To: US Department of Transportation

 Docket Operations

 West Building Ground Floor Room W12-140

 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.

 Washington, DC 20590

Petition for Exemption (Maverick SLSA)

Sec. 11.81

A. Contact Information:

Indigenous Peoples Technology and Education Center, Inc. (Itec)

10575 SW 147th Circle, 

Dunnellon, Fl. 34432

Ph: 352-465-4545

Email: troy@itecusa.org

Petition Summary

This petition seeks an exemption from Title 14 Code of Federal Aviation Regulation 

(CFR) Part 21, § 21.190(c)(2) to permit an additional weight allowance for a powered 

parachute (PPC) light-sport aircraft (LSA) intended for both flight operations and 

operation on public roadways, similar to the weight allowance for LSA intended for 

operation on water. A roadable PPC has similar weight penalties to an LSA intended 

for operation on water due to the additional equipment required to make the vehicle 

roadworthy, and therefore a similar weight allowance seems appropriate. 

Itec, as the developer of the ASTM International consensus standards compliant 

special category light-sport aircraft (SLSA) known as the “Maverick”, is requesting an 

exemption from the current restriction of a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 

1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) for aircraft not intended for operation on water. The 

exemption is requested to allow the “Maverick” PPC LSA design to include 

structures, systems, and instruments necessary for it to safely operate in both the air 

and on the ground. In order to meet these design requirements and still maintain a 

suitable useful load for flight operations, the “Maverick” PPC LSA will require a 

MTOW of 1,430 pounds (650 kilograms), the same as an LSA intended for operation 

on water.

If approved, this petition for exemption will allow Itec to issue a statement of 

compliance (FAA Form 8130-15) for each Itec “Maverick” PPC LSA for operation at 

the same weight prescribed by 14 CFR Part 1, § 1.1 for LSA intended for operation 

on water.

B. Petition for exemption from:

Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 21, § 21.190(c)(2)

(c) Manufacturer’s statement of compliance for light-sport category aircraft. The 

manufacturer’s statement of compliance required in paragraph (b) (1) (iii) of this 
section must- (2) State that the aircraft meets the provisions of the identified 

consensus standard; 

C. Extent of and reason for relief:

Relief from the reasonable LSA gross operating weight restrictions is needed solely 

and only to offset a relatively small portion of the additional weight required of any 

practical multi-medium vehicle that can both drive and fly.

We are asking for a 110 lb (50 Kilo) exemption that would allow an increase in the 

gross operating weight for a ‘flyable and drivable’ Maverick, from the standard LSA 

gross weight of 1320 lbs to 1430 lbs, the allowable weight for an amphibious LSA.

Every vehicle is a compromise. Some planes are extremely fast but require very 

long runways. Others are STOLish but give up cruise speed. Others with complex 

wings can take off short and fly fast but are extremely expensive. The Maverick was 

designed to capably meet the structural requirements of both air and ground 

operations while incorporating essential safety equipment for both air and ground 

operations. 

There is a Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) in the United States, 

which was established for major motor vehicle manufacturers. These standards are 

incredibly complex and would be virtually impossible for a low volume vehicle 

manufacturer to meet. 

States have developed numerous exemptions from the FMVSS to allow the 

development and sale of vehicles designed for specialty uses. The "Kit Car" 

exemption is one good example of such an exemption. In Florida and other states 

there are other exemptions including an exemption called "Assembled from Parts". 

This exemption allows parts from damaged vehicles to be used to rehabilitate 

repairable vehicles. 

The Maverick was designed to be safe on public roads even at highway speeds. But 

it was also designed to be operable off road, and in the air with the capability of 

operating on water and snow as well. It would not only be prohibitively complex to 

attempt to meet all the FMVSS on a vehicle such as the Maverick; but it would also 

be exorbitantly expensive and extremely heavy. 

Attempting to meet all FMVSS is beyond the realm of feasibility for a road capable 

Powered Parachute, privately funded, and manufactured in small quantities. 

