The PREDATOR Powered Parachute

has a new home at...

SkyTrails LSA

Company data:

Powered Parachute Manufacturing <> Flight Training <> Sales <> Service   

Normal Operating Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 0900 - 1800 (9am-6pm)

Office Phone: 979-282-2005  

(Note that SkyTrails has elected to retain the old Hughes Aero phone #, as a courtesy & as a means to support the PREDATOR's original customer base)  

           And for off-office hours (emergency) calls, please contact Fredrick’s cell: 435-656-0800  

Email Us

Physical Address:

          SkyTrails LSA

           Wharton Airport, Hangar #31

           882 Robert Vonderau Dr  

           Wharton, TX 77488  

(view maps)

Facilities…

SkyTrails LSA is manufacturing E-LSA & S-LSA aircraft 
in a 10,000 sq-ft hangar at the Wharton Airport (Hangars 29-32) 
in Wharton, TX.  

(See attached photo for a bird's-eye view of our showroom/production area and the grass training field just outside our doors.)  

(view maps)

Invite…

SkyTrails the Manufacturer of the Top-Award winning < PREDATOR > welcomes you to come visit and take a tour of our factory & training facilities.  Our normal working hours are: year-round, 9am – 6pm (0900-1800) Tuesday through Saturday.

And we especially invite you to come and enjoy the PPC Championships in the fall for an incredible show of camaraderie and skill in the PPC Community!

Spectators, Competitors, Vendors, PPC Manufacturers & Sponsors are ALL WELCOME at this awesome powered parachuting event!

Training Materials…

Our Sport Pilot training & reference DVD for Powered Parachutes – on a web-based platform - is compatible with both Windows & MAC computer systems. The DVD has lots of video training snippets along with concise (& humorous) supporting text & graphics on PPC training. This version also includes thousands of FAA supporting documents, including PDF files, FAA AC (advisories); and as another bonus, Tim Bayer's video: “Powered Parachute Check List ” (a $20 value) is included with the current release of the DVD. 
(You can visit the website for more details and order instructions with a Click on this line.)  

Personnel…

CEO: Fredrick Scheffel (CFI / FAA Examiner and author of multiple training & assembly manuals & magazine articles; and Director of world class PPC events)

Manufacturing/Service Manager: Our staff brings years and thousands of hours of engine and building experience to the company.

Design: Scott Hughes – original designer & creator of the highly coveted and top award winning (Oshkosh Grand Champion/Gold Lindy) PREDATOR (and one of the best powered parachute pilots in the World!)

Training: On staff CFI’s: Mark Branton, Scott Hughes, Andrew (Gunny Merta), Ron Cowart & Fredrick Scheffel.  Note that Fredrick also completes the training process, as the company’s SFIE (Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Examiner).  Together, this core team of Flight Instructors, have safely solo’d over 1017 Powered Parachute Students.  

History…

SkyTrails has been building PPC’s (Powered Parachutes) along with Training and developing flight training materials for the powered parachute industry since December of 1999.  We were consistently one of the leading dealers in sales for Powrachute, while they were located in Columbus, KS. 

On April 22, 2009, SkyTrails LSA (dba: PREDATOR Powered Parachute LLC) purchased the Rights to manufacture the PREDATOR powered parachute (along with the tooling & inventory) from Hughes Aero.  SkyTrails LSA has also moved into the same hangar facilities that Scott Hughes - the designer of the PREDATOR - had been building the PREDATOR PPC in, for over the past 4-years.  We also - as a courtesy for existing PREDATOR Clients - retained the existing phone # from Hughes Aero: 979-282-2005.

And we acquired the S-LSA certification for the PREDATOR PPC in November of last year (2008).

______________________________

More detailed History…  

There are only a few things in life that are known to be real: CHANGES, FEELINGS & DECISION – and the following news takes a piece of all three realities…

As of the last week in April 2009, the multi-award-winning Grand Champion (Gold Lindy) PREDATOR powered parachute has a new home.  SkyTrails (via the PREDATOR Powered Parachute LLC) has added a new Texas based corporation, SkyTrails LSA, to manage the PREDATOR Manufacturing and Training hangars at Wharton Airport in Wharton, TX. Like adding Chocolate with Peanut Butter, throughout history companies have found benefits in expanding their operations to better serve their clientele. And although not in the same arena as Chocolate & Peanut Butter – but still a strong analogy - the best systematic PPC training programs from SkyTrails will officially merge with perhaps the “Lexus” in the PPC industry – the PREDATOR powered parachute.

This acquisition will allow SkyTrails to fully incorporate their methodical PPC Flight Training programs (Ultralight, Sport Pilot & Private Pilot) into a complete PPC solution.

Having lost the beautiful scenery of their Utah training field to a new commercial airport development in southern Utah, SkyTrails has been looking for new training facilities.  And the 2000-ft grass fields just outside of the PREDATOR manufacturing and showroom hangar doors at Wharton airport will complete the total package for their powered parachute clients.  Hence, SkyTrails training is merging into a more colorful and complete PPC package with a new base at Wharton Airport, just 60-miles SW of Houston, Texas!  

And when we mention the “total package”, we mean that SkyTrails LSA will now be equipped to meet every need of the PPC enthusiast.  For instance, their new Sport Pilot Training & Reference DVD allows the student pilot to begin their knowledge base into the characteristics of powered parachute flight.  Then, the company’s structured Training programs and proven in-house training materials support the student through all of the required (and advanced safety concerns) to bring them to a successful completion of their Sport Pilot FAA certificate.  

And now, with the ability to take the student from the air conditioned ground-school classroom to the grass flight training field with only a few steps, well, this situation allows the student to access – at a moment’s notice – great flight weather conditions instantly.  And in building upon this new, ideal, student scenario, SkyTrails students will never be required to pre-purchase a PPC aircraft for their training.  For as the Predator is now S-LSA certified, a company trainer aircraft is always prepared & ready from the showroom floor. And should the student decide to purchase a PPC upon completing their training – well again, SkyTrails LSA has new Predators and a variety of single-seat (FAR 103) and used 2-seat PPC’s for their clients to choose from.  

Then when maintenance is required, the SkyTrails staff is totally equipped to assist with minor adjustments or complete engine rebuilds.  And almost finally, to complete the support & enjoyment of their clients, the SkyTrails showroom hosts the monthly meeting of the BARF Club under the leadership of their new president, Bill Alcorn.  During these monthly meetings, safety concerns, training & PPC Industry issues are discussed, allowing pilot & aircraft owner to maintain their skills, knowledge and camaraderie to flourish.  And lastly, this October, SkyTrails will sponsor the 2010 PPC Championships (October) at their facilities at the Wharton Airport.

New Sport Pilot PPCL (4-day) classes occur monthly at Wharton Airport, just southwest of Houston, TX. So whether you are just getting started in the powered parachute world, or you just need a few lessons of a modulated SP-PPCL program to complete your FAA Sport Pilot certificate, you should consider contacting SkyTrails ( Email US ) to make your reservations.  $4400 for the complete 12-day program to complete your SP FAA certificate or $1700 for the 4-day class that begins with an introduction to the powered parachute and ends with your solo engine-out landing.

(Also, if any PPC Pilot knows of anyone looking for SP-PPCL training - well SkyTrails sure would appreciate your support with a recommendation or even just a “heads-up” mention to those “wanna-bees” or “new-bees” about their new acquisition & training program! And as a related side note: CFI’s (or CFI’s in-progress) that may be looking for a grass field; with relatively friendly PPC weather; a proven training program; established PPC training materials and an awesome (not to mention enjoyable) Training Team to work with – well, you may want to contact us too!)