograms.
Most of the gliders available on the market went through different testing procedures and are certified by an official / independent organization (such as AFNOR) before going public.

The engine

The engine is what helps you getting the right lift to get and keep airborne ! There are different type of engines on the market. You can find mostly 2 cycle air-cooled engines who requires an appropriate fuel and oil mixture.
There are also mono and twin cylinders. Some of them can be started electrically while others manually with the help of a recoil starter. Electrical starter is very useful if you want to switch off during flight and soar.
Today's technology allows us to use very light and robust components, this helps in reaching optimum performance in flight and safety. For instance, propellers are made in high-tech carbon fiber, engine structure in duralumin. Carburetor settings are very important depending of the altitude. Settings must be adjusted if your are planning to take-off  from Malibu Beach or near the Mont-Blanc... Fuel is stored in a tank who allows you a flight time from 40 minutes to 2-3 hours depending of the tank capacity, fuel management and wind.
Performance of the engine is crucial if you want to have an optimized flight. Generally, a good twin cylinder of 250 cc capacity engine can produce a minimum 20 PS at 7500 RPM. The developed thrust is about 45 Kgs.
The goal of the engine is to give you forward thrust. This is done by generating enough force to rotate the propeller at the proper regime. The engine speed is controlled by the throttle grip. Apply speed to climb, decrease speed to descent.
The engine is attached to the harness by mean of a frame. Another frame connected to the main frame is called the propeller guard. It protects the propeller of any foreign object who could get caught during rotation.
Most of those parts can be easily disassembled in a few minutes which allows to store the whole system in a small space.
The noise level has been significantly reduced with new technology and also because of severe noise pollution regulations in some countries. Excellent helmets can be purchased for ear protection. There are even a few who offers the noise cancellation feature.

The harness

The harness is the part which attach you to the whole flight system. The risers of the glider are connected to the harness with carabiners. The engine's frame is ergonomically fixed to the harness. A good harness must be comfortable and offer options such as a radio pocket, shoulders pads, rescue parachute attachment and a foot bar.