We have chosen to design this first practical multi-medium Powered Parachute to be 

ground licensed under allowed exemptions to the FMVSS. We anticipate that there 

will come a time when there will be a special vehicle safety standard for multimedium vehicles. In the meantime our only realistic option is to license the Maverick 

for ground operations under State rules for motor vehicles instituted for innovative, 

low production vehicles that fit a specific need that is in the best interest of the public 

to be allowed.
Even though the Maverick will not meet all the FMVSS, there are items that are 

required to make the vehicle roadable that result in added weight compared to a 

traditional Powered Parachute. They include:

1. A completely independent ground drive system to an LSA Powered 

Parachute with full, safe roadable capabilities (including a 

transmission with a differential and reversing capabilities, driving 

robust drive axles through a CVT drive – (Add 120 to 140 lbs)

2. A robust, active suspension system – (Add 25 lbs)

3. Automotive headlights, blinkers, stop lights, speedometer, 

windshield clearing system – (Add 6 to 10 lbs)

4. A heavy duty braking system on all wheels – (Add 12 to 15 lbs)

5. Four large roadworthy wheels and tires (rather than the three small 

wheels standard on LSA flying only machines – add 50 to 65 lbs)

6. And the structure necessary to make the fuselage capable of 

protecting the operator and occupants during a collision – (Add 35 

lbs)

These items add between 250 and 280 lbs to a roadable Powered Parachute, even

if great care is given to cutting the weight of these extra systems while still 

adequately addressing safety concerns. These additional systems and structures

would easily top 400 lbs if great care were not exercised in keeping the weight to a 

minimum.

There is no question that an exemption greater than 110 lbs would allow us to 

reduce the cost of some of the additional roadable equipment, systems and structure 

and would allow us to add other desirable but not absolutely necessary 

features. The reason we ask only for 110 lbs is that we understand and support the 

reasons for limiting LSA gross operating weights and believe that we and others 

attempting to produce multi-medium LSA vehicles, should be extremely disciplined

in the area of weight reduction.

After great effort to design carefully and to limit weight in every reasonable way, we 

have produced a truly robust, capable and safe – roadworthy Powered Parachute 

that weighs just under 1000 lbs. With weight allowance for a real pilot and 

passenger and a bit of baggage (350 lbs) and fuel for two and a half hours of flight, 

plus reserves (14 gallons = 84 lbs) the absolute minimum gross weight necessary to 

make the Maverick practical without sacrificing safety, is 1430 lbs. To make this 

possible we absolutely need a minimum 110 to 150 lb gross weight exemption.

We are asking for 110 lbs but would like to encourage consideration of a slightly 

higher exemption of 150 lbs.

The current ASTM consensus standards do not need to be changed in any way to 

allow production of the Maverick LSA Powered Parachute which is also road 

capable and safe. All that is needed and all that is being requested is a Gross 

Weight exemption allowing a maximum takeoff weight of 1430 lbs, equal to the 

Maximum Gross Weight allowed for Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft. 
D. Public interest and benefit:

1. The ‘Maverick’ can be flown safely by anyone with experience driving an 

automatic transmission car and is willing to invest the time necessary to get 

twelve hours of instruction required to acquire an FAA Sport Pilot License with a 

Powered Parachute endorsement.

2. The Maverick is a fully licensable roadworthy vehicle (also off-road capable).

3. The Maverick is capable of safe flight.

4. The Maverick can be converted from driving mode to flying mode and back in just 

a matter of a few minutes.

5. The Maverick is fuel efficient, burning approximately 5 gph in the air and 

getting up to 30 + miles per gallon on the ground. 

6. The Maverick has a parachute to lower it to the ground if something should go 

wrong in the air.

7. The Maverick uses regular automobile fuel.

8. Any normal automobile mechanic with some special training could maintain the 

Maverick. 

9. The Maverick can maintain highway speeds, it can drive thru McDonald’s drive 

thru and it can park on the street.

10.The Maverick can land and take off in about two hundred feet (depending on take 

off weight).

11.Above all else, it can be operated safely both in driving and flying mode – -

But there is one very important area in which this very capable, easy to operate and 

easy to maintain multi-medium vehicle is currently lacking. To include the structures 

and equipment necessary to be safe on the ground and to still be able to carry a 

reasonable load while flying, the Maverick needs a small but critical exemption from 

the current standard gross weight limitations for standard LSA’s.

The reason why granting our request for an additional 110 pound exemption from 

current Light Sport Aircraft, Gross Weight Limitation is in the public interest is that 

roadway congestion is not only a growing public nuisance, but this congestion has 

also become a significant factor in reducing American work productivity while 

increasing our dependency on foreign oil. Highway congestion also increases the 

danger of operating a motor vehicle on our highway system today.

