Hope for the best – prepare for the worst
Even with the most experienced paramotor pilots, using the most advanced equipment, things can still go wrong. For the GKN Mission Everest team the worst-case scenario would be an equipment malfunction at high altitude: if a wing collapses, or if an engine fails, the paramotor will start to descend at once… and fast. In thin air and unpredictable mountain, rotor and weather conditions, the paramotors could enter an uncontrollable spin, creating a real emergency survival situation. Other challenges to be planned for include getting blown high on to the side of Everest or another giant Himalayan peak, landing within the infamous ‘Death Zone’ with a very limited supply of life-giving oxygen, or even getting blown over the summit by strong winds and being forced to land on the high Tibetan plateaus. Communication between the pilots and the ground crew is critical, assessing climb rates, oxygen flows and conditions. 

In the worst case scenario of the pilots having to bail out of their paramotors due to the excessive sudden onslaught of severe weather, their harnesses have special quick release systems that can be undone in seconds. Each pilot would then use an emergency skydiving rig, which because of weight considerations, has just a reserve parachute in it, to skydive down thousands of feet and land in the lower valleys. This is to avoid being helplessly blown backwards in their paramotors into the side of a high peak, where they would end up stranded, alone and with minimal oxygen reserves.

Depending on the altitude at which the pilots have landed after their emergency bail-outs, the priority would be to descend, and quickly. They are equipped to survive the Himalayan mountains as long as they are at a ‘safe’ oxygen altitude, below around 22,000 feet. Their priority once below this height is then to find shelter and contact Neil Laughton the team’s Base-Camp Safety Manager for assistance, via radio or satellite phone. He would then put in place a pick-up operation. A helicopter will be on stand by all through the team’s flight, even escorting the pilots through the foothills on the first part of their flight until it can accompany them no higher (approximately 20,000 feet). 

Each pilot’s flying kit – composed of a down suit, boots, helmet, gloves and radio – provides the basics. They also have a survival grab-bag attached to their laps containing mitts, food, water, mini-flares, emergency locator beacons, space-blanket, satellite phone and a small roll mat to sit on. Finally, lightweight crampons (fastened to the pilots calf muscles during flight) and oxygen systems with a six-hour capacity complete their survival kit – hopefully enabling them to climb down to safety or to survive until a pick-up team reaches them.