The solution to congested roads is not likely to come from our public sector 

because the cost of adding roadways in our most congested areas is beyond the 

ability of our debt ridden economy to support. Government entities have already 

made all reasonable efforts from car-pooling initiatives to multiple occupant lanes 
and sequenced traffic lights, limited access highways and novel concepts such as 

traffic circles to alleviate congestion on our highways. Industries have already tried 

staggered work start times, work at home concepts, and new communities designed 

to allow people to live where they work and work where they live.

Public transportation works where it already exists but offers a solution to traffic 

congestion only in limited and very closely defined areas. The cost of subway 

systems, elevated trains or high speed rails come with such a horrendously high 

price tag that they are also beyond the realm of practical implementation as are

adding roadways or double decking major highways.

The only viable solution left to reduce road congestion is the development of a free

‘skyway’. And the only significant impediment to developing a novel skyway 

transportation system is designing an affordable, safe and user-friendly vehicle or 

vehicles that can operate on the ground and in the air.

The only obstacle to the Maverick being the first practical vehicle with the capability 

of combining highways and skyways is the current weight restrictions that were 

understandably established without consideration being given to the added structure 

needed for two independent drive systems and two control systems and the 

substantial added structure necessary to safely carry a single vehicle on the ground 

as well as in the air.

Fortunately in the original LSA rule there was consideration given to the added 

weight necessary for aircraft designed and built to be able to land and takeoff on 

water as well as land. Such a capability does require a stiffened airframe and

requires a floating fuselage or pontoons, which add weight. Much less additional 

structure is required to make an aircraft capable of landing and taking off on water, 

however, than is required to produce an aircraft that requires two completely 

independent drive systems, and which requires two control systems (ground and air) 

and the safety equipment necessary to safely navigate two completely different 

mediums.

A roadable Powered Parachute must have headlights, brake lights, blinkers, heavy 

brakes, large wheels with heavy tires, a transmission with a differential and a

reversing gear, windshield clearing mechanism, and it must be able to protect the 

occupants in case of collisions with other vehicles in ground operation

Any dual medium ‘Flyable Car or Roadable Aircraft’ that has even a small potential 

for alleviating congested roads and public transport systems, and which the private 

sector in our country is willing to invest in developing, IS DEFINITELY IN THE 

PUBLIC INTEREST AND WOULD BENEFIT THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE.

There is wide and varied interest in the Maverick in response to articles and publicity 

about this unique aircraft which have appeared in journals such as Popular 

Mechanics (who awarded the Maverick their prestigious "Breakthrough Award" in 

2009), Christianity Today in September 2010, American Morning on CNN and on the 

CNN website on October 27 2010, Sport Aviation in November 2010 and numerous 

newspapers, radio stations and television programs around the country.
This unsolicited interest in the Maverick has prompted a flurry of inquiries that reveal 

the broad application possibilities for the Maverick as soon as it is available to the 

public. Potential customers are interested in using the Maverick in many ways 

including the following uses:

o Border patrol

o Pipeline patrol

o Aerial surveillance 

o Disaster evaluation (i.e. Hurricane Katrina damage assessment)

o Search and rescue

o Contamination inspection (i.e. oil slick identification and location in 

the Gulf)

o Wildlife counting

o Ranching; fence line flying and repair and livestock control and care

o Extreme sport use

o Transportation beyond roads

o Aerial application of pesticides for disease control

o Transportation in congested areas

o Medical evacuation in frontier areas

o Medical, aerial caravans in areas of the world where medical 

services are not available

o Delivery of critical supplies where ground transportation is not 

efficient or available

o Transportation for itinerant government workers in areas beyond 

roads and beyond public transportation systems

o Fugitive pursuit

o Aerial traffic monitoring

o Use in conflict areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan where 

Improvised Explosive Devises are a constant threat (See US 

military DARPA specification for multi-medium vehicle that can be 

used by average, non-aviator ground troups)

o Aerial mapping of natural resources

o Geodetic Survey mapping

A common theme running through many inquiries is the search for an alternative to 

helicopter transportation, which is expensive and requires a highly trained pilot. 

There is a growing recognition that the Maverick can be flown safely by operators 

who have a defined need but lack aviation experience and also lack the time 

necessary to master the skills needed for piloting typical fixed wing or rotary wing 

aircraft.

E. Safety issues:

Granting of the weight exemption being sought here for the Maverick LSA Powered 

Parachute would not compromise safety. In this case, it is precisely for safety sake 

that the exemption is being sought.

The additional gross weight allowance made for “Amphibious LSA” is made, I 

believe, for a very similar reason. Every amphibious LSA I have studied has a 

sufficient useful load that it could function without the additional 110 pound gross 
weight allowance given automatically to amphibious LSA’s. But, it would do so only 

at the expense of giving up a second passenger or by compromising safety. The 

same reality is even more applicable to a roadable Powered Parachute such as the 

Maverick.

There is no question that landing on water requires more structure than landing on 

the ground does. Producing an aircraft that can land on both land and water requires 

more structure than that required for landing on only water or ground. An 

amphibious aircraft requires floatation capacity and wheels - and the wheels need to 

be retractable, which is not even allowed on other LSA’s.

In the same manner of thinking, I believe the case is self evident that to build an LSA 

Powered Parachute that is structurally sound in flight and road legal, as well as road 

safe, with a useful load sufficient to allow practical operation as a two-seater (without 

which capability the Maverick would not be economically viable) will require a weight 

exemption. The weight exemption is needed precisely to allow sufficient necessary 

additional structure to make it safe in both air and ground operations.

I would suggest that allowing a weight exemption for a road legal LSA Powered 

Parachute makes great sense from a safety standpoint. Powered Parachutes are by 

their very nature - slower and inherently less prone to stall and spin accidents as 

well as loss of control accidents from unintentional flight into IMC conditions than are 

other aircraft. These inherent safety characteristics of Powered Parachutes make 

the Maverick a prime candidate to explore multi-medium operations and make it a 

safe candidate for operation by low time Sport Pilots 

It makes sense to limit LSA’s maximum stall speed from a safety standpoint. The 

lower the speed, the lower the momentum and the lower the likelihood of injury to 

aircraft and occupants in case of an accident. It also makes obvious sense to limit 

the conditions in which LSA’s can be flown by Sport Pilots, who by specific definition 

are held to a lower minimum-licensing standard than “Private” pilots are.

The reasons for limiting the maximum gross weight of LSA’s are also 

reasonable. Less weight means less momentum, just as slower flight speeds limit

LSA momentum in the event of an unplanned or uncontrolled contact with the 

ground. Allowing a slightly higher gross weight for the Maverick, however, does not 

create excessive momentum because the speed of flight is significantly less than 

even the stall speed of other LSA’s.

In the case of the weight exemption being requested for the Maverick LSA Powered 

Parachute, the modest weight increase is specifically sought to allow an increase in 

safety with no significant offsetting increase in momentum. The weight increase 

sought cannot possibly even cover the most modest additional mechanisms and 

systems required for safely operating Mavericks on the road.

Safety is the specific reason for the exemption sought for the Maverick.

We understand from LSA documents that the LSA standard was written to 

encourage innovation in aviation and the development of aircraft that can be safely 

operated by pilots with limited licensing requirements.
Granting a modest exemption to the gross takeoff weight of the Maverick will 

definitely help give this innovative new multi-medium aircraft a chance to succeed in 

the competitive marketplace, will help rejuvenate the flagging LSA Powered 

Parachute category and will allow all of this to be accomplished with a high degree 

of safety. 

F. Petition Summary

This petition seeks an exemption from Title 14 Code of Federal Aviation Regulation 

(CFR) Part 21, § 21.190(c)(2) to permit an additional weight allowance for a powered 

parachute (PPC) light-sport aircraft (LSA) intended for flight operations and 

operation on public roadways that is similar to the weight allowance for LSA 

intended for operation on water. A roadable PPC has similar weight penalties to an 

LSA intended for operation on water and therefore a similar weight allowance seems 

appropriate. Itec, as the developer of the ASTM International consensus standards 

compliant special category light-sport aircraft (SLSA) known as the “Maverick” is 

requesting an exemption from the current restriction of a maximum take-off weight 

(MTOW) of 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) for aircraft not intended for operation on 

water. The exemption is requested to allow the “Maverick” PPC LSA design to 

include structures, systems, and instruments necessary for it to safely operate in 

both the air and on the ground. In order to meet these design requirements and still 

maintain a suitable useful load for flight operations, the “Maverick” PPC LSA will 

require a MTOW of 1,430 pounds (650 kilograms), the same as an LSA intended for 

operation on water.

If approved, this petition for exemption will allow Itec to issue a statement of 

compliance (FAA Form 8130-15) for each Itec “Maverick” PPC LSA for operation at 

the same weight prescribed by 14 CFR Part 1, § 1.1 for LSA intended for operation 

on water.

G. Additional supporting information:

The United States has been a world leader in aviation technology and 

manufacturing ever since one of the Wright Brothers packed the 'Wright Flyer' to 

England on a ship and demonstrated to the European aviation community that the 

'Wright Flyer' could not only fly, but it could also turn.

Roadable Aircraft or 'Flying Cars' as the public likes to think of them will become a 

reality because there is a growing need for such aircraft. The question is, who will 

lead the way? Itec, a North American technology innovator, has developed what 

could soon be the first practical LSA Powered Parachute with robust Roadable 

capabilities to go into production.

We have developed the machine and the Federal Aviation Administration has found 

it to be airworthy and to conform to ASTM standards. The Florida department of 

Motor Vehicles has licensed it to operate on the public roadway system.

There is one remaining obstacle that stands between the Maverick and success. It 

is Itec’s desire to help put the USA out front in the development of a practical road 

capable aircraft: creating jobs by building it where it was 'born' and making it 
practical as an LSA for use here in America - Monitoring pipelines and borders, 

helping find people who need rescue, affordably monitoring traffic with the ability to 

land and lend a hand, and least but probably not last - having a whole lot of fun 

doing all of the above. The only need is a weight exemption of 110 to 150 pounds 

necessary to allow the Maverick to operate both in the air and on the ground, safely, 

while carrying two reasonable sized people and a modest amount of fuel. 

Can Sport Pilots safely operate a Maverick? 

It has been brought to our attention that there is concern regarding the ability of 

Sport Pilots to master the dual skills necessary to fly a roadable aircraft with two full 

sets of controls. We also understand that there is legitimate concern regarding the 

capability of 'flight critical' surfaces and controls to stand up to the rigors of ground 

operations without debilitation of their airworthy structures.

The Maverick, it should be noted, is radically different from a roadable fixed wing 

aircraft in that it uses a fundamentally different technology for flight. The Maverick is 

a powered parachute with robust ground capabilities - not a roadable 'aircraft' as the 

term is generally used.

Consider the following:

A powered parachute uses a ram air parachute to generate lift for flight. The 

parachute can be folded, compressed, and stored in a dedicated compartment -

isolated from the stresses of ground driving. 

In the Maverick, there is a dedicated storage compartment bordered by chromoly 

steel tubing and covered in a heavy canvas cover that protects it not only from 

vibration but also from possible impacts with other vehicles and ground obstructions. 

The chute storage compartment also protects the chute from the elements - rain, 

snow, sun etc.

Powered parachute 'wings' having no internal structures which are susceptible to 

ground operation vibrations. The greatest danger to a Powered Parachute wing 

comes from the pollution of support lines with dirt when the wing is launched from 

the ground as is common in all powered parachutes but the Maverick. The Maverick 

uses a proprietary chute deployment system, which allows the chute to be deployed 

without use of the ground as a launching platform.

Powered parachutes also have no protruding empennage. On the Maverick, there 

are no flight critical structures that protrude from the machine beyond the boundaries 

of the fuselage and suspension. The two 'spreader bars' which do protrude from 

each side of the Maverick are well within the wheel footprint of the vehicle. As an 

additional safely feature, these ‘spreader bars’, where the wing attaches, are 

supported by two cables each – either one of which is capable of carrying the entire 

weight of the aircraft. There are actually eight support structures that connect the 

wing to the fuselage. Half of those structures could fail without jeopardizing the flight 

integrity of the Maverick. 

The Maverick parachute and its support lines are designed to be able to survive 

even a debilitating ground collision or loss of ground control resulting in a rollover of 
the entire vehicle. The propeller is susceptible in such accidents but damage to the 

propeller is readily observable in even a cursory pre-flight walk-around. 

Upon deployment of the parachute prior to flight, the entire chute 'wing' and all of its 

support lines are easily observable. There are no hidden structures that can be 

critically debilitated without the damage being apparent to visual inspection prior to 

flight.

With regard to concern of roadable aircraft potentially exceeding the skill level of 

Sport Pilots, it should be noted that the Maverick, again, is a powered parachute 

having, with little doubt, the lowest fatality rate record of any light sport aircraft 

category.

The Maverick takes the easy to fly characteristics of typical powered parachutes to 

an unprecedented level in two ways. 

First, the Maverick incorporates an integrated Ground - Air control system. This 

integrated control system uses normal car controls: a steering wheel and foot 

accelerator for air control as well as ground control.

Second, as in all powered parachutes, should the Maverick encounter a thrust

system failure while in flight, control of the Maverick is still available to the Maverick

pilot and the aircraft floats to the ground at a descent rate that the suspension 

system and the safety features of the seats can largely absorb. The likelihood of 

damage to the Maverick and occupants is limited because of the relatively slow flight 

speed (30 to 35 knots cruise speed that can be further diminished to as little as 28 to 

32 knots prior to contact with the ground) and the inherent stability of the fuselage,

which acts as a pendulum, makes stall-spin accidents unlikely in the extreme.

Further, the Maverick structure completely surrounds the pilot with a robust 

Chromoly steel tube cage and the seats are designed to deform upon hard impact to 

further protect the pilot and passengers. The Maverick has been tested in the 

extreme scenario where power was totally shut down in flight after which the pilot 

made no control inputs whatsoever. The Maverick descended to impact with the 

ground without injury to either the aircraft or the test pilot. Superficial damage was 

sustained to one wheel rim, which deformed slightly but was still useable and the 

right rear wheel deflated due to the slight rim deformation breaking the seal with the 

right rear tire.

As is generally understood, powered parachutes are so easy to fly that instruction 

has been generally given to students with the instructor on the ground and the new 

student flying the powered parachute 'solo'. This tradition is unprecedented in 

aviation history, I believe. 

Add to this the fact that the Maverick uses the same primary controls for pitch and 

directional control in both air and ground operations. The Maverick has back up 

controls that use the feet for steering and it has a second throttle that is hand 

operated. Both of these backup controls are completely separate of each other and 

can be used independently or in conjunction with each other. 
In fact, the Maverick is so safe that in the case of a pilots debilitation in flight, it 

would be reasonable for a passenger to simply do nothing. Or, the passenger could 

fly the machine from the rear seat. The passenger has access to the steering lines 

from the rear seat and can access the hand throttle as well. As has been pointed 

out, the Maverick is extremely resistant to stalls and spins and the fuselage structure 

is extremely robust and capable of absorbing predictable loads from almost any 

normal forced landing scenario due to the slow flight speeds, the relatively slow 

descent rate, and the robust nature of the fuselage structure. 

The possibility of ground stresses affecting flight structure is also minimized by the 

Maverick design in which the flight structures and the ground structures are largely 

independent of each other. The Maverick fuselage is not only capable of handling 

all normal on-road stresses, but it is also extremely capable off road which was a 

foundational design criteria of this vehicle designed for frontier use 'Beyond Roads'. 

The stresses of flight being much lighter than those required for ground operation 

and segregated from ground structures, flight structures are almost entirely on top of 

the machine with redundant flexible cables supporting the lower fuselage in flight.

By its nature, the Maverick Powered Parachute, in flight, is a pendulum suspended 

by support lines from a self inflating parachute wing supported by a totally noncritical 

wing deployment system prior to flight. In flight the chute deployment system is part 

of the required structure and only serves to dampen oscillations of the fuselage. The 

oscillations are not dangerous, however, but do diminish the engine thrust efficiency 

when the fuselage swings, putting the propeller at an angle that is not perpendicular 

to the line of flight. 

In the Maverick even weight and balance, though it affects the angle at which the 

fuselage hangs, is not critical except to the efficiency of the propulsive effort. The 

Maverick design, as is common on most powered parachutes, flies with the pilot 

ahead of the center of mass and the engine behind the center of mass. Passengers 

and cargo are located directly under the center of lift so that increasing or 

decreasing the weight of passenger or cargo has a negligible effect on the angle at 

which the fuselage hangs and no effect on the stability of the aircraft other than the 

angle of the thrust vector. 

In summary, Powered Parachutes have several non-critical limiting factors such as 

low cruise speed. They make up for this non-critical limitation, however, by being 

simply the easiest to fly and safest aircraft category in existence today.

As mentioned, the Maverick, with its:

1. Robust chromoly fuselage structure that completely surrounds the 

pilot and passengers

2. A full chute deployment system

3. Integrated controls that are intuitive to car-qualified pilots

is arguably the safest and easiest to fly powered parachute design.